No Arabic abstract
We study how quantum states are scrambled via braiding in systems of non-Abelian anyons through the lens of entanglement spectrum statistics. In particular, we focus on the degree of scrambling, defined as the randomness produced by braiding, at the same amount of entanglement entropy. To quantify the degree of randomness, we define a distance between the entanglement spectrum level spacing distribution of a state evolved under random braids and that of a Haar-random state, using the Kullback-Leibler divergence $D_{mathrm{KL}}$. We study $D_{mathrm{KL}}$ numerically for random braids of Majorana fermions (supplemented with random local four-body interactions) and Fibonacci anyons. For comparison, we also obtain $D_{mathrm{KL}}$ for the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model of Majorana fermions with all-to-all interactions, random unitary circuits built out of (a) Hadamard (H), $pi/8$ (T), and CNOT gates, and (b) random unitary circuits built out of two-qubit Haar-random unitaries. To compare the degree of randomness that different systems produce beyond entanglement entropy, we look at $D_{mathrm{KL}}$ as a function of the Page limit-normalized entanglement entropy $S/S_{mathrm{max}}$. Our results reveal a hierarchy of scrambling among various models --- even for the same amount of entanglement entropy --- at intermediate times, whereas all models exhibit the same late-time behavior. In particular, we find that braiding of Fibonacci anyons randomizes initial product states more efficiently than the universal H+T+CNOT set.
Given a quantum many-body system with few-body interactions, how rapidly can quantum information be hidden during time evolution? The fast scrambling conjecture is that the time to thoroughly mix information among N degrees of freedom grows at least logarithmically in N. We derive this inequality for generic quantum systems at infinite temperature, bounding the scrambling time by a finite decay time of local quantum correlations at late times. Using Lieb-Robinson bounds, generalized Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev models, and random unitary circuits, we propose that a logarithmic scrambling time can be achieved in most quantum systems with sparse connectivity. These models also elucidate how quantum chaos is not universally related to scrambling: we construct random few-body circuits with infinite Lyapunov exponent but logarithmic scrambling time. We discuss analogies between quantum models on graphs and quantum black holes, and suggest methods to experimentally study scrambling with as many as 100 sparsely-connected quantum degrees of freedom.
It has been recently proven that new types of bulk, local order can ensue due to frustrated boundary condition, that is, periodic boundary conditions with an odd number of lattice sites and anti-ferromagnetic interactions. For the quantum XY chain in zero external fields, the usual antiferromagnetic order has been found to be replaced either by a mesoscopic ferromagnet or by an incommensurate AFM order. In this work we examine the resilience of these new types of orders against a defect that breaks the translational symmetry of the model. We find that, while a ferromagnetic defect restores the traditional, staggered order, an AFM one stabilizes the incommensurate order. The robustness of the frustrated order to certain kinds of defects paves the way for its experimental observability.
Motivated by the question of whether all fast scramblers are holographically dual to quantum gravity, we study the dynamics of a non-integrable spin chain model composed of two ingredients - a nearest neighbor Ising coupling, and an infinite range $XX$ interaction. Unlike other fast scrambling many-body systems, this model is not known to be dual to a black hole. We quantify the spreading of quantum information using an out-of time-ordered correlator (OTOC), and demonstrate that our model exhibits fast scrambling for a wide parameter regime. Simulation of its quench dynamics finds that the rapid decline of the OTOC is accompanied by a fast growth of the entanglement entropy, as well as a swift change in the magnetization. Finally, potential realizations of our model are proposed in current experimental setups. Our work establishes a promising route to create fast scramblers.
We study the famous example of weakly first order phase transitions in the 1+1D quantum Q-state Potts model at Q>4. We numerically show that these weakly first order transitions have approximately conformal invariance. Specifically, we find entanglement entropy on considerably large system sizes fits perfectly with the universal scaling law of this quantity in the conformal field theories (CFTs). This supports that the weakly first order transitions is proximate to complex fixed points, which are described by recent conjectured complex CFTs. Moreover, the central charge extracted from this fitting is close to the real part of the complex central charge of these complex CFTs. We also study the conformal towers and the drifting behaviors of these conformal data (e.g., central charge and scaling dimensions).
We propose that the properties of the capacity of entanglement (COE) in gapless systems can efficiently be investigated through the use of the distribution of eigenvalues of the reduced density matrix (RDM). The COE is defined as the fictitious heat capacity calculated from the entanglement spectrum. Its dependence on the fictitious temperature can reflect the low-temperature behavior of the physical heat capacity, and thus provide a useful probe of gapless bulk or edge excitations of the system. Assuming a power-law scaling of the COE with an exponent $alpha$ at low fictitious temperatures, we derive an analytical formula for the distribution function of the RDM eigenvalues. We numerically test the effectiveness of the formula in relativistic free scalar boson in two spatial dimensions, and find that the distribution function can detect the expected $alpha=3$ scaling of the COE much more efficiently than the raw data of the COE. We also calculate the distribution function in the ground state of the half-filled Landau level with short-range interactions, and find a better agreement with the $alpha=2/3$ formula than with the $alpha=1$ one, which indicates a non-Fermi-liquid nature of the system.