arXiv subjects

Sara Murciano

Publications and source records attributed to Sara Murciano.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

On symmetry-resolved generalized entropies

Symmetry-resolved entanglement, capturing the refined structure of quantum entanglement in systems with global symmetries, has attracted a lot of attention recently. In this manuscript, introducing the notion of symmetry-resolved generalized entropies, we aim to develop a computational framework suitable for the study of excited state symmetry-resolved entanglement as well as the dynamical evolution of symmetry-resolved entanglement in symmetry-preserving out-of-equilibrium settings. We illustrate our framework using the example of (1+1)-d free massless compact boson theory, and benchmark our results using lattice computation in the XX chain. As a byproduct, our computational framework also provides access to the probability distribution of the symmetry charge contained within a subsystem and the corresponding full counting statistics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

The quantum Mpemba effect in free-fermionic mixed states

Recently, a novel probe to study symmetry breaking, known as entanglement asymmetry, has emerged and has been utilized to explore how symmetry is dynamically restored following quantum quenches. Interestingly, it has been shown that, in certain scenarios, greater initial symmetry breaking leads to faster restoration, akin to a quantum Mpemba effect. This study focuses on investigating the effect of mixed initial states and non-unitary dynamics on symmetry restoration. The mixedness of a state can arise from different sources. We consider dephasing or dissipative processes affecting initial pure states or unitary dynamics of initially thermal states. In the former case, the stationary state after the quench is independent of the initial configuration, resembling the phenomenology of the classical Mpemba effect. Investigating the XY spin chain model, through a combination of analytical calculations and numerical simulations, we identify the conditions for the occurrence of the quantum Mpemba effect. It turns out that this phenomenon still occurs in the presence of dissipation or at finite temperature, even though it will be eventually suppressed as the state becomes more mixed.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

The quantum Mpemba effects

The Mpemba effect, where a hotter system can equilibrate faster than a cooler one, has long been a subject of fascination in classical physics. In the past few years, significant theoretical and experimental progress has been made in understanding its occurrence in both classical and quantum systems. In this review, we provide a concise overview of the Mpemba effect in quantum systems, with a focus on both open and isolated dynamics which give rise to distinct manifestations of this anomalous non-equilibrium phenomenon. We discuss key theoretical frameworks, highlight experimental observations, and explore the fundamental mechanisms that give rise to anomalous relaxation behaviors. Particular attention is given to the role of quantum fluctuations, integrability, and symmetry in shaping equilibration pathways. Finally, we outline open questions and future directions.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Boundary transitions from a single round of measurements on gapless quantum states

Measurements can qualitatively alter correlations and entanglement emerging in gapless quantum matter. We show how a single round of measurements on gapless quantum systems can, upon rotating the measurement basis, induce non-trivial transitions separating regimes displaying universal characteristics governed by distinct boundary conformal field theories. We develop the theory of such `measurement-induced boundary transitions' by investigating a gapless parent of the one-dimensional cluster state, obtained by appropriately symmetrizing a commuting projector Hamiltonian for the latter. Projective measurements on the cluster state are known to convert the wavefunction, after post-selection or decoding, into a long-range-ordered Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state. Similar measurements applied to the gapless parent (i) generate long-range order coexisting with power-law correlations when post-selecting for uniform outcomes, and (ii) yield power-law correlations distinct from those in the pre-measurement state upon decoding. In the post-selection scenario, rotating the measurement basis preserves long-range order up until a critical tilt angle marking a measurement-induced boundary transition to a power-law-ordered regime. Such a transition -- which does not exist in the descendant cluster state -- establishes new connections between measurement effects on many-body states and non-trivial renormalization-group flows. We extend our analysis to tricritical Ising and three-state Potts critical theories, which also display measurement-induced boundary transitions, and propose general criteria for their existence in other settings.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Entanglement asymmetry and symmetry defects in boundary conformal field theory

A state in a quantum system with a given global symmetry, $G$, can be sensitive to the presence of boundaries, which may either preserve or break this symmetry. In this work, we investigate how conformal invariant boundary conditions influence the $G-$symmetry breaking through the lens of the entanglement asymmetry, a quantifier of the "distance" between a symmetry-broken state and its symmetrized counterpart. By leveraging 2D boundary conformal field theory (BCFT), we investigate the symmetry breaking for both finite and compact Lie groups. Beyond the leading order term, we also compute the subleading corrections in the subsystem size, highlighting their dependence on the symmetry group $G$ and the BCFT operator content. We further explore the entanglement asymmetry following a global quantum quench, where a symmetry-broken state evolves under a symmetry-restoring Hamiltonian. In this dynamical setting, we compute the entanglement asymmetry by extending the method of images to a BCFT with non-local objects such as invertible symmetry defects.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

An entanglement asymmetry study of black hole radiation

Hawking's discovery that black holes can evaporate through radiation emission has posed a number of questions that with time became fundamental hallmarks for a quantum theory of gravity. The most famous one is likely the information paradox, which finds an elegant explanation in the Page argument suggesting that a black hole and its radiation can be effectively represented by a random state of qubits. Leveraging the same assumption, we ponder the extent to which a black hole may display emergent symmetries, employing the entanglement asymmetry as a modern, information-based indicator of symmetry breaking. We find that for a random state devoid of any symmetry, a $U(1)$ symmetry emerges and it is exact in the thermodynamic limit before the Page time. At the Page time, the entanglement asymmetry shows a finite jump to a large value. Our findings imply that the emitted radiation is symmetric up to the Page time and then undergoes a sharp transition. Conversely the black hole is symmetric only after the Page time.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Quantum criticality under imperfect teleportation

Entanglement, measurement, and classical communication together enable teleportation of quantum states between distant parties, in principle with perfect fidelity. To what extent do correlations and entanglement of a many-body wavefunction transfer under imperfect teleportation protocols? We address this question for the case of an imperfectly teleported quantum critical wavefunction, focusing on the ground state of a critical Ising chain. We demonstrate that imperfections, e.g., in the entangling gate adopted for a given protocol, effectively manifest as weak measurements acting on the otherwise pristinely teleported critical state. Armed with this perspective, we leverage and further develop the theory of measurement-altered quantum criticality to quantify the resilience of critical-state teleportation. We identify classes of teleportation protocols for which imperfection $(i)$ preserves both the universal long-range entanglement and correlations of the original quantum critical state, $(ii)$ weakly modifies these quantities away from their universal values, and $(iii)$ obliterates long-range entanglement altogether while preserving power-law correlations, albeit with a new set of exponents. We also show that mixed states describing the average over a series of sequential imperfect teleportation events retain pristine power-law correlations due to a `built-in' decoding algorithm, though their entanglement structure measured by the negativity depends on errors similarly to individual protocol runs. These results may allow one to design teleportation protocols that optimize against errors -- highlighting a potential practical application of measurement-altered criticality.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Observing the quantum Mpemba effect in quantum simulations

The non-equilibrium physics of many-body quantum systems harbors various unconventional phenomena. In this study, we experimentally investigate one of the most puzzling of these phenomena -- the quantum Mpemba effect, where a tilted ferromagnet restores its symmetry more rapidly when it is farther from the symmetric state compared to when it is closer. We present the first experimental evidence of the occurrence of this effect in a trapped-ion quantum simulator. The symmetry breaking and restoration are monitored through entanglement asymmetry, probed via randomized measurements, and postprocessed using the classical shadows technique. Our findings are further substantiated by measuring the Frobenius distance between the experimental state and the stationary thermal symmetric theoretical state, offering direct evidence of subsystem thermalization.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Entanglement asymmetry in the critical XXZ spin chain

We study the explicit breaking of a $SU(2)$ symmetry to a $U(1)$ subgroup employing the entanglement asymmetry, a recently introduced observable that measures how much symmetries are broken in a part of extended quantum systems. We consider as specific model the critical XXZ spin chain, which breaks the $SU(2)$ symmetry of spin rotations except at the isotropic point, and is described by the massless compact boson in the continuum limit. We examine the $U(1)$ subgroup of $SU(2)$ that is broken outside the isotropic point by applying conformal perturbation theory, which we complement with numerical simulations on the lattice. We also analyse the entanglement asymmetry of the full $SU(2)$ group. By relying on very generic scaling arguments, we derive an asymptotic expression for it.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Microscopic origin of the quantum Mpemba effect in integrable systems

The highly complicated nature of far from equilibrium systems can lead to a complete breakdown of the physical intuition developed in equilibrium. A famous example of this is the Mpemba effect, which states that non-equilibrium states may relax faster when they are further from equilibrium or, put another way, hot water can freeze faster than warm water. Despite possessing a storied history, the precise criteria and mechanisms underpinning this phenomenon are still not known. Here we study a quantum version of the Mpemba effect that takes place in closed many body systems with a U(1) conserved charge: in certain cases a more asymmetric initial configuration relaxes and restores the symmetry faster than a more symmetric one. In contrast to the classical case, we establish the criteria for this to occur in arbitrary integrable quantum systems using the recently introduced entanglement asymmetry. We describe the quantum Mpemba effect in such systems and relate properties of the initial state, specifically its charge fluctuations, to the criteria for its occurrence. These criteria are expounded using exact analytic and numerical techniques in several examples, a free fermion model, the Rule 54 cellular automaton, and the Lieb-Liniger model.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Entangled multiplets, asymmetry, and quantum Mpemba effect in dissipative systems

Recently, the entanglement asymmetry emerged as an informative tool to understand dynamical symmetry restoration in out-of-equilibrium quantum many-body systems after a quantum quench. For integrable systems the asymmetry can be understood in the space-time scaling limit via the quasiparticle picture, as it was pointed out in Ref. [1]. However, a quasiparticle picture for quantum quenches from generic initial states was still lacking. Here we conjecture a full-fledged quasiparticle picture for the charged moments of the reduced density matrix, which are the main ingredients to construct the asymmetry. Our formula works for quenches producing entangled multiplets of an arbitrary number of excitations. We benchmark our results in the $XX$ spin chain. First, by using an elementary approach based on the multidimensional stationary phase approximation we provide an $\textit{ab initio}$ rigorous derivation of the dynamics of the charged moments for the quench treated in [2]. Then, we show that the same results can be straightforwardly obtained within our quasiparticle picture. As a byproduct of our analysis, we obtain a general criterion ensuring a vanishing entanglement asymmetry at long times. Next, by using the Lindblad master equation, we study the effect of gain and loss dissipation on the entanglement asymmetry. Specifically, we investigate the fate of the so-called quantum Mpemba effect (QME) in the presence of dissipation. We show that dissipation can induce QME even if unitary dynamics does not show it, and we provide a quasiparticle-based interpretation of the condition for the QME.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Symmetry resolution of the computable cross-norm negativity of two disjoint intervals in the massless Dirac field theory

We investigate how entanglement in the mixed state of a quantum field theory can be described using the cross-computable norm or realignment (CCNR) criterion, employing a recently introduced negativity. We study its symmetry resolution for two disjoint intervals in the ground state of the massless Dirac fermion field theory, extending previous results for the case of adjacent intervals. By applying the replica trick, this problem boils down to computing the charged moments of the realignment matrix. We show that, for two disjoint intervals, they correspond to the partition function of the theory on a torus with a non-contractible charged loop. This confers a great advantage compared to the negativity based on the partial transposition, for which the Riemann surfaces generated by the replica trick have higher genus. This result empowers us to carry out the replica limit, yielding analytic expressions for the symmetry-resolved CCNR negativity. Furthermore, these expressions provide also the symmetry decomposition of other related quantities such as the operator entanglement of the reduced density matrix or the reflected entropy.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Entanglement asymmetry and quantum Mpemba effect in the XY spin chain

Entanglement asymmetry is a quantity recently introduced to measure how much a symmetry is broken in a part of an extended quantum system. It has been employed to analyze the non-equilibrium dynamics of a broken symmetry after a global quantum quench with a Hamiltonian that preserves it. In this work, we carry out a comprehensive analysis of the entanglement asymmetry at equilibrium taking the ground state of the XY spin chain, which breaks the $U(1)$ particle number symmetry, and provide a physical interpretation of it in terms of superconducting Cooper pairs. We also consider quenches from this ground state to the XX spin chain, which preserves the broken $U(1)$ symmetry. In this case, the entanglement asymmetry reveals that the more the symmetry is initially broken, the faster it may be restored in a subsystem, a surprising and counter-intuitive phenomenon that is a type of a quantum Mpemba effect. We obtain a quasi-particle picture for the entanglement asymmetry in terms of Cooper pairs, from which we derive the microscopic conditions to observe the quantum Mpemba effect in this system, giving further support to the criteria recently proposed for arbitrary integrable quantum systems. In addition, we find that the power law governing symmetry restoration depends discontinuously on whether the initial state is critical or not, leading to new forms of strong and weak Mpemba effects.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2023

Symmetry-resolved Entanglement Entropy, Spectra & Boundary Conformal Field Theory

We perform a comprehensive analysis of the symmetry-resolved (SR) entanglement entropy (EE) for one single interval in the ground state of a $1+1$D conformal field theory (CFT), that is invariant under an arbitrary finite or compact Lie group, $G$. We utilize the boundary CFT approach to study the total EE, which enables us to find the universal leading order behavior of the SREE and its first correction, which explicitly depends on the irreducible representation under consideration and breaks the equipartition of entanglement. We present two distinct schemes to carry out these computations. The first relies on the evaluation of the charged moments of the reduced density matrix. This involves studying the action of the defect-line, that generates the symmetry, on the boundary states of the theory. This perspective also paves the way for discussing the infeasibility of studying symmetry resolution when an anomalous symmetry is present. The second scheme draws a parallel between the SREE and the partition function of an orbifold CFT. This approach allows for the direct computation of the SREE without the need to use charged moments. From this standpoint, the infeasibility of defining the symmetry-resolved EE for an anomalous symmetry arises from the obstruction to gauging. Finally, we derive the symmetry-resolved entanglement spectra for a CFT invariant under a finite symmetry group. We revisit a similar problem for CFT with compact Lie group, explicitly deriving an improved formula for $U(1)$ resolved entanglement spectra. Using the Tauberian formalism, we can estimate the aforementioned EE spectra rigorously by proving an optimal lower and upper bound on the same. In the abelian case, we perform numerical checks on the bound and find perfect agreement.

hep-th↗

arXiv2023

More on symmetry resolved operator entanglement

The `operator entanglement' of a quantum operator $O$ is a useful indicator of its complexity, and, in one-dimension, of its approximability by matrix product operators. Here we focus on spin chains with a global $U(1)$ conservation law, and on operators $O$ with a well-defined $U(1)$ charge, for which it is possible to resolve the operator entanglement of $O$ according to the $U(1)$ symmetry. We employ the notion of symmetry resolved operator entanglement (SROE) introduced in [PRX Quantum 4, 010318 (2023)] and extend the results of the latter paper in several directions. Using a combination of conformal field theory and of exact analytical and numerical calculations in critical free fermionic chains, we study the SROE of the thermal density matrix $ρ_β= e^{- βH}$ and of charged local operators evolving in Heisenberg picture $O = e^{i t H} O e^{-i t H}$. Our main results are: i) the SROE of $ρ_β$ obeys the operator area law; ii) for free fermions, local operators in Heisenberg picture can have a SROE that grows logarithmically in time or saturates to a constant value; iii) there is equipartition of the entanglement among all the charge sectors except for a pair of fermionic creation and annihilation operators.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2023

Full counting statistics and symmetry resolved entanglement for free conformal theories with interface defects

We consider the ground state of two species of one-dimensional critical free theories coupled together via a conformal interface. They have an internal $U(1)$ global symmetry and we investigate the quantum fluctuations of the charge across the impurity, giving analytical predictions for the full counting statistics, the charged moments of the reduced density matrix and the symmetry resolved Rényi entropies. Our approach is based on the relation between the geometry with the defect and the homogeneous one, and it provides a way to characterise the spectral properties of the correlation functions restricted to one of the two species. Our analytical predictions are tested numerically, finding a perfect agreement.

hep-th↗

arXiv2023

Measurement-altered Ising quantum criticality

Quantum critical systems constitute appealing platforms for the exploration of novel measurement-induced phenomena due to their innate sensitivity to perturbations. We study the impact of measurement on paradigmatic Ising quantum critical chains using an explicit protocol, whereby correlated ancilla are entangled with the critical chain and then projectively measured. Using a perturbative analytic framework supported by extensive numerical simulations, we demonstrate that measurements can qualitatively alter long-distance correlations in a manner dependent on the choice of entangling gate, ancilla measurement basis, measurement outcome, and nature of ancilla correlations. We derive numerous quantitative predictions for the behavior of correlations in select measurement outcomes, and also identify two strategies for detecting measurement-altered Ising criticality in measurement-averaged quantities. First, averaging the square of the order-parameter expectation value over measurement outcomes retains memory of order parameter condensation germinated in fixed measurement outcomes -- even though on average the order parameter itself vanishes. Second, we show that, in certain cases, observables can be averaged separately over measurement outcomes residing in distinct symmetry sectors, and that these `symmetry-resolved averages' reveal measurement effects even when considering standard linearly averaged observables. We identify complementary regimes in which symmetry-resolved averages and post-selection can be pursued reasonably efficiently in experiment, with the former generically outperforming the latter in the limit of sufficiently weak ancilla-critical chain entanglement. Our framework naturally adapts to more exotic quantum critical points and highlights opportunities for potential experimental realization in NISQ hardware and in Rydberg arrays.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2023

Finite temperature negativity Hamiltonians of the massless Dirac fermion

The negativity Hamiltonian, defined as the logarithm of a partially transposed density matrix, provides an operatorial characterisation of mixed-state entanglement. However, so far, it has only been studied for the mixed-state density matrices corresponding to subsystems of globally pure states. Here, we consider as a genuine example of a mixed state the one-dimensional massless Dirac fermions in a system at finite temperature and size. As subsystems, we consider an arbitrary set of disjoint intervals. The structure of the corresponding negativity Hamiltonian resembles the one for the entanglement Hamiltonian in the same geometry: in addition to a local term proportional to the stress-energy tensor, each point is non-locally coupled to an infinite but discrete set of other points. However, when the lengths of the transposed and non-transposed intervals coincide, the structure remarkably simplifies and we retrieve the mild non-locality of the ground state negativity Hamiltonian. We also conjecture an exact expression for the negativity Hamiltonian associated to the twisted partial transpose, which is a Hermitian fermionic matrix. We finally obtain the continuum limit of both the local and bi-local operators from exact numerical computations in free-fermionic chains.

hep-th↗