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Wednesday 26 November

Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from cs.LG

Modeling Quantum Autoencoder Trainable Kernel for IoT Anomaly Detection

Escalating cyber threats and the high-dimensional complexity of IoT traffic have outpaced classical anomaly detection methods. While deep learning offers improvements, computational bottlenecks limit real-time deployment at scale. We present a quantum autoencoder (QAE) framework that compresses network traffic into discriminative latent representations and employs quantum support vector classification (QSVC) for intrusion detection. Evaluated on three datasets, our approach achieves improved accuracy on ideal simulators and on the IBM Quantum hardware demonstrating practical quantum advantage on current NISQ devices. Crucially, moderate depolarizing noise acts as implicit regularization, stabilizing training and enhancing generalization. This work establishes quantum machine learning as a viable, hardware-ready solution for real-world cybersecurity challenges.
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All authors Swathi Chandrasekhar, Shiva Raj Pokhrel, Swati Kumari, Navneet Singh

Quantum Physics

Lattice Surgery Aware Resource Analysis for the Mapping and Scheduling of Quantum Circuits for Scalable Modular Architectures

Quantum computing platforms are evolving to a point where placing high numbers of qubits into a single core comes with certain difficulties such as fidelity, crosstalk, and high power consumption of dense classical electronics. Utilizing distributed cores, each hosting logical data qubits and logical ancillas connected via classical and quantum communication channels, offers a promising alternative. However, building such a system for logical qubits requires additional optimizations, such as minimizing the amount of state transfer between cores for inter-core two-qubit gates and optimizing the routing of magic states distilled in a magic state factory. In this work, we investigate such a system and its statistics in terms of classical and quantum resources. First, we restrict our quantum gate set to a universal gate set consisting of CNOT, H, T, S, and Pauli gates. We then developed a framework that can take any quantum circuit, transpile it to our gate set using Qiskit, and then partition the qubits using the KaHIP graph partitioner to balanced partitions. Afterwards, we built an algorithm to map these graphs onto the 2D mesh of quantum cores by converting the problem into a Quadratic Assignment Problem with Fixed Assignment (QAPFA) to minimize the routing of leftover two-qubit gates between cores and the total travel of magic states from the magic state factory. Following this stage, the gates are scheduled using an algorithm that takes care of the timing of the gate set. As a final stage, our framework reports detailed statistics such as the number of classical communications, the number of EPR pairs and magic states consumed, and timing overheads for pre- and post- processing for inter-core state transfers. These results help to quantify both classical and quantum resources that are used in distributed logical quantum computing architectures.
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All authors Batuhan Keskin, Cameron Afradi, Sylvain Lovis, Maurizio Palesi, Pau Escofet, Carmen G. Almudever, Edoardo Charbon

Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from hep-th

Zoo of Correlation Inequalities in Holography and Beyond

Information-theoretic inequalities often impose nontrivial constraints on holographic states. In this work, we study measurement-based classical and quantum correlations in holography, focusing on the proposed duals of classical correlation $J_W$, quantum discord $D_W$, and one-shot distillable entanglement $E_D$, defined in terms of the entanglement wedge cross section (EWCS). We develop a homological framework tailored to inequalities involving multiple EWCSs and Ryu-Takayanagi surfaces, and use it to prove a family of inequalities, including monotonicity and monogamy/polygamy-type relations, as well as one-way strong superadditivity. For strong superadditivity, we additionally confirm its two-way version using Haar random states. We also examine holography-inspired boundary duals in terms of the reflected entropy and provide proofs and counterexamples for their information-theoretic inequalities. Taken together, our results provide further evidence for the duality between the EWCS and its proposed boundary counterparts – measurement-based correlations and one-shot distillable entanglement – while also furnishing a unified, rigorous method for proving multi-EWCS inequalities.
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Quantum Physics

Accuracy and resource advantages of quantum eigenvalue estimation with non-Hermitian transcorrelated electronic Hamiltonians

In electronic structure calculations, the transcorrelated method consists in transforming the Hamiltonian so as to remove the Coulomb cusp in its eigenfunctions. As a result, the wavefunction can be described more accurately without increasing the size of the basis set. However, the transcorrelated Hamiltonian is non-Hermitian and non-normal, which makes many common quantum algorithms inapplicable. Recently, a quantum eigenvalue estimation algorithm (QEVE) was proposed for non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with real spectra [FOCS 65, 1051 (2024)]. Although the asymptotic scaling of this algorithm with the desired accuracy is shown to be optimal, the constant factor in its complexity scaling has not been analyzed. Here we investigate the cost of QEVE applied to transcorrelated electronic Hamiltonians of second-row atoms and compare it to the cost of applying standard qubitization to non-transcorrelated Hamiltonians. We find that, with the xTC approximation, the T gate count of QEVE in the minimal STO-6G basis is between those of standard qubitization in the cc-pVTZ and cc-pVQZ bases. The accuracy of the transcorrelated energy differs between systems: for Li and Be, it is more accurate than the cc-pVQZ energy, while for larger atoms, the error gradually increases, exceeding the cc-pVDZ level for O, F, and Ne.
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Quantum Physics

Measure and Forget Dynamics in Random Circuits

Unrecorded or “forgetful” measurements – physically, a local dephasing channel – can arise naturally as syndrome-measurement errors in fault-tolerant protocols and as uncontrolled decoherence in open systems. We numerically study random Clifford circuits in which recorded projective $Z$ measurements compete with unrecorded (forgotten) $Z$ measurements, focusing on the dynamical, finite-depth regime relevant to decoding and quantum memory. In the forget-only limit the global entropy density thermalizes at a rate independent of system size, and the forgetting rate at which thermalization sets in decays with circuit depth as a power law $p_f^{\ast}\sim d^{v}$, consistent with the critical-depth scaling inversely with the noise rate found for related noisy-circuit quantities. With recorded measurements present, the mutual information $I(A{:}B)$ – which quantifies the recoverable correlation between the two halves – develops a finite-depth peak whose height grows sub-extensively with $N$: its effective scaling exponent $\alpha(p_f)$ decreases monotonically, so that forgetting drives the recoverable correlation from near-volume-law toward area-law scaling. We map the recoverability landscape in the $(p_m,p_f)$ plane and show that forgetting destroys the measurement-induced purification transition. These results complement earlier stat-mech analyses of noisy monitored circuits and quantify the competition between measurement and forgetting relevant to quantum error correction.
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Quantum Physics

No need to calibrate: characterization and compilation for high-fidelity circuit execution using imperfect gates

We propose and validate on real quantum computing hardware a new method for extended two-qubit gate set design, replacing iterative, fine calibration with fast characterization of a small number of gate parameters which are then tracked and corrected in circuit compilation. Coherent contributions to the pulse unitary that would traditionally be considered sources of error are treated as part of the gate definition, and compensated in software via single-qubit rotations. This approach enables rapid device-wide generation of high-fidelity two-qubit entangling gates, which are combined with standard calibrated gates to produce an expanded gate set. We show how these gates are directly usable as part of a quantum compiler, synthesizing generic two-qubit circuit blocks into minimal-duration sequences of the characterized gates interleaved with compensating single-qubit rotations. Benchmarking against circuits compiled using the default $CX$ gate alone on 127-qubit IBM hardware shows up to 7X improvement in success probability for Quantum Fourier Transform circuits up to 26 qubits, and up to 9X lower mean-square error in Trotter simulations of the one-dimensional transverse-field Ising model. Our hardware-agnostic characterization and compilation methodology makes it practical to scale up expressive gate sets on quantum computing architectures while minimizing the need for onerous fine-tuning of low-level control waveforms.
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All authors Ashish Kakkar, Samuel Marsh, Yulun Wang, Pranav Mundada, Paul Coote, Gavin Hartnett, Michael J. Biercuk, Yuval Baum

Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from cond-mat.mes-hall

Exceptional points and spectral cusps from density-wave fluctuation

We report two types of singularities that arise from fluctuations during the formation of charge- or spin-density waves. The first is the exceptional point (EP), corresponding to a higher-order pole of the retarded Green's function. Such EPs lead to algebraic corrections in the decay of quasiparticle occupations and are observable through time-resolved angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (Tr-ARPES). The second is a spectral cusp, defined by the coalescence of three extrema in the real-frequency spectral function $A(\mathbf{k}, \omega)$. This cusp enforces the formation of Fermi arcs and induces a "threading" structure in the nearby band structure, both of which are directly observable in ARPES.
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Quantum Physics

Testing Single Photon Entanglement using Self-Referential Measurements

Entanglement does not always require one particle per party. It was predicted some thirty years ago that a single photon traversing a beam splitter could violate a Bell inequality. Although initially debated, single-photon nonlocality was eventually demonstrated via homodyne measurements. Here, we present an alternate realisation that avoids the complexity of homodyne measurements and potential loopholes in their implementation. We violate a Bell inequality by performing joint measurements on two copies of the same single-photon entangled state, where one photon acts as a phase reference for the other, making it self-referential. We observe CHSH parameters of $2.71\pm 0.09$ and $2.23\pm 0.07$, depending on the joint measurements implemented. This offers a new perspective on single-photon nonlocality and a more accessible experimental route, potentially applicable to general mode-entangled states in diverse platforms.
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All authors Daniel Kun, Teodor Strömberg, Borivoje Dakić, Philip Walther, Lee A. Rozema

Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from cond-mat.str-el

Obstruction to Ergodicity from Locality and $U(1)$ Higher Symmetries on the Lattice

We argue that the presence of any exact $U(1)$ higher-form symmetry, under mild assumptions, presents a fundamental obstruction to ergodicity under unitary dynamics in lattice systems with local interactions and finite on-site Hilbert space dimension. Focusing on the two-dimensional case, we show that such systems necessarily exhibit Hilbert space fragmentation and explicitly construct Krylov sectors whose number scales exponentially with system size. While these sectors cannot be distinguished by symmetry quantum numbers, we identify the emergent integrals of motion which characterize them. Our symmetry-based approach is insensitive to details of the Hamiltonian and the lattice, providing a systematic explanation for ergodicity-breaking in a range of systems, including quantum link models.
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Quantum Physics

Higher-order nonclassicality criteria for photon-subtracted and photon-added states via the normalization constant

We show that any nonclassicality criterion based on factorial moments, including several higher-order parameters such as the Mandel $Q^{(\ell)}$ parameter, the Lee antibunching function $d^{(\ell-1)}_h$, and the Agarwal–Tara parameter $A_3$, can be computed straightforwardly for photon-subtracted and photon-added states by performing operator reordering of the factorial moments. Within this approach, all relevant quantities depend solely on the normalization constant of the given state.
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Quantum Physics

Quantum Optimality in the Odd-Cycle game: the topological odd-blocker, marked connected components of the giant, consistency of pearls, vanishing homotopy

We characterize optimality of Quantum strategies for the Odd-Cycle game. Separate from other game-theoretic settings, parallel repetition for the Odd-Cycle game is related to the foam problem, which can be formulated through a minimization of the surface area. In comparison to previous works on minimizing the surface area, we quantify how properties of the marked giant connected component can be related to the maximum winning probability using Quantum strategies. Objects that we introduce to formulate such connections include the topological odd-blocker, previous examples of error bounds for other Quantum games that have been formulated by the author, pearls, consistent regions, and the cycle elimination problem.
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Quantum Physics

Holographically Emergent Gauge Theory in Symmetric Quantum Circuits

We develop a novel holographic framework to study dynamical phases in random quantum circuits with a global symmetry $G$. Viewing the circuit as a tensor network, we decompose it into two parts: a symmetric layer, which defines an emergent gauge wavefunction in one higher dimension, and a non-symmetric layer, composed of random multiplicity tensors. For $G\,{=}\,\mathbb{Z}_N$ symmetric circuits consisting of local unitary gates interspersed with local symmetric noise channels, averaging over the non-symmetric layer yields a dynamically generated noisy $\mathbb{Z}_{N}$ surface code. This allows us to interpret $\mathbb{Z}_{N}$ symmetric circuits in the volume-law phase as quantum error-correcting codes with a distinguished set of logical spin states that inherit the topological protection of the bulk code. By establishing equality of bulk and boundary coherent information, we show that quantum information encoded in these logical states is maximally protected against symmetric noise up to a finite threshold. We further study weakly monitored $\mathbb{Z}_{N}$ symmetric circuits which exhibit a charge-sharpening transition. We show that the point at which the observer gains classical information about the global charge coincides with the point at which measurements destroy the underlying quantum information encoded in the bulk surface code. This also allows for a natural interpretation of the sharpening transition as a confinement transition in the gauge theory. For $N\,{\leq}\,4$, weak measurements drive a single transition from a charge-fuzzy phase with exponential sharpening time $t_{\#}\sim e^{L}$ to a charge-sharp phase with $t_{\#}\sim \mathcal{O}(1)$. On the other hand, for $N>4$, the circuit can enter an intermediate phase with a linear sharpening time $t_{\#}\sim \mathcal{O}(L)$. In this regime, the bulk gauge theory realizes a Coulomb phase with emergent gapless photons.
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Quantum Physics

Finite Size Analysis of Decoy-State BB84 with Advantage Distillation

Advantage Distillation (AD) is a classical post-processing technique that enhances Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) protocols by increasing the maximum acceptable Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER) and thus extending the distance at which QKD links can be securely established. AD operates by post-selecting blocks of bits and extracting fewer high-fidelity bits, exhibiting a reduced QBER and thus lowering the amount of information that has to be disclosed during the information reconciliation step. In this work we present the first comprehensive finite key-size analysis of decoy-state BB84 enhanced via AD post-processing. We demonstrate that through the use of AD the maximum acceptable QBER increases from around $9.5\%$ to around $17.3\%$ for realistic key sizes. This result shows that substantial performance enhancements can be achieved in scenarios which are constrained by the maximum tolerable QBER via improvements of the post-processing method alone.
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Quantum Physics

FPGA-tailored algorithms for real-time decoding of quantum LDPC codes

Real-time decoding is crucial for fault-tolerant quantum computing but likely requires specialized hardware such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), whose parallelism can alter relative algorithmic performance. We analyze FPGA-tailored versions of three decoder classes for quantum low-density parity-check (qLDPC) codes: message passing, ordered statistics, and clustering. For message passing, we analyze the recently introduced Relay decoder and its FPGA implementation; for ordered statistics decoding (OSD), we introduce a filtered variant that concentrates computation on high-likelihood fault locations; and for clustering, we design an FPGA-adapted generalized union-find decoder. We design a systolic algorithm for Gaussian elimination on rank-deficient systems that runs in linear parallel time, enabling fast validity checks and local corrections in clustering and eliminating costly full-rank inversion in filtered-OSD. Despite these improvements, both remain far slower and less accurate than Relay, suggesting message passing is the most viable route to real-time qLDPC decoding.
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All authors Satvik Maurya, Thilo Maurer, Markus Bühler, Drew Vandeth, Michael E. Beverland

Quantum Physics

Pauli propagation enables fast classical simulation of strongly correlated quantum systems

Ground state energy estimation for strongly correlated quantum systems remains a central challenge in computational physics and chemistry. While tensor network methods like DMRG provide efficient solutions for one-dimensional systems, higher-dimensional problems remain difficult. Here we present a variational double bracket flow (vDBF) algorithm that leverages Pauli Propagation, a technique originally developed for classical simulation of quantum circuits, to efficiently approximate ground state energies. By combining greedy operator selection with coefficient-based fluctuation truncation and energy-variance extrapolation, we obtain sub-1% relative errors for Heisenberg and Hubbard lattices of up to 128 qubits. For a 10$\times$10 Heisenberg lattice (100 qubits), vDBF obtains accurate results in approximately 2 minutes on a single CPU thread, compared to over 50 hours on 64 threads for DMRG. Accurate results are also obtained for systems that are difficult for quantum Monte Carlo: on the maximally frustrated $8\times8$ $J_1$-$J_2$ lattice and the hole-doped $8\times8$ Hubbard model, the tightest thresholds extrapolate to within a few tenths of a percent of the best published variational estimates. We further test vDBF on the 84-qubit $\pi$-valence active space of hexabenzocoronene, where the most reliable extrapolated correlation energies agree with DMRG to within 1%. These results demonstrate that classical simulation techniques developed in the context of quantum advantage benchmarking can provide practical tools for many-body physics.
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All authors Chinmay Shrikhande, Arnab Bachhar, Aaron Rodriguez Jimenez, Edward F. Valeev, Nicholas J. Mayhall

Quantum Physics

Factorisation conditions and causality for local measurements in QFT

Quantum operations that are perfectly admissible in non-relativistic quantum theory can enable signalling between spacelike separated regions when naively imported into quantum field theory (QFT). Prominent examples of such "impossible measurements" include certain unitary kicks and projective measurements. It is generally accepted that only those quantum operations whose physical implementation arises from a fully relativistically covariant interaction, between the quantum field and a suitable probe, should be regarded as admissible. While this idea has been realised at the level of abstract algebraic QFT, or via particular measurement models, there is still no general set of operational criteria characterising which measurements are physically implementable. In this work we adopt the local S-matrix formalism to describe local operations, and make use of a hierarchy of factorisation conditions that exclude both superluminal signalling and retrocausality, thereby providing such a criterion. Realising the local S-matrices through explicit interactions between smeared field operators and a pointer degree of freedom, we further derive local causality conditions for the induced Kraus operators, which guarantee the absence of signalling in "impossible measurement" scenarios. Finally, we show that the accuracy with which local field observables can be measured is fundamentally limited by the retarded propagator of the field, which plays an essential role in the factorisation identity we prove for the field Kraus operators.
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All authors Robin Simmons, Maria Papageorgiou, Marios Christodoulou, Časlav Brukner

Quantum Physics

Tunable WS$_2$ Micro-Dome Open Cavity Single Photon Source

Versatile, tunable, and potentially scalable single-photon sources are a key asset in emergent photonic quantum technologies. In this work, a single-photon source based on WS$_2$ micro-domes, created via hydrogen ion irradiation, is realized and integrated into an open, tunable optical microcavity. Single-photon emission from the coupled emitter-cavity system is verified via the second-order correlation measurement, revealing a $g^{(2)}(\tau=0)$ value of 0.3. A detailed analysis of the spectrally selective, cavity enhanced emission features shows the impact of a pronounced acoustic phonon emission sideband, which contributes specifically to the non-resonant emitter-cavity coupling in this system. The achieved level of cavity-emitter control highlights the potential of open-cavity systems to tailor the emission properties of atomically thin quantum emitters, advancing their suitability for real-world quantum technology applications.
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All authors Jens-Christian Drawer, Salvatore Cianci, Vita Solovyeva, Alexander Steinhoff, Christopher Gies, Falk Eilenberger, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Ivan Solovev, Giorgio Pettinari, Federico Tuzi, Elena Blundo, Marco Felici, Antonio Polimeni, Martin Esmann, Christian Schneider

Quantum Physics

Lazy Quantum Walks with Native Multiqubit Gates

Quantum walks, the quantum analogue of the classical random walk, have been shown to underpin quantum algorithms for fluid dynamics. We propose the quantum half-adder gate method for quantum walks as a good benchmark algorithm, specifically to compare native two-qubit gate and native multiqubit gate implementations. Neutral atom hardware is a promising choice of platform for implementing quantum walks due to its ability to implement native multiqubit (>2-qubit) gates and to dynamically re-arrange qubits. Using detailed realistic error modelling for multiqubit Rydberg gates via two-photon adiabatic rapid passage, we present the gate sequences and predicted final state fidelities for some small one dimensional quantum walks, including lazy quantum walks; lazy quantum walks include a rest state, which is needed for quantum walks for fluid simulation. Our simulations pinpoint the sweet spot where native multiqubit gates provide an advantage compared with decomposing the gate into multiple smaller higher fidelity gates.
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Quantum Physics

Using the wavelet transform to separate scales in the Schrödinger equation and subsequently derive the Boltzmann equation

Here we continue our investigation aimed at the derivation of the Boltzmann equation from the first principles of quantum mechanics. The key difficulty that we overcome in this manuscript is the incompatibility between traditional methods employed in the derivation of classical mechanics from quantum mechanics and methods used to describe transitions between quantum states due to interaction. Here we use a novel technique that is similar to the wavelet transform method that originally appeared in the context of signal processing. With this method, we can simultaneously work with slowly varying potentials that give rise to classical-like wave-function behaviour, motion along a prescribed trajectory, and sharp potentials that lead to behaviour that is best understood in terms of quantum transitions. Working with smooth potentials in this framework, we derive the Liouville equation from the Schrödinger equation. When using this method for sharp potentials, we naturally obtain the description of system dynamics in terms of a transition-rate matrix. The transition rates between system states, which characterize the process, are determined by Fermi's golden rule. We observe that, through the Liouville equation, we can deduce the non-collision part of the Boltzmann equation, and that, through the transition-rate matrix, we can deduce the collision integral. We combine the results to derive the Boltzmann equation, the main formula of physical kinetics.
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Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from cond-mat.mes-hall

Dichroism from Chiral Thermoelectric Probes: Generalized Sum Rules for Orbital and Heat Magnetizations

We introduce a unified framework that relates orbital and heat magnetizations to experimentally accessible excitation spectra, through thermoelectric probes and generalized sum rules. By analyzing zero-temperature transport coefficients and applying Kramers-Kronig relations, we derive spectral representations of magnetization densities from thermoelectric correlation functions. Excitation rates under chiral thermoelectric drives then naturally emerge as direct probes of these Kubo-type correlators, placing orbital and heat magnetizations on equal footing with the topological Chern number. As a direct consequence of our formalism, we introduce a hierarchical construction that organizes orbital and heat magnetizations into distinct physical contributions accessible through sum rules, and also naturally obtain real-space markers of these magnetizations. Besides, non-chiral thermal probes identify a heat quantum metric, which is defined over the space of gravitomagnetic deformations. From an experimental standpoint, we propose concrete implementations of thermoelectric dichroic measurements in quantum-engineered platforms based on modulated strain fields. These results establish thermoelectric dichroic measurements as a versatile route to access and disentangle fundamental ground-state properties.
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All authors Baptiste Bermond, Lucila Peralta Gavensky, Anaïs Defossez, Nathan Goldman

Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from cond-mat.str-el

Unconventional orders in the maple-leaf ferro-antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model

Motivated by the search for unconventional orders in frustrated quantum magnets, we present a multi-method investigation into the nature of the quantum phase diagram of the spin-$1/2$ Heisenberg model on the maple-leaf lattice with three symmetry-inequivalent nearest-neighbor interactions. It has been argued that the parameter regime with antiferromagnetic couplings on hexagons $J_h$ and ferromagnetic couplings on triangles $J_t$ and dimer $J_d$ bonds, is potentially host to a cornucopia of emergent phases with unconventional orders. Our analysis indeed identifies an extended region where any conventional dipolar magnetic order is absent. A hexagonal singlet state is found in the region around $J_{d}=J_{t}=0$, while a dimerized hexagonal singlet order of a lattice nematic character appears proximate to the phase boundary with the c$120^\circ$ antiferromagnetic order. Interestingly, upon traversing the bulk of the paramagnetic (PM) region, we find a variety of distinct correlation profiles, which are qualitatively different from those of the hexagonal singlet and dimerized hexagonal singlet orders but feature no appreciable spin-nematic response, while the boundary with the ferromagnetic phase shows evidence of spin-nematic order. This PM region is thus likely host to an ensemble of nonmagnetic phases which could putatively include quantum spin liquids. Our phase diagram is built from a complementary application of state-of-the-art implementations of the cluster mean-field and pseudo-fermion functional renormalization group approaches, together with an unconstrained Luttinger-Tisza treatment of the model providing insights from the semi-classical limit.
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All authors Lasse Gresista, Dominik Kiese, Simon Trebst, Yasir Iqbal

Quantum Physics

Quantum Latent Gauge and Coherence Selective Forces

We propose a hidden U(1) gauge interaction that couples exclusively to quantum coherence in massive systems. The central innovation is a conserved coherence current operator constructed from the Noether mass current via operator-level coarse-graining. This current vanishes for classical matter distributions but is nonzero for spatial superpositions and entangled states, yielding a gauge interaction that is dormant in classical regimes but activated by quantum coherence. The framework predicts three distinctive signatures: (i) interferometric phase shifts scaling linearly with fringe visibility, (ii) decoherence rates with characteristic m^2 scaling and spatial dependence distinct from collapse models, and (iii) entanglement-selective forces between distant massive qubits. The theory maintains full gauge invariance, causality, and positive time evolution. We show that state-of-the-art atom interferometers and levitated nanoparticles can place first constraints on this interaction class, complementary to classical fifth-force searches. This approach provides a novel theoretical framework for probing coherence-selective fundamental interactions and their potential role in the quantum-classical transition. To make this more concrete, we also spell out a simple benchmark latent-field model and work out, in detail, how a representative large-momentum-transfer atom interferometer constrains the corresponding coupling strength.
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Quantum Physics

Metastability in the Dissipative Quantum Rabi Model

The dissipative quantum Rabi model exhibits rich non-equilibrium physics, including a dissipative phase transition from the normal phase to the superradiant phase. In this work, we investigate the stability of the superradiant phase in the presence of a weak spin relaxation. We find that even a weak spin relaxation can render the superradiant phase a superradiant metastable phase, in which symmetry-breaking states are stable only for a finite time. This arises because each spin jump induced by relaxation applies as a strong perturbation to the system, potentially driving the system from a symmetry-breaking state to the symmetry-preserving saddle point with finite probability, before it eventually relaxes back to a symmetry-breaking state. Such dynamical processes lead to a finite lifetime of the symmetry-breaking states and restore the symmetry in the steady state. To substantiate these results, we combine mean-field and cumulant expansion analyses with exact numerical simulations. The lifetimes of the symmetry-breaking states are analyzed in finite-size systems and the conclusions are extrapolated to the thermodynamic limit via finite-size scaling. Our findings establish the metastable nature of the symmetry-breaking states in the dissipative quantum Rabi model and reveal the complexity of the dissipative phase transition beyond their equilibrium counterpart. The mechanisms uncovered here can be generalized to a broad class of open quantum systems, highlighting fundamental distinctions between equilibrium phase transitions and steady-state phase transitions.
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Quantum Physics

Modeling dissipation in quantum active matter

Active matter is characterized by a constant influx and dissipation of energy that gives rise to directed motion. Dissipation requires interactions with an external environment, such that extending the paradigm of active matter to a quantum framework requires an appropriate description of this environment. In this work, we consider a driven quantum particle undergoing noise and dissipation, with external driving exhibiting characteristics of classical activity. We model the non-unitary dynamics with time-local master equations and analyze the particle motion at different time scales for different forms of the master equations, satisfying different criteria. We systematically compare predictions on the dynamics of particle trajectories and thereby we uncover how the particle motion evolves under the interplay of quantum effects, dissipation, and active-like dynamics. These results are essential for guiding possible experiments aimed at realizing quantum analogues of classical active systems.
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All authors Alexander P. Antonov, Sangyun Lee, Benno Liebchen, Hartmut Löwen, Jannis Melles, Giovanna Morigi, Yehor Tuchkov, Michael te Vrugt

Quantum Physics

Quantum theory of electrically levitated nanoparticle-ion systems: Motional dynamics and sympathetic cooling

We develop the theory describing the quantum coupled dynamics of the center-of-mass motion of a nanoparticle and an ensemble of ions co-trapped in a dual-frequency linear Paul trap. We first derive analytical expressions for the motional frequencies and classical trajectories of both nanoparticle and ions. We then derive a quantum master equation for the ion-nanoparticle system and quantify the sympathetic cooling of the nanoparticle motion enabled by its Coulomb coupling to a continuously Doppler-cooled ion. We predict that motional cooling down to sub-kelvin temperatures is achievable in state-of-the-art experiments even in the absence of motional feedback and in the presence of micromotion. We then extend our analysis to an ensemble of $N$ ions, predicting a linear increase of the cooling rate as a function of $N$ and motional cooling of the nanoparticle down to tenths of millikelvin in current experimental platforms. Our work establishes the theoretical toolbox needed to explore the ion-assisted preparation of non-Gaussian motional states of levitated nanoparticles.
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All authors Saurabh Gupta, Bernard Faulend, Dmitry S. Bykov, Tracy E. Northup, Carlos Gonzalez-Ballestero

Quantum Physics

Spreading of Magic Resource under Unitary Clifford Dynamics

Nonstabilizerness, or quantum magic resource, presents a valuable resource in quantum error correction and computation. We study the dynamics of locally injected nonstabilizerness in unitary Clifford circuits, where the total nonstabilizerness is conserved. However, the absence of physical observables quantifying nonstabilizerness precludes a direct microscopic or hydrodynamic description of its local distribution and dynamics. Using insights from stabilizer quantum error correcting codes, we rigorously show that the spatial distribution of nonstabilizerness can be inferred from a canonical representation of low-magic states, dubbed the bipartite magic gauge. Moreover, we propose two operationally relevant magic length scales. We numerically establish that, at early times, both length scales grow ballistically at distinct velocities set by the entanglement velocity, after which nonstabilizerness delocalizes. Our work sheds light on the spatiotemporal structure of quantum resources and complexity in many-body dynamics, opening up avenues for investigating their transport properties and further connections with quantum error correction.
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Quantum Physics

Quantum Analytical Mechanics: Quantum Mechanics with Hidden Variables

The question about the existence of so-called “hidden” variables in quantum mechanics and the perception of the completeness of quantum mechanics are two sides of the same coin. Quantum analytical mechanics constitutes a completion of standard quantum mechanics based on the concept of stochastic trajectories in the configuration space of a quantum system. For particle systems, configuration space is made up out of their coordinates and, if relevant, their orientation. Quantum analytical mechanics derives equations of motion for these variables which allow a description of the measurement process as a dynamical physical process. After all, it is exactly these variables experiments are designed to interact with. The theory is not a replacement of Hilbert space quantum mechanics but a mathematical completion enriching our toolset for the description of quantum phenomena.
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Quantum Physics

Quantum electrodynamic description of ionization of the neutral hydrogen molecule

We investigate hydrogen molecule ionization within a unified framework combining finite-dimensional quantum electrodynamics with the Lindblad master equation, enabling systematic comparison across closed, dissipative, and influx-driven open systems. Our results reveal a universal tendency toward neutral $\mathrm{H}_2$ formation. Photon dissipation ($\gamma_\Omega$) accelerates stabilization, while electron ($\gamma_\mathrm{e}$) and phonon ($\gamma_\omega$) dissipation play distinct regulatory roles. Particle influx ($\mu_k$) induces complex energy redistribution, populating the atomic state $|\mathrm{H},\mathrm{H}\rangle$. The ionization pathway is highly sensitive to initial photon number and composition, which control spin-selective excitation channels. An embedded anode model confirms that orbital hybridization fundamentally constrains the maximum ionization probability to $3/4$. This work provides a unified theoretical foundation for quantum-controlled chemistry and cavity QED experiments.
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Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from math-ph

New quasi-exactly solvable systems from SUSYQM and Bethe Ansatz

We give a systematic construction of new quasi-exactly solvable systems via Bethe ansatz and supersymmetric quantum mechanics (SUSYQM). Methods based on the intertwining of supercharges have been extensively used in the literature for exactly solvable systems. We generalize the state-deleting (Krein-Adler) supersymmetric transformations to quasi-exactly exactly solvable (QES) systems building on the Bethe ansatz method and related Bethe roots. This enables us to construct superpartners for a wide class of known QES systems classified previously through a hidden $sl(2)$ algebra. We present our constructions of factorizations and intertwining relations related to 1st-order SUSYQM and the $n=1$ state for 10 nonequivalent types, denoted I,...,X. In order to have a unified treatment we rely on their ODE standard form as this is also the appropriate setting to obtain the Bethe ansatz equations which constrain the polynomial solutions. This setting also allows one to deal with systems with $n$ states in a unified manner, using analysis based on the Bethe ansatz equations to build the supersymmetric transformations in terms of the Bethe ansatz roots. We derive the Schrödinger potentials for the $n=1$ superpartners of the 10 QES cases and give closed-form solutions for the spectra and wavefunctions of the corresponding QES SUSYQM systems. Furthermore, we present numerical results for higher excited states up to the $n=10$ level. The results obtained may have wider applicability as our framework is built on ODEs with polynomial coefficients.
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Quantum Physics

Phase-Dependent Photon Emission Rates in Quantum Gravity-Induced Entangled States

Quantum entanglement, as one of the fundamental concepts in quantum mechanics, has garnered significant attention over the past few decades for its extraordinary nonlocality. With the advancement of quantum technology, quantum entanglement holds promising application for exploring fundamental physical theories. The experimental scheme of Quantum Gravity Induced Entanglement of Masses (QGEM) was proposed to investigate the quantum effects of gravity based on the Local Operations and Classical Communication (LOCC) theory. In this study, we analyze the quantum properties of the entangled final states generated in the QGEM scheme. Our findings reveal that the photon emission rates (transition rates) are closely related to the degree of entanglement. Specifically, the transition rate decreases as the degree of entanglement increases when the distance between particle pairs is small, then it gradually approaches an asymptotic value that is independent of entanglement as the distance increases. We then discuss the possibility of using photon emission rates to detect quantum entanglement with these results.
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