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arXiv:2406.17865 · Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical

Equivalence of dynamics of disordered quantum ensembles and semi-infinite lattices

Hallmann Óskar Gestsson, Charlie Nation, Alexandra Olaya-Castro

Published Feb 19, 2026• 0 citations
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Abstract

Abstract We develop a formalism for mapping the exact dynamics of an ensemble of disordered quantum systems onto the dynamics of a single particle propagating along a semi-infinite lattice, with interactions determined by the probability distribution of disorder realisations of the original heterogeneous quantum ensemble. This provides a geometric interpretation of the loss of coherence when averaging over the ensemble and allows computation of the observables of the ensemble in a single simulation. Conversely, the reverse map implies lattice particle dynamics to be equivalent to the dynamics of an ensemble of disordered quantum systems. The potential of the equivalence is demonstrated by computing the exact disorder-averaged density matrix dynamics for a qubit and a dimer ensemble, and interpreting dynamics of a tight-binding chain with constant and staggered hoppings in terms of an ensemble of disorder realisations.

DOI
10.1088/1751-8121/ae485a

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Abstract We develop a formalism for mapping the exact dynamics of an ensemble of disordered quantum systems onto the dynamics of a single particle propagating along a semi-infinite lattice, with interactions determined by the probability distribution of disorder realisations of the original heterogeneous quantum ensemble. This provides a geometric interpretation of the loss of coherence when averaging over the ensemble and allows computation of the observables of the ensemble in a single simulation. Conversely, the reverse map implies lattice particle dynamics to be equivalent to the dynamics of an ensemble of disordered quantum systems. The potential of the equivalence is demonstrated by computing the exact disorder-averaged density matrix dynamics for a qubit and a dimer ensemble, and interpreting dynamics of a tight-binding chain with constant and staggered hoppings in terms of an ensemble of disorder realisations.
Understanding how physical systems are influenced by disorder is a fundamental challenge in quantum science. Addressing its effects often involves numerical averaging over a large number of samples, and it is not always easy to gain an analytical handle on exploring the effect of disorder. In this work, we derive exact solutions for disorder-averaged dynamics generated by any Hamiltonian that is a periodic matrix (potentially with non-trivial base, a property also called (p,qp,qp,q)-potency). Notably, this approach is independent of the initial state, exact for arbitrary evolution times, and it holds for Hermitian as well as non-Hermitian systems. The ensemble behavior resembles that of an open quantum system, whose decoherence function or rates are determined by the disorder distribution and the periodicity of the Hamiltonian. Depending on the underlying distribution, the dynamics can display non-Markovian characteristics detectable through non-Markovian witnesses. We illustrate the scheme for qubit and qudit systems described by (products of) spin 1/21/21/2, spin 111, and clock operators. Our methodology offers a framework to leverage disorder-averaged exact dynamics for a range of applications in quantum-information processing and beyond.
We develop an exact framework for quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno dynamics in a broad class of open systems, whose microscopic Hamiltonians are quadratic in bosonic or fermionic operators. We treat the environment through an exact stroboscopic resetting scheme acting at the level of the single-particle density matrix (SPDM). Within this framework, we consider two cases: a repeated-interaction (RI) protocol, in which the environment block is rethermalized and all system-environment coherences are erased after each step, and an evolving-correlation (EC) protocol, in which only the environment block is reset while system-environment coherences are preserved. For RI, we derive a general short-time Zeno law for the survival probability of a single-particle excitation and show that the corresponding decay rate scales linearly with the reset interval, implying Zeno freezing in the limit of infinitely frequent resets. Beyond the short-time regime, we formulate the RI dynamics directly in terms of the exact one-cycle propagator, which allows us to analyze finite-τττ anti-Zeno windows without additional approximations. For EC, we obtain a continuous-reset description in which the kept single-particle correlators obey a finite-dimensional linear differential equation. In this case the drift in the system block remains finite in the frequent-reset limit, so strict freezing is absent. We illustrate these results for a single fermionic level coupled to a semi-infinite tight-binding chain acting as a structured bath. Our results identify coherence erasure versus coherence retention as the key factor controlling the reset-induced Zeno physics.
We derive a quantum master equation which describes the dynamics of the ensemble-averaged state of homogeneous disorder models at short times, and mediates a transition from coherent superpositions into classical mixtures. While each single realization follows unitary dynamics, this decoherencelike behavior arises as a consequence of the ensemble average. The master equation manifestly reflects the translational invariance of the disorder correlations and allows us to relate the disorder-induced dynamics to a collisional decoherence process, where the disorder correlations determine the spatial decay of coherences. We apply our theory to the (one-dimensional) Anderson model.
We consider systems of particles hopping stochastically on d-dimensional lattices with space-dependent probabilities. We map the master equation onto an evolution equation in a Fock space where the dynamics are given by a quantum Hamiltonian (continuous time) or a transfer matrix (discrete time). Using non-Abelian symmetries of these operators we derive duality relations, expressing the time evolution of a given initial configuration in terms of correlation functions of simpler dual processes. Particularly simple results are obtained for the time evolution of the density profile. As a special case we show that for any SU(2) symmetric system the two-point and three-point density correlation functions in the N-particle steady state can be computed from the probability distribution of a single particle moving in the same environment. We apply our results to various models, among them partial exclusion, a simple diffusion-reaction system, and the two-dimensional six-vertex model with space-dependent vertex weights. For a random distribution of the vertex weights one obtains a version of the random-barrier model describing diffusion of particles in disordered media. We derive exact expressions for the averaged two-point density correlation functions in the presence of weak, correlated disorder.
We consider systems of particles hopping stochastically on ddd-dimensional lattices with space-dependent probabilities. We map the master equation onto an evolution equation in a Fock space where the dynamics are given by a quantum Hamiltonian (continuous time) or a transfer matrix resp. (discrete time). We show that under certain conditions the time-dependent two-point density correlation function in the NNN-particle steady state can be computed from the probability distribution of a single particle moving in the same environment. Focussing on exclusion models where each lattice site can be occupied by at most one particle we discuss as an example for such a stochastic process a generalized Heisenberg antiferromagnet where the strength of the spin-spin coupling is space-dependent. In discrete time one obtains for one-dimensional systems the diagonal-to-diagonal transfer matrix of the two-dimensional six-vertex model with space-dependent vertex weights. For a random distribution of the vertex weights one obtains a version of the random barrier model describing diffusion of particles in disordered media. We derive exact expressions for the averaged two-point density correlation functions in the presence of weak, correlated disorder.
In statistical mechanics, it is well known that finite-state classical lattice models can be recast as quantum models, with distinct classical configurations identified with orthogonal basis states. This mapping makes classical statistical mechanics on a lattice a special case of quantum statistical mechanics, and classical combinatorial entropy a special case of quantum entropy. In a similar manner, finite-state classical dynamics can be recast as finite-energy quantum dynamics. This mapping translates continuous quantities, concepts and machinery of quantum mechanics into a simplified finite-state context in which they have a purely classical and combinatorial interpretation. For example, in this mapping quantum average energy becomes the classical update rate. Interpolation theory and communication theory help explain the truce achieved here between perfect classical determinism and quantum uncertainty, and between discrete and continuous dynamics.