Eigenstate correlations around the many-body localization transition

Abstract

We explore correlations of eigenstates around the many-body localization (MBL) transition in their dependence on the energy difference (frequency) $\omega$ and disorder $W$. In addition to the genuine many-body problem, XXZ spin chain in random field, we consider localization on random regular graphs (RRG) that serves as a toy model of the MBL transition. Both models show a very similar behavior. On the localized side of the transition, the eigenstate correlation function $\beta(\omega)$ shows a power-law enhancement of correlations with lowering $\omega$; the corresponding exponent depends on $W$. The correlation between adjacent-in-energy eigenstates exhibits a maximum at the transition point $W_c$, visualizing the drift of $W_c$ with increasing system size towards its thermodynamic-limit value. The correlation function $\beta(\omega)$ is related, via Fourier transformation, to the Hilbert-space return probability. We discuss measurement of such (and related) eigenstate correlation functions on state-of-the-art quantum computers and simulators.