Role of initial conditions in the dynamics of quantum glassy systems

Abstract

We set the formalism to study the way in which the choice of canonical equilibrium initial conditions affect the real-time dynamics of quantum disordered models. We use a path integral formulation on a time contour with real and imaginary time branches. The factorisation of the time-integration paths usually assumed in field-theoretical studies breaks down due to the averaging over quenched randomness. We derive the set of Schwinger–Dyson dynamical equations that govern the evolution of linear response and correlation functions. The solution of these equations is not straightforward as it needs, as an input, the full imaginary-time (or Matsubara frequency) dependence of the correlation in equilibrium. We check some limiting cases (equilibrium dynamics, classical limit) and we set the stage for the analytic and numerical analysis of quenches in random quantum systems.