Quantum phase transition of many interacting spins coupled to a bosonic bath: Static and dynamical properties

Abstract

By using worldline and diagrammatic quantum Monte Carlo techniques, matrix product state, and a variational approach \`a la Feynman, we investigate the equilibrium properties and relaxation features of a quantum system of $N$ spins antiferromagnetically interacting with each other, with strength $J$, and coupled to a common bath of bosonic oscillators, with strength $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. We show that, in the Ohmic regime, a Beretzinski-Thouless-Kosterlitz quantum phase transition occurs. While for $J=0$ the critical value of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ decreases asymptotically with $1/N$ by increasing $N$, for nonvanishing $J$ it turns out to be practically independent on $N$, allowing to identify a finite range of values of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ where spin phase coherence is preserved also for large $N$. Then, by using matrix product state simulations, and the Mori formalism and the variational approach \`a la Feynman jointly, we unveil the features of the relaxation, that, in particular, exhibits a nonmonotonic dependence on the temperature reminiscent of the Kondo effect. For the observed quantum phase transition we also establish a criterion analogous to that of the metal-insulator transition in solids.