Approach to Typicality in Quantum Systems

APPROACH TO TYPICALITY IN QUANTUM SYSTEMS August 2011 Shawn Dubey, B.S., Northeastern University M.S., University of Massachusetts Boston Directed by Assistant Professor Kurt Jacobs The study of quantum mechanics has greatly broadened since its inception in the early twentieth century. Recent research has focused on the emergence of thermalization in quantum many-body systems. In this thesis I will demonstrate the approach to typicalitythe notion that for specific sets of objects, most of the objects share a common property-in a single, many-body spins chain of spin half particles. This notion of typicality is new. But it serves as a good explanation for the emergence of thermalization.