Research Reveals Smooth Transition in Quantum Thermalization

Recent research by Luis Fernando dos Prazeres and Thiago R. de Oliveira explores the phenomenon of thermalization in isolated quantum systems, specifically focusing on the transition between weak and strong thermalization. Their paper, titled "Smooth Crossover Between Weak and Strong Thermalization using Rigorous Bounds on Equilibration of Isolated Systems," presents findings that challenge previous assumptions regarding the behavior of non-integrable isolated quantum systems.

The authors conducted a numerical study using exact diagonalization to analyze how the size of typical fluctuations in these systems scales with system size. They established that weak thermalization, previously thought to be characterized by persistent oscillations, can be understood in terms of the small effective dimension of the initial state. This indicates that the fluctuations decay exponentially with system size for both weak and strong thermalization, suggesting a smooth crossover rather than a sharp transition between the two regimes.

The implications of this research are significant for the understanding of quantum systems and their thermalization processes. By providing rigorous mathematical upper bounds on equilibration, the study enhances the theoretical framework surrounding thermalization in quantum physics. This work could influence future studies and applications in quantum computing and thermodynamics, where understanding the behavior of quantum systems is crucial.

For further details, the paper can be accessed at arXiv:2310.13392.