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Title: Entanglement entropy, decoherence, and quantum phase transitions of a dissipative two-level system

Journal Article · · Annals of Physics (New York)
 [1]
  1. Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520 (United States), E-mail: karyn.lehur@yale.edu

The concept of entanglement entropy appears in multiple contexts, from black hole physics to quantum information theory, where it measures the entanglement of quantum states. We investigate the entanglement entropy in a simple model, the spin-boson model, which describes a qubit (two-level system) interacting with a collection of harmonic oscillators that models the environment responsible for decoherence and dissipation. The entanglement entropy allows to make a precise unification between entanglement of the spin with its environment, decoherence, and quantum phase transitions. We derive exact analytical results which are confirmed by Numerical Renormalization Group arguments both for an ohmic and a subohmic bosonic bath. The entanglement entropy obeys universal scalings. We make comparisons with entanglement properties in the quantum Ising model and in the Dicke model. We also emphasize the possibility of measuring this entropy using charge qubits subject to electromagnetic noise; such measurements would provide an empirical proof of the existence of entanglement entropy.

OSTI ID:
21163736
Journal Information:
Annals of Physics (New York), Vol. 323, Issue 9; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.aop.2007.12.003; PII: S0003-4916(07)00179-0; Copyright (c) 2007 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-4916
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English