Energy transport in boundary driven quantum spin systems: One-way street phenomenon in models with long range interactions

Abstract

We address the investigation of non trivial properties of the energy current in boundary driven XXZ quantum spin models. In specific, we focus on the occurrence of the one-way street phenomenon in asymmetrical chains, a phenomenon stronger than rectification, which establishes the existence of a unique way for the energy current in the absence of external magnetic field, that is, the magnitude and direction of the energy flow does not change as we invert the baths at the boundaries. For general target polarizations at the boundaries, we show that such a phenomenon holds in the presence of long range interactions, ingredient which increases the flow and the rectification in chains of classical oscillators, and so, of interest in the study of manipulation and control of the energy flow.