Strong and weak thermalization of infinite non-integrable quantum systems

When a non-integrable system evolves out of equilibrium for a long time, local observables are expected to attain stationary expectation values, independent of the details of the initial state. However, intriguing experimental results with ultracold gases have shown no thermalization in non-integrable settings, triggering an intense theoretical effort to decide the question. Here we show that the phenomenology of thermalization in a quantum system is much richer than its classical counterpart. Using a new numerical technique, we identify two distinct thermalization regimes, strong and weak, occurring for different initial states. Strong thermalization, intrinsically quantum, happens when instantaneous local expectation values converge to the thermal ones. Weak thermalization, well-known in classical systems, happens when local expectation values converge to the thermal ones only after time averaging. Remarkably, we find a third group of states showing no thermalization, neither strong nor weak, to the time scales one can reliably simulate.Comment: 12 pages, 21 figures, including additional materia

Matrix Product States: Symmetries and Two-Body Hamiltonians

We characterize the conditions under which a translationally invariant matrix product state (MPS) is invariant under local transformations. This allows us to relate the symmetry group of a given state to the symmetry group of a simple tensor. We exploit this result in order to prove and extend a version of the Lieb-Schultz-Mattis theorem, one of the basic results in many-body physics, in the context of MPS. We illustrate the results with an exhaustive search of SU(2)--invariant two-body Hamiltonians which have such MPS as exact ground states or excitations.Comment: PDFLatex, 12 pages and 6 figure

Femtosecond time-resolved phase-change microscopy and ablation threshold calculations to understand ultrafast laser ablation

El trabajo recoge experimentos realizados en una configuración sonda-prueba haciendo uso de un láser de femtosegundos, con el objetivo de comprender los fenómenos de ablación de materiales sólidos ras irradiación con láseres de pulso ultracorto.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Gapless Hamiltonians for the toric code using the PEPS formalism

We study Hamiltonians which have Kitaev's toric code as a ground state, and show how to construct a Hamiltonian which shares the ground space of the toric code, but which has gapless excitations with a continuous spectrum in the thermodynamic limit. Our construction is based on the framework of Projected Entangled Pair States (PEPS), and can be applied to a large class of two-dimensional systems to obtain gapless "uncle Hamiltonians".Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure

Fundamental limitations in the purifications of tensor networks

We show a fundamental limitation in the description of quantum many-body mixed states with tensor networks in purification form. Namely, we show that there exist mixed states which can be represented as a translationally invariant (TI) matrix product density operator (MPDO) valid for all system sizes, but for which there does not exist a TI purification valid for all system sizes. The proof is based on an undecidable problem and on the uniqueness of canonical forms of matrix product states. The result also holds for classical states.Comment: v1: 11 pages, 1 figure. v2: very minor changes. About to appear in Journal of Mathematical Physic

Virtues and Flaws of the Pauli Potential

Quantum simulations of complex fermionic systems suffer from a variety of challenging problems. In an effort to circumvent these challenges, simpler ``semi-classical'' approaches have been used to mimic fermionic correlations through a fictitious ``Pauli potential''. In this contribution we examine two issues. First, we address some of the inherent difficulties in a widely used version of the Pauli potential. Second, we refine such a potential in a manner consistent with the most basic properties of a cold Fermi gas, such as its momentum distribution and its two-body correlation function.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure

Electroactivación de oocitos de pez cebra (Danio rerio)

[ES] El mejor tratamiento de electroactivación (B3) para oocitos de pez cebra supuso un 43% de activación frente al 18% cuando el estímulo es solo el contacto con agua[EN] In zebrafish, initial egg activation by water after being discharged from the ovarian stroma is followed by normal cleavages only in inseminated eggs. When sperm (genetically active or not) is not used as activating agent, reproductive techniques (as either nuclear transplant or intracytoplasmic sperm injection are ineff icient. In this work, three experiments of egg activation by electric stimuli were performed: In the first, six activation treatments were compared (Voltage × Pulses: 2.76 × 1; 2.76 × 2; 2.76 × 3 and 5.40 × 1; 5.40 × 2; 5.40 × 3). The group 5.40 × 3 showed the best results (32% activated). In the second experiment, an electrical treatment of 20 min was carried out. It consisted in a sequence of three equal electrical stimuli every 10 min (of 1 or 3 consecutive direct current square pulses for 20 ¿s each and applied at two voltage levels, 2.76 V or 5.4 V). It was observed that the number of pulses negatively affected the rates of damaged and lysed eggs. Moreover, only the 20 min treatment with the combination of 3 consecutive pulses at 2.76 V showed significant differences with their respective control group (43% vs 18% activated eggs, p < 0.05). In the third experiment, negative effects of egg ageing were observed. In conclusion, the best activation treatment for intact (non manipulated) zebrafish eggs concerns sequence B3. The electro-activation stimulus proposed here would be the only one available once the egg has already been activated by water.Cardona Costa, J.; Perez-Camps, M.; García Ximenez, F. (2011). Electroactivation of zebrafish (danio rerio) eggs. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research. 9(1):59-65. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/99491S59659

Influencia del ángulo de la proyección de abrasivos en la limpieza de materiales pétreos detríticos en Patrimonio Arquitectónico

In this research, the influence of the angle in abrasive blasting cleaning is studied on Montjuïc sandstone with black crust. After analyzing the properties of the soiling and the material, and their possible influence on the treatment, different cleaning tests were made at four different angles, keeping the complementary parameters constant. Taking the restorer’s perspective as a starting point, and in order to fulfill the practical requirements of an intervention —time and cost reduction—, tests were evaluated with USB digital microscope, stereomicroscope with 3D visualization and measurement, and colorimeter. From the results it is established that angles close to 75° minimize surface alteration, reducing differential erosion in the binding phases of detritic materials usually caused by this treatment.En este trabajo se estudia la influencia del ángulo de la proyección de abrasivos en la limpieza de una arenisca de Montjuïc con costra negra. Tras analizar las propiedades del material, de la suciedad y su posible influencia en el tratamiento, se realizan diferentes catas de limpieza con cuatro ángulos distintos manteniendo constantes el resto de parámetros de la proyección. Partiendo de la visión del conservador-restaurador y de un carácter práctico según las necesidades reales de una intervención —reducción de tiempos y costes—, los ensayos se evalúan con microscopio digital USB, microscopio estereoscópico con visualización y medición en 3D y colorímetro. De los resultados se puede determinar que ángulos cercanos a 75° minimizan la alteración de la superficie al reducir la erosión diferencial de las fases de unión que el tratamiento normalmente provoca en los materiales detríticos

Quantum kinetic Ising models

We introduce a quantum generalization of classical kinetic Ising models, described by a certain class of quantum many body master equations. Similarly to kinetic Ising models with detailed balance that are equivalent to certain Hamiltonian systems, our models reduce to a set of Hamiltonian systems determining the dynamics of the elements of the many body density matrix. The ground states of these Hamiltonians are well described by matrix product, or pair entangled projected states. We discuss critical properties of such Hamiltonians, as well as entanglement properties of their low energy states.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures, minor improvements, accepted in New Journal of Physic