Renormalization group for open quantum systems using environment temperature as flow parameter

TL;DR

This paper introduces a temperature-flow renormalization group method for open quantum systems that efficiently computes the memory kernel and captures full temperature dependence, demonstrating accuracy through numerical benchmarks.

Contribution

It presents a novel T-flow RG approach that directly models real-time transient dynamics and temperature effects in open quantum systems, validated against established methods.

Findings

Quantitative agreement with functional RG, DMRG, and QMC in stationary limit.

Good match with 2PI Green's function results for transient currents.

Universal short-time dynamics independent of temperature in flat band reservoirs.

Abstract

We present the $T$-flow renormalization group method, which computes the memory kernel for the density-operator evolution of an open quantum system by lowering the physical temperature $T$ of its environment. This has the key advantage that it can be formulated directly in real time, making it particularly suitable for transient dynamics, while automatically accumulating the full temperature dependence of transport quantities. We solve the $T$-flow equations numerically for the example of the single impurity Anderson model. We benchmark in the stationary limit, readily accessible in real-time for voltages on the order of the coupling or larger using results obtained by the functional renormalization group, density-matrix renormalization group and the quantum Monte Carlo method. Here we find quantitative agreement even in the worst case of strong interactions and low temperatures, indicating the reliability of the method. For transient charge currents we find good agreement with results obtained by the 2PI Green's function approach. Furthermore, we analytically show that the short-time dynamics of both local and non-local observables follow a universal temperature-independent behaviour when the metallic reservoirs have a flat wide band.