Spectra of generators of Markovian evolution in the thermodynamic limit: From non-Hermitian to full evolution via tridiagonal Laurent matrices

Abstract: We determine spectra of single-particle translation-invariant Lindblad operators on the infinite line. In the case where the Hamiltonian is given by the discrete Laplacian and the Lindblad operators are rank $r$, finite range and translates of each other, we obtain a representation of the Lindbladian as a direct integral of finite range bi-infinite Laurent matrices with rank-$r$-perturbations. By analyzing the direct integral we rigorously determine the spectra in the general case and calculate it explicitly for several types of dissipation e.g.\ dephasing, and coherent hopping. We further use the detailed information about the spectrum to prove gaplessness, absence of residual spectrum and a condition for convergence of finite volume spectra to their infinite volume counterparts. We finally extend the discussion to the case of the Anderson Hamiltonian, which enables us to study a Lindbladian recently associated with localization in open quantum systems.