Correlation functions of one-dimensional quantum systems

Abstract

A number of one-dimensional quantum systems like interacting fermions or spin chains can be described in terms of a generalized quantum sine-Gordon Hamiltonian. The transfer-matrix formulation of critical two-dimensional models also frequently leads to sine-Gordon Hamiltonians. We compute here the different correlation functions of such a model using a real-space renormalization technique. Our renormalization calculation gives us the exponents of the correlation functions as well as the corrections to the usual power-law behavior due to marginally irrelevant operators. Except on the critical line, where logarithmic corrections exist at all length scales, the correlation functions decay like power laws, with amplitude corrections from the marginal operators. The logarithmic corrections always appear at short length scale. The complete crossover between the two behaviors is given by our equations. The implication of our calculation for physical systems like the one-dimensional electron gas, quantum spin chains, and two-dimensional statistical systems is discussed.