arXiv subjects

Antonio M. Garcia-Garcia

Publications and source records attributed to Antonio M. Garcia-Garcia.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Chiral phase transition in lattice QCD as a metal-insulator transition

We investigate the lattice QCD Dirac operator with staggered fermions at temperatures around the chiral phase transition. We present evidence of a metal-insulator transition in the low lying modes of the Dirac operator around the same temperature as the chiral phase transition. This strongly suggests the phenomenon of Anderson localization drives the QCD vacuum to the chirally symmetric phase in a way similar to a metal-insulator transition in a disordered conductor. We also discuss how Anderson localization affects the usual phenomenological treatment of phase transitions a la Ginzburg-Landau.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2007

Classical and quantum anomalous diffusion in a system of 2$δ$-kicked Quantum Rotors

We study the dynamics of cold atoms subjected to {\em pairs} of closely time-spaced $δ$-kicks from standing waves of light. The classical phase space of this system is partitioned into momentum cells separated by trapping regions. In a certain range of parameters it is shown that the classical motion is well described by a process of anomalous diffusion. We investigate in detail the impact of the underlying classical anomalous diffusion on the quantum dynamics with special emphasis on the phenomenon of dynamical localization. Based on the study of the quantum density of probability, its second moment and the return probability we identify a region of weak dynamical localization where the quantum diffusion is still anomalous but the diffusion rate is slower than in the classical case. Moreover we examine how other relevant time scales such as the quantum-classical breaking time or the one related to the beginning of full dynamical localization are modified by the classical anomalous diffusion. Finally we discuss the relevance of our results for the understanding of the role of classical cantori in quantum mechanics.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2007

Anderson transition in systems with chiral symmetry

Anderson localization is a universal quantum feature caused by destructive interference. On the other hand chiral symmetry is a key ingredient in different problems of theoretical physics: from nonperturbative QCD to highly doped semiconductors. We investigate the interplay of these two phenomena in the context of a three-dimensional disordered system. We show that chiral symmetry induces an Anderson transition (AT) in the region close to the band center. Typical properties at the AT such as multifractality and critical statistics are quantitatively affected by this additional symmetry. The origin of the AT has been traced back to the power-law decay of the eigenstates; this feature may also be relevant in systems without chiral symmetry.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2006

Dimensional dependence of the metal-insulator transition

We study the dependence on the spatial dimensionality of different quantities relevant in the description of the Anderson transition by combining numerical calculations in a $3 \leq d \leq 6$ disordered tight binding model with theoretical arguments. Our results indicate that, in agreement with the one parameter scaling theory, the upper critical dimension for localization is infinity. Typical properties of the spectral correlations at the Anderson transition such as level repulsion or a linear number variance are still present in higher dimensions though eigenvalues correlations get weaker as the dimensionality of the space increases. It is argued that such a critical behavior can be traced back to the exponential decay of the two-level correlation function in a certain range of eigenvalue separations. We also discuss to what extent different effective random matrix models proposed in the literature to describe the Anderson transition provide an accurate picture of this phenomenon. Finally, we study the effect of a random flux in our results.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2006

Is it possible to observe experimentally a metal-insulator transition in ultra cold atoms?

Kicked rotors with certain non-analytic potentials avoid dynamical localization and undergo a metal-insulator transition. We show that typical properties of this transition are still present as the non-analyticity is progressively smoothed out provided that the smoothing is less than a certain limiting value. We have identified a smoothing dependent time scale such that full dynamical localization is absent and the quantum momentum distribution develops power-law tails with anomalous decay exponents as in the case of a conductor at the metal-insulator transition. We discuss under what conditions these findings may be verified experimentally by using ultra cold atoms techniques. It is found that ultra-cold atoms can indeed be utilized for the experimental investigation of the metal-insulator transition.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

A semiclassical description of the Autocorrelations in Nuclear Masses

Nuclear mass autocorrelations are investigated as a function of the number of nucleons. The fluctuating part of these autocorrelations is modeled by a parameter free model in which the nucleons are confined in a rigid sphere. Explicit results are obtained by using periodic orbit theory. Despite the simplicity of the model we have found a remarkable quantitative agreement of the mass autocorrelations for all nuclei in the nuclear data chart. In order to achieve a similar degree of agreement for the nuclear masses themselves it is necessary to consider additional variables such as multipolar corrections to the spherical shape and an effective number of nucleons. Our findings suggest that higher order effects like nuclear deformations or residual interactions have little relevance in the description of the fluctuations of the nuclear autocorrelations.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2006

Semi-Poisson statistics in quantum chaos

We investigate the quantum properties of a non-random Hamiltonian with a step-like singularity. It is shown that the eigenfunctions are multifractals and, in a certain range of parameters, the level statistics is described exactly by Semi-Poisson statistics (SP) typical of pseudo-integrable systems. It is also shown that our results are universal; namely, they depend exclusively on the presence of the step-like singularity and are not modified by smooth perturbations of the potential or the addition of a magnetic flux. Although the quantum properties of our system are similar to those of a disordered conductor at the Anderson transition, we report important quantitative differences in both the level statistics and the multifractal dimensions controlling the transition. Finally the study of quantum transport properties suggests that the classical singularity induces quantum anomalous diffusion. We discuss how these findings may be experimentally corroborated by using ultra cold atoms techniques.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2005

Chiral phase transition and Anderson localization in the Instanton Liquid Model for QCD

We study the spectrum and eigenmodes of the QCD Dirac operator in a gauge background given by an Instanton Liquid Model (ILM) at temperatures around the chiral phase transition. Generically we find the Dirac eigenvectors become more localized as the temperature is increased. At the chiral phase transition, both the low lying eigenmodes and the spectrum of the QCD Dirac operator undergo a transition to localization similar to the one observed in a disordered conductor. This suggests that Anderson localization is the fundamental mechanism driving the chiral phase transition. We also find an additional temperature dependent mobility edge (separating delocalized from localized eigenstates) in the bulk of the spectrum which moves toward lower eigenvalues as the temperature is increased. In both regions, the origin and the bulk, the transition to localization exhibits features of a 3D Anderson transition including multifractal eigenstates and spectral properties that are well described by critical statistics. Similar results are obtained in both the quenched and the unquenched case though the critical temperature in the unquenched case is lower. Finally we argue that our findings are not in principle restricted to the ILM approximation and may also be found in lattice simulations.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2005

Power spectrum for critical statistics: A novel spectral characterization of the Anderson transition

We examine the power spectrum of the energy level fluctuations of a family of critical power-law random banded matrices with properties similar to those of a disordered conductor at the Anderson transition. It is shown both analytically and numerically that the Anderson transition is characterized by a power spectrum which presents $1/f^2$ noise for small frequencies but $1/f$ noise for larger frequencies. The analysis of the transition region between these two power-law limits gives an accurate estimation of the Thouless energy of the system. Finally we discuss under what circumstances these findings may be relevant in the context of non-random Hamiltonians.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2005

Chiral phase transition as an Anderson transition in the Instanton Liquid Model for QCD

We study the spectrum and eigenmodes of the QCD Dirac operator in a gauge background given by an Instanton Liquid Model (ILM) at temperatures around the chiral phase transition. For two massless quark flavors we observe that at the chiral phase transition, both the low lying eigenmodes and the spectrum of the QCD Dirac operator resemble those of a disordered conductor at the Anderson transition. In particular we present results showing that the eigenvectors are multifractal and the spectral correlations are well described by critical statistics. We also find an additional temperature dependent mobility edge located in the bulk of the spectrum with properties quantitatively similar to those of a 3D disordered conductor at the Anderson transition. This feature is present in both quenched and unquenched simulations. Finally we argue that our findings are not in principle restricted to the ILM approximation and may also be found in lattice simulations.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2004

The Anderson transition in quantum chaos

We investigate the effect of classical singularities in the quantum properties of non-random Hamiltonians. We present explicit results for the case of a kicked rotator with a non-analytical potential though extensions to higher dimensionality or conservative systems are straightforward. It is shown that classical singularities produce anomalous diffusion in the classical phase space. Quantum mechanically, the eigenstates of the evolution operator are power-law localized with an exponent universally given by the type of classical singularity. For logarithmic singularities, the classical motion presents $1/f$ noise and the quantum properties resemble those of an Anderson transition, namely, multifractal eigenstates and critical statistics. Neither the classical nor the quantum properties depend on the details of the potential but only on the type of singularity. It is thus possible to define new universality class in quantum chaos by the relation between classical singularities (anomalous diffusion) and quantum power-law localization.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2004

Long range disorder and Anderson transition in systems with chiral symmetry

We study the spectral properties of a chiral random banded matrix (chRBM) with elements decaying as a power-law ${{\cal H}_{ij}}\sim |i-j|^{-α}$. This model is equivalent to a chiral 1D Anderson Hamiltonian with long range power-law hopping. In the weak disorder limit we obtain explicit nonperturbative analytical results for the density of states and the two-level correlation function by mapping the chRBM onto a nonlinear sigma model. We also put forward, by exploiting the relation between the chRBM at $α=1$ and a generalized chiral random matrix model, an exact expression for the above correlation functions. We give compelling analytical and numerical evidence that for this value the chRBM reproduces all the features of an Anderson transition. Finally we discuss possible applications of our results to QCD.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2004

Classical intermittency and quantum Anderson transition

We investigate the quantum properties of 1D quantum systems whose classical counterpart presents intermittency. The spectral correlations are expressed in terms of the eigenvalues of an anomalous diffusion operator by using recent semiclassical techniques. For certain values of the parameters the spectral properties of our model show similarities with those of a disordered system at the Anderson transition. In Hamiltonian systems, intermittency is closely related to the presence of cantori in the classical phase space. We suggest, based on this relation, that our findings may be relevant for the description of the spectral correlations of (non-KAM) Hamiltonians with a classical phase space filled by cantori. Finally we discuss the extension of our results to higher dimensions and their relation to Anderson models with long range hopping.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2003

The QCD vacuum as a disordered medium: A simplified model for the QCD Dirac operator

We model the QCD Dirac operator as a power-law random banded matrix (RBM) with the appropriate chiral symmetry. Our motivation is the form of the Dirac operator in a basis of instantonic zero modes with a corresponding gauge background of instantons. We compare the spectral correlations of this model to those of an instanton liquid model (ILM) and find agreement well beyond the Thouless energy. In the bulk of the spectrum the (dimensionless) Thouless energy of the RBM scales with the square root of system size in agreement with the ILM and chiral perturbation theory. Near the origin the scaling of the (dimensionless) Thouless energy in the RBM remains the same as in the bulk which agrees with chiral perturbation theory but not with the ILM. Finally we discuss how this RBM should be modified in order to describe the spectral correlations of the QCD Dirac operator at the finite temperature chiral restoration transition.

hep-th↗

arXiv2003

Effect of a magnetic flux on the critical behavior of a system with long range hopping

We study the effect of a magnetic flux in a 1D disordered wire with long range hopping. It is shown that this model is at the metal-insulator transition (MIT) for all disorder values and the spectral correlations are given by critical statistics. In the weak disorder regime a smooth transition between orthogonal and unitary symmetry is observed as the flux strength increases. By contrast, in the strong disorder regime the spectral correlations are almost flux independent. It is also conjectured that the two level correlation function for arbitrary flux is given by the dynamical density-density correlations of the Calogero-Sutherland (CS) model at finite temperature. Finally we describe the classical dynamics of the model and its relevance to quantum chaos.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2001

Spectral properties of a generalized chGUE

We consider a generalized chiral Gaussian Unitary Ensemble (chGUE) based on a weak confining potential. We study the spectral correlations close to the origin in the thermodynamic limit. We show that for eigenvalues separated up to the mean level spacing the spectral correlations coincide with those of chGUE. Beyond this point, the spectrum is described by an oscillating number variance centered around a constant value. We argue that the origin of such a rigid spectrum is due to the breakdown of the translational invariance of the spectral kernel in the bulk of the spectrum. Finally, we compare our results with the ones obtained from a critical chGUE recently reported in the literature. We conclude that our generalized chGUE does not belong to the same class of universality as the above mentioned model.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗