Quantum quenches in extended systems

We study in general the time evolution of correlation functions in a extended quantum system after the quench of a parameter in the Hamiltonian. We show that correlation functions in d dimensions can be extracted using methods of boundary critical phenomena in d+1 dimensions. For d ≤ 1 this allows us to use the powerful tools of conformal field theory in the case of critical evolution. Several results are obtained in generic dimension in the Gaussian (mean field) approximation. These predictions are checked against the real time evolution of some solvable models that allow us also to understand which features are valid beyond the critical evolution. All our findings may be explained in terms of a picture generally valid, whereby quasiparticles, entangled over regions of the order of the correlation length in the initial state, then propagate with a finite speed through the system. Furthermore we show that the long time results can be interpreted in terms of a generalized Gibbs ensemble. We discuss some open questions and possible future developments. © IOP Publishing Ltd.