Relaxation in the XX quantum chain

Abstract

We present the results obtained on the magnetisation relaxation properties of an XX quantum chain in a transverse magnetic field. We first consider an initial thermal kink-like state where half of the chain is initially thermalized at a very high temperature $T_b$ while the remaining half, called the system, is put at a lower temperature $T_s$. From this initial state, we derive analytically the Green function associated to the dynamical behaviour of the transverse magnetisation. Depending on the strength of the magnetic field and on the temperature of the system, different regimes are obtained for the magnetic relaxation. In particular, with an initial droplet-like state, that is a cold subsystem of finite size in contact at both ends with an infinite temperature environnement, we derive analytically the behaviour of the time-dependent system magnetisation.