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

arXiv:cond-mat/9911297

Quantum Chaos and Thermalization for Interacting Particles

Felix M. Izrailev

Published Nov 19, 1999• 3 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

In this review the problem of statistical description of isolated quantum systems of interacting particles is discussed. Main attention is paid to a recently developed approach which is based on chaotic properties of compound states in the basis of non-interacting particles. In order to demonstrate the most important aspects of this approach, the matrix model of two-body random interaction between Fermi-particles has been used. Different problems have been considered such as the onset of chaos and statistical equilibrium, the relation between the structure of eigenstates and distribution of occupation numbers, the emergence of the Fermi-Dirac distribution in isolated systems of finite number of particles and many others. The application of the approach to dynamical systems with the classical limit is discussed as well.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/9911297

Related papers

Towards a statistical theory of finite Fermi systems and compound states: Random two-body interaction approach

V. V. Flambaum, Felix M. Izrailev, Giulio Casati

The model of Fermi particles with random two-body interaction is investigated. This model allows one to study the origin and accuracy of statistical laws in few-body systems, the role of interaction and chaos in thermalization, the Fermi-Dirac distribution for quasiparticles with spreading widths, matrix elements of external fields, and enhancement of weak perturbation in chaotic compound states. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.

arXiv:cond-mat/9607035•Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics•Aug 1, 1996•86 citations

Statistical theory of finite Fermi systems with chaotic excited eigenstates

G. F. Gribakin V.V. Flambaum

A theory of strongly interacting Fermi systems of a few particles is developed.At high excitation energies (a few times the single-particle level spacing) these systems are characterized by an extreme degree of complexity due to strong mixing of the shell-model-based many-particle basis states by the residual twobody interaction.This regime can be described as many-body quantum chaos.Practically, it occurs when the excitation energy of the system is greater than a few single-particle level spacings near the Fermi energy.Physical examples of such systems are compound nuclei, heavy open shell atoms (e.g.rare earths) and multicharged ions, molecules, clusters and quantum dots in solids.The main quantity of the theory is the strength function which describes spreading of the eigenstates over many-particle basis states (determinants) constructed using the shell-model orbital basis.A nonlinear equation for the strength function is derived, which enables one to describe the eigenstates without diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix.We show how to use this approach to calculate mean orbital occupation numbers and matrix elements between chaotic eigenstates and introduce typically statistical variables such as temperature in an isolated microscopic Fermi system of a few particles.

Philosophical Magazine B•Dec 11, 2000•0 citations

From quantum chaos and eigenstate thermalization to statistical mechanics and thermodynamics

Luca D’Alessio, Yariv Kafri, Anatoli Polkovnikov +1 more

This review gives a pedagogical introduction to the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH), its basis, and its implications to statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. In the first part, ETH is introduced as a natural extension of ideas from quantum chaos and random matrix theory (RMT). To this end, we present a brief overview of classical and quantum chaos, as well as RMT and some of its most important predictions. The latter include the statistics of energy levels, eigenstate components, and matrix elements of observables. Building on these, we introduce the ETH and show that it allows one to describe thermalization in isolated chaotic systems without invoking the notion of an external bath. We examine numerical evidence of eigenstate thermalization from studies of many-body lattice systems. We also introduce the concept of a quench as a means of taking isolated systems out of equilibrium, and discuss results of numerical experiments on quantum quenches. The second part of the review explores the implications of quantum chaos and ETH to thermodynamics. Basic thermodynamic relations are derived, including the second law of thermodynamics, the fundamental thermodynamic relation, fluctuation theorems, the fluctuation–dissipation relation, and the Einstein and Onsager relations. In particular, it is shown that quantum chaos allows one to prove these relations for individual Hamiltonian eigenstates and thus extend them to arbitrary stationary statistical ensembles. In some cases, it is possible to extend their regimes of applicability beyond the standard thermal equilibrium domain. We then show how one can use these relations to obtain nontrivial universal energy distributions in continuously driven systems. At the end of the review, we briefly discuss the relaxation dynamics and description after relaxation of integrable quantum systems, for which ETH is violated. We present results from numerical experiments and analytical studies of quantum quenches at integrability. We introduce the concept of the generalized Gibbs ensemble and discuss its connection with ideas of prethermalization in weakly interacting systems.

arXiv:1509.06411•Advances In Physics•May 3, 2016•2,413 citations

Statistical theory of finite Fermi systems with chaotic excited eigenstates

V. V. Flambaum, G. F. Gribakin

A theory of strongly interacting Fermi systems of a few particles is developed. At high excitation energies (a few times the single-particle level spacing) these systems are characterized by an extreme degree of complexity due to strong mixing of the shell-model-based many-particle basis states by the residual two-body interaction. This regime can be described as many-body quantum chaos. Practically, it occurs when the excitation energy of the system is greater than a few single-particle level spacings near the Fermi energy. Physical examples of such systems are compound nuclei, heavy open shell atoms (e.g. rare earths) and multicharged ions, molecules, clusters and quantum dots in solids. The main quantity of the theory is the strength function which describes spreading of the eigenstates over many-particle basis states (determinants) constructed using the shell-model orbital basis. A nonlinear equation for the strength function is derived, which enables one to describe the eigenstates without diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix. We show how to use this approach to calculate mean orbital occupation numbers and matrix elements between chaotic eigenstates and introduce typically statistical variables such as temperature in an isolated microscopic Fermi system of a few particles.

Philosophical Magazine B•Dec 1, 2000•13 citations

Thermalization in the two-body random ensemble

V K B Kota, A Relaño, J. Retamosa +1 more

Using the ergodicity principle for the expectation values of several types of observables, we investigate the thermalization process in isolated fermionic systems.These are described by the two-body random ensemble, which is a paradigmatic model to study quantum chaos and especially the dynamical transition from integrability to chaos.By means of exact diagonalizations we analyze the relevance of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis as well as the influence of other factors, such as the energy and structure of the initial state, or the dimension of the Hilbert space.We also obtain analytical expressions linking the degree of thermalization for a given observable with the so-called number of principal components for transition strengths originating at a given energy, with the dimensions of the whole Hilbert space and microcanonical energy shell, and with the correlations generated by the observable.As the strength of the residual interaction is increased, an order-to-chaos transition takes place, and we show that the onset of Wigner spectral fluctuations, which is the standard signature of chaos, is not sufficient to guarantee thermalization in finite systems.When all the signatures of chaos are fulfilled, including the quasicomplete delocalization of eigenfunctions, the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis is the mechanism responsible for the thermalization of certain types of observables, such as (linear combinations of) occupancies and strength function operators.Our results also suggest that fully chaotic systems will thermalize relative to most observables in the thermodynamic limit.

arXiv:1102.0528•Journal of Statistical Mechanics Theory and Experiment•Oct 31, 2011•25 citations

Onset of chaos and relaxation in isolated systems of interacting spins: Energy shell approach

Léa Ferreira dos Santos, F. Borgonovi, Felix M. Izrailev

We study the onset of chaos and statistical relaxation in two isolated dynamical quantum systems of interacting spins 1/2, one of which is integrable and the other chaotic. Our approach to identifying the emergence of chaos is based on the level of delocalization of the eigenstates with respect to the energy shell, the latter being determined by the interaction strength between particles or quasiparticles. We also discuss how the onset of chaos may be anticipated by a careful analysis of the Hamiltonian matrices, even before diagonalization. We find that despite differences between the two models, their relaxation processes following a quench are very similar and can be described analytically with a theory previously developed for systems with two-body random interactions. Our results imply that global features of statistical relaxation depend on the degree of spread of the eigenstates within the energy shell and may happen to both integrable and nonintegrable systems.

arXiv:1201.0186•Physical Review E•Mar 20, 2012•131 citations
In this review the problem of statistical description of isolated quantum systems of interacting particles is discussed. Main attention is paid to a recently developed approach which is based on chaotic properties of compound states in the basis of non-interacting particles. In order to demonstrate the most important aspects of this approach, the matrix model of two-body random interaction between Fermi-particles has been used. Different problems have been considered such as the onset of chaos and statistical equilibrium, the relation between the structure of eigenstates and distribution of occupation numbers, the emergence of the Fermi-Dirac distribution in isolated systems of finite number of particles and many others. The application of the approach to dynamical systems with the classical limit is discussed as well.
A theory of strongly interacting Fermi systems of a few particles is developed.At high excitation energies (a few times the single-particle level spacing) these systems are characterized by an extreme degree of complexity due to strong mixing of the shell-model-based many-particle basis states by the residual twobody interaction.This regime can be described as many-body quantum chaos.Practically, it occurs when the excitation energy of the system is greater than a few single-particle level spacings near the Fermi energy.Physical examples of such systems are compound nuclei, heavy open shell atoms (e.g.rare earths) and multicharged ions, molecules, clusters and quantum dots in solids.The main quantity of the theory is the strength function which describes spreading of the eigenstates over many-particle basis states (determinants) constructed using the shell-model orbital basis.A nonlinear equation for the strength function is derived, which enables one to describe the eigenstates without diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix.We show how to use this approach to calculate mean orbital occupation numbers and matrix elements between chaotic eigenstates and introduce typically statistical variables such as temperature in an isolated microscopic Fermi system of a few particles.
This review gives a pedagogical introduction to the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH), its basis, and its implications to statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. In the first part, ETH is introduced as a natural extension of ideas from quantum chaos and random matrix theory (RMT). To this end, we present a brief overview of classical and quantum chaos, as well as RMT and some of its most important predictions. The latter include the statistics of energy levels, eigenstate components, and matrix elements of observables. Building on these, we introduce the ETH and show that it allows one to describe thermalization in isolated chaotic systems without invoking the notion of an external bath. We examine numerical evidence of eigenstate thermalization from studies of many-body lattice systems. We also introduce the concept of a quench as a means of taking isolated systems out of equilibrium, and discuss results of numerical experiments on quantum quenches. The second part of the review explores the implications of quantum chaos and ETH to thermodynamics. Basic thermodynamic relations are derived, including the second law of thermodynamics, the fundamental thermodynamic relation, fluctuation theorems, the fluctuation–dissipation relation, and the Einstein and Onsager relations. In particular, it is shown that quantum chaos allows one to prove these relations for individual Hamiltonian eigenstates and thus extend them to arbitrary stationary statistical ensembles. In some cases, it is possible to extend their regimes of applicability beyond the standard thermal equilibrium domain. We then show how one can use these relations to obtain nontrivial universal energy distributions in continuously driven systems. At the end of the review, we briefly discuss the relaxation dynamics and description after relaxation of integrable quantum systems, for which ETH is violated. We present results from numerical experiments and analytical studies of quantum quenches at integrability. We introduce the concept of the generalized Gibbs ensemble and discuss its connection with ideas of prethermalization in weakly interacting systems.
A theory of strongly interacting Fermi systems of a few particles is developed. At high excitation energies (a few times the single-particle level spacing) these systems are characterized by an extreme degree of complexity due to strong mixing of the shell-model-based many-particle basis states by the residual two-body interaction. This regime can be described as many-body quantum chaos. Practically, it occurs when the excitation energy of the system is greater than a few single-particle level spacings near the Fermi energy. Physical examples of such systems are compound nuclei, heavy open shell atoms (e.g. rare earths) and multicharged ions, molecules, clusters and quantum dots in solids. The main quantity of the theory is the strength function which describes spreading of the eigenstates over many-particle basis states (determinants) constructed using the shell-model orbital basis. A nonlinear equation for the strength function is derived, which enables one to describe the eigenstates without diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix. We show how to use this approach to calculate mean orbital occupation numbers and matrix elements between chaotic eigenstates and introduce typically statistical variables such as temperature in an isolated microscopic Fermi system of a few particles.
Using the ergodicity principle for the expectation values of several types of observables, we investigate the thermalization process in isolated fermionic systems.These are described by the two-body random ensemble, which is a paradigmatic model to study quantum chaos and especially the dynamical transition from integrability to chaos.By means of exact diagonalizations we analyze the relevance of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis as well as the influence of other factors, such as the energy and structure of the initial state, or the dimension of the Hilbert space.We also obtain analytical expressions linking the degree of thermalization for a given observable with the so-called number of principal components for transition strengths originating at a given energy, with the dimensions of the whole Hilbert space and microcanonical energy shell, and with the correlations generated by the observable.As the strength of the residual interaction is increased, an order-to-chaos transition takes place, and we show that the onset of Wigner spectral fluctuations, which is the standard signature of chaos, is not sufficient to guarantee thermalization in finite systems.When all the signatures of chaos are fulfilled, including the quasicomplete delocalization of eigenfunctions, the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis is the mechanism responsible for the thermalization of certain types of observables, such as (linear combinations of) occupancies and strength function operators.Our results also suggest that fully chaotic systems will thermalize relative to most observables in the thermodynamic limit.
We study the onset of chaos and statistical relaxation in two isolated dynamical quantum systems of interacting spins 1/2, one of which is integrable and the other chaotic. Our approach to identifying the emergence of chaos is based on the level of delocalization of the eigenstates with respect to the energy shell, the latter being determined by the interaction strength between particles or quasiparticles. We also discuss how the onset of chaos may be anticipated by a careful analysis of the Hamiltonian matrices, even before diagonalization. We find that despite differences between the two models, their relaxation processes following a quench are very similar and can be described analytically with a theory previously developed for systems with two-body random interactions. Our results imply that global features of statistical relaxation depend on the degree of spread of the eigenstates within the energy shell and may happen to both integrable and nonintegrable systems.