Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1603.08894 · Physical review. B./Physical review. B

Persisting correlations of a central spin coupled to large spin baths

Urban F. P. Seifert, Philip Bleicker, Philipp Schering, Alexandre Faribault, Götz Silvester Uhrig

Published Sep 23, 2016• 20 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The decohering environment of a quantum bit is often described by the coupling to a large bath of spins. The quantum bit itself can be seen as a spin $S=\frac{1}{2}$ which is commonly called the central spin. The resulting central spin model describes an important mechanism of decoherence. We provide mathematically rigorous bounds for a persisting magnetization of the central spin in this model with and without magnetic field. In particular, we show that there is a well-defined limit of infinite number of bath spins. Only if the fraction of very weakly coupled bath spins tends to 100% does no magnetization persist.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.94.094308

Related papers

Exact dynamics in the inhomogeneous central-spin model

Michael Bortz, Joachim Stolze

We study the dynamics of a single spin $1∕2$ coupled to a bath of spins $1∕2$ by inhomogeneous Heisenberg couplings including a central magnetic field. This central-spin model describes decoherence in quantum bit systems. An exact formula for the dynamics of the central spin is presented, based on the Bethe ansatz. For initially completely polarized bath spins and small magnetic field, we find persistent oscillations of the central spin about a nonzero mean value. For a large number of bath spins ${N}_{b}$, the oscillation frequency is proportional to ${N}_{b}$, whereas the amplitude behaves as $1∕{N}_{b}$, to leading order. No asymptotic decay of the oscillations due to the nonuniform couplings is observed, in contrast to some recent studies.

arXiv:cond-mat/0612382•Physical Review B•Jul 26, 2007•112 citations

Exact dynamics in the central-spin model

Michael Bortz

We study the dynamics of a single spin-1/2 coupled to a bath of spins-1/2 by inhomogeneous Heisenberg couplings including a central magnetic field. This central-spin model describes decoherence in quantum bit systems. An exact formula for the dynamics of the central spin is presented, based on the Bethe ansatz. This formula is evaluated explicitly for initial conditions such that the bath spins are completely polarized at the beginning. For this case we find, after an initial decay, a persistent oscillatory behaviour of the central spin. For a large number of bath spins $N_b$, the oscillation frequency is proportional to $N_b$, whereas the amplitude behaves like $1/N_b$, to leading order. No asymptotic decay due to the non-uniform couplings is observed, in contrast to some recent studies.

•Dec 15, 2006•0 citations

Conservation laws protect dynamic spin correlations from decay: Limited role of integrability in the central spin model

Götz Silvester Uhrig, Johannes Hackmann, Daniel Stanek +2 more

Mazur's inequality renders statements about persistent correlations possible. We generalize it in a convenient form applicable to any set of linearly independent constants of motion. This approach is used to show rigorously that a fraction of the initial spin correlations persists indefinitely in the isotropic central spin model unless the average coupling vanishes. The central spin model describes a major mechanism of decoherence in a large class of potential realizations of quantum bits. Thus the derived results contribute significantly to the understanding of the preservation of coherence. We will show that persisting quantum correlations are not linked to the integrability of the model but are caused by a finite operator overlap with a finite set of constants of motion.

arXiv:1402.1277•Physical Review B•Aug 28, 2014•25 citations

Decoherence in the Spin Bath

Nikolay V. Prokof'ev, Philip C. E. Stamp

We develop a mathematical description of the decoherence caused by "spin baths", such as nuclear spins or magnetic impurities. In contrast to the usual oscillator bath models of quantum environments, decoherence in the spin bath can occur without any dissipation. Given the almost ubiquitous presence of nuclear spins in nature, our results have important consequences for quantum measurement theory, particularly as the decoherence mechanisms in spin baths work very differently from those in oscillator baths.

arXiv:cond-mat/9511009•Nov 2, 1995•0 citations

Quantum mechanical treatment of large spin baths

Robin Röhrig, Philipp Schering, Lars B. Gravert +2 more

The electronic spin in quantum dots can be described by central spin models (CSMs) with a very large number ${N}_{\text{eff}}\ensuremath{\approx}{10}^{4}$ to ${10}^{6}$ of bath spins posing a tremendous challenge to theoretical simulations. Here, a fully quantum mechanical theory is developed for the limit ${N}_{\text{eff}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ by means of iterated equations of motion (iEoM). We find that the CSM can be mapped to a four-dimensional impurity coupled to a noninteracting bosonic bath in this limit. Remarkably, even for infinite bath the CSM does not become completely classical. The data obtained by the proposed iEoM approach are tested successfully against data from other, established approaches. Thus the iEoM mapping extends the set of theoretical tools that can be used to understand the spin dynamics in large CSMs.

arXiv:1711.08919•Physical review. B./Physical review. B•Apr 23, 2018•9 citations

Dephasing in the central spin problem with long-range Ising spin-bath coupling

Attar, Kevin Ben, Nir Bar‐Gill

The study of coherence dynamics in open quantum systems, specifically addressing various physical realizations of quantum systems and environments, is a long-standing and central pillar of quantum science and technology. As such, a large body of work establishes a firm theoretical understanding of these processes. Nevertheless, a fundamental aspect of decoherence dynamics, namely the central limit theorem of qubit dephasing in the central spin model, which leads to a Gaussian approximation, lacks formal proof in realistically relevant scenarios. Here we prove this approximation for a bath depicted by an Ising spin system, in the presence of disorder and several (most relevant) functional forms of qubit-bath coupling. Importantly, we show that in certain cases, namely for short-range (exponentially decaying) coupling, this approximation breaks. These results provide a theoretical framework for studying decoherence dynamics in various systems and lead to insights into dephasing behavior with implications for applications in quantum information, quantum computing, and other quantum technologies.

arXiv:2409.12749•Sep 19, 2024•0 citations
The decohering environment of a quantum bit is often described by the coupling to a large bath of spins. The quantum bit itself can be seen as a spin S=12S=\frac{1}{2}S=21​ which is commonly called the central spin. The resulting central spin model describes an important mechanism of decoherence. We provide mathematically rigorous bounds for a persisting magnetization of the central spin in this model with and without magnetic field. In particular, we show that there is a well-defined limit of infinite number of bath spins. Only if the fraction of very weakly coupled bath spins tends to 100% does no magnetization persist.
We study the dynamics of a single spin 1∕21∕21∕2 coupled to a bath of spins 1∕21∕21∕2 by inhomogeneous Heisenberg couplings including a central magnetic field. This central-spin model describes decoherence in quantum bit systems. An exact formula for the dynamics of the central spin is presented, based on the Bethe ansatz. For initially completely polarized bath spins and small magnetic field, we find persistent oscillations of the central spin about a nonzero mean value. For a large number of bath spins Nb{N}_{b}Nb​, the oscillation frequency is proportional to Nb{N}_{b}Nb​, whereas the amplitude behaves as 1∕Nb1∕{N}_{b}1∕Nb​, to leading order. No asymptotic decay of the oscillations due to the nonuniform couplings is observed, in contrast to some recent studies.
We study the dynamics of a single spin-1/2 coupled to a bath of spins-1/2 by inhomogeneous Heisenberg couplings including a central magnetic field. This central-spin model describes decoherence in quantum bit systems. An exact formula for the dynamics of the central spin is presented, based on the Bethe ansatz. This formula is evaluated explicitly for initial conditions such that the bath spins are completely polarized at the beginning. For this case we find, after an initial decay, a persistent oscillatory behaviour of the central spin. For a large number of bath spins NbN_bNb​, the oscillation frequency is proportional to NbN_bNb​, whereas the amplitude behaves like 1/Nb1/N_b1/Nb​, to leading order. No asymptotic decay due to the non-uniform couplings is observed, in contrast to some recent studies.
Mazur's inequality renders statements about persistent correlations possible. We generalize it in a convenient form applicable to any set of linearly independent constants of motion. This approach is used to show rigorously that a fraction of the initial spin correlations persists indefinitely in the isotropic central spin model unless the average coupling vanishes. The central spin model describes a major mechanism of decoherence in a large class of potential realizations of quantum bits. Thus the derived results contribute significantly to the understanding of the preservation of coherence. We will show that persisting quantum correlations are not linked to the integrability of the model but are caused by a finite operator overlap with a finite set of constants of motion.
We develop a mathematical description of the decoherence caused by "spin baths", such as nuclear spins or magnetic impurities. In contrast to the usual oscillator bath models of quantum environments, decoherence in the spin bath can occur without any dissipation. Given the almost ubiquitous presence of nuclear spins in nature, our results have important consequences for quantum measurement theory, particularly as the decoherence mechanisms in spin baths work very differently from those in oscillator baths.
The electronic spin in quantum dots can be described by central spin models (CSMs) with a very large number ${N}_{\text{eff}}\ensuremath{\approx}{10}^{4}$ to 106{10}^{6}106 of bath spins posing a tremendous challenge to theoretical simulations. Here, a fully quantum mechanical theory is developed for the limit ${N}_{\text{eff}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ by means of iterated equations of motion (iEoM). We find that the CSM can be mapped to a four-dimensional impurity coupled to a noninteracting bosonic bath in this limit. Remarkably, even for infinite bath the CSM does not become completely classical. The data obtained by the proposed iEoM approach are tested successfully against data from other, established approaches. Thus the iEoM mapping extends the set of theoretical tools that can be used to understand the spin dynamics in large CSMs.
The study of coherence dynamics in open quantum systems, specifically addressing various physical realizations of quantum systems and environments, is a long-standing and central pillar of quantum science and technology. As such, a large body of work establishes a firm theoretical understanding of these processes. Nevertheless, a fundamental aspect of decoherence dynamics, namely the central limit theorem of qubit dephasing in the central spin model, which leads to a Gaussian approximation, lacks formal proof in realistically relevant scenarios. Here we prove this approximation for a bath depicted by an Ising spin system, in the presence of disorder and several (most relevant) functional forms of qubit-bath coupling. Importantly, we show that in certain cases, namely for short-range (exponentially decaying) coupling, this approximation breaks. These results provide a theoretical framework for studying decoherence dynamics in various systems and lead to insights into dephasing behavior with implications for applications in quantum information, quantum computing, and other quantum technologies.