Search arXivSearch

arXiv subjects

Moshe Goldstein

Publications and source records attributed to Moshe Goldstein.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Ensemble Dependence of the Critical Exponent at a Quantum Error Correction Threshold

In thermodynamics it is common to assume that the choice of ensemble (e.g., micro-canonical, canonical, or grand-canonical) should not affect the underlying physics in the thermodynamics limit. We show that this does not necessarily hold for critical exponents. Examining a simplified model of quantum error correction (single step encoding and decoding by a random unitary) and the behavior of both the fidelity and magic at the corresponding threshold, we find different exponents when using generic channels or supposedly equivalent quantum trajectories. Interestingly, the obtained exponents saturate a recently derived information theoretic bound by Feldman et al. (2026), which we extend from the grand-canonical to the canonical case, including intermediate ensembles which we define. Moreover, even the existence of the transition is shown to be ensemble-dependent.

quant-ph

Information Bounds on phase transitions in disordered systems

Information theory, rooted in computer science, and many-body physics, have traditionally been studied as (almost) independent fields. Only recently has this paradigm started to shift, with many-body physics being studied and characterized using tools developed in information theory. In our work, we introduce a new perspective on this connection, and study phase transitions in models with randomness, such as localization in disordered systems, or random quantum circuits with measurements. Utilizing information-based arguments regarding probability distribution differentiation, we bound critical exponents in such phase transitions (specifically, those controlling the correlation or localization lengths). We benchmark our method and rederive the well-known Harris criterion, bounding critical exponents in the Anderson localization transition for noninteracting particles, as well as classical disordered spin systems. We then move on to apply our method to many-body localization. While in real space our critical exponent bound agrees with recent consensus, we find that, somewhat surprisingly, numerical results on Fock-space localization for limited-sized systems do not obey our bounds, indicating that the simulation results might not hold asymptotically (similarly to what is now believed to have occurred in the real-space problem). We also apply our approach to random quantum circuits with random measurements, for which we can derive bounds transcending recent mappings to percolation problems.

cond-mat.dis-nn

Entanglement corner dependence in two-dimensional systems: A tensor network perspective

In continuous quantum field theories, the entanglement entropy of a subsystem with sharp corners on its boundary exhibits a universal corner-dependent contribution. We study this contribution through the lens of lattice discretization, and demonstrate that this corner dependence emerges naturally from the geometric structure of infinite projected entangled pair states (iPEPS) on discrete lattices. Using a rigorous counting argument, we show that the bond dimension of an iPEPS representation exhibits a corner-dependent term that matches the predicted term in gapped continuous systems. Crucially, we find that this correspondence only emerges when averaging over all possible lattice orientations and origin positions, revealing a fundamental requirement for properly discretizing continuous systems. Our results provide a geometric understanding of entanglement corner laws and establish a direct connection between continuum field theory predictions and the structure of discrete tensor network representations. We extend our analysis to gauge-invariant systems, where lattice corners crossed by the bipartition boundary contribute an additional corner-dependent term. These findings offer new insights into the relationship between entanglement in continuous and discrete quantum systems.

quant-ph

Pre-Distillation of Magic States via Composite Schemes

Magic state distillation (MSD) is a cornerstone of fault-tolerant quantum computing, enabling non-Clifford gates via state injection into stabilizer circuits. However, the substantial overhead of current MSD protocols remains a major obstacle to scalable implementations. We propose a general framework for pre-distillation, based on composite pulse sequences that suppress systematic errors in the generation of magic states. While most composite designs target simple gates such as X, Z, or Hadamard, our schemes directly implement the non-Clifford T gate with enhanced robustness to the targeted systematic errors. We develop composite sequences tailored to the dominant control imperfections in superconducting, trapped-ion, neutral-atom, and integrated photonic platforms. To quantify improvement in the implementation, we introduce an operationally motivated fidelity measure specifically tailored to the T gate: the T-magic error, which captures the gate's effectiveness in preparing high-fidelity magic states. We further show that the error in the channel arising from the injection of faulty magic states scales linearly with the leading-order error of the states. Within the systematic-error-dominated regimes considered, this approach lowers the number of required distillation levels by up to three across the platforms we study, translating to substantial qubit-overhead savings and offering a practical route toward more resource-efficient universal quantum computation.

quant-ph

Non-Hermitian magnetic moment

We construct a semiclassical theory for electrons in a non-Hermitian periodic system subject to perturbations varying slowly in space and time. We derive the energy of the wavepacket to first order in the gradients of the perturbations. Applying the theory to the specific case of a uniform external magnetic field, we obtain an expression for the orbital magnetization energy. Using the principles of non-Hermitian dynamics, we define a physically meaningful non-Hermitian generalization of the angular momentum operator and show that it is compatible with the real part of the orbital magnetic moment. The imaginary part of the orbital magnetic moment is also discussed and shown to originate from an imaginary counterpart to the angular momentum that gives rise to a non-Hermitian generalization of the Aharonov-Bohm effect.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Transient Dynamical Phase Diagram of the Spin-Boson Model at Finite Temperature

We present numerically exact inchworm quantum Monte Carlo results for the real-time dynamics of the spin polarization in the sub-Ohmic spin-boson model at finite temperature. We focus in particular on the localization and coherence behavior of the model, extending our previous study at low temperature [Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 056502 (2025)]. As the temperature increases, the system becomes less localized and less coherent. The loss of coherence, which is controlled by two independent mechanisms -- a smooth damping-driven crossover and a sharp frequency-driven transition -- exhibits a nontrivial temperature dependence. While both types of coherence loss occur at lower coupling in the high temperature regime, the frequency exhibits a sharper drop at high temperatures and this drop is observed for all values of the sub-Ohmic exponent, in contrast to the zero-temperature case. We discuss the full temperature-dependent dynamical phase diagram of the system and the interplay between coherence and localization across a wide range of physical parameters.

cond-mat.str-el

Extremizing Measures of Magic on Pure States by Clifford-stabilizer States

Magic states enable universal, fault-tolerant quantum computation within the stabilizer framework. Their non-stabilizerness supplies the resource needed to bypass the Eastin-Knill theorem while allowing fault-tolerant distillation. Although many measures of magic exist, not every nonzero-magic state is known to be distillable, and many of currently known distillable states are special cases of Clifford-stabilizer states, defined as pure states uniquely stabilized by finite Clifford subgroups. We develop a general framework for group-covariant functionals on Hermitian operators, introducing the notions of $G$-stabilizer spaces, states, and codes for arbitrary finite subgroups $G \subset \mathrm{U}(\mathcal{H})$. We define analytic families of $G$-covariant functionals and prove that any $G$-invariant pure state is extremal for a broad class of derived functionals, including symmetric, max-type, and Rényi-type functionals, whenever the underlying family is $G$-covariant. This extremality holds for purity-preserving variations orthogonal to the stabilized subspace. Specializing to the Pauli and Clifford groups, we recover the extremality structure of canonical magic measures such as mana, stabilizer Rényi entropies, generalized Rényi entropies, and stabilizer fidelity, and show that Clifford-stabilizer states extremize them. We classify such states for qubits, qutrits, ququints, and two-qubit systems, identifying new candidates for magic distillation. We further propose an inefficient distillation protocol for a two-qubit magic state with stabilizer fidelity exceeding standard benchmarks, and conjecture that SIC-POVM fiducial states are Clifford-stabilizer states.

quant-ph

Robust Control and Entanglement of Qudits in Neutral Atom Arrays

Quantum devices comprised of elementary components with more than two stable levels - so-called qudits - enrich the accessible Hilbert space, enabling applications ranging from fault-tolerant quantum computing to simulating complex many-body models. While several quantum platforms are built from local elements that are equipped with a rich spectrum of stable energy levels, schemes for the efficient control and entanglement of qudits are scarce. Importantly, no experimental demonstration of multi-qudit control has been achieved to date in neutral atom arrays. Here, we propose a general scheme for controlling and entangling qudits and perform a full analysis for the case of qutrits, encoded in ground and metastable states of alkaline earth atoms. We find an efficient implementation of single-qudit gates via the simultaneous driving of multiple transition frequencies. For entangling operations, we provide a concrete and intuitive recipe for the controlled-Z (CZ) gate for any local dimension d, realized through alternating single qudit and entangling pulses that simultaneously drive up to two Rydberg transitions. We further prove that two simultaneous Rydberg tones are, in general, the minimum necessary for implementing the CZ gate with a global drive. The pulses we use are optimally-controlled, smooth, and robust to realistic experimental imperfections, as we demonstrate using extensive noise simulations. This amounts to a minimal, resource-efficient, and practical protocol for realizing a universal set of gates. Our scheme for the native control of qudits in a neutral atom array provides a high-fidelity route toward qudit-based quantum computation, ready for implementation on near-term devices.

quant-ph

Efficient Calculation of the Maximal Rényi Divergence for a Matrix Product State via Generalized Eigenvalue Density Matrix Renormalization Group

The study of quantum and classical correlations between subsystems is fundamental to understanding many-body physics. In quantum information theory, the quantum mutual information, $I(A;B)$, is a measure of correlation between the subsystems $A,B$ in a quantum state, and is defined by the means of the von Neumann entropy: $I\left(A;B\right)=S\left(ρ_{A}\right)+S\left(ρ_{B}\right)-S\left(ρ_{AB}\right)$. However, such a computation requires an exponential amount of resources. This is a defining feature of quantum systems, the infamous ``curse of dimensionality'' . Other measures, which are based on Rényi divergences instead of von Neumann entropy, were suggested as alternatives in a recent paper showing them to possess important theoretical features, and making them leading candidates as mutual information measures. In this work, we concentrate on the maximal Rényi divergence. This measure can be shown to be the solution of a generalized eigenvalue problem. To calculate it efficiently for a 1D state represented as a matrix product state, we develop a generalized eigenvalue version of the density matrix renormalization group algorithm. We benchmark our method for the paradigmatic XXZ chain, and show that the maximal Rényi divergence may exhibit different trends than the von Neumann mutual information.

quant-ph

Stoquastic simulations of non-stoquastic superconducting flux circuits

There is a tremendous interest in fabricating superconducting flux circuits that are nonstoquastic -- i.e., have positive off-diagonal matrix elements -- in their qubit representation, as these circuits are thought to be unsimulable by classical approaches due to the presence of a sign problem and thus could play a key role in the demonstration of speedups in quantum annealing protocols. We show, however, that the elimination of the sign problem in these systems is possible by the direct simulation of the flux circuits. Our approach not only obviates the reduction of flux circuits to their qubit representation but also produces results that are more in the spirit of the experimental setup. We discuss the implications of our work, arguing that our findings cast doubt on the conception that superconducting flux circuits represent the correct avenue for universal adiabatic quantum computers.

quant-ph

Efficient Robust Spontaneous Parametric Down-Conversion via Detuning Modulated Composite Segments Designs

Spontaneous Parametric Down Conversion (SPDC) holds a pivotal role in quantum physics, facilitating the creation of entangled photon pairs, heralded single photons and squeezed light, critical resources for many applications in quantum technologies. However, their production is susceptible to physical variations, posing limitations on their robust utility. To overcome these limitations, this work introduces a method to significantly enhance the reliability of entangled photon pair generation. This approach involves introducing a composite design scheme to the SPDC process. The design is based on the development of a theoretical composite segments framework for SU(1,1), offering increased error resilience and robustness of the process. The practical application is experimentally demonstrated by modulating the nonlinear coefficient of a KTP crystal for degenerate 532 nm to 1064 nm conversion, resulting in an effective sevenfold improvement in stability of photon-pair generation and coincidence rate against temperature fluctuations compared to conventional quasi-phase-matching techniques. Furthermore, the presented concept is applicable to other physical systems that exhibit SU(1,1) dynamics. This methodology can create a leap forward in quantum technologies by significantly enhancing stability and error tolerance, thus paving the way for a new generation of entangled photon sources, holding promise for quantum information processing, communication, and precision measurement applications.

quant-ph

Wave-packet dynamics in pseudo-Hermitian lattices: Coexistence of Hermitian and non-Hermitian wavefronts

This paper investigates wave-packet dynamics in non-Hermitian lattice systems and reveals a surprising phenomenon: The simultaneous propagation of two distinct wavefronts, one traveling at the non-Hermitian velocity and the other at the Hermitian velocity. We show that this dual-front behavior arises naturally in systems governed by a pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian. Using the paradigmatic Hatano-Nelson model as our primary example, we demonstrate that this coexistence is essential for understanding a wide array of unconventional dynamical effects, including abrupt ``non-Hermitian reflections'', sudden shifts of Gaussian wave-packets, and disorder-induced emergent packets seeded by the small initial tails. We present analytic predictions that closely match numerical simulations. These results may offer new insight into the topology of non-Hermitian systems and point toward measurable experimental consequences.

quant-ph

Photon-instanton scattering in a superconducting circuit: Beyond the very high impedance regime

Instantons, semi-classical trajectories of quantum tunneling in imaginary time, have long been used to study thermodynamic and transport properties in a myriad of condensed matter and high energy systems. A recent experiment in superconducting circuits [Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 197701, (2021)] provided first evidence for direct dynamical signatures of instantons (phase slips), manifested by order-unity inelastic decay probabilities for photons with which they interact, motivating the development of a scattering theory of instantons [Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 137701, (2021)]. While this framework successfully predicted the measured inelastic decay rates of the photons for several experimental devices, it is valid only if the tunneling time of the instantons is much shorter than the relaxation time due to the environment in which they are embedded, and requires a closed analytical expression for the instanton trajectory. Here, we alleviate these restrictions by incorporating numerical methods that eliminate some of the previously applied approximations. Our results improve the agreement with the experimental measurements, also for devices with lower impedances and thus shorter relaxation times, without fitting parameters. This framework should be useful in many other quantum field theoretical contexts.

quant-ph

Multiple Mechanisms for Emerging Conductance Plateaus in Fractional Quantum Hall States

Two-terminal conductance quantization in the context of quantum Hall (QH) physics is intimately related to the current carried by a discrete number of chiral edge modes. Upon pinching off a QH bar, one may engineer setups where some modes are fully transmitted (while the others are fully reflected), giving rise to the orthodox theory of quantized conductance plateaus. Here, we note that the observation of quantized plateaus \emph{does not} uniquely indicate the underlying mechanism. Our study demonstrates explicitly that (i) such plateaus may be the manifestations of entirely different mechanisms; (ii) conductance measurements alone will not suffice to distinguish one from the other. We further show that measurements of shot noise (auto- and cross-correlation) at the plateau may discriminate among different mechanisms. While our observations apply to a broad class of QH states, we demonstrate their applicability employing a prototypical example: the bulk state of filling factor $ν=2/3$. We present distinctly different scenarios that lead to a conductance plateau $G_{2-\text{terminal}} = e^2/3h$ (observed previously), and likewise qualitatively different mechanisms leading to $e^2/2h$ (recently observed). We also predict the possibility of a new conductance plateau at $5e^2/9h$, following a non-orthodox scenario.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Half-integer thermal conductance in the absence of Majorana mode

Considering a range of candidate quantum phases of matter, half-integer thermal conductance ($κ_{\text{th}}$) is believed to be an unambiguous evidence of non-Abelian states. It has been long known that such half-integer values arise due to the presence of Majorana edge modes, representing a significant step towards topological quantum computing platforms. Here, we challenge this prevailing notion by presenting a comprehensive theoretical and experimental study where half-integer two-terminal thermal conductance plateau is realized employing Abelian phases. Our proposed setup features a confined geometry of bilayer graphene, interfacing distinct particle-like and hole-like integer quantum Hall states. Each segment of the device exhibits full charge and thermal equilibration. Our approach is amenable to generalization to other quantum Hall platforms, and may give rise to other values of fractional (electrical and thermal) quantized transport. Our study demonstrates that the observation of robust non-integer values of thermal conductance can arise as a manifestation of mundane equilibration dynamics as opposed to underlying non-trivial topology.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Quantum simulation of the microscopic to macroscopic crossover using superconducting quantum impurities

Despite being a pillar of quantum mechanics, little attention has been paid to the onset of Fermi's golden rule as a discrete microscopic bath of modes approaches the macroscopic thermodynamic limit and forms a continuum. Motivated by recent experiments in circuit quantum electrodynamics, we tackle this question through the lens of single-photon decay in a finite transmission line coupled to a qubit ("quantum impurity"). We consider a single-photon state, coupled via the nonlinear impurity to several baths formed by multi-photon states with different number of photons, which are inherently discrete due to the finite size of the line. We focus on the late-time dynamics of the single-photon, and uncover the conditions under which the photon's decoherence rate approaches the decay rate predicted by Fermi's golden rule. We show that it is necessary to keep a small but finite escape rate (unrelated to the impurity) for each single-photon mode to obtain a finite long-time decay rate. We analyze the contribution of the baths formed by many-body states with different number of photons, and illustrate how the decay rate induced by some bath of $n$ photon states is enhanced by the presence of other baths of $m \neq n$ photon states, highlighting the contribution of cascade photon decay processes. Our formalism could be used to analyze recent experiments in superconducting circuits.

quant-ph

Quantum geometry of non-Hermitian systems

The Berry curvature characterizes one aspect of the geometry of quantum states. It materializes, among other consequences, as an anomalous velocity of wave packets. In non-Hermitian systems, wave packet dynamics is enriched by additional terms that can be expressed as generalizations of the Berry connection to non-orthogonal eigenstates. Here, we contextualize these anomalous non-Hermitian contributions by showing that they directly arise from the geometry of the underlying quantum states as corrections to the distance between left and perturbed right eigenstates. By calculating the electric susceptibility for a single-band wave packet and comparing it with the wave packet's localization, we demonstrate that these terms can, in some circumstances, lead to a violation of fluctuation-dissipation relations in non-Hermitian systems. We discuss experimental signatures in terms of response functions and transport signatures.

quant-ph

Large symmetry and hierarchical ordering transitions in sliding ferroelectrics

Van der Waals "sliding" ferroelectric bilayers, whose electric polarization is locked to the interlayer alignment, show promise for future non-volatile memory and other nanoelectronic devices. These applications require a fuller understanding of the polarization stability and switching properties, which present models have described in terms of an Ising-like binary polarization. However, it is a much larger translation symmetry that is broken in the polar state. Here we introduce a discrete statistical-mechanical model that emphasizes the effect of this larger symmetry. Through Monte-Carlo numerics we show this model possesses a richer phase diagram, including an intermediate critical phase of algebraically-correlated polarization. A low energy effective theory allows us to connect the ferroelectric-paraelectric transition to the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless class, driven by excitations not available in Ising-like models. Our results indicate the need for theoretical models of this ferroelectric system to account for the larger symmetry.

cond-mat.stat-mech