On entanglement evolution across defects in critical chains

We consider a local quench where two free-fermion half-chains are coupled via a defect. We show that the logarithmic increase of the entanglement entropy is governed by the same effective central charge which appears in the ground-state properties and which is known exactly. For unequal initial filling of the half-chains, we determine the linear increase of the entanglement entropy.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, minor changes, reference adde

On reduced density matrices for disjoint subsystems

We show that spin and fermion representations for solvable quantum chains lead in general to different reduced density matrices if the subsystem is not singly connected. We study the effect for two sites in XX and XY chains as well as for sublattices in XX and transverse Ising chains.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

On the relation between entanglement and subsystem Hamiltonians

We show that a proportionality between the entanglement Hamiltonian and the Hamiltonian of a subsystem exists near the limit of maximal entanglement under certain conditions. Away from that limit, solvable models show that the coupling range differs in both quantities and allow to investigate the effect.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures version2: minor changes, typos correcte

One-dimensional Hubbard model at quarter filling on periodic potentials

Using the Hubbard chain at quarter filling as a model system, we study the ground state properties of highly doped antiferromagnets. In particular, the Hubbard chain at quarter filling is unstable against 2k_F- and 4k_F-periodic potentials, leading to a large variety of charge and spin ordered ground states. Employing the density matrix renormalization group method, we compare the energy gain of the ground state induced by different periodic potentials. For interacting systems the lowest energy is found for a 2k_F-periodic magnetic field, resulting in a band insulator with spin gap. For strong interaction, the 4k_F-periodic potential leads to a half-filled Heisenberg chain and thus to a Mott insulating state without spin gap. This ground state is more stable than the band insulating state caused by any non-magnetic 2k_F-periodic potential. Adding more electrons, a cluster-like ordering is preferred.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev.

Real-space renormalization group approach for the corner Hamiltonian

We present a real-space renormalization group approach for the corner Hamiltonian, which is relevant to the reduced density matrix in the density matrix renormalization group. A set of self-consistent equations that the renormalized Hamiltonian should satisfy in the thermodynamic limit is also derived from the fixed point of the recursion relation for the corner Hamiltonian. We demonstrate the renormalization group algorithm for the $S=1/2$ XXZ spin chain and show that the results are consistent with the exact solution. We further examine the renormalization group for the S=1 Heisenberg spin chain and then discuss the nature of the eigenvalue spectrum of the corner Hamiltonian for the non-integrable model.Comment: 7 page

Wilson-like real-space renormalization group and low-energy effective spectrum of the XXZ chain in the critical regime

We present a novel real-space renormalization group(RG) for the one-dimensional XXZ model in the critical regime, reconsidering the role of the cut-off parameter in Wilson's RG for the Kondo impurity problem. We then demonstrate the RG calculation for the XXZ chain with the free boundary. Comparing the hierarchical structure of the obtained low-energy spectrum with the Bethe ansatz result, we find that the proper scaling dimension is reproduced as a fixed point of the RG transformation.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, typos corrected, final versio

Reduced density matrix and entanglement entropy of permutationally invariant quantum many-body systems

In this paper we discuss the properties of the reduced density matrix of quantum many body systems with permutational symmetry and present basic quantification of the entanglement in terms of the von Neumann (VNE), Renyi and Tsallis entropies. In particular, we show, on the specific example of the spin $1/2$ Heisenberg model, how the RDM acquires a block diagonal form with respect to the quantum number $k$ fixing the polarization in the subsystem conservation of $S_{z}$ and with respect to the irreducible representations of the $\mathbf{S_{n}}$ group. Analytical expression for the RDM elements and for the RDM spectrum are derived for states of arbitrary permutational symmetry and for arbitrary polarizations. The temperature dependence and scaling of the VNE across a finite temperature phase transition is discussed and the RDM moments and the R\'{e}nyi and Tsallis entropies calculated both for symmetric ground states of the Heisenberg chain and for maximally mixed states.Comment: Festschrift in honor of the 60th birthday of Professor Vladimir Korepin (11 pages, 5 figures

Density Matrices for a Chain of Oscillators

We consider chains with an optical phonon spectrum and study the reduced density matrices which occur in density-matrix renormalization group (DMRG) calculations. Both for one site and for half of the chain, these are found to be exponentials of bosonic operators. Their spectra, which are correspondingly exponential, are determined and discussed. The results for large systems are obtained from the relation to a two-dimensional Gaussian model.Comment: 15 pages,8 figure

Area law and vacuum reordering in harmonic networks

We review a number of ideas related to area law scaling of the geometric entropy from the point of view of condensed matter, quantum field theory and quantum information. An explicit computation in arbitrary dimensions of the geometric entropy of the ground state of a discretized scalar free field theory shows the expected area law result. In this case, area law scaling is a manifestation of a deeper reordering of the vacuum produced by majorization relations. Furthermore, the explicit control on all the eigenvalues of the reduced density matrix allows for a verification of entropy loss along the renormalization group trajectory driven by the mass term. A further result of our computation shows that single-copy entanglement also obeys area law scaling, majorization relations and decreases along renormalization group flows.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures; typos correcte

Critical behaviour in parabolic geometries

We study two-dimensional systems with boundary curves described by power laws. Using conformal mappings we obtain the correlations at the bulk critical point. Three different classes of behaviour are found and explained by scaling arguments which also apply to higher dimensions. For an Ising system of parabolic shape the behaviour of the order at the tip is also found.Comment: Old paper, for archiving. 6 pages, 1 figure, epsf, IOP macr