Existence of MBL in the thermodynamic limit (general question)

Determine whether many-body localization exists as a bona fide phase or phase transition in the thermodynamic limit in any interacting quantum system, rather than only as an effective finite-size phenomenon at accessible scales.

Background

Beyond the specific SV model, the broader question of MBL’s existence in the thermodynamic limit remains unsettled due to finite-size limitations and potential avalanche-induced delocalization. The authors emphasize that current evidence across platforms supports effective MBL behavior, but not a rigorous thermodynamic phase.

This general open question underlies ongoing debates about the fundamental stability of MBL and the ultimate fate of disordered interacting systems at asymptotically large sizes and times.