arXiv subjects

Shane P. Kelly

Publications and source records attributed to Shane P. Kelly.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Breaking conservation law enables steady-state entanglement out of equilibrium

We show how entangled steady states can be prepared by purely dissipative dynamics in a system coupled to a thermal environment. While entanglement is hindered by thermalization when the system and environment exchange a conserved quantity, we demonstrate that breaking this conservation law through the system-environment interaction drives the system to a nonequilibrium steady state. Such an interaction will generate multiple competing equilibration channels, effectively mimicking baths at distinct chemical potentials. When the environment also supports long-range correlations, these channels mediate nonlocal dissipation capable of generating entanglement. We illustrate the scheme in a model of two nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers weakly coupled to a spin-pumped magnet, where tuneable magnon excitations enable steady-state entanglement over finite distances. Our results identifies a general mechanism for dissipative entanglement generation, rooted in the conservation structure and environmental correlations rather than fine-tuned coherent control or active driving.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Correlated emission of electron-current waves

Correlated emission of light offer a potential avenue for entanglement generation between atomic spins, with potential application for sensing and quantum memory. In this work, we investigate the conditions for the correlated emission by color centers into an electronic bath of conduction electrons. Unlike emission into bosonic modes, electrons can absorb energy via two-particle processes across a large range of length scales. We find that two length scales are particularly relevant: one set by the Fermi velocity and the frequency of the color centers $v_F/\Delta$, and the other set by the Fermi wavelength $\lambda_F \ll v_F/\Delta$. Subradiance requires emitters to be spaced at a distance closer than the Fermi wavelength, while superradiance requires spacing less than $\sqrt{\lambda_F v_F/\Delta}$, so long as the emitters are initialized with coherence. We show that the emitted current burst has a spiral form, and we discuss the experimental possibility to observe correlated dissipation by color-center qubits coupled to electronic environments.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Pseudo-Hermitian physics from dynamically coupled macrospins

We consider two classical macrospins with dynamical (frequency-dependent) coupling, modeled by a generalized Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. We show that, in the absence of local damping, the resulting dynamics are pseudo-Hermitian. When two precessional modes hybridize near a crossing, the spectral behavior takes the form either of an anticrossing or level attraction, with the latter formalized in terms of spontaneous $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetry breaking. Near equilibrium, mixing due to nondissipative interactions results in repulsion, while dissipative mixing results in attraction. In contrast, when the fluctuating degrees of freedom form a free-energy saddle point, we find that nondissipative interactions result in level attraction, while dissipative interactions produce level repulsion. Accounting for the effects of local Gilbert damping, we examine the cases in which approximate $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetry breaking is still possible and determine the degree to which the qualitative spectral properties still persist.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Nanoscale observation and control of quasiparticle induced magnetic noise in a superconducting resonator

Superconducting circuits are arguably taking a leading role in driving the ongoing quantum technological revolution. A detailed knowledge of the microscopic fluctuating electromagnetic properties plays an important role in advancing the circuitry design, testing, and material integration of cutting-edge superconducting quantum electronics. Here we report scanning nitrogen-vacancy (NV) quantum sensing of local magnetic noise environment of an on- chip superconducting resonator. We find that quasiparticle-induced fluctuating magnetic fields can drive NV spin relaxation, which shows a peak value around the superconducting transition point of niobium at the thermal equilibrium state. External microwave driving at the resonator mode frequency significantly increases the quasiparticle density, leading to enhancement of magnetic noise. We further perform optically detected magnetic resonance measurements to demonstrate quasiparticle magnetic noise mediated off-resonant dipole coupling between the NV center and niobium resonator. Our work reports experimental observation of the Hebel-Slichter peak signature by an external sensor outside of a superconductor. The presented study also highlights the advantages of quantum sensors in investigating miniaturized superconducting devices, providing insights into their future performance improvements.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Superconductivity-enhanced magnetic field noise

We consider the stray magnetic field noise outside a two-dimensional superconductor. Our considerations are motivated by recent experiments, which observed an enhancement in the magnetic field noise below the superconducting critical temperature based on the relaxation of diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers. Such enhancement is not captured by the standard two-fluid model for the superconducting state, recently proposed to explain such NV relaxometry experiments. Instead, we show that a microscopic BCS theory captures such an enhancement, and we compare with a similar theory and phenomenon, known as the Hebel-Schlicter peak (or coherence peak), observed in the relaxation of nuclear spins in the material. The primary difference is that the NV probes long-wavelength magnetic noise outside the sample, while the nuclear spin probes local hyperfine noise inside the sample. Accordingly, the noise probed by the NV depends on its height and can probe, in pristine samples, the superfluid coherence length. Finally, we discuss potential avenues for NVs to probe unconventional superconductivity via deviations from the above BCS theory.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Entangling color centers via magnon-antimagnon pair creation

We present how entanglement between a spatially separated pair of color centers can be created by letting them weakly interact with the quantum fluctuations of a nonequilibrium magnetic environment. To this end, we consider two coupled ferromagnets, one in the ground state and one in an inverted state with respect to an applied magnetic field. The resulting energetic instability leads to a quantum spin current in the vacuum state that is sustained by the creation of magnon-antimagnon pairs at the interface. We show that these quantum fluctuations imprint a steady-state entanglement onto the two dipole-coupled color centers through nonlocal dissipation. We derive conditions for establishing a maximally entangled Bell state. This entanglement is absent in thermal equilibrium.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Generalizing measurement-induced phase transitions to information exchange symmetry breaking

In this work we investigate the conditions for quantum back action to result in a phase transition in the information dynamics of a monitored system. We introduce a framework that captures a wide range of experiments encompassing probes comprised of projective measurements and probes which more generally transfer quantum information from the system to a quantum computer. Our framework explicitly uses a model of unitary evolution which couples system, apparatus and environment. Information dynamics is investigated using the R\'enyi and von-Neumann entropies of the evolving state, and we construct a replica theory for them. We identify the possible replica symmetries an experiment can possess and discuss their spontaneous symmetry breaking. In particular, we identify a minimum subgroup whose spontaneous symmetry breaking results in an entanglement transition. This symmetry is only possible when the information in the apparatus is as informative about the dynamics of the system as the information transferred to the environment. We call this requirement the information exchange symmetry and quantify it by a relationship between the entropies. We then show how the entanglement transition can be understood as the spontaneously breaking of the information exchange symmetry and without referring to the replica theory. Information exchange symmetry breaking is then shown to generalize the phenomenology of the measurement-induced phase transition (MIPT). We apply this theory to the brickwork quantum-enhanced experiment introduced in an accompanying Letter [Phys. Rev. A 111, L010402 (2025) ] in the case where the unitaries are chosen from the Haar measure, and identify a distinct universality from the MIPT. This notion of information exchange symmetry breaking generalizes the MIPT, and provides a framework for understanding the dynamics of quantum information in quantum-enhanced experiments.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Markovian to non-Markovian phase transition in the operator dynamics of a mobile impurity

We study a random unitary circuit model of an impurity moving through a chaotic medium. The exchange of information between the medium and impurity is controlled by varying the velocity of the impurity, $v_d$, relative to the speed of information propagation within the medium, $v_B$. Above supersonic velocities, $v_d> v_B$, information cannot flow back to the impurity after it has moved into the medium, and the resulting dynamics are Markovian. Below supersonic velocities, $v_d< v_B$, the dynamics of the impurity and medium are non-Markovian, and information is able to flow back onto the impurity. We show the two regimes are separated by a continuous phase transition with exponents directly related to the diffusive spreading of operators in the medium. This is demonstrated by monitoring an out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) in a scenario where the impurity is substituted at an intermediate time. During the Markovian phase, information from the medium cannot transfer onto the replaced impurity, manifesting in no significant operator development. Conversely, in the non-Markovian phase, we observe that operators acquire support on the newly introduced impurity. We also characterize the dynamics using the coherent information and provide two decoders which can efficiently probe the transition between Markovian and non-Markovian information flow. Our work demonstrates that Markovian and non-Markovian dynamics can be separated by a phase transition, and we propose an efficient protocol for observing this transition.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Dynamics of quantum discommensurations in the Frenkel-Kontorova chain

The ability for real-time control of topological defects can open up prospects for dynamical manipulation of macroscopic properties of solids. A sub-category of these defects, formed by particle dislocations, can be effectively described using the Frenkel-Kontorova chain, which characterizes the dynamics of these particles in a periodic lattice potential. This model is known to host solitons, which are the topological defects of the system and are linked to structural transitions in the chain. This work addresses three key questions: Firstly, we investigate how imperfections present in concrete implementations of the model affect the properties of topological defects. Secondly, we explore how solitons can be injected after the rapid change in lattice potential or nucleated due to quantum fluctuations. Finally, we analyze the propagation and scattering of solitons, examining the role of quantum fluctuations and imperfections in influencing these processes. Furthermore, we address the experimental implementation of the Frenkel-Kontorova model. Focusing on the trapped ion quantum simulator, we set the stage for controllable dynamics of topological excitations and their observation in this platform.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2023

Scrambling Transition in a Radiative Random Unitary Circuit

We study quantum information scrambling in a random unitary circuit that exchanges qubits with an environment at a rate $p$. As a result, initially localized quantum information not only spreads within the system, but also spills into the environment. Using the out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) to characterize scrambling, we find a nonequilibrium phase transition in the directed percolation universality class at a critical swap rate $p_c$: for $p < p_c$ the ensemble-averaged OTOC exhibits ballistic growth with a tunable light cone velocity, while for $p > p_c$ the OTOC fails to percolate within the system and vanishes uniformly within a finite timescale, indicating that all local operators are rapidly swapped into the environment. To elucidate its information-theoretic consequences, we demonstrate that the transition in operator spreading coincides with a transition in an observer's ability to decode the system's initial quantum information from the swapped-out, or "radiated," qubits. We present a simple decoding scheme which recovers the system's initial information with perfect fidelity in the nonpercolating phase, and with continuously decreasing fidelity with decreasing swap rate in the percolating phase. Depending on the initial state of the swapped-in qubits, we further observe a corresponding entanglement transition in the coherent information from the system into the radiated qubits.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Coherence requirements for quantum communication from hybrid circuit dynamics

The coherent superposition of quantum states is an important resource for quantum information processing which distinguishes quantum dynamics and information from their classical counterparts. In this article we determine the coherence requirements to communicate quantum information in a broad setting encompassing monitored quantum dynamics and quantum error correction codes. We determine these requirements by considering hybrid circuits that are generated by a quantum information game played between two opponents, Alice and Eve, who compete by applying unitaries and measurements on a fixed number of qubits. Alice applies unitaries in an attempt to maintain quantum channel capacity, while Eve applies measurements in an attempt to destroy it. By limiting the coherence generating or destroying operations available to each opponent, we determine Alice's coherence requirements. When Alice plays a random strategy aimed at mimicking generic monitored quantum dynamics, we discover a coherence-tuned phase transitions in entanglement and quantum channel capacity. We then derive a theorem giving the minimum coherence required by Alice in any successful strategy, and conclude by proving that coherence sets an upper bound on the code distance in any stabelizer quantum error correction codes. Such bounds provide a rigorous quantification of the coherence resource requirements for quantum communication and error correction.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Entanglement transitions induced by quantum-data collection

We present an entanglement transition in an array of qubits, induced by the transfer of quantum information from a system to a quantum computer. This quantum-data collection is an essential protocol in quantum machine learning algorithms that promise exponential advantage over their classical counterparts. In this and an accompanying work [Phys. Rev. A 111, 012425 (2025)], we identify sufficient conditions for an entanglement transition to occur in the late time state of the system and quantum computer. In this letter, we present an example entanglement transition occurring in a system comprised of a 1D chain of qubits evolving under a random brickwork circuit. After each layer, a fraction $p$ of sites undergo noisy quantum transduction in which quantum information is transferred to a quantum computer but at the cost of introducing noise from an environment. For an entanglement transition to occur, we argue that the environment must obtain the same amount of information as gained by the computer. Under this condition, the circuit shows a transition from volume law to area law entanglement as the rate $p$ is increased above a critical threshold. Our work delineates the prerequisites for quantum-data collection to induce entanglement transitions, thereby establishing a foundational framework for emergent entanglement phenomena in protocols relevant to quantum machine learning.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Thermalization of non-Fermi-liquid electron-phonon systems: Hydrodynamic relaxation of the Yukawa-Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model

We study thermalization dynamics in a fermion-phonon variant of the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model coupled to an external cold thermal bath of harmonic oscillators. We find that quantum critical fermions thermalize more efficiently than phonons, in sharp contrast to the behavior in the Fermi liquid regime. In addition, after a short prethermal stage, the system acquires a quasi-thermal distribution given by a time-dependent effective temperature, reminiscent of "hydrodynamic" relaxation. All physical observables relax at the same rate which scales with the final temperature through an exponent that depends universally on the low energy spectrum of the system and the bath. Such relaxation rate is derived using a hydrodynamic approximation in full agreement with the numerical solution of a set quantum kinetic equations derived from the Keldysh formalism for non-equilibrium Green's functions. Our results hint toward further research on the applicability of the hydrodynamic picture in the description of the late time dynamics of open quantum systems despite the absence of conserved quantities in regimes dominated by conserving collisions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Injection and nucleation of topological defects in the quench dynamics of the Frenkel-Kontorova model

Topological defects have strong impact on both elastic and inelastic properties of materials. In this article, we investigate the possibility to controllably inject topological defects in quantum simulators of solid state lattice structures. We investigate the quench dynamics of a Frenkel-Kontorova chain, which is used to model discommensurations of particles in cold atoms and trapped ionic crystals. The interplay between an external periodic potential and the inter-particle interaction makes lattice discommensurations, the topological defects of the model, energetically favorable and can tune a commensurate-incommensurate structural transition. Our key finding is that a quench from the commensurate to incommensurate phase causes a controllable injection of topological defects at periodic time intervals. We employ this mechanism to generate quantum states which are a superposition of lattice structures with and without topological defects. We conclude by presenting concrete perspectives for the observation and control of topological defects in trapped ion experiments.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2023

Crafting the dynamical structure of synchronization by harnessing bosonic multilevel cavity QED

Many-body cavity QED experiments are established platforms to tailor and control the collective responses of ensembles of atoms, interacting through one or more common photonic modes. The rich diversity of dynamical phases they can host, calls for a unified framework. Here we commence this program by showing that a cavity QED simulator assembled from $N$-levels bosonic atoms, can reproduce and extend the possible dynamical responses of collective observables occurring after a quench. Specifically, by initializing the atoms in classical or quantum states, or by leveraging intra-levels quantum correlations, we craft on demand the entire synchronization/desynchronization dynamical crossover of an exchange model for $SU(N)$ spins. We quantitatively predict the onset of different dynamical responses by combining the Liouville-Arnold theorem on classical integrability with an ansatz for reducing the collective evolution to an effective few-body dynamics. Among them, we discover a synchronized chaotic phase induced by quantum correlations and associated to a first order non-equilibrium transition in the Lyapunov exponent of collective atomic dynamics. Our outreach includes extensions to other spin-exchange quantum simulators and a universal conjecture for the dynamical reduction of non-integrable all-to-all interacting systems.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2022

Zeno crossovers in the entanglement speed of spin chains with noisy impurities

We use a noisy signal with finite correlation time to drive a spin (dissipative impurity) in the quantum XY spin chain and calculate the dynamics of entanglement entropy of a bipartition of spins, for a stochastic quantum trajectory. We compute the noise averaged entanglement entropy of a bipartition of spins and observe that its speed of spreading decreases at strong dissipation, as a result of the Zeno effect. We recover the Zeno crossover and show that noise averaged entanglement entropy can be used as a proxy for the heating and Zeno regimes. Upon increasing the correlation time of the noise, the location of the Zeno crossover shifts at stronger dissipation, extending the heating regime.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2022

Quantum memory at an eigenstate phase transition in a weakly chaotic model

We study a fully connected quantum spin model resonantly coupled to a small environment of non-interacting spins, and investigate how initial state properties are remembered at long times. We find memory of initial state properties, in addition to the total energy, that are not conserved by the dynamics. This memory occurs in the middle of the spectrum where an eigenstate quantum phase transition (ESQPT) occurs as a function of energy. The memory effect at that energy in the spectrum is robust to system-environment coupling until the coupling changes the energy of the ESQPT. This work demonstrates the effect of ESQPT memory as independent of integrability and suggests a wider generality of this mechanism for preventing thermalization at ESQPTs.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Resonant light enhances phase coherence in a cavity QED simulator of fermionic superfluidity

Cavity QED experiments are natural hosts for non-equilibrium phases of matter supported by photon-mediated interactions. In this work, we consider a cavity QED simulation of the BCS model of superfluidity, by studying regimes where the cavity photons act as dynamical degrees of freedom instead of mere mediators of the interaction via virtual processes. We find an enhancement of long time coherence following a quench whenever the cavity frequency is tuned into resonance with the atoms. We discuss how this is equivalent to enhancement of non-equilibrium superfluidity and highlight similarities to an analogous phenomena recently studied in solid state quantum optics. We also discuss the conditions for observing this enhanced resonant pairing in experiments by including the effect of photon losses and inhomogeneous coupling in our analysis.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗