arXiv subjects

Tobias Haas

Publications and source records attributed to Tobias Haas.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Detecting strongly non-Gaussian entanglement

Efficiently certifying non-Gaussian entanglement in continuous-variable quantum systems is a central challenge for advancing quantum information processing, photonic quantum computing, and metrology. Here, we put forward continuous-variable counterparts to the recently introduced entanglement criteria based on moments of the partially transposed state, together with simple readout schemes that require only a few replicas of the state, passive linear optics, and particle-number measurements. We develop a multicopy method that enables the detection of strongly non-Gaussian entanglement for various relevant state families overlooked by standard approaches, which include the entire class of NOON states. Further, it is robust against realistic experimental constraints (losses, noise, and finite statistics), which we demonstrate by extensive numerical simulations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Configurable photonic simulator for quantum field dynamics

Quantum field simulators provide unique opportunities for investigating the dynamics of quantum fields through tabletop experiments. A primary drawback of standard encoding schemes is their rigidity: altering the theory, its coupling geometry, metric structure, or simulation time typically requires redesigning the experimental setup, which imposes strong constraints on the types of dynamics and theories that can be simulated. Here, we introduce the Optical Time Algorithm (OTA) as a unifying framework, enabling the efficient simulation of large classes of free quantum field dynamics using a single optical circuit design that separates the time from the Hamiltonian's structure. By modifying the parameters of the optical elements, our method allows us to engineer timescales, coupling graphs, spacetime metrics, and boundary conditions, thereby facilitating the implementation of relativistic and non-relativistic, real- and complex-valued, short- and long-range quantum field theories on both flat and curved spacetimes. We exploit the OTA's configurability to investigate the spreading of quantum correlations in space and time for theories with continuously varying coupling ranges. Relevant features predicted by quantum field theory can be observed in systems with $10$ to $20$ modes under realistic conditions, paving the way for experimental implementations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Revealing entanglement through local features of phase-space distributions

We formulate an infinite hierarchy of continuous-variable separability criteria in terms of quasiprobability distributions and their derivatives evaluated at individual points in phase space. Our approach is equivalent to the Peres--Horodecki criterion and sheds light on how distillable entanglement manifests in the phase-space picture. We demonstrate that already the lowest-order variant constitutes a powerful method for detecting the elusive non-Gaussian entanglement of relevant state families. Further, we devise a simple measurement scheme that relies solely on passive linear transformations and coherent ancillas. By strategically probing specific phase-space regions, our method offers clear advantages over existing techniques that rely on access to the full phase-space distributions.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Observation of area laws in an interacting quantum field simulator

Information shared between parties quantifies their correlation. The encoding of correlations across space and time characterises the structure, history, and interactions of systems. One of the most fundamental properties that emerges from studies of information is the area law, which states that information shared between spatial subregions typically scales with the area of their boundary rather than their volume. In non-interacting, quantum many-body systems, where Gaussian statistics apply, the scaling of information measures is well understood. Within interacting systems, the readout of information measures is impeded by the complexity of state reconstruction. As such, no measurements beyond small quantum systems (e.g., composed of few, localised particles) have been made. Here, we fill this gap by experimentally demonstrating the area law of mutual information in an ultra-cold atom simulator of quantum fields with tuneable interaction strength. Our results detail the scaling of mutual information with subsystem volume, boundary area, and separation between spatial regions at finite temperature. Moreover, we quantify the total effect of non-Gaussian correlations using an information-theoretic measure - relative entropy. Our presented approach is data-driven, model agnostic, and readily applicable to other platforms and observables, thus constituting a universal toolkit for probing information in high-dimensional quantum systems and its role in shaping quantum matter and spacetime.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Information and majorization theory for fermionic phase-space distributions

We put forward several information-theoretic measures for analyzing the uncertainty of fermionic phase-space distributions using the theory of supernumbers. In contrast to the bosonic case, the anticommuting nature of Grassmann variables allows us to provide simple expressions for the Glauber $P$-, Wigner $W$-, and Husimi $Q$-distributions of the arbitrary state of a single fermionic mode. It appears that all physical states are Gaussian and, thus, can be described by positive or negative thermal distributions (over Grassmann variables). We then prove several fermionic uncertainty relations, including notably the fermionic analogs of the (yet unproven) phase-space majorization and Wigner entropy conjectures for a bosonic mode, as well as the Lieb-Solovej theorem and the Wehrl-Lieb inequality. Our central point is that, although fermionic phase-space distributions are Grassmann-valued and do not have a straightforward interpretation, the corresponding uncertainty measures are expressed as Berezin integrals, which take on real values and are physically relevant.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Interferometric detection of continuous-variable entanglement using two states

The efficient witnessing and certification of entanglement is necessitated by its ubiquitous use in various aspects of quantum technologies. In the case of continuous-variable bipartite systems, the Shchukin--Vogel hierarchy gives necessary conditions for separability in terms of moments of the mode operators. In this work, we derive mode-operator-based witnesses for continuous-variable bipartite entanglement relying on the interference of two states. Specifically, we show how one can access higher moments of the mode operators, crucial for detecting entanglement of non-Gaussian states, using a single beamsplitter with variable phase and photon-number-resolving detectors. We demonstrate that the use of an entangled state paired with a suitable reference state is sufficient to detect entanglement in, e.g., two-mode squeezed vacuum, NOON states, and mixed entangled cat states. We also take into account experimental noise, including photon loss and detection inefficiency, as well as finite measurement statistics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Area laws and thermalization from classical entropies in a Bose-Einstein condensate

The scaling of local quantum entropies is of utmost interest for characterizing quantum fields, many-body systems, and gravity. Despite their importance, theoretically and experimentally accessing quantum entropies is challenging as they are nonlinear functionals of the underlying quantum state. Here, we show that suitably chosen classical entropies capture many features of their quantum analogs for an experimentally relevant setting. We describe the post-quench dynamics of a multi-well spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate from an initial product state via measurement distributions of spin observables and estimate the corresponding entropies using the asymptotically unbiased $k$-nearest neighbor method. We observe the dynamical build-up of quantum correlations signaled by an area law, as well as local thermalization revealed by a transition to a volume law, both in regimes characterized by non-Gaussian distributions. We emphasize that all relevant features can be observed at small sample numbers without reconstructing the underlying state or measurement distributions, rendering our method directly applicable to a large variety of models and experimental platforms.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2025

Entropy estimation in a spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate

We investigate the information extractable from measurement distributions of two non-commuting spin observables in a multi-well spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate. We provide a variety of analytic and numerical evidence that suitably chosen classical entropies and classical mutual informations thereof contain the typical feature of quantum entropies known in quantum field theories, that is, the area law, even in the non-Gaussian regime and for a non-zero temperature. Towards a feasible experimental implementation, we estimate entropic quantities from a finite number of samples without any additional assumptions on the underlying quantum state using k-nearest neighbor estimators.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2024

Quantum Gravity, Hydrodynamics and Emergent Cosmology: A Collection of Perspectives

This collection of perspective pieces captures recent advancements and reflections from a dynamic research community dedicated to bridging quantum gravity, hydrodynamics, and emergent cosmology. It explores four key research areas: (a) the interplay between hydrodynamics and cosmology, including analog gravity systems; (b) phase transitions, continuum limits and emergent geometry in quantum gravity; (c) relational perspectives in gravity and quantum gravity; and (d) the emergence of cosmological models rooted in quantum gravity frameworks. Each contribution presents the distinct perspectives of its respective authors. Additionally, the introduction by the editors proposes an integrative view, suggesting how these thematic units could serve as foundational pillars for a novel theoretical cosmology framework termed "hydrodynamics on superspace".

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

From bosons and fermions to spins: A multi-mode extension of the Jordan-Schwinger map

The Jordan-Schwinger map is widely employed to switch between bosonic or fermionic mode operators and spin observables, with numerous applications ranging from quantum field theories of magnetism and ultracold quantum gases to quantum optics. While the construction of observables obeying the algebra of spin operators across multiple modes is straightforward, a mapping between bosonic or fermionic Fock states and spin states has remained elusive beyond the two-mode case. Here, we generalize the Jordan-Schwinger map by algorithmically constructing complete sets of spin states over several bosonic or fermionic modes, allowing one to describe arbitrary multi-mode systems faithfully in terms of spins. As a byproduct, we uncover a deep link between the degeneracy of multi-mode spin states in the bosonic case and Gaussian polynomials. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach by deriving explicit relations between arbitrary three-mode Fock and spin states, which provide novel interpretations of the genuinely tripartite entangled GHZ and W state classes.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Entropic distinguishability of quantum fields in phase space

We present a general way of quantifying the entropic uncertainty of quantum field configurations in phase space in terms of entropic distinguishability with respect to the vacuum. Our approach is based on the functional Husimi $Q$-distribution and a suitably chosen relative entropy, which we show to be non-trivially bounded from above by the uncertainty principle. The resulting relative entropic uncertainty relation is as general as the concept of coherent states and thus holds for quantum fields of bosonic and fermionic type. Its simple form enables diverse applications, among which we present a complete characterization of the uncertainty surplus of arbitrary states in terms of the total particle number for a scalar field and the fermionic description of the Ising model. Moreover, we provide a quantitative interpretation of the role of the uncertainty principle for quantum phase transitions.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Area laws from classical entropies

The area law-like scaling of local quantum entropies is the central characteristic of the entanglement inherent in quantum fields, many-body systems, and spacetime. Whilst the area law is primarily associated with the entanglement structure of the underlying quantum state, we here show that it equally manifests in classical entropies over measurement distributions when vacuum contributions dictated by the uncertainty principle are subtracted. Using the examples of the Gaussian ground and thermal states, but also the non-Gaussian particle state of a relativistic scalar field, we present analytical and numerical area laws for the entropies of various distributions and unveil how quantities of widespread interest such as the central charge and the (local) temperature are encoded in classical observables. With our approach, quantum entropies are no longer necessary to probe quantum phenomena, thereby rendering area laws and other quantum features directly accessible to theoretical models of high complexity as well as state-of-the-art experiments.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Optimizing detection of continuous variable entanglement for limited data

We explore the advantages of a class of entanglement criteria for continuous variable systems based on the Husimi $Q$-distribution in scenarios with sparse experimental data. The generality of these criteria allows optimizing them for a given entangled state and experimental setting. We consider the scenario of coarse grained measurements, or finite detector resolution, where the values of the Husimi $Q$-distribution are only known on a grid of points in phase space, and show how the entanglement criteria can be adapted to this case. Further, we examine the scenario where experimental measurements amount to drawing independent samples from the Husimi distribution. Here, we customize our entanglement criteria to maximize the statistical significance of the detection for a given finite number of samples. In both scenarios optimization leads to clear improvements enlarging the class of detected states and the signal-to-noise ratio of the detection, respectively.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Detecting continuous variable entanglement in phase space with the $Q$-distribution

We prove a general class of continuous variable entanglement criteria based on the Husimi $Q$-distribution, which represents a quantum state in canonical phase space, by employing a theorem by Lieb and Solovej. We discuss their generality, which roots in the possibility to optimize over the set of concave functions, from the perspective of continuous majorization theory and show that with this approach families of entropic as well as second moment criteria follow as special cases. All derived criteria are compared to corresponding marginal based criteria and the strength of the phase space approach is demonstrated for a family of prototypical example states where only our criteria flag entanglement. Further, we explore their optimization prospects in two experimentally relevant scenarios characterized by sparse data: finite detector resolution and finite statistics. In both scenarios optimization leads to clear improvements enlarging the class of detected states and the signal-to-noise ratio of the detection, respectively.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

General class of continuous variable entanglement criteria

We present a general class of entanglement criteria for continuous variable systems. Our criteria are based on the Husimi $Q$-distribution and allow for optimization over the set of all concave functions rendering them extremely general and versatile. We show that several entropic criteria and second moment criteria are obtained as special cases. Our criteria reveal entanglement of families of states undetected by any commonly used criteria and provide clear advantages under typical experimental constraints such as finite detector resolution and measurement statistics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Accessing continuous-variable entanglement witnesses with multimode spin observables

We present several measurement schemes for accessing separability criteria for continuous-variable bipartite quantum systems. Starting from moments of the bosonic mode operators, criteria suitable to witness entanglement are expressed in terms of multimode spin observables via the Jordan Schwinger map. These observables are typically defined over a few replicas of the state of interest and can be transformed into simple photon-number measurements by passive optical circuits. Our measurement schemes require only a handful of measurements, thereby allowing one to efficiently detect entanglement without the need for costly state tomography as illustrated for a variety of physically relevant states (Gaussian, mixed Schrödinger cat, and NOON states). The influence of typical experimental imperfections is shown to be moderate.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Relative entropic uncertainty relation for scalar quantum fields

Entropic uncertainty is a well-known concept to formulate uncertainty relations for continuous variable quantum systems with finitely many degrees of freedom. Typically, the bounds of such relations scale with the number of oscillator modes, preventing a straight-forward generalization to quantum field theories. In this work, we overcome this difficulty by introducing the notion of a functional relative entropy and show that it has a meaningful field theory limit. We present the first entropic uncertainty relation for a scalar quantum field theory and exemplify its behavior by considering few particle excitations and the thermal state. Also, we show that the relation implies the multidimensional Heisenberg uncertainty relation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Quantum field simulator for dynamics in curved spacetime

The observed large-scale structure in our Universe is seen as a result of quantum fluctuations amplified by spacetime evolution. This, and related problems in cosmology, asks for an understanding of the quantum fields of the standard model and dark matter in curved spacetime. Even the reduced problem of a scalar quantum field in an explicitly time-dependent spacetime metric is a theoretical challenge and thus a quantum field simulator can lead to new insights. Here, we demonstrate such a quantum field simulator in a two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate with a configurable trap and adjustable interaction strength to implement this model system. We explicitly show the realisation of spacetimes with positive and negative spatial curvature by wave packet propagation and confirm particle pair production in controlled power-law expansion of space. We find quantitative agreement with new analytical predictions for different curvatures in time and space. This benchmarks and thereby establishes a quantum field simulator of a new class. In the future, straightforward upgrades offer the possibility to enter new, so far unexplored, regimes that give further insight into relativistic quantum field dynamics.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗