Directed Paths in Random Media

This is a set of introductory lectures on the behaviour of a directed polymer in a random medium. Both the intuitive picture that helps in developing an understanding and systematic approaches for quantitative studies are discussed.

We exhibit a one to one correspondence between some universal probabilistic properties of the ordering coordinate of one-dimensional Ising-like models and a class of continuous time random walks. This correspondence provides an new qualitative picture of the properties of the ordering coordinate of the Ising model.

We consider the full probability distribution for the transverse magnetization of a finite subsystem in the transverse field Ising chain. We derive a determinant representation of the corresponding characteristic function for general Gaussian states. We consider applications to the full counting statistics in the ground state, finite temperature equilibrium states, non-equilibrium steady states and time evolution after global quantum quenches. We derive an analytical expressi...

We consider the stationary state properties of the reduced density matrix as well as spin-spin correlation functions after a sudden quantum quench of the magnetic field in the transverse field Ising chain. We demonstrate that stationary state properties are described by a generalized Gibbs ensemble. We discuss the approach to the stationary state at late times.

We present a quantum Monte Carlo algorithm for the simulation of general quantum and classical many-body models within a single unifying framework. The algorithm builds on a power series expansion of the quantum partition function in its off-diagonal terms and is both parameter-free and Trotter error-free. In our approach, the quantum dimension consists of products of elements of a permutation group. As such, it allows for the study of a very wide variety of models on an equa...

We introduce the concept of directed loops in stochastic series expansion and path integral quantum Monte Carlo methods. Using the detailed balance rules for directed loops, we show that it is possible to smoothly connect generally applicable simulation schemes (in which it is necessary to include back-tracking processes in the loop construction) to more restricted loop algorithms that can be constructed only for a limited range of Hamiltonians (where back-tracking can be avo...

It is described how one comes to the Wigner-Dyson random matrix theory (RMT) starting from a model of a disordered metal. The lectures start with a historical introduction where basic ideas of the RMT and theory of disordered metals are reviewed. This part is followed by an introduction into supermathematics (mathematics operating with both commuting and anticommuting variables). The main ideas of the supersymmetry method are given and basic formulae are derived. As an exampl...

The physical properties induced by a quenched surface magnetic field in the Ising model are investigated by means of boundary quantum field theory in replica space. Exact boundary scattering amplitudes are proposed and used to study the averaged quenched correlation functions.

We develop a mean-field theory for random quantum spin systems using the spin coherent state path integral representation. After the model is reduced to the mean field one-body Hamiltonian, the integral is analyzed with the aid of several methods such as the semiclassical method and the gauge transformation. As an application we consider the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model in a transverse field. Using the Landau expansion and its improved versions, we give a detailed analysis o...

We review recent numerical progress in the study of finite dimensional strongly disordered magnetic systems like spin glasses and random field systems. In particular we report in some details results for the critical properties and the non-equilibrium dynamics of Ising spin glasses. Furthermore we present an overview over recent investigations on the random field Ising model and finally of quantum spin glasses.