Power-law decay exponents: a dynamical criterion for predicting thermalization

Abstract: From the analysis of the relaxation process of isolated lattice many-body quantum systems quenched far from equilibrium, we deduce a criterion for predicting when they are certain to thermalize. It is based on the algebraic behavior $\propto t^{-\gamma}$ of the survival probability at long times. We show that the value of the power-law exponent $\gamma$ depends on the shape and filling of the weighted energy distribution of the initial state. Two scenarios are explored in details: $\gamma \ge 2$ and $\gamma <1$. Exponents $\gamma \ge 2$ imply that the energy distribution of the initial state is ergodically filled and the eigenstates are uncorrelated, so thermalization is guaranteed to happen. In this case, the power-law behavior is caused by bounds in the energy spectrum. Decays with $\gamma < 1$ emerge when the energy eigenstates are correlated and signal lack of ergodicity. They are typical of systems undergoing localization due to strong onsite disorder and are found also in clean integrable systems.