Symmetry re-breaking in an effective theory of quantum coarsening

Abstract: We present a simple theory accounting for two central observations in a recent experiment on quantum coarsening and collective dynamics on a programmable quantum simulator [T. Manovitz et al., Nature 638, 86 (2025)]: an apparent speeding up of the coarsening process as the phase transition is approached; and persistent oscillations of the order parameter after quenches within the ordered phase. Our theory, based on the Hamiltonian structure of the equations of motion in the classical limit of the quantum model, finds a speeding up already deep within the ordered phase, with subsequent slowing down as the domain wall tension vanishes upon approaching the critical line. Further, the oscillations are captured within a mean-field treatment of the order parameter field. For quenches within the ordered phase, small spatially-varying fluctuations in the initial mean-field lead to a remarkable long-time effect, wherein the system dynamically destroys its long-range order and has to coarsen to re-establish it. We term this phenomenon symmetry re-breaking, as the resulting late-time magnetization can have a sign opposite to the initial magnetization.