arXiv subjects

John Goold

Publications and source records attributed to John Goold.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Low-frequency behavior of off-diagonal matrix elements in the integrable XXZ chain and in a locally perturbed quantum-chaotic XXZ chain

We study the matrix elements of local operators in the eigenstates of the integrable XXZ chain and of the quantum-chaotic model obtained by locally perturbing the XXZ chain with a magnetic impurity. We show that, at frequencies that are polynomially small in the system size, the behavior of the variances of the off-diagonal matrix elements can be starkly different depending on the operator. In the integrable model we find that, as the frequency $ω\rightarrow0$, the variances are either nonvanishing (generic behavior) or vanishing (for a special class of operators). In the quantum-chaotic model, on the other hand, we find the variances to be nonvanishing as $ω\rightarrow0$ and to indicate diffusive dynamics. We highlight which properties of the matrix elements of local operators are different between the integrable and quantum-chaotic models independently of the specific operator selected.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

In situ thermometry of a cold Fermi gas via dephasing impurities

The precise measurement of low temperatures is a challenging, important and fundamental task for quantum science. In particular, in-situ thermometry is highly desirable for cold atomic systems due to their potential for quantum simulation. Here we demonstrate that the temperature of a non-interacting Fermi gas can be accurately inferred from the non-equilibrium dynamics of impurities immersed within it, using an interferometric protocol and established experimental methods. Adopting tools from the theory of quantum parameter estimation, we show that our proposed scheme achieves optimal precision in the relevant temperature regime for degenerate Fermi gases in current experiments. We also discover an intriguing trade-off between measurement time and thermometric precision that is controlled by the impurity-gas coupling, with weak coupling leading to the greatest sensitivities. This is explained as a consequence of the slow decoherence associated with the onset of the Anderson orthogonality catastrophe, which dominates the gas dynamics following its local interaction with the immersed impurity.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Tensor-network method to simulate strongly interacting quantum thermal machines

We present a methodology to simulate the quantum thermodynamics of thermal machines which are built from an interacting working medium in contact with fermionic reservoirs at fixed temperature and chemical potential. Our method works at finite temperature, beyond linear response and weak system-reservoir coupling, and allows for non-quadratic interactions in the working medium. The method uses mesoscopic reservoirs, continuously damped towards thermal equilibrium, in order to represent continuum baths and a novel tensor network algorithm to simulate the steady-state thermodynamics. Using the example of a quantum-dot heat engine, we demonstrate that our technique replicates the well known Landauer-Büttiker theory for efficiency and power. We then go beyond the quadratic limit to demonstrate the capability of our method by simulating a three-site machine with non-quadratic interactions. Remarkably, we find that such interactions lead to power enhancement, without being detrimental to the efficiency. Furthermore, we demonstrate the capability of our method to tackle complex many-body systems by extracting the super-diffusive exponent for high-temperature transport in the isotropic Heisenberg model. Finally, we discuss transport in the gapless phase of the anisotropic Heisenberg model at finite temperature and its connection to charge conjugation-parity, going beyond the predictions of single-site boundary driving configurations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Eigenstate Thermalization in a Locally Perturbed Integrable System

Eigenstate thermalization is widely accepted as the mechanism behind thermalization in generic isolated quantum systems. Using the example of a single magnetic defect embedded in the integrable spin-1/2 $XXZ$ chain, we show that locally perturbing an integrable system can give rise to eigenstate thermalization. Unique to such setups is the fact that thermodynamic and transport properties of the unperturbed integrable chain emerge in properties of the eigenstates of the perturbed (nonintegrable) one. Specifically, we show that the diagonal matrix elements of observables in the perturbed eigenstates follow the microcanonical predictions for the integrable model, and that the ballistic character of spin transport in the integrable model is manifest in the behavior of the off-diagonal matrix elements of the current operator in the perturbed eigenstates.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

Tunable phonon induced steady state coherence in a double quantum dot

Charge qubits can be created and manipulated in solid-state double-quantum-dot (DQD) platforms. Typically, these systems are strongly affected by quantum noise stemming from coupling to substrate phonons. This is usually assumed to lead to decoherence towards steady states that are diagonal in the energy eigenbasis. In this article we show, to the contrary, that due to the presence of phonons the equilibrium steady state of the DQD charge qubit spontaneously exhibits coherence in the energy eigenbasis with high purity. The magnitude and phase of the coherence can be controlled by tuning the Hamiltonian parameters of the qubit. The coherence is also robust to presence of fermionic leads. In addition, we show that this steady-state coherence can be used to drive an auxiliary cavity mode coupled to the DQD.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Logarithmic growth of local entropy and total correlations in many-body localized dynamics

The characterizing feature of a many-body localized phase is the existence of an extensive set of quasi-local conserved quantities with an exponentially localized support. This structure endows the system with the signature logarithmic in time entanglement growth between spatial partitions. This feature differentiates the phase from Anderson localization, in a non-interacting model. Experimentally measuring the entanglement between large partitions of an interacting many-body system requires highly non-local measurements which are currently beyond the reach of experimental technology. In this work we demonstrate that the defining structure of many-body localization can be detected by the dynamics of a simple quantity from quantum information known as the total correlations which is connected to the local entropies. Central to our finding is the necessity to propagate specific initial states, drawn from the Hamiltonian unbiased basis (HUB). The dynamics of the local entropies and total correlations requires only local measurements in space and therefore is potentially experimentally accessible in a range of platforms.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Multipartite entanglement structure in the Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis

We study the quantum Fisher information (QFI) and, thus, the multipartite entanglement structure of thermal pure states in the context of the Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis (ETH). In both the canonical ensemble and the ETH, the quantum Fisher information may be explicitly calculated from the response functions. In the case of ETH, we find that the expression of the QFI bounds the corresponding canonical expression from above. This implies that although average values and fluctuations of local observables are indistinguishable from their canonical counterpart, the entanglement structure of the state is starkly different; with the difference amplified, e.g., in the proximity of a thermal phase transition. We also provide a state-of-the-art numerical example of a situation where the quantum Fisher information in a quantum many-body system is extensive while the corresponding quantity in the canonical ensemble vanishes. Our findings have direct relevance for the entanglement structure in the asymptotic states of quenched many-body dynamics.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2019

Quasiperiodic quantum heat engines with a mobility edge

Steady-state thermoelectric machines convert heat into work by driving a thermally-generated charge current against a voltage gradient. In this work, we propose a new class of steady-state heat engines operating in the quantum regime, where a quasi-periodic tight-binding model that features a mobility edge forms the working medium. In particular, we focus on a generalization of the paradigmatic Aubrey-André-Harper (AAH) model, known to display a single-particle mobility edge that separates the energy spectrum into regions of completely delocalized and localized eigenstates. Remarkably, these two regions can be exploited in the context of steady-state heat engines as they correspond to ballistic and insulating transport regimes. This model also presents the advantage that the position of the mobility edge can be controlled via a single parameter in the Hamiltonian. We exploit this highly tunable energy filter, along with the peculiar spectral structure of quasiperiodic systems, to demonstrate large thermoelectric effects, exceeding existing predictions by several orders of magnitude. This opens the route to a new class of highly efficient and versatile quasi-periodic steady-state heat engines, with a possible implementation using ultracold neutral atoms in bichromatic optical lattices.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2019

Thermodynamic uncertainty relations from exchange fluctuation theorems

Thermodynamic uncertainty relations (TURs) place strict bounds on the fluctuations of thermodynamic quantities in terms of the associated entropy production. In this work we identify the tightest (and saturable) matrix-valued TUR that can be derived from the exchange fluctuation theorems describing the statistics of heat and particle flow between multiple systems. Our result holds for both quantum and classical systems, undergoing general non-Markovian and non-stationary processes. Moreover, it provides bounds not only for the variances, but also for the correlations between thermodynamic quantities. To demonstrate the relevance of TURs to the design of nanoscale machines, we consider the operation of a two-qubit SWAP engine undergoing an Otto cycle and show how our results can be used to place strict bounds on the correlations between heat and work.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Thermodynamics of precision in quantum non equilibrium steady states

Autonomous engines operating at the nano-scale can be prone to deleterious fluctuations in the heat and particle currents which increase, for fixed power output, the more reversible the operation regime is. This fundamental trade-off between current fluctuations and entropy production forms the basis of the recently formulated thermodynamic uncertainty relations (TURs). However, these relations have so far only been derived for classical Markovian systems and can be violated in the quantum regime. In this paper we show that the geometry of quantum non-equilibrium steady-states alone, already directly implies the existence of a TUR, but with a looser bound. The geometrical nature of this result makes it extremely general, establishing a fundamental limit for the thermodynamics of precision. Our proof is based on the McLennan-Zubarev ensemble, which provides an exact description of non-equilibrium steady-states. We first prove that the entropy production of this ensemble can be expressed as a quantum relative entropy. The TURs are then shown to be a direct consequence of the quantum Cramer-Rao bound, a fundamental result from parameter estimation theory. By combining techniques from many-body physics and information sciences, our approach also helps to shed light on the delicate relationship between quantum effects and current fluctuations in autonomous machines.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2019

A resource theory of Maxwell's demons

Motivated by recent progress on the motive power of information in quantum thermodynamics, we put forth an operational resource theory of Maxwell's demons. We show that the resourceful ({\em daemonic}) states can be partitioned into at most nine irreducible subsets. The sets can be classified by a rank akin to the Schmidt rank for entanglement theory. Moreover, we show that there exists a natural monotone, called the wickedness, which quantifies the multilevel resource content of the states. The present resource theory is shown to share deep connections with the resource theory of thermodynamics. In particular, the nine irreducible sets are found to be characterized by well defined temperatures which, however, are not monotonic in the wickedness. This result, as we demonstrate, is found to have dramatic consequences for Landauer's erasure principle. Our analysis therefore settles a longstanding debate surrounding the identity of Maxwell's demons and the operational significance of other related fundamental thermodynamic entities.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Analysis of the conditional mutual information in ballistic and diffusive non-equilibrium steady-states

The conditional mutual information (CMI) $\mathcal{I}(A\! : \! C|B)$ quantifies the amount of correlations shared between $A$ and $C$ \emph{given} $B$. It therefore functions as a more general quantifier of bipartite correlations in multipartite scenarios, playing an important role in the theory of quantum Markov chains. In this paper we carry out a detailed study on the behavior of the CMI in non-equilibrium steady-states (NESS) of a quantum chain placed between two baths at different temperatures. These results are used to shed light on the mechanisms behind ballistic and diffusive transport regimes and how they affect correlations between different parts of a chain. We carry our study for the specific case of a 1D bosonic chain subject to local Lindblad dissipators at the boundaries. In addition, the chain is also subject to self-consistent reservoirs at each site, which are used to tune the transport between ballistic and diffusive. As a result, we find that the CMI is independent of the chain size $L$ in the ballistic regime, but decays algebraically with $L$ in the diffusive case. Finally, we also show how this scaling can be used to discuss the notion of local thermalization in non-equilibrium steady-states.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

A spin heat engine coupled to a harmonic-oscillator flywheel

We realize a heat engine using a single electron spin as a working medium. The spin pertains to the valence electron of a trapped $^{40}$Ca$^+$ ion, and heat reservoirs are emulated by controlling the spin polarization via optical pumping. The engine is coupled to the ion's harmonic-oscillator degree of freedom via spin-dependent optical forces. The oscillator stores the work produced by the heat engine and therefore acts as a flywheel. We characterize the state of the flywheel by reconstructing the Husimi $\mathcal{Q}$ function of the oscillator after different engine runtimes. This allows us to infer both the deposited energy and the corresponding fluctuations throughout the onset of operation, starting in the oscillator ground state. In order to understand the energetics of the flywheel, we determine its ergotropy, i.e. the maximum amount of work which can be further extracted from it. Our results demonstrate how the intrinsic fluctuations of a microscopic heat engine fundamentally limit performance.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2018

High-temperature coherent transport in the XXZ chain in the presence of an impurity

We study high-temperature spin transport through an anisotropic spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain in which integrability is broken by a single impurity close to the center of the chain. For a finite impurity strength, the level spacing statistics of this model is known to be Wigner-Dyson. Our aim is to understand if this integrability breaking is manifested in the high-temperature spin transport. We focus first on the nonequilibrium steady state (NESS), where the chain is connected to spin baths that act as sources and sinks for spin excitations at the boundaries. Using a combination of open quantum system theory and matrix product operators techniques, we extract the transport properties by means of a finite-size scaling of the spin current in the NESS. Our results indicate that, despite the formation of a partial domain wall in the steady state magnetization (and despite the Wigner-Dyson level spacing distribution of the model), transport remains ballistic. We contrast this behavior with the one produced by a staggered magnetic field in the XXZ chain, for which it is known that transport is diffusive. By performing a numerical computation of the real part of the spin conductivity, we show that our findings are consistent with linear response theory. We discuss subtleties associated with the apparent vanishing of the Drude in the presence of an impurity.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Nonreciprocal Quantum Transport at Junctions of Structured Leads

We propose and analyze a mechanism for rectification of spin transport through a small junction between two spin baths or leads. For interacting baths we show that transport is conditioned on the spacial asymmetry of the quantum junction mediating the transport, and attribute this behavior to a gapped spectral structure of the lead-system-lead configuration. For non-interacting leads a minimal quantum model that allows for spin rectification requires an interface of only two interacting two-level systems. We obtain approximate results with a weak-coupling Born-master-equation in excellent agreement with matrix-product-state calculations that are extrapolated in time by mimicking absorbing boundary conditions. These results should be observable in controlled spin systems realized with cold atoms, trapped ions, or in electrons in quantum dot arrays.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2018

Heat current rectification and mobility edges

We investigate how the presence of a single-particle mobility edge in a system can generate strong heat current rectification. Specifically, we study a quadratic bosonic chain subject to a quasi-periodic potential and coupled at its boundaries to spin baths of differing temperature. We find that rectification increases by orders of magnitude depending on the spatial position in the chain of localized eigenstates above the mobility edge. The largest enhancements occur when the coupling of one bath to the system is dominated by a localized eigenstate, while the other bath couples to numerous delocalized eigenstates. By tuning the parameters of the quasi-periodic potential it is thus possible to vary the amplitude, and even invert the direction, of the rectification.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2018

The role of quantum work statistics in many-body physics

In this contribution, we aim to illustrate how quantum work statistics can be used as a tool in order to gain insight on the universal features of non-equilibrium many-body systems. Focusing on the two point measurement approach to work, we first outline the formalism and show how the related irreversible entropy production may be defined for a unitary process. We then explore the physics of sudden quenches from the point of view of work statistics and show how the characteristic function of work can be expressed as the partition function of a corresponding classical statistical physics problem in a film geometry. Connections to the concept of fidelity susceptibility are explored along with the corresponding universal critical scaling. We also review how large deviation theory applied to quantum work statistics gives further insight to universal properties. The quantum-to- classical mapping turns out to have close connections with the historical problem of orthogonality catastrophe: we therefore discuss how this relationship may be exploited in order to experimentally extract quantum work statistics in many-body systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2018

Asymmetry in energy versus spin transport in certain interacting, disordered systems

We study energy transport in XXZ spin chains driven to nonequilibrium configurations by thermal reservoirs of different temperatures at the boundaries. We discuss the transition between diffusive and subdiffusive transport regimes in sectors of zero and finite magnetization at high temperature. At large anisotropies we find that diffusive energy transport prevails over a large range of disorder strengths, which is in contrast to spin transport that is subdiffusive in the same regime for weak disorder strengths. However, when finite magnetization is induced, both energy and spin currents decay as a function of system size with the same exponent. Based on this, we conclude that diffusion of energy is much more pervasive than that of magnetization in these disordered spin-1/2 systems, and occurs across a significant range of the interaction-disorder parameter phase-space; we suggest this is due to conservation laws present in the clean XXZ limit.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗