Scale-Invariant Survival Probability at Eigenstate Transitions

Abstract

Understanding quantum phase transitions in highly excited Hamiltonian eigenstates is currently far from being complete. It is particularly important to establish tools for their characterization in time domain. Here we argue that a scaled survival probability, where time is measured in units of a typical Heisenberg time, exhibits a scale-invariant behavior at eigenstate transitions. We first demonstrate this property in two paradigmatic quadratic models, the one-dimensional Aubry-Andre model and three-dimensional Anderson model. Surprisingly, we then show that similar phenomenology emerges in the interacting avalanche model of ergodicity breaking phase transitions. This establishes an intriguing similarity between localization transition in quadratic systems and ergodicity breaking phase transition in interacting systems.