arXiv subjects

R. Steinigeweg

Publications and source records attributed to R. Steinigeweg.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2020

Finite-temperature transport in one-dimensional quantum lattice models

The last decade has witnessed an impressive progress in the theoretical understanding of transport properties of clean, one-dimensional quantum lattice systems. Many physically relevant models in one dimension are Bethe-ansatz integrable, including the anisotropic spin-1/2 Heisenberg (also called spin-1/2 XXZ chain) and the Fermi-Hubbard model. Nevertheless, practical computations of, for instance, correlation functions and transport coefficients pose hard problems from both the conceptual and technical point of view. Only due to recent progress in the theory of integrable systems on the one hand and due to the development of numerical methods on the other hand has it become possible to compute their finite temperature and nonequilibrium transport properties quantitatively. Most importantly, due to the discovery of a novel class of quasilocal conserved quantities, there is now a qualitative understanding of the origin of ballistic finite-temperature transport, and even diffusive or super-diffusive subleading corrections, in integrable lattice models. We shall review the current understanding of transport in one-dimensional lattice models, in particular, in the paradigmatic example of the spin-1/2 XXZ and Fermi-Hubbard models, and we elaborate on state-of-the-art theoretical methods, including both analytical and computational approaches. Among other novel techniques, we discuss matrix-product-states based simulation methods, dynamical typicality, and, in particular, generalized hydrodynamics. We will discuss the close and fruitful connection between theoretical models and recent experiments, with examples from both the realm of quantum magnets and ultracold quantum gases in optical lattices.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Finite-size scaling of typicality-based estimates

According to the concept of typicality, an ensemble average can be accurately approximated by an expectation value with respect to a single pure state drawn at random from a high-dimensional Hilbert space. This random-vector approximation, or trace estimator, provides a powerful approach to, e.g., thermodynamic quantities for systems with large Hilbert-space sizes, which usually cannot be treated exactly, analytically or numerically. Here, we discuss the finite-size scaling of the accuracy of such trace estimators from two perspectives. First, we study the full probability distribution of random-vector expectation values and, second, the full temperature dependence of the standard deviation. With the help of numerical examples, we find pronounced Gaussian probability distributions and the expected decrease of the standard deviation with system size, at least above certain system-specific temperatures. Below and in particular for temperatures smaller than the excitation gap, simple rules are not available.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

Accuracy of the finite-temperature Lanczos method compared to simple typicality-based estimates

We study trace estimators for equilibrium thermodynamic observables that rely on the idea of typicality and derivatives thereof such as the finite-temperature Lanczos method (FTLM). As numerical examples quantum spin systems are studied. Our initial aim was to identify pathological examples or circumstances, such as strong frustration or unusual densities of states, where these methods could fail. Instead we failed with the attempt. All investigated systems allow such approximations, only at temperatures of the order of the lowest energy gap the convergence is somewhat slower in the number of random vectors over which observables are averaged.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Dynamical typicality for initial states with a preset measurement statistics of several commuting observables

We consider all pure or mixed states of a quantum many-body system which exhibit the same, arbitrary but fixed measurement outcome statistics for several commuting observables. Taking those states as initial conditions, which are then propagated by the pertinent Schrödinger or von Neumann equation up to some later time point, and invoking a few additional, fairly weak and realistic assumptions, we show that most of them still entail very similar expectation values for any given observable. This so-called dynamical typicality property thus corroborates the widespread observation that a few macroscopic features are sufficient to ensure the reproducibility of experimental measurements despite many unknown and uncontrollable microscopic details of the system. We also discuss and exemplify the usefulness of our general analytical result as a powerful numerical tool.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2017

Charge diffusion in the one-dimensional Hubbard model

We study the real-time and real-space dynamics of charge in the one-dimensional Hubbard model in the limit of high temperatures. To this end, we prepare pure initial states with sharply peaked density profiles and calculate the time evolution of these nonequilibrium states, by using numerical forward-propagation approaches to chains as long as 20 sites. For a class of typical states, we find excellent agreement with linear-response theory and unveil the existence of remarkably clean charge diffusion in the regime of strong particle-particle interactions. Moreover, we demonstrate that this diffusive behavior does not depend on certain details of our initial conditions, i.e., it occurs for five different realizations with random and nonrandom internal degrees of freedom, single and double occupation of the central site, and displacement of spin-up and spin-down particles.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Real-time broadening of non-equilibrium density profiles and the role of the specific initial-state realization

The real-time broadening of density profiles starting from non-equilibrium states is at the center of transport in condensed-matter systems and dynamics in ultracold atomic gases. Initial profiles close to equilibrium are expected to evolve according to linear response, e.g., as given by the current correlator evaluated exactly at equilibrium. Significantly off equilibrium, linear response is expected to break down and even a description in terms of canonical ensembles is questionable. We unveil that single pure states with density profiles of maximum amplitude yield a broadening in perfect agreement with linear response, if the structure of these states involves randomness in terms of decoherent off-diagonal density-matrix elements. While these states allow for spin diffusion in the XXZ spin-1/2 chain at large exchange anisotropies, coherences yield entirely different behavior.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis and Quantum Jarzynski Relation for Pure Initial States

Since the first suggestion of the Jarzynski equality many derivations of this equality have been presented in both, the classical and the quantum context. While the approaches and settings greatly differ from one to another, they all appear to rely on the initial state being a thermal Gibbs state. Here, we present an investigation of work distributions in driven isolated quantum systems, starting off from pure states that are close to energy eigenstates of the initial Hamiltonian. We find that, for the nonintegrable system in quest, the Jarzynski equality is fulfilled to good accuracy.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2015

Finite-temperature charge transport in the one-dimensional Hubbard model

We study the charge conductivity of the one-dimensional repulsive Hubbard model at finite temperature using the method of dynamical quantum typicality, focusing at half filling. This numerical approach allows us to obtain current autocorrelation functions from systems with as many as 18 sites, way beyond the range of standard exact diagonalization. Our data clearly suggest that the charge Drude weight vanishes with a power law as a function of system size. The low-frequency dependence of the conductivity is consistent with a finite dc value and thus with diffusion, despite large finite-size effects. Furthermore, we consider the mass-imbalanced Hubbard model for which the charge Drude weight decays exponentially with system size, as expected for a non-integrable model. We analyze the conductivity and diffusion constant as a function of the mass imbalance and we observe that the conductivity of the lighter component decreases exponentially fast with the mass-imbalance ratio. While in the extreme limit of immobile heavy particles, the Falicov-Kimball model, there is an effective Anderson-localization mechanism leading to a vanishing conductivity of the lighter species, we resolve finite conductivities for an inverse mass ratio of $η\gtrsim 0.25$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Scaling of diffusion constants in the spin-1/2 XX ladder

We study the dynamics of spin currents in the XX spin-1/2 ladder at finite temperature. Within the framework of linear response theory, we numerically calculate autocorrelation functions for quantum systems larger than what is accessible with exact diagonalization using the concept of dynamical quantum typicality. We show that spin Drude weights vanish exponentially fast with increasing system size. As a main result, we unveil qualitatively different dependencies of the spin diffusion coefficient on the rung-interaction strength, resulting from a crossover from exponential to Gaussian dissipation as the rung coupling increases. This behavior is also derived analytically. We further discuss the relation of our results to experiments with cold atomic gases.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

Spin hydrodynamics in the S = 1/2 anisotropic Heisenberg chain

We study the finite-temperature dynamical spin susceptibility of the one-dimensional (generalized) anisotropic Heisenberg model within the hydrodynamic regime of small wave vectors and frequencies. Numerical results are analyzed using the memory function formalism with the central quantity being the spin-current decay rate gamma(q,omega). It is shown that in a generic nonintegrable model the decay rate is finite in the hydrodynamic limit, consistent with normal spin diffusion modes. On the other hand, in the gapless integrable model within the XY regime of anisotropy Delta < 1 the behavior is anomalous with vanishing gamma(q,omega=0) proportional to |q|, in agreement with dissipationless uniform transport. Furthermore, in the integrable system the finite-temperature q = 0 dynamical conductivity sigma(q=0,omega) reveals besides the dissipationless component a regular part with vanishing sigma_{reg}(q=0,omega to 0) to 0.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

Coexistence of Anomalous and Normal Diffusion in Integrable Mott Insulators

We study the finite-momentum spin dynamics in the one-dimensional XXZ spin chain within the Ising-type regime at high temperatures using density autocorrelations within linear response theory and real-time propagation of nonequilibrium densities. While for the nonintegrable model results are well consistent with normal diffusion, the finite-size integrable model unveils the coexistence of anomalous and normal diffusion in different regimes of time. In particular, numerical results show a Gaussian relaxation at smallest nonzero momenta which we relate to nonzero stiffness in a grand canonical ensemble. For larger but still small momenta normal-like diffusion is recovered. Similar results for the model of impenetrable particles also help to resolve rather conflicting conclusions on transport in integrable Mott insulators.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Coherent spin-current oscillations in transverse magnetic fields

We address the coherence of the dynamics of spin-currents with components transverse to an external magnetic field for the spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain. We study current autocorrelations at finite temperatures and the real-time dynamics of currents at zero temperature. Besides a coherent Larmor oscillation, we find an additional collective oscillation at higher frequencies, emerging as a coherent many-magnon effect at low temperatures. Using numerical and analytical methods, we analyze the oscillation frequency and decay time of this coherent current-mode versus temperature and magnetic field.

cond-mat.str-el↗