Condensed Matter Theory

Abstract:

We consider time-of-flight measurements in split one-dimensional Bose gases. It is well known that the low-energy sector of such systems can be described in terms of two compact phase fields \hat{\phi}_{a,s}(x)ϕ̂a,s(x). Building on existing results in the literature we discuss how a single projective measurement of the particle density after trap release is in a certain limit related to the eigenvalues of the vertex operator e^{i\hat{\phi}_a(x)}eiϕ̂a(x). We emphasize the theoretical assumptions underlying the analysis of “single-shot” interference patterns and show that such measurements give direct access to multi-point correlation functions of e^{i\hat{\phi}_a(x)}eiϕ̂a(x) in a substantial parameter regime. For experimentally relevant situations, we derive an expression for the measured particle density after trap release in terms of convolutions of the eigenvalues of vertex operators involving both sectors of the two-component Luttinger liquid that describes the low-energy regime of the split condensate. This opens the door to accessing properties of the symmetric sector via an appropriate analysis of existing experimental data.

Abstract:

We solve a minimal model for an ergodic phase in a spatially extended quantum many-body system. The model consists of a chain of sites with nearest-neighbor coupling under Floquet time evolution. Quantum states at each site span a q-dimensional Hilbert space, and time evolution for a pair of sites is generated by a q2 × q2 random unitary matrix. The Floquet operator is specified by a quantum circuit of depth two, in which each site is coupled to its neighbor on one side during the first half of the evolution period and to its neighbor on the other side during the second half of the period. We show how dynamical behavior averaged over realizations of the random matrices can be evaluated using diagrammatic techniques and how this approach leads to exact expressions in the large-q limit. We give results for the spectral form factor, relaxation of local observables, bipartite entanglement growth, and operator spreading.

Abstract:

Eigenstates of fully many-body localized (FMBL) systems are described by quasilocal operators τzi (l-bits), which are conserved exactly under Hamiltonian time evolution. The algebra of the operators τzi and τxi associated with l-bits (τi) completely defines the eigenstates and the matrix elements of local operators between eigenstates at all energies. We develop a non-perturbative construction of the full set of l-bit algebras in the many-body localized phase for the canonical model of MBL. Our algorithm to construct the Pauli-algebra of l-bits combines exact diagonalization and a tensor network algorithm developed for efficient diagonalization of large FMBL Hamiltonians. The distribution of localization lengths of the l-bits is evaluated in the MBL phase and used to characterize the MBL-to-thermal transition.