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arXiv:math-ph/0610028 · Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical

AQ-operator for the quantum transfer matrix

Christian Korff

Published Mar 20, 2007• 5 citations
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Abstract

Baxter's Q-operator for the quantum transfer matrix of the XXZ spin-chain is constructed employing the representation theory of quantum groups. The spectrum of this Q-operator is discussed and novel functional relations which describe the finite temperature regime of the XXZ spin-chain are derived. For non-vanishing magnetic field the previously known Bethe ansatz equations can be replaced by a system of quadratic equations which is an important advantage for numerical studies. For vanishing magnetic field and rational coupling values it is argued that the quantum transfer matrix exhibits a loop algebra symmetry closely related to the one of the classical six-vertex transfer matrix at roots of unity.

DOI
10.1088/1751-8113/40/14/002

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•Jan 1, 2006•0 citations
Baxter's Q-operator for the quantum transfer matrix of the XXZ spin-chain is constructed employing the representation theory of quantum groups. The spectrum of this Q-operator is discussed and novel functional relations which describe the finite temperature regime of the XXZ spin-chain are derived. For non-vanishing magnetic field the previously known Bethe ansatz equations can be replaced by a system of quadratic equations which is an important advantage for numerical studies. For vanishing magnetic field and rational coupling values it is argued that the quantum transfer matrix exhibits a loop algebra symmetry closely related to the one of the classical six-vertex transfer matrix at roots of unity.
The free energy per lattice site of a quantum spin chain in the thermodynamic limit is determined by a single `dominant' Eigenvalue of an associated quantum transfer matrix in the infinite Trotter number limit. For integrable quantum spin chains, related with solutions of the Yang-Baxter equation, an appropriate choice of the quantum transfer matrix enables to study its spectrum, e.g.\ by means of the algebraic Bethe Ansatz. In its turn, the knowledge of the full spectrum allows one to study its universality properties such as the appearance of a conformal spectrum in the low-temperature regime. More generally, accessing the full spectrum is a necessary step for deriving thermal form factor series representations of the correlation functions of local operators for the spin chain under consideration. These are statements that have been established by physicists on a heuristic level and that are calling for a rigorous mathematical justification. In this work we implement certain aspects of this programme with the example of the XXZ quantum spin chain in the antiferromagnetic massless regime and in the low-temperature limit. We rigorously establish the existence, uniqueness and characterise the form of the solutions to the non-linear integral equations that are equivalent to the Bethe Ansatz equations for the quantum transfer matrix of this model. This allows us to describe that part of the quantum transfer matrix spectrum that is related to the Bethe Ansatz and that does not collapse to zero in the infinite Trotter number limit. Within the considered part of the spectrum we rigorously identify the dominant Eigenvalue and show that those correlations lengths that diverge in the low-temperature limit are given, to the leading order, by the spectrum of the free Boson c=1c=1c=1 conformal field theory. This rigorously establishes a long-standing conjecture present in the physics literature.
The spin- \frac{1}{2} 1 2 Heisenberg XXZ chain is a paradigmatic quantum integrable model. Although it can be solved exactly via Bethe ansatz techniques, there are still open issues regarding the spectrum at root of unity values of the anisotropy. We construct Baxter’s Q operator at arbitrary anisotropy from a two-parameter transfer matrix associated to a complex-spin auxiliary space. A decomposition of this transfer matrix provides a simple proof of the transfer matrix fusion and Wronskian relations. At root of unity a truncation allows us to construct the Q operator explicitly in terms of finite-dimensional matrices. From its decomposition we derive truncated fusion and Wronskian relations as well as an interpolation-type formula that has been conjectured previously. We elucidate the Fabricius–McCoy (FM) strings and exponential degeneracies in the spectrum of the six-vertex transfer matrix at root of unity. Using a semicyclic auxiliary representation we give a conjecture for creation and annihilation operators of FM strings for all roots of unity. We connect our findings with the `string-charge duality’ in the thermodynamic limit, leading to a conjecture for the imaginary part of the FM string centres with potential applications to out-of-equilibrium physics.
We provide two methods of producing the QQQ-operator of XXZ spin chain of higher spin, one for NNNth root-of-unity qqq with odd NNN and another for a general qqq, as the generalization of those known in the six-vertex model. In the root-of-unity case, we discuss the functional relations involving the constructed QQQ-operator for the symmetry study of the theory. The QQQ-operator of XXZ chain of higher spin for a generic qqq is constructed by extending Baxter's argument in spin-1/2 case for the six-vertex QQQ-operator.
We connect two alternative concepts of solving integrable models, Baxter's method of auxiliary matrices (or Q -operators) and the algebraic Bethe ansatz. The main steps of the calculation are performed in a general setting and a formula for the Bethe eigenvalues of the Q -operator is derived. A proof is given for states which contain up to three Bethe roots. Further evidence is provided by relating the findings to the six-vertex fusion hierarchy. For the XXZ spin-chain we analyse the cases when the deformation parameter of the underlying quantum group is evaluated both at and away from a root of unity.
The construction of auxiliary matrices for the six-vertex model at a root of unity is investigated from a quantum group theoretic point of view. Employing the concept of intertwiners associated with the quantum loop algebra U q ( 2 ) at q N = 1, a three-parameter family of auxiliary matrices is constructed. The elements of this family satisfy a functional relation with the transfer matrix allowing one to solve the eigenvalue problem of the model and to derive the Bethe ansatz equations. This functional relation is obtained from the decomposition of a tensor product of evaluation representations and involves auxiliary matrices with different parameters. Because of this dependence on additional parameters, the auxiliary matrices break in general the finite symmetries of the six-vertex model, such as spin-reversal or spin-conservation. More importantly, they also lift the extra degeneracies of the transfer matrix due to the loop symmetry present at rational coupling values. The extra parameters in the auxiliary matrices are shown to be directly related to the elements in the enlarged centre Z of the algebra U q ( 2 ) at q N = 1. This connection provides a geometric interpretation of the enhanced symmetry of the six-vertex model at rational coupling. The parameters labelling the auxiliary matrices can be interpreted as coordinates on a hypersurface Spec Z ⊂ ℂ 4 which remains invariant under the action of an infinite-dimensional group G of analytic transformations, called the quantum coadjoint action.
We review recent results on the Bethe Ansatz solutions for the eigenvalues of the transfer matrix of an integrable open XXZ quantum spin chain using functional relations which the transfer matrix obeys at roots of unity. First, we consider a case where at most two of the boundary parameters {{alpha−\\alpha_-alpha−​,alpha+\\alpha_+alpha+​,beta−\\beta_-beta−​,beta+\\beta_+beta+​}} are nonzero. A generalization of the Baxter T−QT-QT−Q equation that involves more than one independent QQQ is described. We use this solution to compute the boundary energy of the chain in the thermodynamic limit. We conclude the paper with a review of some results for the general integrable boundary terms, where all six boundary parameters are arbitrary.