Quasi-one-dimensional anisotropic Heisenberg model in a transverse magnetic field

The phase diagram of weakly coupled $XXZ$ chains in a transverse magnetic field is studied using the mean-field approximation for the interchain coupling and known exact results for an effective one-dimensional model. Results are applied to the quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnet $Cs_{2}CoCl_{4}$ and the value of interchain interaction in this compound is estimated.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Exact solution of Markovian master equations for quadratic fermi systems: thermal baths, open XY spin chains, and non-equilibrium phase transition

We generalize the method of third quantization to a unified exact treatment of Redfield and Lindblad master equations for open quadratic systems of n fermions in terms of diagonalization of 4n x 4n matrix. Non-equilibrium thermal driving in terms of the Redfield equation is analyzed in detail. We explain how to compute all physically relevant quantities, such as non-equilibrium expectation values of local observables, various entropies or information measures, or time evolution and properties of relaxation. We also discuss how to exactly treat explicitly time dependent problems. The general formalism is then applied to study a thermally driven open XY spin 1/2 chain. We find that recently proposed non-equilibrium quantum phase transition in the open XY chain survives the thermal driving within the Redfield model. In particular, the phase of long-range magnetic correlations can be characterized by hypersensitivity of the non-equilibrium-steady state to external (bath or bulk) parameters. Studying the heat transport we find negative thermal conductance for sufficiently strong thermal driving, as well as non-monotonic dependence of the heat current on the strength of the bath coupling.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures, submitted to New Journal of Physics, Focus issue "Quantum Information and Many-Body Theory

Study of Loschmidt Echo for a qubit coupled to an XY-spin chain environment

We study the temporal evolution of a central spin-1/2 (qubit) coupled to the environment which is chosen to be a spin-1/2 transverse XY spin chain. We explore the entire phase diagram of the spin-Hamiltonian and investigate the behavior of Loschmidt echo(LE) close to critical and multicritical point(MCP). To achieve this, the qubit is coupled to the spin chain through the anisotropy term as well as one of the interaction terms. Our study reveals that the echo has a faster decay with the system size (in the short time limit) close to a MCP and also the scaling obeyed by the quasiperiod of the collapse and revival of the LE is different in comparison to that close to a QCP. We also show that even when approached along the gapless critical line, the scaling of the LE is determined by the MCP where the energy gap shows a faster decay with the system size. This claim is verified by studying the short-time and also the collapse and revival behavior of the LE at a quasicritical point on the ferromagnetic side of the MCP. We also connect our observation to the decoherence of the central spin.Comment: Accepted for publication in EPJ

Critical properties of Sudden Quench Dynamics in the anisotropic XY Model

We study the zero temperature quantum dynamical critical behavior of the anisotropic XY chain under a sudden quench in a transverse field. We demonstrate theoretically that both quench magnetic susceptibility and two-particle quench correlation can be used to describe the dynamical quantum phase transition (QPT) properties. Either the quench magnetic susceptibility or the derivative of correlation functions as a function of initial magnetic field $a$ exhibits a divergence at the critical points when final magnetic field $b$ is fixed. A special case that final magnetic field $b$ is just at the critical point is discussed separately. Some of the critical exponents of the dynamical QPT are obtained and the long-range correlation of the quench system is analyzed. We also compare our result with that of the static QPT.Comment: published on EPJ

Nonmonotonical crossover of the effective susceptibility exponent

We have numerically determined the behavior of the magnetic susceptibility upon approach of the critical point in two-dimensional spin systems with an interaction range that was varied over nearly two orders of magnitude. The full crossover from classical to Ising-like critical behavior, spanning several decades in the reduced temperature, could be observed. Our results convincingly show that the effective susceptibility exponent gamma_eff changes nonmonotonically from its classical to its Ising value when approaching the critical point in the ordered phase. In the disordered phase the behavior is monotonic. Furthermore the hypothesis that the crossover function is universal is supported.Comment: 4 pages RevTeX 3.0/3.1, 5 Encapsulated PostScript figures. Uses epsf.sty. Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters. Also available as PostScript and PDF file at http://www.tn.tudelft.nl/tn/erikpubs.htm

Dynamics of Entanglement in One-Dimensional Spin Systems

We study the dynamics of quantum correlations in a class of exactly solvable Ising-type models. We analyze in particular the time evolution of initial Bell states created in a fully polarized background and on the ground state. We find that the pairwise entanglement propagates with a velocity proportional to the reduced interaction for all the four Bell states. Singlet-like states are favored during the propagation, in the sense that triplet-like states change their character during the propagation under certain circumstances. Characteristic for the anisotropic models is the instantaneous creation of pairwise entanglement from a fully polarized state; furthermore, the propagation of pairwise entanglement is suppressed in favor of a creation of different types of entanglement. The ``entanglement wave'' evolving from a Bell state on the ground state turns out to be very localized in space-time. Further support to a recently formulated conjecture on entanglement sharing is given.Comment: 25 pages, 21 figures; revte

Long-Time Tails and Anomalous Slowing Down in the Relaxation of Spatially Inhomogeneous Excitations in Quantum Spin Chains

Exact analytic calculations in spin-1/2 XY chains, show the presence of long-time tails in the asymptotic dynamics of spatially inhomogeneous excitations. The decay of inhomogeneities, for $t\to \infty$, is given in the form of a power law $$(t/\tau_{Q}) ^{-\nu_{Q}}$$ where the relaxation time $\tau_{Q}$ and the exponent $\nu_{Q}$ depend on the wave vector $Q$, characterizing the spatial modulation of the initial excitation. We consider several variants of the XY model (dimerized, with staggered magnetic field, with bond alternation, and with isotropic and uniform interactions), that are grouped into two families, whether the energy spectrum has a gap or not. Once the initial condition is given, the non-equilibrium problem for the magnetization is solved in closed form, without any other assumption. The long-time behavior for $t\to \infty$ can be obtained systematically in a form of an asymptotic series through the stationary phase method. We found that gapped models show critical behavior with respect to $Q$, in the sense that there exist critical values $Q_{c}$, where the relaxation time $\tau_{Q}$ diverges and the exponent $\nu_{Q}$ changes discontinuously. At those points, a slowing down of the relaxation process is induced, similarly to phenomena occurring near phase transitions. Long-lived excitations are identified as incommensurate spin density waves that emerge in systems undergoing the Peierls transition. In contrast, gapless models do not present the above anomalies as a function of the wave vector $Q$.Comment: 25 pages, 2 postscript figures. Manuscript submitted to Physical Review

Entanglement in a simple quantum phase transition

What entanglement is present in naturally occurring physical systems at thermal equilibrium? Most such systems are intractable and it is desirable to study simple but realistic systems which can be solved. An example of such a system is the 1D infinite-lattice anisotropic XY model. This model is exactly solvable using the Jordan-Wigner transform, and it is possible to calculate the two-site reduced density matrix for all pairs of sites. Using the two-site density matrix, the entanglement of formation between any two sites is calculated for all parameter values and temperatures. We also study the entanglement in the transverse Ising model, a special case of the XY model, which exhibits a quantum phase transition. It is found that the next-nearest neighbour entanglement (though not the nearest-neighbour entanglement) is a maximum at the critical point. Furthermore, we show that the critical point in the transverse Ising model corresponds to a transition in the behaviour of the entanglement between a single site and the remainder of the lattice.Comment: 14 pages, 7 eps figure

Deletion of parasite immune modulatory sequences combined with immune activating signals enhances vaccine mediated protection against filarial nematodes

<p>Background: Filarial nematodes are tissue-dwelling parasites that can be killed by Th2-driven immune effectors, but that have evolved to withstand immune attack and establish chronic infections by suppressing host immunity. As a consequence, the efficacy of a vaccine against filariasis may depend on its capacity to counter parasite-driven immunomodulation.</p> <p>Methodology and Principal Findings: We immunised mice with DNA plasmids expressing functionally-inactivated forms of two immunomodulatory molecules expressed by the filarial parasite Litomosoides sigmodontis: the abundant larval transcript-1 (LsALT) and cysteine protease inhibitor-2 (LsCPI). The mutant proteins enhanced antibody and cytokine responses to live parasite challenge, and led to more leukocyte recruitment to the site of infection than their native forms. The immune response was further enhanced when the antigens were targeted to dendritic cells using a single chain Fv-αDEC205 antibody and co-administered with plasmids that enhance T helper 2 immunity (IL-4) and antigen-presenting cell recruitment (Flt3L, MIP-1α). Mice immunised simultaneously against the mutated forms of LsALT and LsCPI eliminated adult parasites faster and consistently reduced peripheral microfilaraemia. A multifactorial analysis of the immune response revealed that protection was strongly correlated with the production of parasite-specific IgG1 and with the numbers of leukocytes present at the site of infection.</p> <p>Conclusions: We have developed a successful strategy for DNA vaccination against a nematode infection that specifically targets parasite-driven immunosuppression while simultaneously enhancing Th2 immune responses and parasite antigen presentation by dendritic cells.</p&gt

Therapeutic Efficacy of Potent Neutralizing HIV-1-Specific Monoclonal Antibodies in SHIV-Infected Rhesus Monkeys

HIV-1-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with extraordinary potency and breadth have recently been described. In humanized mice, combinations of mAbs have been shown to suppress viremia, but the therapeutic potential of these mAbs has not yet been evaluated in primates with an intact immune system. Here we show that administration of a cocktail of HIV-1-specific mAbs, as well as the single glycan-dependent mAb PGT121, resulted in a rapid and precipitous decline of plasma viremia to undetectable levels in rhesus monkeys chronically infected with the pathogenic virus SHIV-SF162P3. A single mAb infusion afforded up to a 3.1 log decline of plasma viral RNA in 7 days and also reduced proviral DNA in peripheral blood, gastrointestinal mucosa, and lymph nodes without the development of viral resistance. Moreover, following mAb administration, host Gag-specific T lymphocyte responses exhibited improved functionality. Virus rebounded in the majority of animals after a median of 56 days when serum mAb titers had declined to undetectable levels, although a subset of animals maintained long-term virologic control in the absence of further mAb infusions. These data demonstrate a profound therapeutic effect of potent neutralizing HIV-1-specific mAbs in SHIV-infected rhesus monkeys as well as an impact on host immune responses. Our findings strongly encourage the investigation of mAb therapy for HIV-1 in humans