Probing entanglement in a many-body–localized system

Abstract

Some one-dimensional disordered interacting quantum systems have been theoretically predicted to display a property termed many-body localization (MBL), where the system retains the memory of its initial state and fails to thermalize. However, proving experimentally that something does not occur is tricky. Instead, physicists have proposed monitoring the entanglement entropy of the system, which should grow logarithmically with evolution time in an MBL system. Lukin et al. observed this characteristic logarithmic trend in a disordered chain of interacting atoms of rubidium-87. This method should be generalizable to other experimental platforms and higher dimensions.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Apr 19, 2019
Source ID
10.1126/science.aau0818

Entities

People

  • Adam M. Kaufman
  • Alexander Lukin
  • Julian Léonard
  • M. Eric Tai
  • Markus Greiner
  • Matthew Rispoli
  • Robert Schittko
  • Soonwon Choi
  • Vedika Khemani

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
  • Harvard University
  • National Science Foundation
  • Swiss National Science Foundation

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Quantum spin resonance or Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Quantum Computing