arXiv subjects

Germán Sierra

Publications and source records attributed to Germán Sierra.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Information Loss in Generalized Symmetry Breaking

We present an algebraic and information-theoretic framework for the breaking of generalized, non-invertible symmetries in $(2+1)$ dimensions. Such patterns are modeled as inclusions of finite-dimensional $C^*$-algebras equipped with conditional expectations, built upon a precise dictionary with anyon condensation in topological phases of matter. The conditional expectations are quantum channels that coarse-grain observables of the parent phase onto the symmetry-reduced condensed phase; their index --- a Watatani index equal to the quantum dimension of the condensate --- bounds, through its logarithm, the relative entropy between a state and its condensed image. This relative entropy serves as an entropic order parameter quantifying the information lost in the symmetry-reduction transition. We illustrate the framework with explicit examples: the toric code, abelian groups $Z_N$, and the representation category Rep$(S_3)$. Our results strengthen the connections between operator algebras and quantum information in the study of generalized symmetries.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

The hyperlink representation of entanglement and the inclusion-exclusion principle

The entanglement entropy (EE) of any bipartition of a pure state can be approximately expressed as a sum of entanglement links (ELs). In this work, we introduce their exact extension, i.e. the entanglement hyperlinks (EHLs), a type of generalized mutual informations defined through the inclusion-exclusion principle, each of which captures contributions to the multipartite entanglement that are not reducible to lower-order terms. We show that any EHL crossing a factorized partition must vanish, and that the EHLs between any set of blocks can be expressed as a sum of all the EHLs that join all of them. This last result allows us to provide an exact representation of the EE of any block of a pure state, from the sum of the EHLs which cross its boundary. In order to illustrate their rich structure, we discuss some explicit numerical examples using ground states of local Hamiltonians. The EHLs thus provide a remarkable tool to characterize multipartite entanglement in quantum information theory and quantum many-body physics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Entropic order parameters and topological holography

We show that the symmetry topological field theory (SymTFT) construction, also known as the topological holography, provides a natural and intuitive framework for the entropic order parameter characterising phases with (partially) broken symmetries. Various examples of group and non-invertible symmetries are studied. In particular, the origin of the distinguishability of the vacua resulting from spontaneously broken non-invertible symmetries is made manifest with an information-theoretic perspective, where certain operators in the SymTFT are excluded from observation.

hep-th↗

arXiv2026

Oddities in the Entanglement Scaling of the Quantum Six-Vertex Model

We investigate the entanglement properties of the Quantum Six-Vertex Model on a cylinder, focusing on the Shannon-Renyi entropy in the limit of Renyi order $n = \infty$. This entropy, calculated from the ground state amplitudes of the equivalent XXZ spin-1/2 chain, allows us to determine the Renyi entanglement entropy of the corresponding Rokhsar-Kivelson wavefunctions, which describe the ground states of certain conformal quantum critical points. Our analysis reveals a novel logarithmic correction to the expected entanglement scaling when the system size is odd. This anomaly arises from the geometric frustration of spin configurations imposed by periodic boundary conditions on odd-sized chains. We demonstrate that the scaling prefactor of this logarithmic term is directly related to the compactification radius of the low-energy bosonic field theory description, or equivalently, the Luttinger parameter. Thus, this correction provides a direct probe of the underlying Conformal Field Theory (CFT) describing the critical point. Our findings highlight the crucial role of system size parity in determining the entanglement properties of this model and offer insights into the interplay between geometry, frustration, and criticality.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Two-Dimensional Bialgebras and Quantum Groups: Algebraic Structures and Tensor Network Realizations

We introduce a framework to define coalgebra and bialgebra structures on two-dimensional (2D) square lattices, extending the algebraic theory of Hopf algebras and quantum groups beyond the one-dimensional (1D) setting. Our construction is based on defining 2D coproducts through horizontal and vertical maps that satisfy compatibility and associativity conditions, enabling the consistent growth of vector spaces over lattice sites. We present several examples of 2D bialgebras, including group-like and Lie algebra-inspired constructions and a quasi-1D coproduct instance that is applicable to Taft-Hopf algebras and to quantum groups. The approach is further applied to the quantum group $U_q[su(2)]$, for which we construct 2D generalizations of its generators, analyze $q$-deformed singlet states, and derive a 2D R-matrix satisfying an intertwining relation in the semiclassical limit. Additionally, we show how tensor network states, particularly PEPS, naturally induce 2D coalgebra structures when supplemented with appropriate boundary conditions. Our results establish a local and algebraically consistent method to embed quantum group symmetries into higher-dimensional lattice systems, potentially connecting to the emerging theory of fusion 2-categories and categorical symmetries in quantum many-body physics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Matrix product states as thin torus limits of conformal correlators

We introduce one-parameter families of spin chain ansatz wavefunctions constructed from chiral conformal field theory correlators on a torus, with the modular parameter $τ$ serving as the deformation parameter. In the cylinder limit $τ\to\infty$, these wavefunctions reduce to infinite dimensional matrix product states. In contrast, in the thin torus limit $τ\to0$, they become finite bond dimension matrix product states (MPS). Focusing on families derived from the SU(2)$_1$ and SU(2)$_2$ Wess-Zumino-Witten models, we show that in the thin torus limit they reproduce known MPS ground states, such as those of the Majumdar-Ghosh and AKLT spin chains.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Bethe Ansatz, Quantum Circuits, and the F-basis

The Bethe Ansatz is a method for constructing exact eigenstates of quantum-integrable spin chains. Recently, deterministic quantum algorithms, referred to as "algebraic Bethe circuits", have been developed to prepare Bethe states for the spin-1/2 XXZ model. These circuits represent a unitary formulation of the standard algebraic Bethe Ansatz, expressed using matrix-product states that act on both the spin chain and an auxiliary space. In this work, we systematize these previous results, and show that algebraic Bethe circuits can be derived by a change of basis in the auxiliary space. The new basis, identical to the "F-basis" known from the theory of quantum-integrable models, generates the linear superposition of plane waves that is characteristic of the coordinate Bethe Ansatz. We explain this connection, highlighting that certain properties of the F-basis (namely, the exchange symmetry of the spins) are crucial for the construction of algebraic Bethe circuits. We demonstrate our approach by presenting new quantum circuits for the inhomogeneous spin-1/2 XXZ model.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Entanglement Halos

We introduce the concept of entanglement halos, a set of strongly entangled distant sites within the ground state of a quantum many-body system. Such halos emerge in star-like systems with exponentially decaying couplings, as we show using both free-fermions and the spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model. Depending on the central connectivity, entanglement halos may exhibit trivial and non trivial symmetry-protected topological features. Our findings highlight how geometry and connectivity can generate complex entanglement structures with rich physical content, which can be experimentally accessible via state-of-the-art technologies.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Visualizing Three-Qubit Entanglement

We present a graphical framework to represent entanglement in three-qubit states. The geometry associated with each entanglement class and type is analyzed, revealing distinct structural features. We explore the connection between this geometric perspective and the tangle, deriving bounds that depend on the entanglement class. Based on these insights, we conjecture a purely geometric expression for both the tangle and Cayley's hyperdeterminant for non-generic states. As an application, we analyze the energy eigenstates of physical Hamiltonians, identifying the sufficient conditions for genuine tripartite entanglement to be robust under symmetry-breaking perturbations and level repulsion effects.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Kramers-Wannier self-duality and non-invertible translation symmetry in quantum chains: a wave-function perspective

The Kramers-Wannier self-duality of critical quantum chains is examined from the perspective of model wave functions. We demonstrate, using the transverse-field Ising chain and the $3$-state Potts chain as examples, that the symmetry operator for the Kramers-Wannier self-duality follows in a simple and direct way from a `generalised' translation symmetry of the model wave function in the anyonic fusion basis. This translation operation, in turn, comprises a sequence of $F$-moves in the underlying fusion category. The symmetry operator thus obtained naturally admits the form of a matrix product operator and obeys non-invertible fusion rules. The findings reveal an intriguing connection between the (non-invertible) translation symmetry on the lattice and topological aspects of the conformal field theory describing the scaling limit.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Arithmetic sequences as quantum states

We consider arithmetic sequences, here defined as ordered lists of positive integers. Any such a sequence can be cast onto a quantum state, enabling the quantification of its `surprise' through von Neumann entropy. We identify typical sequences that maximize entanglement entropy across all bipartitions and derive an analytical approximation as a function of the sequence length. This quantum-inspired approach offers a novel perspective for analyzing randomness in arithmetic sequences.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

The c-d conjecture

We conjecture a relation between the local dimension $d$ of a local nearest-neighbor critical Hamiltonian in one spatial dimension and the maximum central charge, $c_{\text{max}}$, that it can yield. Specifically, we propose that $c_{\text{max}} \leq d-1$, establishing a link between the short-distance lattice realization of a model and its emerging long-distance entanglement properties. This inequality can be viewed as a general form of a $c$-theorem establishing the reduction of effective degrees of freedom between the UV lattice and the IR conformal field theory. We support this conjecture with numerous examples.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Entropic Order Parameters for Categorical Symmetries in 2D-CFT

In this work, we propose an information theoretic order parameter able to characterize the presence and breaking of categorical symmetries in (1 + 1)-d rational conformal field theories (RCFT). Specifically, we compute the quantum relative entropy between the ground states of RCFTs representing the critical point of phase transitions between different symmetry-broken phases of theories with categorical symmetries, and their symmetrized versions. We find that, at leading order in the high temperature limit, this relative entropy only depends on the expectation values of the quantum dimensions of the topological operators implementing the categorical symmetry. This dependence suggests that our proposal can be used to characterize the different broken phases of (1 + 1)-d theories with categorical symmetries.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

The Bethe Ansatz as a Quantum Circuit

The Bethe ansatz represents an analytical method enabling the exact solution of numerous models in condensed matter physics and statistical mechanics. When a global symmetry is present, the trial wavefunctions of the Bethe ansatz consist of plane wave superpositions. Previously, it has been shown that the Bethe ansatz can be recast as a deterministic quantum circuit. An analytical derivation of the quantum gates that form the circuit was lacking however. Here we present a comprehensive study of the transformation that brings the Bethe ansatz into a quantum circuit, which leads us to determine the analytical expression of the circuit gates. As a crucial step of the derivation, we present a simple set of diagrammatic rules that define a novel Matrix Product State network building Bethe wavefunctions. Remarkably, this provides a new perspective on the equivalence between the coordinate and algebraic versions of the Bethe ansatz.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Entanglement links and the quasiparticle picture

The time evolution of a quantum state with short-range correlations after a quench to a one-dimensional critical Hamiltonian can be understood using the quasi-particle picture, which states that local entanglement spreads as if it was carried by quasi-particles which separate at a fixed speed. We extend the quasi-particle picture using the recently introduced link representation of entanglement, allowing us to apply it to initial states presenting long-range correlations. The entanglement links are current correlators, and therefore follow a wave equation on the appropriate configurational space which allows us to predict the time evolution of the entanglement entropies. Our results are checked numerically for free fermionic chains with different initial entanglement patterns.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Depletion in fermionic chains with inhomogeneous hoppings

The ground state of a free-fermionic chain with inhomogeneous hoppings at half-filling can be mapped into the Dirac vacuum on a static curved space-time, which presents exactly homogeneous occupations due to particle-hole symmetry. Yet, far from half-filling we observe density modulations and depletion effects. The system can be described by a 1D Schrödinger equation on a different static space-time, with an effective potential which accounts for the depleted regions. We provide a semiclassical expression for the single-particle modes and the density profiles associated to different hopping patterns and filling fractions. Moreover, we show that the depletion effects can be compensated for all filling fractions by adding a chemical potential proportional to the hoppings. Interestingly, we can obtain exactly the same density profiles on a homogeneous chain if we introduce a chemical potential which is inverse to the hopping intensities, even though the ground state is different from the original one.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

$Q$-Deformed Rainbows: a Universal Simulator of Free Entanglement Spectra

The behaviour of correlations across a bipartition is an indispensable tool in diagnosing quantum phases of matter. Here we present a spin chain with position-dependent XX couplings and magnetic fields, that can reproduce arbitrary structure of free fermion correlations across a bipartition. In particular, by choosing appropriately the strength of the magnetic fields we can obtain any single particle energies of the entanglement spectrum with high fidelity. The resulting ground state can be elegantly formulated in terms of $q$-deformed singlets. To demonstrate the versatility of our method we consider certain examples, such as a system with homogeneous correlations and a system with correlations that follow a prime number decomposition. Hence, our entanglement simulator can be easily employed for the generation of arbitrary entanglement spectra with possible applications in quantum technologies and condensed matter physics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Symmetries and field tensor network states

We study the interplay between symmetry representations of the physical and virtual space on the class of tensor network states for critical spins systems known as field tensor network states (fTNS). These are by construction infinite dimensional tensor networks whose virtual space is described by a conformal field theory (CFT). We can represent a symmetry on the physical index as a commutator with the corresponding CFT current on the virtual space. By then studying this virtual space representation we can learn about the critical symmetry protected topological properties of the state, akin to the classification of symmetry protected topological order for matrix product states. We use this to analytically derive the critical symmetry protected topological properties of the two ground states of the Majumdar-Ghosh point with respect to the previously defined symmetries.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗