Critical dynamics of decoherence

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the critical dynamics of a quantum environment near a phase transition amplify decoherence, revealing universal relations with critical exponents and topological defect formation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel framework linking decoherence to non-equilibrium critical dynamics and universal critical exponents in quantum phase transitions.

Findings

Decoherence is significantly enhanced near the environment's critical point.

Universal relations connect decoherence to critical exponents and defect creation.

Non-equilibrium dynamics play a crucial role in decoherence processes.

Abstract

We study decoherence induced by a dynamic environment undergoing a quantum phase transition. Environment's susceptibility to perturbations - and, consequently, efficiency of decoherence - is amplified near a critical point. Over and above this near-critical susceptibility increase, we show that decoherence is dramatically enhanced by non-equilibrium critical dynamics of the environment. We derive a simple expression relating decoherence to the universal critical exponents exhibiting deep connections with the theory of topological defect creation in non-equilibrium phase transitions.