We consider an autocorrelation function of a quantum mechanical system through the lens of the so-called recursive method, by iteratively evaluating Lanczos coefficients or solving a system of coupled differential equations in the Mori formalism. We first show that both methods are mathematically equivalent, each offering certain practical advantages. We then propose an approximation scheme to evaluate the autocorrelation function and use it to estimate the equilibration time τ for the observable in question. With only a handful of Lanczos coefficients as the input, this scheme yields an accurate order of magnitude estimate of τ, matching state-of-the-art numerical approaches. We develop a simple numerical scheme to estimate the precision of our method. We test our approach using several numerical examples exhibiting different relaxation dynamics. Our findings provide a practical way to quantify the equilibration time of isolated quantum systems, a question which is both crucial and notoriously difficult.
We consider an autocorrelation function of a quantum mechanical system through the lens of the so-called recursive method, by iteratively evaluating Lanczos coefficients or solving a system of coupled differential equations in the Mori formalism. We first show that both methods are mathematically equivalent, each offering certain practical advantages. We then propose an approximation scheme to evaluate the autocorrelation function and use it to estimate the equilibration time τ for the observable in question. With only a handful of Lanczos coefficients as the input, this scheme yields an accurate order of magnitude estimate of τ, matching state-of-the-art numerical approaches. We develop a simple numerical scheme to estimate the precision of our method. We test our approach using several numerical examples exhibiting different relaxation dynamics. Our findings provide a practical way to quantify the equilibration time of isolated quantum systems, a question which is both crucial and notoriously difficult.
This cumulative doctoral thesis, based on the works [P1–P5], addresses various topical concepts as well as foundational questions in the nonequilibrium physics of quantum many-body systems. Publication [P1] concerns itself with the question of time’s arrow in quantum mechanics. Based on the recursion method, we attribute autocorrelation functions of few-body observables at infinite temperature (almost) monotonously decreasing functions, constructed from temporal derivatives of the correlation function that indicate a directed approach to equilibrium. We numerically find that in chaotic models, these constructions comprise a notion of simplicity of the underlying dynamics. Addressing the ubiquity of simple relaxation dynamics in otherwise complex chaotic systems, in Ref. [P3] we introduce a scheme based on Lanczos coefficients to approximate correlation functions in the thermodynamic limit. Examining several pertinent condensed-matter type models and benchmarking with state-of-the-art numerics, we find the method to yield good results already for a low number of included Lanczos coefficients, provided that the latter exhibit a smooth and increasing structure. We underpin these findings with analytical arguments on the method’s applicability. Ref. [P2] provides an estimate on the equilibration time of such infinite-temperature correlation functions in the thermodynamic limit. Similarly to Ref. [P3], we find the estimate to capture the equilibration times very reasonably, given that the corresponding Lanczos coefficients exhibit a smooth growth. Substantiated by analytical considerations, the convergence of the estimate implies that equilibration timescales of the relaxation processes are finite and conceivably short. In Ref. [P5] we scrutinize the interpretative power of the Lanczos coefficients concerning the system’s integrability or chaoticity, operator growth and the indicativeness of physical behavior. To this end, we analytically deter- mine the Lanczos coefficients for a Majorana observable in a strictly quadratic model and illustrate that within this model any structure of the Lanczos coefficients may be realised. Different to the other works, Ref. [P4] is not cast in the language of the recursion method. Focusing on the full eigenstate thermalization hypothesis, it explores the connection between thermalization dynamics of multi-point correlation functions and the scaling of thermal free cumulants in setups mimicking a system-bath situation.
We study the equilibration times T_{eq} of local observables in quantum chaotic systems by considering their autocorrelation functions. Based on the recursion method, we suggest a scheme to estimate T_{eq} from the corresponding Lanczos coefficients that is expected to hold in the thermodynamic limit. We numerically find that, if the observable eventually shows smoothly growing Lanczos coefficients, a finite number of the former is sufficient for a reasonable estimate of the equilibration time. This implies that equilibration occurs on a realistic time scale much shorter than the life of the Universe. The numerical findings are further supported by analytical arguments.
The recursion method, which solves coupled Heisenberg equations in a Lanczos operator basis, has recently emerged as a powerful nonperturbative tool for computing dynamical correlation functions in strongly correlated two- and three-dimensional quantum many-body systems. Motivated by this success, we investigate whether the method can be extended to expectation values of observables following a quantum quench. We find that such an extension encounters an obstacle absent in the computation of dynamical correlation functions. The latter are fully determined by the Lanczos coefficients b_n b n , which in generic systems exhibit universal behavior, enabling reliable extrapolation from the first few dozens of explicitly computed coefficients. In contrast, quench dynamics additionally requires “quench coefficients” c_n c n , defined as overlaps of Lanczos basis operators with the initial state. We show that, unlike the Lanczos coefficients, the quench coefficients exhibit no universal structure and cannot be reliably extrapolated, thereby limiting the time up to which the method yields accurate results. The behavior of quench coefficients is highly state-dependent, ranging from decaying to irregular or even growing sequences; typically, the less regular the sequence c_n c n , the shorter the accessible timescale. Nevertheless, for favorable initial states, the method remains competitive with state-of-the-art approaches. Moreover, its symbolic implementation allows a single computation to be reused across different Hamiltonian parameters and initial states, making it particularly advantageous in studies requiring extensive scans over Hamiltonian parameters or initial states.
Diffusion is an ubiquitous phenomenon. It is a widespread belief that as long as the area under a current autocorrelation function converges in time, the corresponding spatiotemporal density dynamics should be diffusive. This may be viewed as a result of the combination of linear response theory with the Einstein relation. However, attempts to derive this statement from first principles are notoriously challenging. We first present a counterexample by constructing a correlation functions of some density wave, such that the area under the corresponding current autocorrelation function converges, but the dynamics do not obey a diffusion equation. Then we will introduce a method based on the recursion method and the Mori memory formalism, that may help to actually identify diffusion. For a decisive answer, one would have to know infinitely many so called Lanczos coefficients, which is unattainable in most cases. However, in the examples examined in this paper, we find that the practically computable number of Lanczos coefficients suffices for a strong guess.
We report an implementation of the recursion method that addresses quantum many-body dynamics in the nonperturbative regime. The method essentially amounts to constructing a Lanczos basis in the space of operators and solving coupled Heisenberg equations in this basis. The reported implementation has two key ingredients: a computer-algebraic routine for the symbolic calculation of nested commutators and a procedure to extrapolate the sequence of Lanczos coefficients according to the universal operator growth hypothesis. We apply the method to calculate infinite-temperature correlation functions for spin-1/2 systems on one- and two-dimensional lattices. In two dimensions the accessible timescale is large enough to essentially embrace the relaxation to equilibrium. The method allows one to accurately calculate transport coefficients. As an illustration, we compute the diffusion constant for the transverse-field Ising model on a square lattice.
We suggest a method to compute approximations to temporal correlation functions of few-body observables in chaotic many-body systems in the thermodynamic limit based on the respective Lanczos coefficients. Given the knowledge of these Lanczos coefficients, the method is very cheap. Usually, accuracy increases with more Lanczos coefficients taken into account; however, we numerically find and analytically argue that the convergence is rather quick if the Lanczos coefficients exhibit a smoothly increasing structure. For pertinent examples, we compare with data from dynamical typicality computations for large but finite systems and find good agreement if few Lanczos coefficients are taken into account. From the method, it is evident that in these cases the correlation functions are well described by a low number of damped oscillations.