Unified theory of local integrals of motion

Abstract: Many-body localization (MBL) is understood theoretically through the existence of an extensive number of local integrals of motion (LIOMs). These conserved quantities are related to the microscopic quantum degrees of freedom that are spatially localized. Here, we present a general framework for constructing exact LIOMs with the desired locality and quantum numbers supplied as input rather than arising as emergent properties. We show that one can express the task of finding LIOMs as an optimization problem. In simple cases, solving this problem amounts to matrix diagonalization, while in more complex settings, it connects to the question of finding classical ground states of spin-glass models. We illustrate our theory using paradigmatic examples of single-particle Anderson localization and MBL in interacting spin chains. These developments unify previous results and reveal intriguing connections among many-body localization, spin-glass physics and constrained optimization problems.