Edge modes at quantum critical points break scaling rules

Menghua Deng of Hunan University, Sheng Yang of Zhejiang University, and colleagues report that standard models of quantum critical dynamics break down at topologically nontrivial quantum critical points. Their analysis of quantum spin chains reveals that while bulk dynamics follow expected Kibble-Zurek scaling, the behavior of topological edge modes deviates, obeying a modified scaling relation. The researchers further demonstrated this anomalous scaling by studying defect production in free-fermion models, establishing a link between topology, driven dynamics, and a challenge to existing paradigms of quantum critical dynamics. These findings establish the existence of anomalous dynamical scaling arising from the interplay between topology and driven dynamics. Quantum spin chains exhibit unexpectedly divergent behavior at critical transition points, defying established principles of quantum dynamics. This distinction suggests a breakdown of conventional Kibble-Zurek scaling specifically at…