Exploring The Dynamics of Phase Transitions in Quantum Simulators

Phase transitions map out the boundaries between different kinds of matter. For example, we can lower the temperature until water freezes to ice; by increasing the pressure, we can even get different crystalline phases of ice. Alongside experiments in materials, advances in quantum simulation platforms enable complementary approaches for studying phase transitions. We focus on the zero-temperature phase transition from a paramagnet to a ferromagnet, which is driven by quantum fluctuations. We consider two different dynamical protocols for studying this transition, including recent results from an ongoing experimental collaboration using Rydberg atom arrays.