This thesis is a contribution at the intersection of a number of active fields in theoretical and experimental condensed matter, particularly those concerned with disordered systems, integrable models, lattice gauge theories, and non-equilibrium quantum dynamics. It contributes an important new facet to our understanding of relaxation in isolated quantum systems by conclusively demonstrating localization without disorder for the first time, answering a long-standing question in this field. This is achieved by introducing a family of models – intimately related to paradigmatic condensed matter models – and studying their non-equilibrium dynamics through a combination of exact analytical mappings and an array of numerical techniques. This thesis also makes contributions relevant to the theory of quantum chaotic behaviour by calculating novel, and often intractable, entanglement measures and out-of-time-ordered correlators. A concrete and feasible proposal is also made for the experimental realization and dynamical study of the family of models, based on currently available technologies.
The phenomenon of localization of the electronic wave function in a random medium can be regarded as the key manifestation of quantum coherence in a condensed matter system. As one of the most remarkable phenomena in condensed matter physics discovered in the 20th century, the localization problem is an indispensable part of the theory of the quantum Hall effects and rivals superconductivity in its significance as a manifestation of quantum coherence at a macroscopic scale. The present volume, written by some of the leading experts in the field, is intended to highlight some of the recent progress in the field of localization, with particular emphasis on the effect of interactions on quantum coherence. The chapters are written in textbook style and should serve as a reliable and thorough introduction for advanced students or researchers already working in the field of mesoscopic physics.
This unique volume celebrates the five decades of the impact of Anderson localization on modern physics. In addition to the historical perspective on its origin, it provides a comprehensive description of the experimental and theoretical aspects of Anderson localization.
In his groundbreaking paper “Absence of diffusion in certain random lattices (1958)”, Philip W Anderson originated, described and developed the physical principles underlying the phenomenon of the localization of quantum objects due to disorder. Anderson's 1977 Nobel Prize citation featured that paper, which was fundamental for many subsequent developments in condensed matter physics and technical applications. After more than a half century, the subject continues to be of fundamental importance. In particular, in the last 25 years, the phenomenon of localization has proved to be crucial for the understanding of the quantum Hall effect, mesoscopic fluctuations in small conductors, some aspects of quantum chaotic behavior, and the localization and collective modes of electromagnetic and matter waves.This unique and invaluable volume celebrates the five decades of the impact of Anderson localization on modern physics. In addition to the historical perspective on its origin, the volume provides a comprehensive description of the experimental and theoretical aspects of Anderson localization, together with its application in various areas, which include disordered metals and the metal-insulator transition, mesoscopic physics, classical systems and light, strongly-correlated systems, and mathematical models.The volume is edited by E Abrahams, who has been a contributor in the field of localization. A distinguished group of experts, each of whom has left his mark on the developments of this fascinating theory, contribute their personal insights in this volume. They are: A Amir (Weizmann Institute of Science), P W Anderson (Princeton University), G Bergmann (University of Southern California), M Büttiker (University of Geneva), K Byczuk (University of Warsaw & University of Augsburg), J Cardy (University of Oxford), S Chakravarty (University of California, Los Angeles), V Dobrosavljević (Florida State University), R C Dynes (University of California, San Diego), K B Efetov (Ruhr University Bochum), F Evers (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), A M Finkel'stein (Weizmann Institute of Science & Texas A&M University), A Genack (Queens College, CUNY), N Giordano (Purdue University), I V Gornyi (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), W Hofstetter (Goethe University Frankfurt), Y Imry (Weizmann Institute of Science), B Kramer (Jacobs University Bremen), S V Kravchenko (Northeastern University), A MacKinnon (Imperial College London), A D Mirlin (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), M Moskalets (NTU “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”), T Ohtsuki (Sophia University), P M Ostrovsky (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), A M M Pruisken (University of Amsterdam), T V Ramakrishnan (Indian Institute of Science), M P Sarachik (City College, CUNY), K Slevin (Osaka University), T Spencer (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton), D J Thouless (University of Washington), D Vollhardt (University of Augsburg), J Wang (Queens College, CUNY), F J Wegner (Ruprecht-Karls-University) and P Wölfle (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology).
The past decade has witnessed breakthroughs in the understanding of the wave localization phenomena and its implications for wave multiple scattering in inhomogeneous media. This book brings together review articles written by noted researchers in this field in a tutorial manner so as to give the readers a coherent picture of its status. It would be valuable both as an up-to-date reference for active researchers as well as a readable source for students looking to gain an understanding of the latest results.
This volume presents in a pedagogical yet complete way correlated systems in one dimension. After an introduction to the basic concepts of correlated systems, it gives a step-by-step description of the techniques needed to treat one dimension, and discusses the resulting physics.
The optical properties of semiconductors have played an important role since the identification of semiconductors as "small" bandgap materials in the thinies, due both to their fundamental interest as a class of solids baving specific optical propenies and to their many important applications. On the former aspect we can cite the fundamental edge absorption and its assignment to direct or indirect transitions, many-body effects as revealed by exciton formation and photoconductivity. On the latter aspect, large-scale applications sucb as LEDs and lasers, photovoltaic converters, photodetectors, electro-optics and non-linear optic devices, come to mind. The eighties saw a revitalization of the whole field due to the advent of heterostructures of lower-dimensionality, mainly two-dimensional quantum wells, which through their enhanced photon-matter interaction yielded new devices with unsurpassed performance. Although many of the basic phenomena were evidenced through the seventies, it was this impact on applications which in turn led to such a massive investment in fabrication tools, thanks to which many new structures and materials were studied, yielding funher advances in fundamental physics.
Many significant fundamental concepts and practical applications have developed since the publication of the best-selling second edition of the Handbook of Conducting Polymers. Now divided into two books, the third edition continues to retain the excellent expertise of the editors and world-renowned contributors while providing superior coverage of
Quantum computers, though not yet available on the market, will revolutionize the future of information processing. Quantum computers for special purposes like quantum simulators are already within reach. The physics of ultracold atoms, ions and molecules offer unprecedented possibilities of control of quantum many body systems and novel possibilities of applications to quantum information processing and quantum metrology. Particularly fascinating is the possibility of using ultracold atoms in lattices to simulate condensed matter or even high energy physics. This book provides a complete and comprehensive overview of ultracold lattice gases as quantum simulators. It opens up an interdisciplinary field involving atomic, molecular and optical physics, quantum optics, quantum information, condensed matter and high energy physics. The book includes some introductory chapters on basic concepts and methods, and then focuses on the physics of spinor, dipolar, disordered, and frustrated lattice gases. It reviews in detail the physics of artificial lattice gauge fields with ultracold gases. The last part of the book covers simulators of quantum computers. After a brief course in quantum information theory, the implementations of quantum computation with ultracold gases are discussed, as well as our current understanding of condensed matter from a quantum information perspective.
