Pseudospin Formulation of Quench Dynamics in the Semiclassical Holstein Model

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Authors: Lingyu Yang, Ho sung Jang, Sankha Subhra Bakshi, Yang Yang, Gia-Wei Chern
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Abstract

We present a pseudospin formulation for the post-quench dynamics of charge-density-wave (CDW) order in the half-filled spinless Holstein model on a square lattice, assuming spatially homogeneous evolution. This Anderson pseudospin description captures the coherent nonequilibrium dynamics of the coupled electron-lattice system. Numerical simulations reveal three distinct dynamical regimes of the CDW order parameter following a quench-locked oscillations, Landau-damped dynamics, and overdamped relaxation-closely paralleling quench dynamics in BCS superconductors and other electronically driven symmetry-breaking phases. Crucially, however, the presence of dynamical lattice degrees of freedom leads to qualitatively different long-time behavior. In particular, while the oscillation amplitude is reduced in the damped regimes, CDW oscillations do not fully decay but instead persist indefinitely due to feedback from the lattice field. We further show that these persistent oscillations are characterized by a nonequilibrium electronic distribution, which provides an intuitive understanding of both their amplitude and the renormalization of the oscillation frequency relative to the bare Holstein phonon frequency. Our results highlight the essential role of lattice dynamics in nonequilibrium ordered phases and establish a clear distinction between electron-lattice-driven CDW dynamics and their purely electronic counterparts.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism Organic and Molecular Conductors Research Rare-earth and actinide compounds

Publication details

Journal / source
arXiv (Cornell University)
Publication date
4 January 2026
Document type
Preprint