We study the matrix elements of local operators in the eigenstates of the integrable XXZ chain and of the quantum-chaotic model obtained by locally perturbing the XXZ chain with a… Click to show full abstract
We study the matrix elements of local operators in the eigenstates of the integrable XXZ chain and of the quantum-chaotic model obtained by locally perturbing the XXZ chain with a magnetic impurity. We show that, at frequencies that are polynomially small in the system size, the behavior of the variances of the off-diagonal matrix elements can be starkly different depending on the operator. In the integrable model we find that, as the frequency $\omega\rightarrow0$, the variances are either nonvanishing (generic behavior) or vanishing (for a special class of operators). In the quantum-chaotic model, on the other hand, we find the variances to be nonvanishing as $\omega\rightarrow0$ and to indicate diffusive dynamics. We highlight which properties of the matrix elements of local operators are different between the integrable and quantum-chaotic models independently of the specific operator selected.
               
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