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arXiv:2112.07541 · Journal of High Energy Physics

Information propagation in a non-local model with emergent locality

Kaixin Ji, Ling-Yan Hung

Published Apr 19, 2022• 0 citations
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Abstract

Abstract In this paper, we revisit a “relatively local” model proposed in [1], where locality and dimensionality of space only emerges from the entanglement structure of the state the system is in. Various quantities such as butterfly velocity/entanglement speed can be defined similarly, at least in the regime where locality is well defined and a light cone structure emerges in the correlation between sites. We find that the relations observed between them in local models [2] are not respected. In particular, we conjecture that the hierarchy of the interaction over different distances provides different “layers” of light cones. When long range interactions are sufficiently suppressed, the effective light cones are dominated by linear behaviour with little remnant of non-locality. This could potentially be used as a physical smoking gun for emergent locality in non-local models.

DOI
10.1007/jhep04(2022)106

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Abstract In this paper, we revisit a “relatively local” model proposed in [1], where locality and dimensionality of space only emerges from the entanglement structure of the state the system is in. Various quantities such as butterfly velocity/entanglement speed can be defined similarly, at least in the regime where locality is well defined and a light cone structure emerges in the correlation between sites. We find that the relations observed between them in local models [2] are not respected. In particular, we conjecture that the hierarchy of the interaction over different distances provides different “layers” of light cones. When long range interactions are sufficiently suppressed, the effective light cones are dominated by linear behaviour with little remnant of non-locality. This could potentially be used as a physical smoking gun for emergent locality in non-local models.
In nonrelativistic quantum theories with short-range Hamiltonians, a velocity vvv can be chosen such that the influence of any local perturbation is approximately confined to within a distance rrr until a time $t\ensuremath{\sim}r/v$, thereby defining a linear light cone and giving rise to an emergent notion of locality. In systems with power-law ($1/{r}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$) interactions, when $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ exceeds the dimension DDD, an analogous bound confines influences to within a distance rrr only until a time $t\ensuremath{\sim}(\ensuremath{\alpha}/v)\mathrm{log}r$, suggesting that the velocity, as calculated from the slope of the light cone, may grow exponentially in time. We rule out this possibility; light cones of power-law interacting systems are bounded by a polynomial for $\ensuremath{\alpha}>2D$ and become linear as $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$. Our results impose strong new constraints on the growth of correlations and the production of entangled states in a variety of rapidly emerging, long-range interacting atomic, molecular, and optical systems.
Abstract: We discuss the behaviour of holographic entanglement entropy following a local quench in 2+1 dimensional strongly coupled CFTs. The entanglement generated by the quench propagates along an emergent light-cone, reminiscent of the Lieb-Robinson light-cone propagation of correlations in non-relativistic systems. We find the speed of propagation is bounded from below by the entanglement tsunami velocity obtained earlier for global quenches in holographic systems, and from above by the speed of light. The former is realized for sufficiently broad quenches, while the latter pertains for well localized quenches. The non-universal behavior in the intermediate regime appears to stem from finite-size effects. We also note that the entanglement entropy of subsystems reverts to the equilibrium value exponentially fast, in contrast to a much slower equilibration seen in certain spin models.
We discuss the behaviour of holographic entanglement entropy following a local quench in 2+1 dimensional strongly coupled CFTs. The entanglement generated by the quench propagates along an emergent light-cone, reminiscent of the Lieb-Robinson light-cone propagation of correlations in non-relativistic systems. We find the speed of propagation is bounded from below by the entanglement tsunami velocity obtained earlier for global quenches in holographic systems, and from above by the speed of light. The former is realized for sufficiently broad quenches, while the latter pertains for well localized quenches. The non-universal behavior in the intermediate regime appears to stem from finite-size effects. We also note that the entanglement entropy of subsystems reverts to the equilibrium value exponentially fast, in contrast to a much slower equilibration seen in certain spin models.
Locality imposes stringent constraints on the spreading of information in nonrelativistic quantum systems, which is reminiscent of a ``light cone,'' a causal structure arising in their relativistic counterparts. Long-range interactions can potentially soften such constraints, allowing almost instantaneous long jumps of particles, into the ``spacelike'' region, thus defying causality. Since interactions decaying as a power law with distance ${r}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ are ubiquitous in nature, it is pertinent to understand what is the fate of causality and information spreading in such systems. Using a numerically exact technique we address these questions by studying the out-of-time-order correlation function of a representative generic system in one dimension. We show that while the interactions are long range, their effect on information spreading is asymptotically negligible as long as $\ensuremath{\alpha}>1$. In this range we find a complex compound behavior, where, after a short transient, a fully local behavior emerges, yielding asymptotic light cones virtually indistinguishable from light cones in corresponding local models. The long-range nature of the interaction is only expressed in the power-law leaking of information from the light cone, with the same exponent as the exponent of the interaction $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. Our results directly apply also to corresponding response functions and suggest that previously obtained rigorous bounds on information spreading in long-range interacting systems are not tight, and could be potentially improved.
Despite extensive research on long-range interacting quantum systems, the physical mechanism responsible for the emergence of light cones remains unidentified. This work presents a novel perspective on the origins of locality and emergent light cones in quantum systems with long-range interactions. We identify a mechanism in such spin chains where effective entanglement light cones emerge due to destructive interference among quantum effects that entangle spins. Although long-range entangling effects reach beyond the identified light cone, due to destructive interference, entanglement remains exponentially suppressed in that region, ultimately leading to the formation of the light cone. We demonstrate that this interference not only drives but is also necessary for the emergence of light cones. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that reducing the interaction range weakens this interference, surprisingly increasing the speed of entanglement transport, an effect that opens new experimental opportunities for investigation.
The nonequilibrium response of a quantum many-body system defines its fundamental transport properties and how initially localized quantum information spreads. However, for long-range-interacting quantum systems little is known. We address this issue by analyzing a local quantum quench in the long-range Ising model in a transverse field, where interactions decay as a variable power law with distance ∝r(-α), α>0. Using complementary numerical and analytical techniques, we identify three dynamical regimes: short-range-like with an emerging light cone for α>2, weakly long range for 1<α<2 without a clear light cone but with a finite propagation speed of almost all excitations, and fully nonlocal for α<1 with instantaneous transmission of correlations. This last regime breaks generalized Lieb-Robinson bounds and thus locality. Numerical calculation of the entanglement spectrum demonstrates that the usual picture of propagating quasiparticles remains valid, allowing an intuitive interpretation of our findings via divergences of quasiparticle velocities. Our results may be tested in state-of-the-art trapped-ion experiments.