Abstracts Physics

Out-of-equilibrium dynamics and phases of matter in Atomic, Molecular and Optical systems

by Francisco Leal Machado

The past few decades have witnessed an explosive development of atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) platforms. Previously restricted to a single qubit, quantum coherent manipulation is now available across large arrays of quantum particles. This unprecedented control over many-body quantum matter has enabled the direct study of isolated quantum dynamics away from equilibrium, and has opened an entirely new landscape for exploring different physical phenomena in AMO systems. In this thesis, I explore this landscape by focusing on three different classes of dynamics: many-body localization, prethermalization, and hydrodynamics. Using a combination of analytical and numerical tools, I will discuss the stability of different out-of-equilibrium phases of matter, as well as different universal dynamical phenomena. Examples include, time crystalline order in both many-body localized and periodically driven prethermal systems, prethermal phases of matter in long-range interacting systems systems, and diffusive and superdiffusive dynamics in isolated quantum systems. At the same time, I will also discuss the experimental realization of different dynamical phenomena in AMO platforms.