Faster than Lyapunov decays of the classical Loschmidt echo

We show that in the classical interaction picture the echo dynamics, namely, the composition of perturbed forward and unperturbed backward Hamiltonian evolution, can be treated as a time-dependent Hamiltonian system. For strongly chaotic (Anosov) systems we derive a cascade of exponential decays for the classical Loschmidt echo, starting with the leading Lyapunov exponent, followed by a sum of the two largest exponents, etc. In the loxodromic case a decay starts with the rate given as twice the largest Lyapunov exponent. For a class of perturbations of symplectic maps the echo dynamics exhibits a drift resulting in a superexponential decay of the Loschmidt echo.     

Loschmidt echo in a system of interacting electrons

We study the Loschmidt echo for a system of electrons interacting through mean-field Coulomb forces. The electron gas is modeled by a self-consistent set of hydrodynamic equations. It is observed that the quantum fidelity drops abruptly after a time that is proportional to the logarithm of the perturbation amplitude. The fidelity drop is related to the breakdown of the symmetry properties of the wave function.     

Decay of Loschmidt echo enhanced by quantum criticality

We study the transition of a quantum system from a pure state to a mixed one, which is induced by the quantum criticality of the surrounding system E coupled to it. To characterize this transition quantitatively, we carefully examine the behavior of the Loschmidt echo (LE) of E modeled as an Ising model in a transverse field, which behaves as a measuring apparatus in quantum measurement. It is found that the quantum critical behavior of E strongly affects its capability of enhancing the decay of LE: near the critical value of the transverse field entailing the happening of quantum phase transition, the off-diagonal elements of the reduced density matrix describing S vanish sharply.     

Exact infinite-time statistics of the Loschmidt echo for a quantum quench

The equilibration dynamics of a closed quantum system is encoded in the long-time distribution function of generic observables. In this Letter we consider the Loschmidt echo generalized to finite temperature, and show that we can obtain an exact expression for its long-time distribution for a closed system described by a quantum XY chain following a sudden quench. In the thermodynamic limit the logarithm of the Loschmidt echo becomes normally distributed, whereas for small quenches in the opposite, quasicritical regime, the distribution function acquires a universal double-peaked form indicating poor equilibration. These findings, obtained by a central limit theorem-type result, extend to completely general models in the small-quench regime.     

Decay of the Loschmidt echo for quantum states with sub-planck-scale structures

Quantum states extended over a large volume in phase space have oscillations from quantum interferences in their Wigner distribution on scales smaller than variant Planck's over 2pi [W. H. Zurek, Nature (London) 412, 712 (2001)]]. We investigate the influence of those sub-Planck-scale structures on the sensitivity to an external perturbation of the state's time evolution. While we do find an accelerated decay of the Loschmidt Echo for an extended state in comparison to a localized wave packet, the acceleration is described entirely by the classical Lyapunov exponent and hence cannot originate from quantum interference.     

Measuring Loschmidt echo via Floquet engineering in superconducting circuits

The Loschmidt echo is a useful diagnostic for the perfection of quantum time-reversal process and the sensitivity of quantum evolution to small perturbations. The main challenge for measuring the Loschmidt echo is the time reversal of a quantum evolution. In this work, we demonstrate the measurement of the Loschmidt echo in a superconducting 10-qubit system using Floquet engineering and discuss the imperfection of an initial Bell-state recovery arising from the next-nearest-neighbor (NNN) coupling present in the qubit device. Our results show that the Loschmidt echo is very sensitive to small perturbations during quantum-state evolution, in contrast to the quantities like qubit population that is often considered in the time-reversal experiment. These properties may be employed for the investigation of multiqubit system concerning many-body decoherence and entanglement, etc., especially when devices with reduced or vanishing NNN coupling are used.     

Universal decay of the classical Loschmidt echo of neutrally stable mixing dynamics

We provide analytical and numerical evidence that the classical mixing systems, which lack exponential sensitivity on initial conditions, exhibit universal decay of the Loschmidt echo which turns out to be a function of a single scaled time variable delta(2/5)t, where delta is the strength of perturbation. The role of dynamical instability and entropy production is discussed.     

Loschmidt echo near a dynamical phase transition in a Bose-Einstein condensate

We show that the quantum Loschmidt echo can be employed to characterize the dynamical phase transition, from a tunnelling phase to a self-trapping phase, of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a double-well potential. The echo is found to have a relatively fast decay in the transition region, with a Gaussian decay in the self-trapping phase and a stretched exponential decay in the tunnelling phase.     

Relatively-long time decay of Loschmidt echo of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a double-well potential

We study the long-time decay of quantum Loschmidt echo (LE) of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) in a double-well potential. In the tunneling and self-trapping phases of the BEC, the LE has exponential and Gaussian decays, respectively, for relatively-long times. In the crossover region, the LE behaves differently from both the tunneling and the self-trapping phases. These results indicate that relatively-long time decay of the LE is suitable for characterizing the dynamical phase transition of the BEC.     

Critical behavior of the XY spin chain with three-site interaction studied in terms of the Loschmidt echo

The effect of the three-site interaction (α) on the critical behaviors of the XY spin chain is studied in terms of the Loschmidt echo (LE). The critical lines can be shifted by α, and the anisotropy parameter of the XY chain has no effect on the critical lines. The scaling behaviors of the LE reveal that the dynamical behaviors of the LE are reliable for characterizing quantum phase transition (QPT).     

Critical behavior of XY spin chain with Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction studied in terms of Loschmidt echo

In this paper, the critical behavior of the general XY spin chain with the Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya (DM) interaction is studied by means of a Loschmidt Echo (LE) calculation. LE presents a Gauss decay in the region of magnetic field intensity |λ|<1 and an exponential decay in the region of |λ|>1. There exists a critical spin chain size N_C. When spin chain size is larger than N_C, the value of λ corresponding to the minimum value of LE (λ_m) is independent of the spin chain size and keeps a stable value. In the region of λ<0, the stable value is same for different DM interactions. In the region of λ>0, the stable value varies with changing DM interaction.     

Critical behavior of the XY spin chain with three-site interaction studied in terms of the Loschmidt echo

The effect of the three-site interaction (α) on the critical behaviors of the XY spin chain is studied in terms of the Loschmidt echo (LE). The critical lines can be shifted by α, and the anisotropy parameter of the XY chain has no effect on the critical lines. The scaling behaviors of the LE reveal that the dynamical behaviors of the LE are reliable for characterizing quantum phase transition (QPT).     

Quantum phase transition in XY spin chain with three-site interaction studied in terms of Loschmidt echo and Berry phase

By means of the Loschmidt Echo (LE) and Berry Phase (BP) calculations, quantum phase transition (QPT) of an XY spin chain with three-site interaction (α) in a transverse magnetic field (λ) is studied. Both the LE and BP?s λ derivative present anomaly behaviors at the critical regions λ₁,λ₂ and λ₃. The model is in the Ferromagnetic phase as λ>λ₁=1+α and in the Spin Liquid I phase as −1+α<λ<1+α. λ₁ and λ₂ are independent on the anisotropy parameter γ. But, the anisotropy interaction can shift the critical line λ₃ between the Spin Liquid II phase and the Ferromagnetic phase. The present work suggests that QPT of the XY spin chain with three-site interaction can be characterized by exploring the dynamical behaviors of the LE and BP.     

Loschmidt echo of a central spin coupled to an XY spin chain: Role of three-site interaction

Effects of two types of three-site interaction, i.e., XZX+YZY and XZY−YZX, on Loschmidt Echo (LE) of a central spin coupled to an XY spin chain are studied. The dynamical evolution behaviors of the LE are investigated analytically and numerically. The XZX+YZY type of three-site interaction (α₁) can shift the critical points of the magnetic field λ. At the critical points |λ−α₁|=1, the decay of the LE is enhanced. The role of the XZY−YZX type of three-site interaction (α₂) depends on its strength. In some specific intervals, α₂ can remarkably delay the decay of the LE.     

Boltzmann'sH theorem and the Loschmidt and the Zermelo paradoxes

The Umkehreinwand of Loschmidt and the Wiederkehreinwand of Zermelo have been reexamined. The former paradox depends on the augument that for a dynamical system, upon the reversal of the velocities of all the molecules, theH function retraces its sequence of values so thatdH/dt will change its sign. The latter paradox depends on the argument that theH function returns infinitely close to its value after a Poincare' quasi-period and therefore cannot be decreasing all the time. While the main contention of the two paradoxes is correct, that theH theorem is inconsistent with classical dynamical laws, the arguments there can be considerably simplified and the “paradoxes” answered more directly. If the distribution functionf(q _K ,p _K ,t) is governed by an equation which is time-reversal invariant (such as the Liouville equation for a closed dynamical system), then it can be shown immediately thatdH/dt=0,H=cons. In this case, both paradoxes disappear, but together with them, thedH/dt<0 part of theH theorem also has disappeared, i.e., there is no second law of thermodynamics. Iff(q _K ,p _K ,t) is governed by an equation which is not time-reversal invariant (such as the Boltzmann equation, or the Master Equation for Markovian processes), then (1) there is no argument forf andH(t) to retrace their sequence of values upon the reversal of all the velocities of the system, (2) there is no quasiperiod in whichf andH(t) return to their earlier values. In this case, both paradoxes disappear also, but then one must go beyond classical dynamics in order to maintain theH theorem.     

Decoherence and thermalization

We present a rigorous analysis of the phenomenon of decoherence for general N-level systems coupled to reservoirs of free massless bosonic fields. We apply our general results to the specific case of the qubit. Our approach does not involve master equation approximations and applies to a wide variety of systems which are not explicitly solvable.     

HYPER and Gravitational Decoherence

We study the decoherence process associated with the scattering of stochastic backgrounds of gravitational waves. We show that it has a negligible influence on HYPER-like atomic interferometers although it may dominate decoherence of macroscopic motions, such as the planetary motion of the Moon around the Earth.     

Decoherence and multipartite entanglement

We study the dynamics of multipartite entanglement under the influence of decoherence. A suitable generalization of concurrence reveals distinct scaling of the entanglement decay rate of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger and W states, for various environments.     

Loschmidt Echo and Fidelity Decay Near an Exceptional Point

Non‐Hermitian classical and open quantum systems near an exceptional point (EP) are known to undergo strong deviations in their dynamical behavior under small perturbations or slow cycling of parameters as compared to Hermitian systems. Such a strong sensitivity is at the heart of many interesting phenomena and applications, such as the asymmetric breakdown of the adiabatic theorem, enhanced sensing, non‐Hermitian dynamical quantum phase transitions, and photonic catastrophe. Like for Hermitian systems, the sensitivity to perturbations on the dynamical evolution can be captured by Loschmidt echo and fidelity after imperfect time reversal or quench dynamics. Here, a rather counterintuitive phenomenon in certain non‐Hermitian systems near an EP is disclosed, namely the deceleration (rather than acceleration) of the fidelity decay and improved Loschmidt echo as compared to their Hermitian counterparts, despite large (non‐perturbative) deformation of the energy spectrum introduced by the perturbations. This behavior is illustrated by considering the fidelity decay and Loschmidt echo for the single‐particle hopping dynamics on a tight‐binding lattice under an imaginary gauge field.