Mapping between the Heisenberg XX Spin Chain and Low-Energy QCD

Abstract

By using random matrix models, we uncover a connection between the low-energy sector of four-dimensional QCD at finite volume and the Heisenberg XX model in a 1D spin chain. This connection allows us to relate crucial properties of QCD with physically meaningful properties of the spin chain, establishing a dictionary between both worlds. For the spin chain, we predict a third-order phase transition and a Tracy-Widom law in the transition region. We also comment on possible numerical implications of the connection as well as on possible experimental implementations.