Thermodynamic anomalies in open quantum systems: Strong coupling effects in the isotropic XY model

The exactly solvable model of a one dimensional isotropic XY spin chain is employed to study the thermodynamics of open systems. For this purpose the chain is subdivided into two parts, one part is considered as the system while the rest as the environment or bath. The equilibrium properties of the system display several anomalous aspects such as negative entropies, negative specific heat, negative susceptibilities in dependence of temperature and coupling strength between system and bath. The statistical mechanics of this system is studied in terms of a reduced density matrix. At zero temperature and for certain parameter values we observe a change of the ground state, a situation akin to a quantum phase transition. (C) 2010 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.