Quantum Institute: Visitor Schedule

The Quantum Lunch is regularly held on Thursdays in the Theoretical Division Conference Room, TA-3, Building 123, Room 121.
For more information, contact Diego Dalvit.

January 18, 2007
12:30 PM

Michael Philip Zwolak,
CalTech

Dissipative Dynamics of Strongly Correlated Quantum Systems

Abstract

Dissipation and decoherence in quantum systems is the source of a number of interesting and important phenomena. In quantum computing, for instance, memory-dependent decoherence can have a significant effect on the operation of solid state devices and on error correction. In condensed matter, strong dissipation can cause phase transitions, as in the ubiquitous spin-boson model. In this talk I will give an introduction to using matrix product state-based algorithms to simulate quantum lattice systems open to their environment. Such methods can be used to investigate strongly correlated quantum systems in the presence of dissipation and external driving forces. In addition, they can be applied to the study of finite temperature effects and transport properties in quantum systems far from equilibrium.