Statistics and complexity of wavefunction spreading in quantum dynamical systems

Abstract We consider the statistics of the results of a measurement of the spreading operator in the Krylov basis generated by the Hamiltonian of a quantum system starting from a specified initial pure state. We first obtain the probability distribution of the results of measurements of this spreadi...

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Main Authors: Yichao Fu, Keun-Young Kim, Kunal Pal, Kuntal Pal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of High Energy Physics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP06(2025)139
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author Yichao Fu
Keun-Young Kim
Kunal Pal
Kuntal Pal
author_facet Yichao Fu
Keun-Young Kim
Kunal Pal
Kuntal Pal
author_sort Yichao Fu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We consider the statistics of the results of a measurement of the spreading operator in the Krylov basis generated by the Hamiltonian of a quantum system starting from a specified initial pure state. We first obtain the probability distribution of the results of measurements of this spreading operator at a certain instant of time, and compute the characteristic function of this distribution. We show that the moments of this characteristic function are related to the so-called generalised spread complexities, and obtain expressions for them in several cases when the Hamiltonian is an element of a Lie algebra. Furthermore, by considering a continuum limit of the Krylov basis, we show that the generalised spread complexities of higher orders have a peak in the time evolution for a random matrix Hamiltonian belonging to the Gaussian unitary ensemble. We also obtain an upper bound in the change in generalised spread complexity at an arbitrary time in terms of the operator norm of the Hamiltonian and discuss the significance of these results.
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series Journal of High Energy Physics
spelling doaj-art-dcb49f4498da47dfad5f938546e4aec02025-08-20T03:45:39ZengSpringerOpenJournal of High Energy Physics1029-84792025-06-012025613510.1007/JHEP06(2025)139Statistics and complexity of wavefunction spreading in quantum dynamical systemsYichao Fu0Keun-Young Kim1Kunal Pal2Kuntal Pal3Department of Physics and Photon Science, Gwangju Institute of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Physics and Photon Science, Gwangju Institute of Science and TechnologyAsia Pacific Center for Theoretical PhysicsDepartment of Physics and Photon Science, Gwangju Institute of Science and TechnologyAbstract We consider the statistics of the results of a measurement of the spreading operator in the Krylov basis generated by the Hamiltonian of a quantum system starting from a specified initial pure state. We first obtain the probability distribution of the results of measurements of this spreading operator at a certain instant of time, and compute the characteristic function of this distribution. We show that the moments of this characteristic function are related to the so-called generalised spread complexities, and obtain expressions for them in several cases when the Hamiltonian is an element of a Lie algebra. Furthermore, by considering a continuum limit of the Krylov basis, we show that the generalised spread complexities of higher orders have a peak in the time evolution for a random matrix Hamiltonian belonging to the Gaussian unitary ensemble. We also obtain an upper bound in the change in generalised spread complexity at an arbitrary time in terms of the operator norm of the Hamiltonian and discuss the significance of these results.https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP06(2025)139Gauge-Gravity CorrespondenceHolography and Condensed Matter Physics (AdS/CMT)
spellingShingle Yichao Fu
Keun-Young Kim
Kunal Pal
Kuntal Pal
Statistics and complexity of wavefunction spreading in quantum dynamical systems
Journal of High Energy Physics
Gauge-Gravity Correspondence
Holography and Condensed Matter Physics (AdS/CMT)
title Statistics and complexity of wavefunction spreading in quantum dynamical systems
title_full Statistics and complexity of wavefunction spreading in quantum dynamical systems
title_fullStr Statistics and complexity of wavefunction spreading in quantum dynamical systems
title_full_unstemmed Statistics and complexity of wavefunction spreading in quantum dynamical systems
title_short Statistics and complexity of wavefunction spreading in quantum dynamical systems
title_sort statistics and complexity of wavefunction spreading in quantum dynamical systems
topic Gauge-Gravity Correspondence
Holography and Condensed Matter Physics (AdS/CMT)
url https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP06(2025)139
work_keys_str_mv AT yichaofu statisticsandcomplexityofwavefunctionspreadinginquantumdynamicalsystems
AT keunyoungkim statisticsandcomplexityofwavefunctionspreadinginquantumdynamicalsystems
AT kunalpal statisticsandcomplexityofwavefunctionspreadinginquantumdynamicalsystems
AT kuntalpal statisticsandcomplexityofwavefunctionspreadinginquantumdynamicalsystems