Dynamics of quantum thermalization

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• Alexander Altland, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Cologne, Germany
• Thursday 14 June 2012, 14:15-15:45
• TCM Seminar Room, Cavendish Laboratory.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Joe Bhaseen.

We will discuss the dynamical stages of equilibration of unitary quantum dynamics under conditions of classical non-integrability. Employing the Dicke model (a large spin coupled to an oscillator) as a paradigmatic example, it will be shown how a constructive description of the thermalization process is facilitated by the Glauber Q or Husimi function, for which the evolution equation turns out to be of Fokker-Planck type. The equation describes a competition of classical drift and quantum diffusion. By this mechanism the system follows a ‘quantum smoothened’ approach to equilibrium, which avoids the notorious singularities inherent to classical nonlinear flows.

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