Holographic Thermalization

Using the AdS/CFT correspondence, we probe the scale-dependence of thermalization in strongly coupled field theories following a quench, via calculations of two-point functions, Wilson loops and entanglement entropy in d=2,3,4. In the saddlepoint approximation these probes are computed in AdS space in terms of invariant geometric objects - geodesics, minimal surfaces and minimal volumes. Our calculations for two-dimensional field theories are analytical. In our strongly coupled setting, all probes in all dimensions share certain universal features in their thermalization: (1) a slight delay in the onset of thermalization, (2) an apparent non-analyticity at the endpoint of thermalization, (3) top-down thermalization where the UV thermalizes first. For homogeneous initial conditions the entanglement entropy thermalizes slowest, and sets a timescale for equilibration that saturates a causality bound over the range of scales studied. The growth rate of entanglement entropy density is nearly volume-independent for small volumes, but slows for larger volumes.Comment: 39 pages, 24 figure

DIFFUSIVE TRANSPORT IN A ONE DIMENSIONAL DISORDERED POTENTIAL INVOLVING CORRELATIONS

This article deals with transport properties of one dimensional Brownian diffusion under the influence of a correlated quenched random force, distributed as a two-level Poisson process. We find in particular that large time scaling laws of the position of the Brownian particle are analogous to the uncorrelated case. We discuss also the probability distribution of the stationary flux going through a sample between two prescribed concentrations, which differs significantly from the uncorrelated case.Comment: 9 pages, figures are not include