User:QuantumKnots/Time crystal

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History

In 2012, Frank Wilczek first introduced the idea of time crystals, asking if certain physical systems could spontaneously break time translation symmetry.^[1]

Time crystals have been called a kind of "perpetual motion machine"^[2]

Concept

Broken symmetry in normal crystals

Broken time translation symmetry

Symmetries in physics^[3]
Symmetry	Transformation	Unobservable	Conservation law
Space-translation	$\mathbf {r} \rightarrow \mathbf {r} \delta \mathbf {r}$	absolute position in space	momentum
Time-translation	$t\rightarrow t \delta t$	absolute time	energy
Rotation	$\mathbf {r} \rightarrow \mathbf {r} '$	absolute direction in space	angular momentum
Space inversion	$\mathbf {r} \rightarrow -\mathbf {r}$	absolute left or right	parity
Time-reversal	$t\rightarrow -t$	absolute sign of time	Kramers degeneracy
Sign reversion of charge	$e\rightarrow -e$	absolute sign of electric charge	charge conjugation
Particle substitution		distinguishability of identical particles	Bose or Fermi statistics
Gauge transformation	$\psi \rightarrow e^{iN\theta }\psi$	relative phase between different normal states	particle number

References

Notes

Citations

^ Wilczek (2012); Sacha & Zakrzewski (2018), p. 2
^
For examples see:
- "a system with spontaneous breaking of time translation symmetry in its ground state must have some sort of motion in its ground state, and is therefore perilously close to fitting the definition of a perpetual motion machine." Wilczek (2012)
- “In quantum physics, a perpetual motion machine is fine as long as we keep our eyes closed, and it must only start slowing down if we observe the motion,” Sutter (2022)
- "In 2012 Nobel-prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek first proposed a scheme for realizing a perpetual periodic oscillation ... He suggested threading a small magnetic field through a superconducting ring, which, in response, would form a current that can circulate indefinitely." Roushan (2022)
- "...making it a bit like perpetual motion machine. But others soon proved a "no-go theorem" that said such a thing was impossible—and replaced it with a less fantastical definition of a time crystal that researchers soon demonstrated in the lab. But now, two physicists have shown that the original notion of a time crystal is possible after all" Choi (2019)
^ Feng & Jin (2005), p. 18; Lee (1981), pp. 179–180

Bibliography

News Articles

Padavic-Callaghan, Karmela (2024-11-18). "Quantum Time Crystals Could be Used to Store Energy". New Scientist.

Delbert, Caroline (2024-07-22). "Scientists Created Room-Temperature Time Crystals. From Here, the Possibilities are Endless". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 2024-08-02.

Orf, Darren (2024-02-24). "Scientists Built a Time Crystal That Lasted for 40 Minutes. That's Astonishing". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 2024-05-10.

Sutter, Paul (2022-06-15). "Physicists Link Two Time Crystals in Seemingly Impossible Experiment". Scientific American. Archived from the original on 2022-06-15.

Roushan, Pedram (2022-04-04). "Time Crystals: The Search For a New Phase of Matter". Physics World. Archived from the original on 2024-06-28.

Ball, Philip (2021-09-20). "Focus: Turning a Quantum Computer into a Time Crystal". Physics. 14. APS Physics: 131. doi:10.1103/Physics.14.131. Archived from the original on 2024-07-10.

Hannaford, Peter; Sacha, Krzysztof (2020-03-17). "Time Crystals Enter the Real World of Condensed Matter". physicsworld.com. Institute of Physics. Archived from the original on 2023-11-11.

Cho, Adrian (2019-11-27). "Back to the Future: The Original Time Crystal Makes a Comeback". Science. doi:10.1126/science.aba3793. Archived from the original on 2023-11-11.

Goldstein, Raymond E. (2018-09-01). "Coffee Stains, Cell Receptors, and Time Crystals: Lessons from the Old Literature". Physics Today. 71 (9). AIP Publishing: 32–38. arXiv:1811.08179. doi:10.1063/pt.3.4019. Retrieved 2024-12-21.

Yao, Norman Y.; Nayak, Chetan (2018-09-01). "Time Crystals in Periodically Driven Systems". Physics Today. 71 (9): 40–47. arXiv:1811.06657. doi:10.1063/PT.3.4020.

Ball, Philip (2018-07-17). "In Search of Time Crystals". Physics World. Archived from the original on 2024-03-18. Retrieved 2024-12-21.

Gibney, Elizabeth (2017-03-09). "The Quest to Crystallize Time". Nature. 543 (7644): 164–166. doi:10.1038/543164a. Archived from the original on 2024-12-19.

Ouellette, Jennifer (2017-01-31). "World's First Time Crystals Cooked Up Using New Recipe". newscientist.com. New Scientist. Archived from the original on 2017-02-01.

Wood, Charlie (2017-01-31). "Time Crystals Realize New Order of Space-Time". csmonitor.com. Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02.

Weiner, Sophie (2017-01-28). "Scientists Create a New Kind of Matter: Time Crystals". popularmechanics.com. Popular mechanics. Archived from the original on 2017-02-03.

University of California, Berkeley (2017-01-26). "Physicists Unveil New Form of Matter — Time Crystals". phys.org. Science X. Archived from the original on 2017-01-28.

Richerme, Phil (2017-01-18). "Viewpoint: How to Create a Time Crystal". physics.aps.org. APS Physics. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02.

Zyga, Lisa (2016-09-09). "Time Crystals Might Exist After All (Update)". phys.org. Science X. Archived from the original on 2016-09-11.

Hackett, Jennifer (2016-02-22). "Curious Crystal Dances for Its Symmetry". scientificamerican.com. Scientific American. Archived from the original on 2017-02-03.

Johnston, Hamish (2016-01-18). "'Choreographic crystals' Have All the Right Moves". physicsworld.com. Institute of Physics. Archived from the original on 2017-02-03.

Ball, Philip (2016-01-08). "Focus: New Crystal Type is Always in Motion". physics.aps.org. APS Physics. Archived from the original on 2017-02-03.

Zyga, Lisa (2015-07-09). "Physicists Propose New Definition of Time Crystals - Then Prove Such Things Don't Exist". phys.org. Science X. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09.

Powell, Devin (2013-09-04). "Can Matter Cycle Through Shapes Eternally?". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2013.13657. Archived from the original on 2017-02-03.

Zyga, Lisa (2013-08-22). "Physicist Proves Impossibility of Quantum Time Crystals". phys.org. Space X. Archived from the original on 2017-02-03.

Hewitt, John (2013-05-03). "Creating Time Crystals With a Rotating Ion Ring". phys.org. Science X. Archived from the original on 2013-07-04.

Wolchover, Natalie (2013-04-25). "Perpetual Motion Test Could Amend Theory of Time". quantamagazine.org. Simons Foundation. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02.

Thomas, Jessica (2013-03-15). "The Aftermath of a Controversial Idea". physics.aps.org. APS Physics. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02.

Coleman, Piers (2013-01-09). "Time Crystals". Nature. 493 (7431): 166–167. doi:10.1038/493166a.

Zakrzewski, Jakub (2012-10-15). "Viewpoint: Crystals of Time". physics.aps.org. APS Physics. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02.

Yirka, Bob (2012-07-09). "Physics Team Proposes a Way to Create an Actual Space-Time Crystal". phys.org. Science X. Archived from the original on 2013-04-15.

Aron, Jacob (2012-07-06). "Computer That Could Outlive the Universe a Step Closer". newscientist.com. New Scientist. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02.

Cowen, Ron (2012-02-27). ""Time Crystals" Could Be a Legitimate Form of Perpetual Motion". scientificamerican.com. Scientific American. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02.

Zyga, Lisa (2012-02-20). "Time Crystals Could Behave Almost Like Perpetual Motion Machines". phys.org. Science X. Archived from the original on 2017-02-03.

Grossman, Lisa (2012-01-18). "Death-Defying Time Crystal Could Outlast the Universe". newscientist.com. New Scientist. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02.

Academic literature

Zaletel, Michael P.; Lukin, Mikhail; Monroe, Christopher; Nayak, Chetan; Wilczek, Frank; Yao, Norman Y. (2023-07-07). "Colloquium : Quantum and Classical Discrete Time Crystals". Reviews of Modern Physics. 95 (3). doi:10.1103/RevModPhys.95.031001. ISSN 0034-6861.
Sacha, Krzysztof (2020-09-27). Time Crystals. Springer Series on Atomic, Optical, and Plasma Physics. Vol. 114. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-52523-1. ISBN 978-3-030-52522-4.
Guo, Lingzhen; Liang, Pengfei (2020-07-01). "Condensed Matter Physics in Time Crystals". New Journal of Physics. 22 (7): 075003. doi:10.1088/1367-2630/ab9d54. ISSN 1367-2630.
Else, Dominic V.; Monroe, Christopher; Nayak, Chetan; Yao, Norman Y. (2020-03-10). "Discrete Time Crystals". Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics. 11 (1): 467–499. doi:10.1146/annurev-conmatphys-031119-050658. ISSN 1947-5454. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
Sacha, Krzysztof; Zakrzewski, Jakub (2018-01-01). "Time Crystals: A Review". Reports on Progress in Physics. 81 (1): 016401. doi:10.1088/1361-6633/aa8b38. ISSN 0034-4885.

General reference

Feng, Duan; Jin, Guojun (2005). Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics. Singapore: World Scientific. ISBN 978-981-238-711-0.
Lee, Tsung-Dao (1981). Particle Physics and Introduction to Field Theory. Contemporary concepts in physics. Vol. 1. Chur, Switzerland: CRC Press. ISBN 978-3-7186-0032-8 – via Internet Archive.

External links

[1] Wilczek (2012); Sacha & Zakrzewski (2018), p. 2

[2] For examples see:
"a system with spontaneous breaking of time translation symmetry in its ground state must have some sort of motion in its ground state, and is therefore perilously close to fitting the definition of a perpetual motion machine." Wilczek (2012)

“In quantum physics, a perpetual motion machine is fine as long as we keep our eyes closed, and it must only start slowing down if we observe the motion,” Sutter (2022)

"In 2012 Nobel-prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek first proposed a scheme for realizing a perpetual periodic oscillation ... He suggested threading a small magnetic field through a superconducting ring, which, in response, would form a current that can circulate indefinitely." Roushan (2022)

"...making it a bit like perpetual motion machine. But others soon proved a "no-go theorem" that said such a thing was impossible—and replaced it with a less fantastical definition of a time crystal that researchers soon demonstrated in the lab. But now, two physicists have shown that the original notion of a time crystal is possible after all" Choi (2019)

[3] "a system with spontaneous breaking of time translation symmetry in its ground state must have some sort of motion in its ground state, and is therefore perilously close to fitting the definition of a perpetual motion machine." Wilczek (2012)

[4] “In quantum physics, a perpetual motion machine is fine as long as we keep our eyes closed, and it must only start slowing down if we observe the motion,” Sutter (2022)

[5] "In 2012 Nobel-prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek first proposed a scheme for realizing a perpetual periodic oscillation ... He suggested threading a small magnetic field through a superconducting ring, which, in response, would form a current that can circulate indefinitely." Roushan (2022)

[6] "...making it a bit like perpetual motion machine. But others soon proved a "no-go theorem" that said such a thing was impossible—and replaced it with a less fantastical definition of a time crystal that researchers soon demonstrated in the lab. But now, two physicists have shown that the original notion of a time crystal is possible after all" Choi (2019)

[3] Feng & Jin (2005), p. 18; Lee (1981), pp. 179–180

[1]

[2]

[3]

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