Tensor networks have emerged as a powerful theoretical and computational framework for understanding and simulating quantum many-body systems. Their efficiency in representing quantum states, particularly those satisfying area laws of entanglement, is intimately linked to the structure of their constituent tensors. A fundamental aspect of these networks is their spectral properties, which manifest in various forms, such as the singular values of bond tensors or the eigenvalues of associated transfer matrices. Concurrently, entanglement measures provide quantitative insights into the quantum correlations present within these systems. This paper explores the intricate relationship between the spectra arising from tensor network representations and the different entanglement measures used to characterize quantum states. We delve into how the decay rates of singular values directly impact entanglement entropy, how entanglement spectra derived from Schmidt decompositions can reveal topological order, and how the spectral gaps of transfer matrices are connected to correlation lengths. By analyzing various tensor network architectures, including Matrix Product States (MPS) and Projected Entangled Pair States (PEPS), we elucidate the mechanisms through which their spectral features encode profound information about quantum entanglement. The study highlights how a deeper understanding of these spectral properties can not only guide the construction of more efficient tensor network algorithms but also provide fundamental insights into the nature of quantum phases and phase transitions.
Tensor networks have emerged as a powerful theoretical and computational framework for understanding and simulating quantum many-body systems. Their efficiency in representing quantum states, particularly those satisfying area laws of entanglement, is intimately linked to the structure of their constituent tensors. A fundamental aspect of these networks is their spectral properties, which manifest in various forms, such as the singular values of bond tensors or the eigenvalues of associated transfer matrices. Concurrently, entanglement measures provide quantitative insights into the quantum correlations present within these systems. This paper explores the intricate relationship between the spectra arising from tensor network representations and the different entanglement measures used to characterize quantum states. We delve into how the decay rates of singular values directly impact entanglement entropy, how entanglement spectra derived from Schmidt decompositions can reveal topological order, and how the spectral gaps of transfer matrices are connected to correlation lengths. By analyzing various tensor network architectures, including Matrix Product States (MPS) and Projected Entangled Pair States (PEPS), we elucidate the mechanisms through which their spectral features encode profound information about quantum entanglement. The study highlights how a deeper understanding of these spectral properties can not only guide the construction of more efficient tensor network algorithms but also provide fundamental insights into the nature of quantum phases and phase transitions.
This chapter is to introduce some basic definitions and concepts of TN Tensor network (TN) . We will show that the TN can be used to represent quantum many-body states, where we explain MPS Matrix product state (MPS) in 1D and PEPS Projected entangled pair state (PEPS) in 2D systems, as well as the generalizations to thermal states and operators. The quantum entanglement properties of the TN states including the area law of entanglement entropy will also be discussed. Finally, we will present several special TNs that can be exactly contracted, and demonstrate the difficulty of contracting TNs in general cases.
These notes provide an introduction to tensor-network methods in quantum many-body physics, with an emphasis on matrix-product states (MPS). They develop the basic tensor-network language, including graphical notation, virtual indices, bond dimensions, gauge freedom, canonical forms, QR and singular-value decompositions, and the role of entanglement in controlling the efficiency of the representation. The main MPS algorithms are then introduced, including contractions, correlation functions, matrix-product operators, DMRG, and time-evolution methods. The notes also briefly discuss projected entangled-pair states (PEPS) as a higher-dimensional generalization of MPS, together with the basic ideas behind approximate PEPS contraction. Finally, tensor-network representations of mixed states, quantum channels, and Lindblad dynamics are presented, with applications to thermal states and open quantum systems. The presentation is accompanied by short Julia code examples based on ITensor, ITensorMPS, and TensorMixedStates. These notes were written for the 9th Les Houches Summer School on Computational Physics: Open Quantum Systems, held in June 2026.
Efficient methods to access the entanglement of a quantum many-body state, where the complexity generally scales exponentially with the system size N, have long been a concern. Here we propose the Schmidt tensor network state (Schmidt TNS) that efficiently represents the Schmidt decomposition of finite- and even infinite-size quantum states with nontrivial bipartition boundary. The key idea is to represent the Schmidt coefficients (i.e., entanglement spectrum) and transformations in the decomposition to tensor networks (TNs) with linearly scaled complexity versus N. Specifically, the transformations are written as the TNs formed by local unitary tensors, and the Schmidt coefficients are encoded in a positive-definite matrix product state (MPS). Translational invariance can be imposed on the TNs and MPS for the infinite-size cases. The validity of Schmidt TNS is demonstrated by simulating the ground state of the quasi-one-dimensional spin model with geometrical frustration. Our results show that the MPS encoding the Schmidt coefficients is weakly entangled even when the entanglement entropy of the decomposed state is strong. This justifies the efficiency of using MPS to encode the Schmidt coefficients, and promises an exponential speedup on the full-state sampling tasks.
We study the complexity of approximately contracting translation-invariant tensor networks. The computational cost of row-by-row tensor network contraction, which defines a discrete time evolution governed by a fixed transfer matrix, is associated with the entanglement of the state of a row. By analyzing a family of tensor networks whose transfer matrices interpolate between chaotic Floquet and strongly non-unitary limits, we uncover a transition between volume- and area-law entanglement in states evolved under the transfer matrix. We show that deep in the volume-law phase the spectrum of the transfer matrix in the complex plane consists of a dense ring with a sharp outer edge, reminiscent of behavior identified for non-unitary random matrices. At late times an evolving row state therefore has significant contributions from many eigenvectors with nearly degenerate eigenvalue magnitudes. In the area-law phase, there is instead a distinct leading eigenvalue. Our results establish connections between contraction complexity, spectral properties of the transfer matrix, and purification under non-unitary dynamics.
This paper explores the rigorous formulation of entanglement spectra within the framework of C*-algebras, proposing their utility as robust topological invariants for classifying quantum phases of matter. Entanglement spectra, derived from the eigenvalues of reduced density matrices, have emerged as powerful diagnostic tools for characterizing topological order, often revealing hidden patterns beyond conventional symmetry-breaking paradigms. By embedding quantum systems and their subsystem decompositions into the abstract mathematical structure of C*-algebras, we provide a generalized and mathematically rigorous approach to define and analyze these spectra. This C*-algebraic perspective allows for a unified treatment of finite and infinite quantum systems, including those arising in quantum field theory, and naturally incorporates the algebraic notion of locality and quantum states. We demonstrate how specific features of the entanglement spectrum, such as degeneracy patterns or gaps, can be viewed as invariants under C*-algebraic deformations that preserve the underlying topological order. This framework suggests a deep connection between the algebraic properties of observables, the structure of entanglement, and the classification of topological phases, potentially linking to established mathematical tools like K-theory. The work establishes a theoretical foundation for leveraging entanglement spectra as fundamental topological indicators within a highly abstract yet physically relevant algebraic setting.
This paper develops a rigorous C*-algebraic framework for understanding and classifying topological quantum phases through the lens of spectral entanglement. Topological quantum phases represent a frontier in condensed matter physics, characterized by robust properties that are insensitive to local perturbations and often manifest exotic excitations. Concurrently, entanglement, a quintessential quantum mechanical phenomenon, serves as a crucial resource for quantum information processing and a powerful diagnostic tool for quantum phases of matter. By integrating the formalisms of C*-algebras and spectral theory, we propose a robust mathematical language to describe the algebraic structure of observables in systems exhibiting topological order. Our approach leverages the spectral properties of density matrices and entanglement Hamiltonians within this algebraic setting to define and quantify spectral entanglement, revealing its intrinsic connection to topological invariants. We demonstrate how this framework provides a unified perspective on the interplay between local algebras of observables, their spectral characteristics, and the non-local correlations that define topological order. The paper outlines theoretical constructs for computing entanglement measures and topological indices directly from the C*-algebraic properties, thereby offering new avenues for classifying these phases and exploring their underlying quantum information content with potential implications for fault-tolerant quantum computing and novel electronic devices.