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$1/f^α$ noise and generalized diffusion in random Heisenberg spin systems

We study the `flux noise' spectrum of random-bond quantum Heisenberg spin systems using a real-space renormalization group (RSRG) procedure that accounts for both the renormalization of the system Hamiltonian and of a generic probe that measures the noise. For spin chains, we find that the dynamical structure factor $S_q(f)$, at finite wave-vector $q$, exhibits a power-law behavior both at high and low frequencies $f$, with exponents that are connected to one another and to an anomalous dynamical exponent through relations that differ at $T = 0$ and $T = \infty$. The low-frequency power-law behavior of the structure factor is inherited by any generic probe with a finite band-width and is of the form $1/f^α$ with $0.5 < α< 1$. An analytical calculation of the structure factor, assuming a limiting distribution of the RG flow parameters (spin size, length, bond strength) confirms numerical findings. More generally, we demonstrate that this form of the structure factor, at high temperatures, is a manifestation of anomalous diffusion which directly follows from a generalized spin-diffusion propagator. We also argue that $1/f$-noise is intimately connected to many-body-localization at finite temperatures. In two dimensions, the RG procedure is less reliable; however, it becomes convergent for quasi-one-dimensional geometries where we find that one-dimensional $1/f^α$ behavior is recovered at low frequencies; the latter configurations are likely representative of paramagnetic spin networks that produce $1/f^α$ noise in SQUIDs.