The quantum dynamics of mesoscopic or macroscopic systems is always complicated by their coupling to many `environmental' modes. At low T these environmental effects are dominated by localized modes, such as nuclear and paramagnetic spins, and defects (which also dominate the entropy and specific heat). This environment, at low energies, maps onto a `spin bath' model. This contrasts with `oscillator bath' models (originated by Feynman and Vernon) which describe delocalized environmental modes such as electrons, phonons, photons, magnons, etc. The couplings to N spin bath modes are independent of N (rather than the ~O(1/( N ) 1/2 ) dependence typical of oscillator baths), and often strong. One cannot in general map a spin bath to an oscillator bath (or vice versa); they constitute distinct `universality classes' of quantum environment. We show how the mapping to spin bath models is made, and then discuss several examples in detail, including moving particles, magnetic solitons, nanomagnets, and SQUIDs, coupled to nuclear and paramagnetic spin environments. We then focus on the `central spin' model, which couples a central two-level system to a background spin bath. It is the spin bath analogue of the famous `spin-boson' oscillator model, and describes, e.g., the tunnelling dynamics of nanoscopic and mesoscopic magnets and superconductors. We show how to average over (or `integrate out') spin bath modes, using an operator instanton technique, to find the central spin dynamics. The formal manouevres involve four separate averages - each average corresponds physically to a different `decoherence' mechanism acting on the central spin dynamics. Each environmental spin has its own topological `spin phase', which by interacting with the phase of the central system, decoheres it - this can happen even without dissipation. We give analytic results for the central spin correlation functions, under various conditions. We then describe the application of this theory to magnetic and superconducting systems. Particular attention is given to recent work on tunnelling magnetic macromolecules, where the role of the nuclear spin bath in controlling the tunnelling is very clear; we also discuss other magnetic systems in the quantum regime, and the influence of nuclear and paramagnetic spins on flux dynamics in SQUIDs. Finally, we discuss decoherence mechanisms and coherence experiments in superconductors and magnets. We show that a spin bath environment causes decoherence even in the T 0 limit. Control of this decoherence will be essential in the effort to construct `qubits' for quantum computers.The quantum dynamics of mesoscopic or macroscopic systems is always complicated by their coupling to many `environmental' modes. At low T these environmental effects are dominated by localized modes, such as nuclear and paramagnetic spins, and defects (which also dominate the entropy and specific heat). This environment, at low energies, maps onto a `spin bath' model. This contrasts with `oscillator bath' models (originated by Feynman and Vernon) which describe delocalized environmental modes such as electrons, phonons, photons, magnons, etc. The couplings to N spin bath modes are independent of N (rather than the ~O(1/( N ) 1/2 ) dependence typical of oscillator baths), and often strong. One cannot in general map a spin bath to an oscillator bath (or vice versa); they constitute distinct `universality classes' of quantum environment. We show how the mapping to spin bath models is made, and then discuss several examples in detail, including moving particles, magnetic solitons, nanomagnets, and SQUIDs, coupled to nuclear and paramagnetic spin environments. We then focus on the `central spin' model, which couples a central two-level system to a background spin bath. It is the spin bath analogue of the famous `spin-boson' oscillator model, and describes, e.g., the tunnelling dynamics of nanoscopic and mesoscopic magnets and superconductors. We show how to average over (or `integrate out') spin bath modes, using an operator instanton technique, to find the central spin dynamics. The formal manouevres involve four separate averages - each average corresponds physically to a different `decoherence' mechanism acting on the central spin dynamics. Each environmental spin has its own topological `spin phase', which by interacting with the phase of the central system, decoheres it - this can happen even without dissipation. We give analytic results for the central spin correlation functions, under various conditions. We then describe the application of this theory to magnetic and superconducting systems. Particular attention is given to recent work on tunnelling magnetic macromolecules, where the role of the nuclear spin bath in controlling the tunnelling is very clear; we also discuss other magnetic systems in the quantum regime, and the influence of nuclear and paramagnetic spins on flux dynamics in SQUIDs. Finally, we discuss decoherence mechanisms and coherence experiments in superconductors and magnets. We show that a spin bath environment causes decoherence even in the T 0 limit. Control of this decoherence will be essential in the effort to construct `qubits' for quantum computers.

arXiv:cond-mat/0001080Reports on Progress in PhysicsMar 22, 2000538 citations

Dynamics and control of a qubit in spin environment: an exact master equation study

Jun Jing, Lian-Ao Wu

We present an exact master equation for a central spin- $1/2$ system coupled to a spin- $1/2$ bath in terms of hyperfine interaction, which provides a unified formalism for both free evolution and controlled dynamics of the central spin. The equation enables us to study controllability of dynamics processes with various degrees of non-Markovianity. We investigate the Overhauser's effect on decoherence dynamics of the central spin under different bath spectra and the system-bath coupling strengths. Nonperturbative leakage elimination approach is applied to the system to suppress decoherence in solid-state quantum information processing.We present an exact master equation for a central spin-$1/2$ system coupled to a spin-$1/2$ bath in terms of hyperfine interaction, which provides a unified formalism for both free evolution and controlled dynamics of the central spin. The equation enables us to study controllability of dynamics processes with various degrees of non-Markovianity. We investigate the Overhauser's effect on decoherence dynamics of the central spin under different bath spectra and the system-bath coupling strengths. Nonperturbative leakage elimination approach is applied to the system to suppress decoherence in solid-state quantum information processing.

arXiv:1601.07197Jan 26, 20160 citations

Entanglement dynamics in a qubit-nanomechanical resonator system

Dian Wahyu Utami, Aashish A. Clerk

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyMar 10, 20080 citations

Dynamics of the homogeneous two-qubit X X Z central spin model with the spin bath prepared in superpositions of symmetric Dicke states

Zejiang Li, Pei Yang, Wen‐Long You +1 more

We obtain exact dynamics of a two-qubit central spin model (CSM) consisting of two interacting qubits homogeneously coupled to a spin bath via the $XXZ$ -type coupling, with the bath initially prepared in linear superpositions of the symmetric Dicke states. Using the interaction picture Hamiltonian with respect to the non-spin-flipping part of the model, we derive a sequence of equations of motion within each magnetization sector satisfied by the probability amplitudes of the time-evolved state. These equations of motion admit analytical solutions for the single-qubit CSM in which one of the two central qubits decouples from the rest of the system. Based on this, we provide a quantitative interpretation to the observed collapse-revival phenomena in the single-qubit Rabi oscillations when the bath is prepared in the spin coherent state. We then study the disentanglement and coherence dynamics of two initially entangled noninteracting qubits when the two qubits interact with individual baths or with a common bath. For individual baths, the coherent dynamics is found to be positively correlated to the single-qubit purity dynamics, and entanglement sudden disappearance and revivals are observed in both cases. The entanglement creation of two initially separable qubits coupled to a common bath is also studied and collapse and revival behaviors in the entanglement dynamics are observed. Choosing the equally weighted state and the $W$ -class states as the bath initial states, we finally study the dynamics of entanglement between two individual bath spins and demonstrate the entanglement sharing mechanism in such a system.We obtain exact dynamics of a two-qubit central spin model (CSM) consisting of two interacting qubits homogeneously coupled to a spin bath via the $XXZ$-type coupling, with the bath initially prepared in linear superpositions of the symmetric Dicke states. Using the interaction picture Hamiltonian with respect to the non-spin-flipping part of the model, we derive a sequence of equations of motion within each magnetization sector satisfied by the probability amplitudes of the time-evolved state. These equations of motion admit analytical solutions for the single-qubit CSM in which one of the two central qubits decouples from the rest of the system. Based on this, we provide a quantitative interpretation to the observed collapse-revival phenomena in the single-qubit Rabi oscillations when the bath is prepared in the spin coherent state. We then study the disentanglement and coherence dynamics of two initially entangled noninteracting qubits when the two qubits interact with individual baths or with a common bath. For individual baths, the coherent dynamics is found to be positively correlated to the single-qubit purity dynamics, and entanglement sudden disappearance and revivals are observed in both cases. The entanglement creation of two initially separable qubits coupled to a common bath is also studied and collapse and revival behaviors in the entanglement dynamics are observed. Choosing the equally weighted state and the $W$-class states as the bath initial states, we finally study the dynamics of entanglement between two individual bath spins and demonstrate the entanglement sharing mechanism in such a system.

arXiv:2006.00550Physical Review ASep 16, 202011 citations

Non-classical properties of a mechanical resonator coupled to a qubit

Dolan Krishna Bayen, Manoj Das

The European Physical Journal PlusAug 29, 20220 citations

We present an exact master equation for a central spin-

1/2

system coupled to a spin-

1/2

bath in terms of hyperfine interaction, which provides a unified formalism for both free evolution and controlled dynamics of the central spin. The equation enables us to study controllability of dynamics processes with various degrees of non-Markovianity. We investigate the Overhauser's effect on decoherence dynamics of the central spin under different bath spectra and the system-bath coupling strengths. Nonperturbative leakage elimination approach is applied to the system to suppress decoherence in solid-state quantum information processing.

We obtain exact dynamics of a two-qubit central spin model (CSM) consisting of two interacting qubits homogeneously coupled to a spin bath via the

XXZ

-type coupling, with the bath initially prepared in linear superpositions of the symmetric Dicke states. Using the interaction picture Hamiltonian with respect to the non-spin-flipping part of the model, we derive a sequence of equations of motion within each magnetization sector satisfied by the probability amplitudes of the time-evolved state. These equations of motion admit analytical solutions for the single-qubit CSM in which one of the two central qubits decouples from the rest of the system. Based on this, we provide a quantitative interpretation to the observed collapse-revival phenomena in the single-qubit Rabi oscillations when the bath is prepared in the spin coherent state. We then study the disentanglement and coherence dynamics of two initially entangled noninteracting qubits when the two qubits interact with individual baths or with a common bath. For individual baths, the coherent dynamics is found to be positively correlated to the single-qubit purity dynamics, and entanglement sudden disappearance and revivals are observed in both cases. The entanglement creation of two initially separable qubits coupled to a common bath is also studied and collapse and revival behaviors in the entanglement dynamics are observed. Choosing the equally weighted state and the

W

-class states as the bath initial states, we finally study the dynamics of entanglement between two individual bath spins and demonstrate the entanglement sharing mechanism in such a system.