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Phenomenology of Spectral Functions in Disordered Spin Chains at Infinite Temperature

Lev Vidmar, Bartosz Krajewski, Janez Bonča, and Marcin Mierzejewski
Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 230603 – Published 1 December 2021
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Abstract

Studies of disordered spin chains have recently experienced a renewed interest, inspired by the question to which extent the exact numerical calculations comply with the existence of a many-body localization phase transition. For the paradigmatic random field Heisenberg spin chains, many intriguing features were observed when the disorder is considerable compared to the spin interaction strength. Here, we introduce a phenomenological theory that may explain some of those features. The theory is based on the proximity to the noninteracting limit, in which the system is an Anderson insulator. Taking the spin imbalance as an exemplary observable, we demonstrate that the proximity to the local integrals of motion of the Anderson insulator determines the dynamics of the observable at infinite temperature. In finite interacting systems our theory quantitatively describes its integrated spectral function for a wide range of disorders.

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  • Received 28 May 2021
  • Accepted 1 November 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.230603

© 2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Statistical Physics & Thermodynamics

Authors & Affiliations

Lev Vidmar1,2, Bartosz Krajewski3, Janez Bonča2,1, and Marcin Mierzejewski3

  • 1Department of Theoretical Physics, J. Stefan Institute, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • 2Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • 3Department of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland

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Issue

Vol. 127, Iss. 23 — 3 December 2021

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