Quantum information and relativity: harvesting entanglement in different setups

The aim of this work is present the phenomenon denoted entanglement harvesting. We begin by introducing entanglement historically. Following, we go beyond the one particle theory in flat spacetime and introduce Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime, showing two famous consequences: the Unruh effect and the Hawking radiation. Finally, we analyze entanglement harvesting for two Unruh-deWitt detectors. In the fisrt example, we see that there is a \"sudden death\" point of entanglement harvesting when the detectors are near the BTZ black hole event horizon, due to redshift effect and Hawking radiation. Then, we compare the phenomenon for different scenarios, and find out that it is sensitive to the structure of spacetime. Finally, we see how detectors\' parameters affect it and find out that the smoothness of the switching of the detectors\' coupling to the field is extremely relevant. We also see how the parameters can be used to optimize entanglement harvested.The aim of this work is present the phenomenon denoted entanglement harvesting. We begin by introducing entanglement historically. Following, we go beyond the one particle theory in flat spacetime and introduce Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime, showing two famous consequences: the Unruh effect and the Hawking radiation. Finally, we analyze entanglement harvesting for two Unruh-deWitt detectors. In the fisrt example, we see that there is a \"sudden death\" point of entanglement harvesting when the detectors are near the BTZ black hole event horizon, due to redshift effect and Hawking radiation. Then, we compare the phenomenon for different scenarios, and find out that it is sensitive to the structure of spacetime. Finally, we see how detectors\' parameters affect it and find out that the smoothness of the switching of the detectors\' coupling to the field is extremely relevant. We also see how the parameters can be used to optimize entanglement harvested.

Jul 31, 20180 citations

Harvesting entanglement with detectors freely falling into a black hole

Kensuke Gallock‐Yoshimura, Erickson Tjoa, Robert B. Mann

We carry out the first investigation of the entanglement and mutual information harvesting protocols for detectors freely falling into a black hole. Working in ( $1+1$ )-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole spacetime, we consider two pointlike Unruh-DeWitt detectors in different combinations of free-falling and static trajectories. Employing a generalization of relative velocity suitable for curved spacetimes, we find that the amount of correlations extracted from the black hole vacuum, at least outside the near-horizon regime, is largely kinematic in origin (i.e., it is mostly due to the relative velocities of the detectors). Second, correlations can be harvested purely from the black hole vacuum even when the detectors are causally disconnected by the event horizon. Finally, we show that the previously known `entanglement shadow' near the horizon is indeed absent for the case of two free-falling-detectors, since their relative gravitational redshift remains finite as the horizon is crossed, in accordance with the equivalence principle.We carry out the first investigation of the entanglement and mutual information harvesting protocols for detectors freely falling into a black hole. Working in ($1+1$)-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole spacetime, we consider two pointlike Unruh-DeWitt detectors in different combinations of free-falling and static trajectories. Employing a generalization of relative velocity suitable for curved spacetimes, we find that the amount of correlations extracted from the black hole vacuum, at least outside the near-horizon regime, is largely kinematic in origin (i.e., it is mostly due to the relative velocities of the detectors). Second, correlations can be harvested purely from the black hole vacuum even when the detectors are causally disconnected by the event horizon. Finally, we show that the previously known `entanglement shadow' near the horizon is indeed absent for the case of two free-falling-detectors, since their relative gravitational redshift remains finite as the horizon is crossed, in accordance with the equivalence principle.

arXiv:2102.09573Physical review. D/Physical review. D.Jul 1, 202167 citations

Harvesting information across the horizon

Sijia Wang, María Rosa Preciado-Rivas, Robert B. Mann

A bstract The effect of black holes on entanglement harvesting has been of considerable interest over the past decade. Research involving stationary Unruh-DeWitt (UDW) detectors near a (2+1)-dimensional Bañados-Teitelboim-Zanelli (BTZ) black hole has uncovered phenomena such as entanglement shadows, entanglement amplification through black hole rotation, and differences between bipartite and tripartite entanglement. For a (1+1)-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole, it has been shown that two infalling UDW detectors can harvest entanglement from the scalar quantum vacuum even when separated by an event horizon. In this paper, we calculate the mutual information between two UDW detectors coupled to a massless quantum scalar field, with the detectors starting at rest and falling radially into a non-rotating (2+1)-dimensional BTZ black hole. The trajectory of the detectors includes regions where both detectors are switched on outside of the horizon; where one detector is switched on inside of the horizon while the other switches on outside; and where both detectors switch on inside of the horizon. We investigate different black hole masses, detector energy gaps, widths and temporal separations of the detector switching functions, and field boundary conditions. We find that black holes — even the simplest kind having constant curvature — significantly affect the correlation properties of quantum fields in the vacuum state. These correlations, both outside and inside the horizon, can be mapped out by infalling detectors.A bstract The effect of black holes on entanglement harvesting has been of considerable interest over the past decade. Research involving stationary Unruh-DeWitt (UDW) detectors near a (2+1)-dimensional Bañados-Teitelboim-Zanelli (BTZ) black hole has uncovered phenomena such as entanglement shadows, entanglement amplification through black hole rotation, and differences between bipartite and tripartite entanglement. For a (1+1)-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole, it has been shown that two infalling UDW detectors can harvest entanglement from the scalar quantum vacuum even when separated by an event horizon. In this paper, we calculate the mutual information between two UDW detectors coupled to a massless quantum scalar field, with the detectors starting at rest and falling radially into a non-rotating (2+1)-dimensional BTZ black hole. The trajectory of the detectors includes regions where both detectors are switched on outside of the horizon; where one detector is switched on inside of the horizon while the other switches on outside; and where both detectors switch on inside of the horizon. We investigate different black hole masses, detector energy gaps, widths and temporal separations of the detector switching functions, and field boundary conditions. We find that black holes — even the simplest kind having constant curvature — significantly affect the correlation properties of quantum fields in the vacuum state. These correlations, both outside and inside the horizon, can be mapped out by infalling detectors.

arXiv:2504.00083Journal of High Energy PhysicsJul 25, 202510 citations

Harvesting fermionic field entanglement in Schwarzschild spacetime

Nitesh K. Dubey, Sanved Kolekar A

We explore entanglement harvesting using two Unruh-DeWitt (UDW) detectors linearly coupled to the scalar density of a massless spin- $1/2$ field in $1+1$ Schwarzschild spacetime. We consider different vacua, including the Boulware, Hartle-Hawking-Israel (HHI), and Unruh vacua, and investigate various configurations of detector trajectories. We find that the transition rate of the static UDW detector exhibits the expected Planckian behavior in the HHI state, while the Unruh state leads to the Helmholtz free energy density of a fermionic thermal bath. We demonstrate that the near-horizon entanglement properties for static detectors in the HHI state have similar behavior to those in Minkowski vacua for uniformly accelerated detectors in Rindler spacetime. We further consider a different interaction Hamiltonian which breaks local Lorentz symmetry and find that the transition rate of the static detector still exhibits Planckian behavior in the HHI state, while in the Unruh state, it leads to the Helmholtz free energy density of a bosonic or fermionic thermal bath corresponding to the static or conformal 2-bein in interaction, respectively. We observe that the anti-Hawking effect enhances the entanglement between the two detectors while the gravitational redshift and Hawking radiation decrease it. In particular, due to the presence of the anti-Hawking effect, the mutual information and concurrence near the event horizon can be non-zero even for static detectors with static 2-bein, which is in contrast with the case of the scalar field. Conclusions are discussed.We explore entanglement harvesting using two Unruh-DeWitt (UDW) detectors linearly coupled to the scalar density of a massless spin-$1/2$ field in $1+1$ Schwarzschild spacetime. We consider different vacua, including the Boulware, Hartle-Hawking-Israel (HHI), and Unruh vacua, and investigate various configurations of detector trajectories. We find that the transition rate of the static UDW detector exhibits the expected Planckian behavior in the HHI state, while the Unruh state leads to the Helmholtz free energy density of a fermionic thermal bath. We demonstrate that the near-horizon entanglement properties for static detectors in the HHI state have similar behavior to those in Minkowski vacua for uniformly accelerated detectors in Rindler spacetime. We further consider a different interaction Hamiltonian which breaks local Lorentz symmetry and find that the transition rate of the static detector still exhibits Planckian behavior in the HHI state, while in the Unruh state, it leads to the Helmholtz free energy density of a bosonic or fermionic thermal bath corresponding to the static or conformal 2-bein in interaction, respectively. We observe that the anti-Hawking effect enhances the entanglement between the two detectors while the gravitational redshift and Hawking radiation decrease it. In particular, due to the presence of the anti-Hawking effect, the mutual information and concurrence near the event horizon can be non-zero even for static detectors with static 2-bein, which is in contrast with the case of the scalar field. Conclusions are discussed.

arXiv:2504.06887Physical review. D/Physical review. D.Jul 17, 20255 citations

Harvesting mutual information from BTZ black hole spacetime

Kendra Bueley, Luosi Huang, Kensuke Gallock‐Yoshimura +1 more

We investigate the correlation harvesting protocol for mutual information between two Unruh-DeWitt detectors in a static Ba\~nados-Teitelboim-Zanelli black hole spacetime. Here, the effects coming from communication and change in proper separation of the detectors are set to be negligible so that only a black hole affects the extracted mutual information. We find that, unlike the entanglement harvesting scenario, harvested mutual information is zero only when a detector reaches an event horizon, and that although the Hawking effect and gravitational redshift both affect the extraction of mutual information, it is extreme Hawking radiation that inhibits the detectors from harvesting.We investigate the correlation harvesting protocol for mutual information between two Unruh-DeWitt detectors in a static Ba\~nados-Teitelboim-Zanelli black hole spacetime. Here, the effects coming from communication and change in proper separation of the detectors are set to be negligible so that only a black hole affects the extracted mutual information. We find that, unlike the entanglement harvesting scenario, harvested mutual information is zero only when a detector reaches an event horizon, and that although the Hawking effect and gravitational redshift both affect the extraction of mutual information, it is extreme Hawking radiation that inhibits the detectors from harvesting.

arXiv:2205.07891Physical review. D/Physical review. D.Jul 19, 202235 citations

Harvesting entanglement from the black hole vacuum

Laura J. Henderson, Robie A. Hennigar, Robert B. Mann +2 more

Abstract We implement the entanglement harvesting protocol, in which two Unruh–DeWitt detectors become entangled through local interactions with a quantum field, for the first time in the vicinity of a black hole. Our study, focusing on the BTZ black hole, reveals that black holes inhibit entanglement harvesting. For two detectors with fixed proper separation along the radial direction, we demonstrate that the entanglement harvested rapidly falls to zero as the detectors move closer to the horizon. This effect is a combination of black hole radiation and gravitational redshift, both generic properties of horizons, suggesting it is a general result for black holes.Abstract We implement the entanglement harvesting protocol, in which two Unruh–DeWitt detectors become entangled through local interactions with a quantum field, for the first time in the vicinity of a black hole. Our study, focusing on the BTZ black hole, reveals that black holes inhibit entanglement harvesting. For two detectors with fixed proper separation along the radial direction, we demonstrate that the entanglement harvested rapidly falls to zero as the detectors move closer to the horizon. This effect is a combination of black hole radiation and gravitational redshift, both generic properties of horizons, suggesting it is a general result for black holes.

arXiv:1712.10018Classical and Quantum GravitySep 19, 2018119 citations

We carry out the first investigation of the entanglement and mutual information harvesting protocols for detectors freely falling into a black hole. Working in (

1+1

)-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole spacetime, we consider two pointlike Unruh-DeWitt detectors in different combinations of free-falling and static trajectories. Employing a generalization of relative velocity suitable for curved spacetimes, we find that the amount of correlations extracted from the black hole vacuum, at least outside the near-horizon regime, is largely kinematic in origin (i.e., it is mostly due to the relative velocities of the detectors). Second, correlations can be harvested purely from the black hole vacuum even when the detectors are causally disconnected by the event horizon. Finally, we show that the previously known `entanglement shadow' near the horizon is indeed absent for the case of two free-falling-detectors, since their relative gravitational redshift remains finite as the horizon is crossed, in accordance with the equivalence principle.

We explore entanglement harvesting using two Unruh-DeWitt (UDW) detectors linearly coupled to the scalar density of a massless spin-

1/2

field in

1+1

Schwarzschild spacetime. We consider different vacua, including the Boulware, Hartle-Hawking-Israel (HHI), and Unruh vacua, and investigate various configurations of detector trajectories. We find that the transition rate of the static UDW detector exhibits the expected Planckian behavior in the HHI state, while the Unruh state leads to the Helmholtz free energy density of a fermionic thermal bath. We demonstrate that the near-horizon entanglement properties for static detectors in the HHI state have similar behavior to those in Minkowski vacua for uniformly accelerated detectors in Rindler spacetime. We further consider a different interaction Hamiltonian which breaks local Lorentz symmetry and find that the transition rate of the static detector still exhibits Planckian behavior in the HHI state, while in the Unruh state, it leads to the Helmholtz free energy density of a bosonic or fermionic thermal bath corresponding to the static or conformal 2-bein in interaction, respectively. We observe that the anti-Hawking effect enhances the entanglement between the two detectors while the gravitational redshift and Hawking radiation decrease it. In particular, due to the presence of the anti-Hawking effect, the mutual information and concurrence near the event horizon can be non-zero even for static detectors with static 2-bein, which is in contrast with the case of the scalar field. Conclusions are discussed.