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Real-time path integral approach to nonequilibrium many-body quantum systems
Lothar Mühlbacher1, Eran Rabani
1School of Chemistry, The Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
A novel real-time path-integral Monte Carlo method simulates quantum dynamics in systems interacting with phonons. This approach accurately models complex electron-phonon couplings across various temperature regimes.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Dynamics
- Computational Physics
Background:
- Studying non-equilibrium dynamics in quantum systems is crucial for understanding phenomena like electron-phonon interactions.
- Existing methods often struggle with strong coupling or broad temperature ranges.
- A need exists for efficient computational techniques to explore these complex systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a real-time path-integral Monte Carlo approach for simulating many-body quantum systems coupled to phonons.
- To investigate the system's dynamics until a non-equilibrium stationary state is reached.
- To assess the method's applicability across diverse physical conditions.
Main Methods:
- Augmenting an exact reduced equation of motion in the interaction picture.
- Employing an efficient path integral (worldline) Monte Carlo technique.
- Applying the method to a model of inelastic tunneling spectroscopy.
Main Results:
- The developed approach successfully simulates quantum dynamics towards a non-equilibrium stationary state.
- Demonstrated applicability across high (classical) and low (quantum) temperatures.
- Validated performance for both weak (perturbative) and strong electron-phonon couplings.
Conclusions:
- The real-time path-integral Monte Carlo method is a versatile and efficient tool for studying quantum-phonon dynamics.
- The approach provides accurate insights into inelastic tunneling spectroscopy and related phenomena.
- It offers a robust framework for exploring non-equilibrium quantum many-body systems.
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