Non-adiabatic ramps in quantum many-particle systems

A change of system parameter can be neither truly instantaneous nor truly adiabatic in real life. For several quantum many-particle systems, I will consider non-equilibrium dynamics induced by finite-rate ramps. The ramp rate extrapolates between an instantaneous quench and an adiabatic sweep. I will characterize the deviation from adiabaticity through the excess energy or ``heating'' of the system. For cold-atom systems in a harmonic trapping potential, I will show that the non-adiabatic heating in finite-time ramps has universal features common to a wide range of systems.