Deviations from random matrix entanglement statistics for kicked quantum chaotic spin-1/2 chains

It is commonly expected that for quantum chaotic many body systems the statistical properties approach those of random matrices when increasing the system size. We demonstrate for various kicked spin-1/2 chain models that the average eigenstate entanglement indeed approaches the random matrix result. However, the distribution of the eigenstate entanglement differs significantly. While for autonomous systems such deviations are expected, they are surprising for the more scrambling kicked systems. We attribute the origin of the deviations to the local two-dimensional Hilbert spaces. This is also supported by similar deviations occurring in a local random matrix model with global diagonal coupling.