Search

We consider the XXZ spin chain, characterized by an anisotropy parameter $\Delta>1$, and normalized such that the ground state energy is $0$ and the ground state given by the all spins up state. The energies $E_K = K(1-1/\Delta)$, $K=1,2,\ldots$, can be interpreted as $K$-cluster break-up thresholds for down spin configurations. We show that, for every $K$, the bipartite entanglement of all states with energy below the $(K+1)$-cluster break-up satisfies a logarithmically corrected (or enhanced) area law. This generalizes a result by Beaud and Warzel, who considered energies in the droplet spectrum (i.e., below the 2-cluster break-up). For general $K$, we find an upper logarithmic bound with pre-factor $2K-1$. We show that this constant is optimal in the Ising limit $\Delta=\infty$. Beaud and Warzel also showed that after introducing a random field and disorder averaging the enhanced area law becomes a strict area law, again for states in the droplet regime. For the Ising limit with random field, we show that this result does not extend beyond the droplet regime. Instead, we find states with energies arbitrarily close to the $(K+1)$-cluster break-up whose entanglement satisfies a logarithmically growing lower bound with pre-factor $K-1$., Comment: 35 pages, v2: small errors and typos corrected

We prove a quantitative uncertainty principle at low energies for the Laplacian on fairly general weighted graphs with a uniform explicit control of the constants in terms of geometric quantities. A major step consists in establishing lower bounds for Dirichlet eigenvalues in terms of the geometry., 28 pages; minor revision, some (Counter)examples added, to appear in: Journal of Spectral Theory

We study many-body localization properties of the disordered XXZ spin chain in the Ising phase. Disorder is introduced via a random magnetic field in the $z$-direction. We prove a strong form of dynamical exponential clustering for eigenstates in the droplet spectrum: For any pair of local observables separated by a distance $\ell$, the sum of the associated correlators over these states decays exponentially in $\ell$, in expectation. This exponential clustering persists under the time evolution in the droplet spectrum. Our result applies to the large disorder regime as well as to the strong Ising phase at fixed disorder, with bounds independent of the support of the observables., The main result now proves {\it dynamical} exponential clustering. 34 pages, no figures

We prove spatial decay estimates on disorder-averaged position-momentum correlations in a gapless class of random oscillator models. First, we prove a decay estimate on dynamic correlations for general eigenstates with a bound that depends on the magnitude of the maximally excited mode. Then, we consider the situation of a quantum quench. We prove that the full time-evolution of an initially chosen (uncorrelated) product state has disorder-averaged correlations which decay exponentially in space, uniformly in time., Comment: 16 pages, Contribution for the proceedings of QMath13: Mathematical Results in Quantum Physics, Atlanta, 2016

We consider a random Schr\"odinger operator on the binary tree with a random potential which is the sum of a random radially symmetric potential, $Q_r$, and a random transversally periodic potential, $\kappa Q_t$, with coupling constant $\kappa$. Using a new one-dimensional dynamical systems approach combined with Jensen's inequality in hyperbolic space (our key estimate) we obtain a fractional moment estimate proving localization for small and large $\kappa$. Together with a previous result we therefore obtain a model with two Anderson transitions, from localization to delocalization and back to localization, when increasing $\kappa$. As a by-product we also have a partially new proof of one-dimensional Anderson localization at any disorder., Comment: 25 pages, 1 figure

We give an introduction into some aspects of the emerging mathematical theory of many-body localization (MBL) for disordered quantum spin chains. In particular, we discuss manifestations of MBL such as zero-velocity Lieb-Robinson bounds, quasi-locality of the time evolution of local observables, as well as exponential clustering and low entanglement of eigenstates. Explicit models where such properties have recently been verified are the XY and XXZ spin chain, in each case with disorder introduced in the form of a random exterior field. We introduce these models, state many of the available results and try to provide some general context. We discuss methods and ideas which enter the proofs and, in a few illustrative examples, include more detailed arguments. Finally, we also mention some directions for future mathematical work on MBL., Comment: Contribution to the Proceedings of the 2018 Arizona School of Analysis and Mathematical Physics. v2: minor changes, two references added, 33 pages

We study disordered XXZ spin chains in the Ising phase exhibiting droplet localization, a single cluster localization property we previously proved for random XXZ spin chains. It holds in an energy interval $I$ near the bottom of the spectrum, known as the droplet spectrum. We establish dynamical manifestations of localization in the energy window $I$, including non-spreading of information, zero-velocity Lieb-Robinson bounds, and general dynamical clustering. Our results do not rely on knowledge of the dynamical characteristics of the model outside the droplet spectrum. A byproduct of our analysis is that for random XXZ spin chains this droplet localization can happen only inside the droplet spectrum., 32 pages, no figures

We study XXZ spin systems on general graphs. In particular, we describe the formation of droplet states near the bottom of the spectrum in the Ising phase of the model, where the Z-term dominates the XX-term. As key tools we use particle number conservation of XXZ systems and symmetric products of graphs with their associated adjacency matrices and Laplacians. Of particular interest to us are strips and multi-dimensional Euclidean lattices, for which we discuss the existence of spectral gaps above the droplet regime. We also prove a Combes-Thomas bound which shows that the eigenstates in the droplet regime are exponentially small perturbations of strict (classical) droplets., Comment: 32 pages, 5 figures, updated version with additional graph-theoretic references

We consider the dynamics of the quantum XY chain with disorder under the general assumption that the expectation of the eigenfunction correlator of the associated one-particle Hamiltonian satisfies a decay estimate typical of Anderson localization. We show that, starting from a broad class of product initial states, entanglement remains bounded for all times. For the XX chain, we also derive bounds on the particle transport which, in particular, show that the density profile of initial states that consist of fully occupied and empty intervals, only have significant dynamics near the edges of those intervals, uniformly for all times., Comment: 22 pages, final version, to appear in Lett. Math. Phys

We prove the existence of ballistic transport for the Schr\"odinger operator with limit-periodic or quasi-periodic potential in dimension two. This is done under certain regularity assumptions on the potential which have been used in prior work to establish the existence of an absolutely continuous component and other spectral properties. The latter include detailed information on the structure of generalized eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. These allow to establish the crucial ballistic lower bound through integration by parts on an appropriate extension of a Cantor set in momentum space, as well as through stationary phase arguments., Comment: 30 pages, more discussion and motivation of main result and assumptions added, final version, to appear in Comm.Math.Phys

We examine many-body localization properties for the eigenstates that lie in the droplet sector of the random-field spin-$\frac 1 2$ XXZ chain. These states satisfy a basic single cluster localization property (SCLP), derived in \cite{EKS}. This leads to many consequences, including dynamical exponential clustering, non-spreading of information under the time evolution, and a zero velocity Lieb Robinson bound. Since SCLP is only applicable to the droplet sector, our definitions and proofs do not rely on knowledge of the spectral and dynamical characteristics of the model outside this regime. Rather, to allow for a possible mobility transition, we adapt the notion of restricting the Hamiltonian to an energy window from the single particle setting to the many body context., Comment: 6 pages, no figures

We review several aspects of Many-Body Localization-like properties exhibited by the disordered XY chains: localization properties of the energy eigenstates and thermal states, propagation bounds of Lieb-Robinson type, decay of correlation functions, absence of particle transport, bounds on the bipartite entanglement, and bounded entanglement growth under the dynamics. We also prove new results on the absence of energy transport and Fock space localization. All these properties are made accessible to mathematical analysis due to the exact mapping of the XY chain to a system of quasi-free fermions given by the Jordan-Wigner transformation. Motivated by these results we discuss conjectured properties of more general disordered quantum spin and other systems as possible directions for future mathematical research., Final version, to appear in Annalen der Physik; title modified, introduction expanded, references added, new Lemma 8.1

We consider the isotropic or anisotropic XY spin chain in the presence of a transversal random magnetic field, with parameters given by random variables. It is shown that eigenfunction correlator localization of the corresponding effective one-particle Hamiltonian implies a uniform area law bound in expectation for the bipartite entanglement entropy of all eigenstates of the XY chain, i.e. a form of many-body localization at all energies. Here entanglement with respect to arbitrary connected subchains of the chain can be considered. Applications where the required eigenfunction correlator bounds are known include the isotropic XY chain in random field as well as the anisotropic chain in strong or strongly disordered random field., 28 pages, v2: changes in introduction after feedback received, some references added, v3: some improvements and updates, main results unchanged