arXiv subjects

Sebastian Deffner

Publications and source records attributed to Sebastian Deffner.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2024

Conditional quantum thermometry -- enhancing precision by measuring less

Taking accurate measurements of the temperature of quantum systems is a challenging task. The mathematical peculiarities of quantum information make it virtually impossible to measure with infinite precision. In the present paper, we introduce a generalize thermal state, which is conditioned on the pointer states of the available measurement apparatus. We show that this conditional thermal state outperforms the Gibbs state in quantum thermometry. The origin for the enhanced precision can be sought in its asymmetry quantified by the Wigner-Yanase-Dyson skew information. This additional resource is further clarified in a fully resource-theoretic analysis, and we show that there is a Gibbs-preserving map to convert a target state into the conditional thermal state. We relate the quantum J-divergence between the conditional thermal state and the same target state to quantum heat.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Simon's algorithm in the NISQ cloud

Simon's algorithm was one of the first problems to demonstrate a genuine quantum advantage. The algorithm, however, assumes access to noise-free qubits. In our work we use Simon's algorithm to benchmark the error rates of devices currently available in the "quantum cloud." As a main result we obtain an objective comparison between the different physical platforms made available by IBM and IonQ. Our study highlights the importance of understanding the device architectures and chip topologies when transpiling quantum algorithms onto hardware. For instance, we demonstrate that two-qubit operations on spatially separated qubits on superconducting chips should be avoided.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Thermodynamic perspective on quantum fluctuations

What is the major difference between large and small systems? At small length-scales the dynamics is dominated by fluctuations, whereas at large scales fluctuations are irrelevant. Therefore, any thermodynamically consistent description of quantum systems necessitates a thorough understanding of the nature and consequences of fluctuations. In this chapter, we outline two closely related fields of research that are commonly considered separately -- fluctuation forces and fluctuation theorems. Focusing on the main gist of these exciting and vivid fields of modern research, we seek to provide a instructive entry point for both communities of researchers interested in learning about the other.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Quantum information scrambling in two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard lattices

It is a well-understood fact that the transport of excitations throughout a lattice is intimately governed by the underlying structures. Hence, it is only natural to recognize that also the dispersion of information has to depend on the lattice geometry. In the present work, we demonstrate that two-dimensional lattices described by the Bose-Hubbard model exhibit information scrambling for systems as little as two hexagons. However, we also find that the OTOC shows the exponential decay characteristic for quantum chaos only for a judicious choice of local observables. More generally, the OTOC is better described by Gaussian-exponential convolutions, which alludes to the close similarity of information scrambling and decoherence theory.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Information scrambling -- a quantum thermodynamic perspective

Recent advances in quantum information science have shed light on the intricate dynamics of quantum many-body systems, for which quantum information scrambling is a perfect example. Motivated by considerations of the thermodynamics of quantum information, this perspective aims at synthesizing key findings from several pivotal studies and exploring various aspects of quantum scrambling. We consider quantifiers such as the Out-of-Time-Ordered Correlator (OTOC), the quantum Mutual Information, and the Tripartite Mutual Information (TMI), their connections to thermodynamics, and their role in understanding chaotic versus integrable quantum systems. With a focus on representative examples, we cover a range of topics, including the thermodynamics of quantum information scrambling, and the scrambling dynamics in quantum gravity models such as the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model. Examining these diverse approaches enables us to highlight the multifaceted nature of quantum information scrambling and its significance in understanding the fundamental aspects of quantum many-body dynamics at the intersection of quantum mechanics and thermodynamics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Detailed fluctuation theorem from the one-time measurement scheme

We study the quantum fluctuation theorem in the one-time measurement (OTM) scheme, where the work distribution of the backward process has been lacking and which is considered to be more informative than the two-time measurement (TTM) scheme. We find that the OTM scheme is the quantum nondemolition TTM scheme, in which the final state is a pointer state of the second measurement whose Hamiltonian is conditioned on the first measurement outcome. Then, by clarifying the backward work distribution in the OTM scheme, we derive the detailed fluctuation theorem in the OTM scheme for the characteristic functions of the forward and backward work distributions, which captures the detailed information about the irreversibility and can be applied to quantum thermometry. We also verified our conceptual findings with the IBM quantum computer. Our result clarifies that the laws of thermodynamics at the nanoscale are dependent on the choice of the measurement and may provide experimentalists with a concrete strategy to explore laws of thermodynamics at the nanoscale by protecting quantum coherence and correlations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Pointer states and quantum Darwinism with 2-body interactions

Quantum Darwinism explains the emergence of classical objectivity within a quantum universe. However, to date most research in quantum Darwinism has focused on specific models and their stationary properties. To further our understanding of the quantum-to-classical transition it appears desirable to identify the general criteria a Hamiltonian has to fulfill to support classical reality. To this end, we categorize all models with 2-body interactions, and we show that only those with separable interaction of system and environment can support a pointer basis. We further show that "perfect" quantum Darwinism can only emerge if there are no intra-environmental interactions. Our analysis is complemented by the solution of the ensuing dynamics. We find that in systems that exhibit information scrambling, the dynamical emergence of classical objectivity is in direct competition with the non-local spread of quantum correlations. Our rigorous findings are illustrated with the numerical analysis of four representative models.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Efficiency Optimization in Quantum Computing: Balancing Thermodynamics and Computational Performance

We investigate the computational efficiency and thermodynamic cost of the D-Wave quantum annealer under reverse-annealing with and without pausing. Our experimental results demonstrate that the combination of reverse-annealing and pausing leads to improved computational efficiency while minimizing the thermodynamic cost compared to reverse-annealing alone. Moreover, we find that the magnetic field has a positive impact on the performance of the quantum annealer during reverse-annealing but becomes detrimental when pausing is involved. Our results provide strategies for optimizing the performance and energy consumption of quantum annealing systems employing reverse-annealing protocols.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Exchange fluctuation theorems for strongly interacting quantum pumps

We derive a general quantum exchange fluctuation theorem for multipartite systems with arbitrary coupling strengths by taking into account the informational contribution of the back-action of the quantum measurements, which contributes to the increase in the von-Neumann entropy of the quantum system. The resulting second law of thermodynamics is tighter than the conventional Clausius inequality. The derived bound is the quantum mutual information of the conditional thermal state, which is a thermal state conditioned on the initial energy measurement. These results elucidate the role of quantum correlations in the heat exchange between multiple subsystems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Energetic cost for speedy synchronization in non-Hermitian quantum dynamics

Quantum synchronization is crucial for understanding complex dynamics and holds potential applications in quantum computing and communication. Therefore, assessing the thermodynamic resources required for finite-time synchronization in continuous-variable systems is a critical challenge. In the present work, we find these resources to be extensive for large systems. We also bound the speed of quantum and classical synchronization in coupled damped oscillators with non-Hermitian anti-PT-symmetric interactions, and show that the speed of synchronization is limited by the interaction strength relative to the damping. Compared to the classical limit, we find that quantum synchronization is slowed by the non-commutativity of the Hermitian and anti-Hermitian terms. Our general results could be tested experimentally and we suggest an implementation in photonic systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Thermodynamics of quantum information in noisy polarizers

Among the emerging technologies with prophesied quantum advantage, quantum communications has already led to fascinating demonstrations -- including quantum teleportation to and from satellites. However, all optical communication necessitates the use of optical devices, and their comprehensive quantum thermodynamic description is still severely lacking. In the present analysis we prove several versions of Landauer's principle for noisy polarizers, namely absorbing linear polarizers and polarizing beamsplitters. As main results we obtain statements of the second law quantifying the minimal amount of heat that is dissipated in the creating of linearly polarized light. Our findings are illustrated with an experimentally tractable example, namely the temperature dependence of a quantum eraser.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Shortcuts to thermodynamic quasistaticity

The operation of near-term quantum technologies requires the development of feasible, implementable, and robust strategies of controlling complex many body systems. To this end, a variety of techniques, so-called "shortcuts to adiabaticty", have been developed. Many of these shortcuts have already been demonstrated to be powerful and implementable in distinct scenarios. Yet, it is often also desirable to have additional, approximate strategies available, that are applicable to a large class of systems. In this work, we hence take inspiration from thermodynamics and propose to focus on the macrostate, rather than the microstate. Adiabatic dynamics can then be identified as such processes that preserve the equation of state, and systematic corrections are obtained from adiabatic perturbation theory. We demonstrate this approach by improving upon fast quasiadiabatic driving, and by applying the method to the quantum Ising chain in the transverse field.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Boosting thermodynamic performance by bending space-time

Black holes are arguably the most extreme regions of the universe. Yet, they are also utterly inaccessible to experimentation, and even just indirect observation poses significant technical challenges. The phenomenological approach of thermodynamics is uniquely suited to explore at least some of the physical properties of such scenarios, and this has motivated the study of so-called holographic engines. We show that the efficiency of an endoreversible Brayton cycle is given by the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency if the engine is fueled by a 2-dimensional ideal gas; and that the efficiency is higher, if the working medium is a (2+1)-dimensional BTZ black hole. These findings may be relevant not only in the quest to unlock the mysteries of black holes, but also for potential technological applications of graphene.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2022

Optimal finite-time processes in weakly driven overdamped Brownian motion

The complete physical understanding of the optimization of the thermodynamic work still is an important open problem in stochastic thermodynamics. We address this issue using the Hamiltonian approach of linear response theory in finite time and weak processes. We derive the Euler-Lagrange equation associated and discuss its main features, illustrating them using the paradigmatic example of driven Brownian motion in overdamped regime. We show that the optimal protocols obtained either coincide, in the appropriate limit, with the exact solutions by stochastic thermodynamics or can be even identical to them, presenting the well-known jumps. However, our approach reveals that jumps at the extremities of the process are a good optimization strategy in the regime of fast but weak processes for any driven system. Additionally, we show that fast-but-weak optimal protocols are time-reversal symmetric, a property that has until now remained hidden in the exact solutions far from equilibrium.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2022

Nonlinear speed-ups in ultracold quantum gases

Quantum mechanics is an inherently linear theory. However, collective effects in many body quantum systems can give rise to effectively nonlinear dynamics. In the present work, we analyze whether and to what extent such nonlinear effects can be exploited to enhance the rate of quantum evolution. To this end, we compute a suitable version of the quantum speed limit for numerical and analytical examples. We find that the quantum speed limit grows with the strength of the nonlinearity, yet it does not trivially scale with the ``degree'' of nonlinearity. This is numerically demonstrated for the parametric harmonic oscillator obeying Gross-Piteavskii and Kolomeisky dynamics, and analytically for expanding boxes under Gross-Pitaevskii dynamics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Assessing the performance of quantum annealing with nonlinear driving

Current generation quantum annealers have already proven to be successful problem-solvers. Yet, quantum annealing is still very much in its infancy, with suboptimal applicability. For instance, to date it is still an open question which annealing protocol causes the fewest diabatic excitations for a given eigenspectrum, and even whether there is a universally optimal strategy. Therefore, in this paper, we report analytical and numerical studies of the diabatic excitations arising from nonlinear protocols applied to the transverse field Ising chain, the exactly solvable model that serves as a quantum annealing playground. Our analysis focuses on several driving schemes that inhibit or facilitate the dynamic phases discussed in a previous work. Rather remarkably, we find that the paradigmatic Kibble-Zurek behavior can be suppressed with ``pauses'' in the evolution, both for crossing and for stopping at the quantum critical point of the system.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

The three phases of quantum annealing: fast, slow, and very slow

Currently, existing quantum annealers have proven themselves as viable technology for the first practical applications in the noisy-intermediate-scale-quantum era. However, to fully exploit their capabilities, a comprehensive characterization of their finite-time excitations is instrumental. To this end, we develop a phase diagram for driven Ising chains, from which the scaling behavior of the excess work can be read off as a function of process duration and system size. "Fast" processes are well described by the Kibble-Zurek mechanism; "slow" processes are governed by effective Landau-Zener dynamics; and "very slow" processes can be approximated with adiabatic perturbation theory.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Kibble-Zurek scaling from linear response theory

While quantum phase transitions share many characteristics with thermodynamic phase transitions, they are also markedly different as they occur at zero temperature. Hence, it is not immediately clear whether tools and frameworks that capture the properties of thermodynamic phase transitions also apply in the quantum case. Concerning the crossing of thermodynamic critical points and describing its non-equilibrium dynamics, the Kibble-Zurek mechanism and linear response theory have been demonstrated to be among the very successful approaches. In the present work, we show that these two approaches are consistent also in the description of quantum phase transitions, and that linear response theory can even inform arguments of the Kibble-Zurek mechanism. In particular, we show that the relaxation time provided by linear response theory gives a rigorous argument for why to identify the "gap" as a relaxation rate, and we verify that the excess work computed from linear response theory exhibits Kibble-Zurek scaling.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗