Quantum quenches across continuous and first-order quantum transitions in one-dimensional quantum Ising models

Abstract

We investigate the quantum dynamics generated by quantum quenches (QQs) of the Hamiltonian parameters in many-body systems, focusing on protocols that cross first-order and continuous quantum transitions, both in finite-size systems and in the thermodynamic limit. As a paradigmatic example, we consider the quantum Ising chain in the presence of homogeneous transverse ($g$) and longitudinal ($h$) magnetic fields. This model exhibits a continuous quantum transition (CQT) at $g=g_c$ and $h=0$, and first-order quantum transitions (FOQTs) driven by $h$ along the line $h=0$ ($g<g_c$). In the integrable limit $h=0$, the system can be mapped onto a quadratic fermionic theory; however, any nonvanishing longitudinal field breaks integrability and the spectrum of the resulting Hamiltonian is generally expected to enter a chaotic regime. We analyze QQs in which the longitudinal field is suddenly changed from a negative value $h_i < 0$ to a positive value $h_f>0$. We focus on values of $h_f$ such that the spectrum of the post-QQ Hamiltonian $H(g,h_f)$ lies in the chaotic regime, where thermalization may emerge at asymptotically long times. We study the out-of-equilibrium dynamics for different values of $g$, finding qualitatively distinct behaviors for $g > g_c$ (where the chain is in the disordered phase), for $g = g_c$ (QQ across the CQT), and for $g<g_c$ (QQ across the FOQT line).