Princeton University PCTS Special Physics Talk

Abstract: How exotic ​can a quantum many-body system be at finite energy density? Error-correcting codes provide a natural framework for exploring this question. In this talk, I will survey two lines of research. First, codes give rise to interesting Hamiltonians in infinite spatial dimensions, whose large energy barriers provide insights for quantum complexity theory and quantum thermalization. Second, codes help identify the conditions under which quantum information can be robustly stored in thermal equilibrium.