Transfermatrix-DMRG for dynamics of stochastic models and thermodynamics of fermionic models

Abstract

The present work applies a numerical method, namely the transfer-matrix density-matrix renormalization group (TMRG), to two seemingly different types of models. In a first part the TMRG is used to investigate the thermodynamics of one-dimensional fermionic models. A second part deals with a novel TMRG method for one-dimensional stochastic models, whose development is an integral part of the thesis. First, the traditional TMRG algorithm for quantum systems is outlined in its historical context. Two different variants are presented, following works of Xiang et al. and Sirker and Klümper, respectively. The basic idea of the method is to map the thermodynamics of a one-dimensional quantum model by Trotter-Suzuki decomposition onto a two-dimensional statistical one. The latter is then solved by a transfer-matrix approach combined with the iterative numerical procedure of White's density-matrix renormalization-group (DMRG) algorithm. Thereby precise computations of various thermodynamic properties, such as thermodynamic potentials, susceptibilities, thermal expectation values and correlation functions are possible. As the first part of the thesis deals with fermionic models, we next review some basics about the theory of strongly correlated fermions in one dimension. Thereupon we elucidate the so-called Hirsch model, which recently gained a lot of theoretic interest in respect to high-temperature superconductivity. It extends the well-studied Hubbard model by an off-diagonal bond-charge interaction term. The current state of research is briefly summarized and mainly refers to ground state properties. Showing numerical TMRG results we then investigate and discuss the almost unknown thermodynamics of the Hirsch model. Various phases are identified and characterized in terms of Tomonaga-Luttinger and Luther-Emery liquid properties, in accordance with previous studies of the ground state. As an important result, superconducting singlet-pair correlation lenths are observed to dominate the physics at finite temperatures in a certain spin-gaped phase. Subsequent to our thermodynamic studies, we turn to the second part of the thesis and outline some theoretic basics of stochastic models. Most notably is the important formal analogy of the master equation, that describes the dynamics of the model, to a Schrödinger equation in imaginary time. This analogy is used to construct a stochastic TMRG algorithm almost similar to the quantum case, that facilitates the computation of dynamic properties, e.g. the local density of particles. We intensively focus on interesting mathematical properties of the stochastic transfer-matrix. As an astonishing result it is found, that the temporal evolution of the non-equilibrium process is reflected by a certain causal structure of the stochastic TMRG. But even if this new approach seems to be promising at first glance, severe numerical problems limit significantly its practical use. In order to solve these instabilities we propose a completely new variant of the algorithm, which we call stochastic light-cone corner-transfermatrix DMRG (LCTMRG). As suggested by its name, the LCTMRG makes use of the causal structure mentioned above and combines it with the stochastic TMRG algorithm. Applications of the LCTMRG onto various reaction-diffusion models verify highly precise numerical data and a great improve compared to the old algorithm by several orders of magnitude. Additionally it is stressed, that the newly proposed analysis tool provides some considerable advantages to common simulation techniques.