Physics (Internal)

Pure state quantum statistical mechanics

This event is part of the Condensed Matter Theory Seminar Series.

Abstract:

Why do closed macroscopic systems equilibrate and thermalize? How can we justify the methods of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics from a microscopic theory? Which mechanisms lead to the emergence of classical, statistical behaviour and decoherence? In this talk, I show (i) how standard quantum mechanics without added randomness can explain the phenomenon of equilibration despite its unitary time development, and (ii) that an arbitrary weak interaction with an environment causes decoherence in the local energy eigenbasis.