Dissipation in spin chains using quantized nonequilibrium thermodynamics

TL;DR

This paper explores the dissipative behavior of spin chains through a quantum thermodynamics framework, revealing thermalization and heat transfer properties in equilibrium and nonequilibrium states.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum thermodynamics approach to analyze spin chain dynamics, demonstrating thermalization and heat conduction transitions.

Findings

Thermal equilibrium to the Gibbs state in spin chains.

Observation of ballistic-to-diffusive transition in energy current.

Scaling behavior consistent with Fourier's law.

Abstract

We investigate the open dynamics of a chain of interacting spins using the quantized version of the GENERIC equation from classical out-of-equilibrium thermodynamics. We focus on both equilibrium and nonequilibrium scenarios for chains of different sizes. While in the equilibrium case we demonstrate thermal equilibration to the correct many-body Gibbs density matrix, in the nonequilibrium dynamics we show a ballistic-to-diffusive transition in the steady-state energy current and a scaling that is consistent with Fourier's law of heat transfer.