Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Helvetica Physica Acta (Switzerland)

The Gibbs variational principle for inhomogeneous mean-field systems

G. A. Raggio, Reinhard F. Werner

Published Jul 5, 1991• 17 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We show the existence of the limiting free-energy density of inhomogeneous ( site-dependent coupling ) mean-field models in the thermodynamic limit, and derive a variational formula for this quantity. The formula requires the minimization of an energy term plus an entropy term as a functional depending on a function with values in the one-particle state space. The minimizing functions describe the pure phases of the system, and all cluster points of the sequence of finite volume equilibrium states have unique integral decomposition into pure phases. Applications are considered; they include the full BCS-model, and random mean-field models

DOI
10.5169/seals-116316

Related papers

The Gibbs Variational Principle for General BCS-Type Models

G. A. Raggio, Reinhard F. Werner

The thermodynamic limit is discussed for a class of inhomogeneous (“site-dependent coupling”) mean-field models: we give a variational expression for the limiting free-energy density, and obtain general properties of the equilibrium states. The class of models includes the full BCS-model in its quasi-spin formulation; this model is chosen here to illustrate the results.

Europhysics Letters (EPL)•Aug 1, 1989•4 citations

Thermodynamic Formalism and Phase Transitions of Generalized Mean-Field Quantum Lattice Models

Thomas Gerisch, Alfred Rieckers, H.-J. Volkert

The general structure of thermodynamic equilibrium states for a class of quantum mechanical (multi-lattice) systems is elaborated, combining quantum statistical and thermodynamical methods. The quantum statistical formulation is performed in terms of recent operator algebraic concepts emphasizing the role of the permutation symmetry due to homogeneous coarse graining and employing the internal symmetries. The variational principle of the free energy functional is derived, which determines together with the symmetries the general form of the limiting Gibbs states in terms of their central decomposition. The limiting minimal free energy density and its possible equilibrium states are analyzed on various levels of the description by means of convex analysis, where the Fenchel transforms of the free energies provide entropy like potentials. On the thermodynamic level a modified entropy surface is obtained, which specifies only in combination with its concave envelope the regions of pure and mixed phase states. The symmetry properties of a certain model allow to specify the (non-) differentiability of the minimal free energy density. A characterization and classification of phase transitions in terms of quantum statistical equilibrium states is proposed, and the connection to the Landau theory is established demonstrating that the latter implies a (continuous) deformation of the sets of equilibrium states along a canonically given curve.

Zeitschrift für Naturforschung A•May 1, 1998•5 citations

Equilibrium states of inhomogeneous mean-field quantum spin systems with random sites

A. Blobel, Joachim A. Messer

For inhomogeneous mean-field quantum spin systems with random sites, we prove that the weak*-limit points of the sequence of n-particle Gibbs states, on a suitable C*-algebra, are superpositions of inhomogeneous product states, which are given by solutions of a generalized Curie–Weiss equation. Under certain conditions there is only one weak*-limit point. As applications, the BCS model and a spin system with cosine interaction are studied.

Journal of Mathematical Physics•May 1, 1985•2 citations

Development of a new variational approach for thermal density matrices

Tapta Kanchan Roy, M. Durga Prasad

A McLachlan-type variational principle is derived for thermal density matrices. In this approach, the trace of the mean square of the differences between the derivatives of the exact and model density matrices is minimized with respect to the parameters in the model Hamiltonian. Applications to model anharmonic systems in the independent particle model show that the method can provide thermodynamic state functions accurately (within 5% of the converged basis set results) and at the same level of accuracy as the results using Feynman-Gibbs-Bogoliubov variational principle at this level of approximation.

The Journal of Chemical Physics•Jun 2, 2011•16 citations

Entropy minimization for many-body quantum systems

Romain Duboscq, Olivier Pinaud

The problem considered here is motivated by a work by B. Nachtergaele and H.T. Yau where the Euler equations of fluid dynamics are derived from manybody quantum mechanics, see [10]. A crucial concept in their work is that of local quantum Gibbs states, which are quantum statistical equilibria with prescribed particle, current, and energy densities at each point of space (here R d , d $\ge$ 1). They assume that such local Gibbs states exist, and show that if the quantum system is initially in a local Gibbs state, then the system stays, in an appropriate asymptotic limit, in a Gibbs state with particle, current, and energy densities now solutions to the Euler equations. Our main contribution in this work is to prove that such local quantum Gibbs states can be constructed from prescribed densities under mild hypotheses, in both the fermionic and bosonic cases. The problem consists in minimizing the von Neumann entropy in the quantum grand canonical picture under constraints of local particle, current, and energy densities. The main mathematical difficulty is the lack of compactness of the minimizing sequences to pass to the limit in the constraints. The issue is solved by defining auxiliary constrained optimization problems, and by using some monotonicity properties of equilibrium entropies.

arXiv:2103.07310•Mar 12, 2021•0 citations

On the equivalence of the KMS condition and the variational principle for quantum lattice systems with mean-field interactions

J.-B. Bru, W. de Siqueira Pedra, Rafael Sussumu Yamaguti Miada

We extend Araki's well-known results on the equivalence of the KMS condition and the variational principle for equilibrium states of quantum lattice systems with short-range interactions, to a large class of models possibly containing mean-field interactions (representing an extreme form of long-range interactions). This result is reminiscent of van Hemmen's work on equilibrium states for mean-field models. The extension was made possible by our recent outcomes on states minimizing the free energy density of mean-field models on the lattice, as well as on the infinite volume dynamics for such models.

arXiv:2103.00901•Advances in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics•Jan 1, 2022•1 citation
We show the existence of the limiting free-energy density of inhomogeneous ( site-dependent coupling ) mean-field models in the thermodynamic limit, and derive a variational formula for this quantity. The formula requires the minimization of an energy term plus an entropy term as a functional depending on a function with values in the one-particle state space. The minimizing functions describe the pure phases of the system, and all cluster points of the sequence of finite volume equilibrium states have unique integral decomposition into pure phases. Applications are considered; they include the full BCS-model, and random mean-field models
The general structure of thermodynamic equilibrium states for a class of quantum mechanical (multi-lattice) systems is elaborated, combining quantum statistical and thermodynamical methods. The quantum statistical formulation is performed in terms of recent operator algebraic concepts emphasizing the role of the permutation symmetry due to homogeneous coarse graining and employing the internal symmetries. The variational principle of the free energy functional is derived, which determines together with the symmetries the general form of the limiting Gibbs states in terms of their central decomposition. The limiting minimal free energy density and its possible equilibrium states are analyzed on various levels of the description by means of convex analysis, where the Fenchel transforms of the free energies provide entropy like potentials. On the thermodynamic level a modified entropy surface is obtained, which specifies only in combination with its concave envelope the regions of pure and mixed phase states. The symmetry properties of a certain model allow to specify the (non-) differentiability of the minimal free energy density. A characterization and classification of phase transitions in terms of quantum statistical equilibrium states is proposed, and the connection to the Landau theory is established demonstrating that the latter implies a (continuous) deformation of the sets of equilibrium states along a canonically given curve.
A McLachlan-type variational principle is derived for thermal density matrices. In this approach, the trace of the mean square of the differences between the derivatives of the exact and model density matrices is minimized with respect to the parameters in the model Hamiltonian. Applications to model anharmonic systems in the independent particle model show that the method can provide thermodynamic state functions accurately (within 5% of the converged basis set results) and at the same level of accuracy as the results using Feynman-Gibbs-Bogoliubov variational principle at this level of approximation.
The problem considered here is motivated by a work by B. Nachtergaele and H.T. Yau where the Euler equations of fluid dynamics are derived from manybody quantum mechanics, see [10]. A crucial concept in their work is that of local quantum Gibbs states, which are quantum statistical equilibria with prescribed particle, current, and energy densities at each point of space (here R d , d ≥\ge≥ 1). They assume that such local Gibbs states exist, and show that if the quantum system is initially in a local Gibbs state, then the system stays, in an appropriate asymptotic limit, in a Gibbs state with particle, current, and energy densities now solutions to the Euler equations. Our main contribution in this work is to prove that such local quantum Gibbs states can be constructed from prescribed densities under mild hypotheses, in both the fermionic and bosonic cases. The problem consists in minimizing the von Neumann entropy in the quantum grand canonical picture under constraints of local particle, current, and energy densities. The main mathematical difficulty is the lack of compactness of the minimizing sequences to pass to the limit in the constraints. The issue is solved by defining auxiliary constrained optimization problems, and by using some monotonicity properties of equilibrium entropies.
We extend Araki's well-known results on the equivalence of the KMS condition and the variational principle for equilibrium states of quantum lattice systems with short-range interactions, to a large class of models possibly containing mean-field interactions (representing an extreme form of long-range interactions). This result is reminiscent of van Hemmen's work on equilibrium states for mean-field models. The extension was made possible by our recent outcomes on states minimizing the free energy density of mean-field models on the lattice, as well as on the infinite volume dynamics for such models.