Noncommuting conserved charges in quantum thermodynamics and beyond

Thermodynamic systems typically conserve quantities ("charges") such as energy and particle number. The charges are often assumed implicitly to commute with each other. Yet quantum phenomena such as uncertainty relations rely on observables' failure to commute. How do noncommuting cha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors Majidy, Shayan, Braasch, William F, Lasek, Aleksander, Upadhyaya, Twesh, Kalev, Amir, Nicole Yunger Halpern
Format Paper Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 07.09.2023
Subjects
Eigenvectors
Information theory
Physics - High Energy Physics - Lattice
Physics - High Energy Physics - Theory
Physics - Nuclear Theory
Physics - Quantum Physics
Physics - Statistical Mechanics
Quantum phenomena
Thermalization (energy absorption)
Thermodynamics
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Summary:Thermodynamic systems typically conserve quantities ("charges") such as energy and particle number. The charges are often assumed implicitly to commute with each other. Yet quantum phenomena such as uncertainty relations rely on observables' failure to commute. How do noncommuting charges affect thermodynamic phenomena? This question, upon arising at the intersection of quantum information theory and thermodynamics, spread recently across many-body physics. Charges' noncommutation has been found to invalidate derivations of the thermal state's form, decrease entropy production, conflict with the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis, and more. This Perspective surveys key results in, opportunities for, and work adjacent to the quantum thermodynamics of noncommuting charges. Open problems include a conceptual puzzle: Evidence suggests that noncommuting charges may hinder thermalization in some ways while enhancing thermalization in others.
ISSN:2331-8422
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.2306.00054