On the theory of quantum quenches in near-critical systems

Gesualdo Delfino, Jacopo Viti

Published 2016-08-26Version 1

The theory of quantum quenches in near-critical one-dimensional systems formulated in [J. Phys. A 47 (2014) 402001] yields analytic predictions for the dynamics, unveils a qualitative difference between non-interacting and interacting systems, with undamped oscillations of one-point functions occurring only in the latter case, and explains the presence of different time scales. Here we examine additional aspects, obtaining in particular the expression for the relaxation value of one-point functions for small quenches. We argue that the $E_8$ spectrum of the Ising chain is more accessible through a quench than at equilibrium, while for a quench of the plane anisotropy in the XYZ chain we obtain that the one-point function of the quench operator switches from damped to undamped oscillations at $\Delta=1/2$.