Anomalously fast transport in non-integrable lattice gauge theories

Abstract

Kinetic constraints are generally expected to slow down dynamics in many-body systems, obstructing or even completely suppressing transport of conserved charges. Here, we show how gauge theories can defy this wisdom by yielding constrained models with faster-than-diffusive dynamics. We first show how, upon integrating out the gauge fields, one-dimensional U(1) lattice gauge theories are exactly mapped onto XX models with non-local constraints. This new class of kinetically constrained models interpolates between free theories and highly constrained local fermionic models. We find that energy transport is superdiffusive over a broad parameter regime. Even more drastically, spin transport exhibits ballistic behavior, albeit with anomalous finite-volume properties as a consequence of gauge invariance. Our findings are relevant to current efforts in quantum simulations of gauge-theory dynamics and anomalous hydrodynamics in closed quantum many-body systems.