Colloquium: Quantum and classical discrete time crystals

(published July 2023) The spontaneous breaking of time-translation symmetry has led to the discovery of a new phase of matter: the discrete time crystal. Discrete time crystals exhibit rigid subharmonic oscillations that result from a combination of many-body interactions, collective synchronization, and ergodicity breaking. This Colloquium reviews recent theoretical and experimental advances in the study of quantum and classical discrete time crystals. The breaking of ergodicity is focused upon as the key to discrete time crystals and the delaying of ergodicity as the source of numerous phenomena that share many of the properties of discrete time crystals, including the ac Josephson effect, coupled map lattices, and Faraday waves. Theoretically, there is a diverse array of strategies to stabilize time crystalline order in both closed and open systems, ranging from localization and prethermalization to dissipation and error correction. Experimentally, many-body quantum simulators provide a natural platform for investigating signatures of time-crystalline order; recent work utilizing trapped ions, solid-state spin systems, and superconducting qubits are reviewed. Finally, this Colloquium concludes by describing outstanding challenges in the field and a vision for new directions on both the experimental and theoretical fronts.

Automated summary

The spontaneous breaking of time-translation symmetry has led to the discovery of a new phase of matter called the discrete time crystal. This Colloquium reviews recent theoretical and experimental advances in the study of quantum and classical discrete time crystals, focusing on the breaking of ergodicity as the key to understanding these crystals. The paper discusses theoretical strategies to stabilize time crystalline order and experimental platforms for investigating time-crystalline order.