Quantum Information at the Electron-Ion Collider

Abstract

We investigate quantum-information-theoretic observables in electron-proton scattering at the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). Our analysis focuses on entanglement and magic, two complementary indicators of non-classicality in quantum states. We show that while unpolarized and longitudinally polarized beams yield unentangled separable outcomes, transverse beam polarization enables the generation of entangled and non-stabilizer states. This result holds for both elastic and deep inelastic electron-proton scattering in QED. In the deep inelastic regime, the degree of quantum correlation is governed by the transversity parton distribution functions, providing a novel perspective on spin dynamics within QCD. These results establish the EIC as a promising environment for generating entangled and non-stabilizer states in high-energy physics, and they highlight opportunities for future lepton-hadron colliders to extend such studies into new kinematic domains.