Competition of Direct and Indirect Sources of Thermal Entanglement in a spin star network

TL;DR

This paper investigates how direct and indirect interactions in a spin star network influence thermal entanglement, revealing that their competition can eliminate entanglement among peripheral spins.

Contribution

It introduces a model analyzing the competition between two thermal entanglement sources in a spin star system, highlighting their destructive interference effects.

Findings

Both couplings can significantly compete in forming quantum correlations.

The competition can completely destroy thermal entanglement among peripheral spins.

Thermal entanglement is sensitive to the interplay of multiple interaction pathways.

Abstract

A spin star system consisting of three peripheral two-state systems and a central one is considered, with the peripheral spins assumed to interact with each other, as well as with the central one. It is shown that such two couplings, each one being a thermal entanglement source, can significantly compete in the formation of quantum correlations in the thermal state, to the point that they can destroy any thermal entanglement of the peripheral spins.