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arXiv:1202.2537cond-mat.other

Classical Time Crystals

Alfred Shapere, Frank Wilczek

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Abstract

We consider the possibility that classical dynamical systems display motion in their lowest energy state, forming a time analogue of crystalline spatial order. Challenges facing that idea are identified and overcome. We display arbitrary orbits of an angular variable as lowest-energy trajectories for nonsingular Lagrangian systems. Dynamics within orbits of broken symmetry provide a natural arena for formation of time crystals. We exhibit models of that kind, including a model with traveling density waves.

arXiv comments
5 pages, 1 figure
Journal reference
DOI
doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.160402
Subjects
cond-mat.otherOther Condensed Matter gr-qcGeneral Relativity and Quantum Cosmology hep-thHigh Energy Physics, Theory math-phMathematical Physics quant-phQuantum Physics

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  1. ‘Time Crystals’ Could Upend Physicists’ Theory of Time 1 comment

    • The seminal papers in this field: Quantum Time Crystals (Wilczek) http://arxiv.org/abs/1202.2539 Classical Time Crystals (Shapere, Wilczek) http://arxiv.org/abs/1202.2537 Space-time Crystals of Trapped Ions ( Li, Gong, Yin, Quan, Yin, Zhang, Duan,Zhang )…

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