Abstract Quantum information scrambling refers to the loss of local recoverability of quantum information, which has found widespread attention from high energy physics to quantum computing. In the present analysis we propose a possible starting point for the development of a comprehensive framework for the thermodynamics of scrambling. To this end, we prove that the growth of entanglement as quantified by the mutual information is lower bounded by the time-dependent change of out-of-time-ordered correlator. We further show that the rate of increase of the mutual information can be upper bounded by the sum of local entropy productions, and the exchange entropy arising from the flow of information between separate partitions of a quantum system. Our results are illustrated for the ion trap system, that was recently used to verify information scrambling in an experiment, and for the Sachdev–Ye–Kitaev model.
Abstract Quantum information scrambling refers to the loss of local recoverability of quantum information, which has found widespread attention from high energy physics to quantum computing. In the present analysis we propose a possible starting point for the development of a comprehensive framework for the thermodynamics of scrambling. To this end, we prove that the growth of entanglement as quantified by the mutual information is lower bounded by the time-dependent change of out-of-time-ordered correlator. We further show that the rate of increase of the mutual information can be upper bounded by the sum of local entropy productions, and the exchange entropy arising from the flow of information between separate partitions of a quantum system. Our results are illustrated for the ion trap system, that was recently used to verify information scrambling in an experiment, and for the Sachdev–Ye–Kitaev model.
Abstract Recent advances in quantum information science have shed light on the intricate dynamics of quantum many-body systems, for which quantum information scrambling is a perfect example. Motivated by considerations of the thermodynamics of quantum information, this perspective aims at synthesizing key findings from several pivotal studies and exploring various aspects of quantum scrambling. We consider quantifiers such as the out-of-time-ordered correlator (OTOC) and the quantum mutual information, their connections to thermodynamics, and their role in understanding chaotic vs . integrable quantum systems. With a focus on representative examples, we cover a range of topics, including the thermodynamics of quantum information scrambling, and the scrambling dynamics in quantum gravity models such as the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model. Examining these diverse approaches enables us to highlight the multifaceted nature of quantum information scrambling and its significance in understanding the fundamental aspects of quantum many-body dynamics at the intersection of quantum mechanics and thermodynamics.
Information scrambling is a hallmark of quantum chaos and thermalization in isolated quantum many-body systems. We investigate scrambling dynamics in the all-to-all interacting spin Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK)-q model using both pure- and mixed-state entanglement measures. We show that von-Neumann and Rényi entropies exhibit rapid growth followed by saturation near Haar-random values, signaling efficient scrambling. The scrambling rate reveals a nontrivial dependence on the interaction order, system size, and Hamiltonian scaling. We further employ mixed-state entanglement as a powerful probe of information scrambling. We numerically find a universal relation between the Rényi-1/2 mutual information and entanglement negativity for minimal interaction order in the early growth regime. Furthermore, entanglement negativity displays a Page-curve-like behavior under unequal subsystem partitioning, characterized by the birth, spread, and eventual death of quantum correlations. Our results provide a generic description of information scrambling using entanglement dynamics in all-to-all interacting spin systems with multi-body interactions.
A possible solution of the information paradox can be sought in quantum information scrambling.In this paradigm, it is postulated that all information entering a black hole is rapidly and chaotically distributed across the event horizon, making it impossible to reconstruct the information by means of any local measurement.However, in this scenario, the effects of decoherence are typically ignored, which may render information scrambling moot in cosmological settings.In this work, we develop key steps toward a thermodynamic description of information scrambling in open quantum systems.In particular, we separate the entropy change into contributions arising from scrambling and decoherence, for which we derive statements of the second law.This is complemented with a numerical study of the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev, Maldacena-Qi, XXX, mixed-field Ising, and Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick models in the presence of decoherence in the energy or in the computational basis.
A possible solution of the information paradox can be sought in quantum information scrambling. In this paradigm, it is postulated that all information entering a black hole is rapidly and chaotically distributed across the event horizon, making it impossible to reconstruct the information by means of any local measurement. However, in this scenario, the effects of decoherence are typically ignored, which may render information scrambling moot in cosmological settings. In this work, we develop key steps toward a thermodynamic description of information scrambling in open quantum systems. In particular, we separate the entropy change into contributions arising from scrambling and decoherence, for which we derive statements of the second law. This is complemented with a numerical study of the SachdevYe-Kitaev, Maldacena-Qi, XXX, mixed-field Ising, and Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick models in the presence of decoherence in the energy or in the computational basis.
The delocalization or scrambling of quantum information has emerged as a central ingredient in the understanding of thermalization in isolated quantum many-body systems. Recently, significant progress has been made analytically by modeling non-integrable systems as periodically driven systems, lacking a Hamiltonian picture, while honest Hamiltonian dynamics are frequently limited to small system sizes due to computational constraints. In this paper, we address this by investigating the role of conservation laws (including energy conservation) in the thermalization process from an information-theoretic perspective. For general non-integrable models, we use the equilibrium approximation to show that the maximal amount of information is scrambled (as measured by the tripartite mutual information of the time-evolution operator) at late times even when a system conserves energy. In contrast, we explicate how when a system has additional symmetries that lead to degeneracies in the spectrum, the amount of information scrambled must decrease. This general theory is exemplified in case studies of holographic conformal field theories (CFTs) and the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model. Due to the large Virasoro symmetry in 1+1D CFTs, we argue that, in a sense, these holographic theories are not maximally chaotic, which is explicitly seen by the non-saturation of the second Rényi tripartite mutual information. The roles of particle-hole and U(1) symmetries in the SYK model are milder due to the degeneracies being only two-fold, which we confirm explicitly at both large- and small-N. We reinterpret the operator entanglement in terms of the growth of local operators, connecting our results with the information scrambling described by out-of-time-ordered correlators, identifying the mechanism for suppressed scrambling from the Heisenberg perspective.
Abstract Quantum information scrambling is a pivotal area of inquiry within the study of quantum many-body systems. This research derives mathematical upper and lower bounds for the scrambling rate by applying the Maligranda inequality. Our results indicate that the upper bounds, lower bounds, and scrambling rates coincide precisely when local operators exhibit to be unitary-Hermitian. Crucially, the convergence or divergence of these upper and lower bounds relative to the scrambling rate is contingent upon the system’s initial state. The spin-star model to validate this theoretical framework is investigated, considering thermal and pure initial states. The implantation of the ancilla or external qubit aligns the scrambling rate with the established bounds. The upper and lower bounds may diverge from the scrambling rate based on the system’s initial state when both local operators are multi-quit systems. The scrambling rate found grows with the increase of the qubit number in local operators.