Temperature effects on quantum non-Markovianity via collision models

TL;DR

This paper investigates how environmental temperature influences quantum non-Markovianity in open quantum systems using collision models, revealing non-monotonic behavior and temperature-induced revivals of memory effects.

Contribution

It introduces collision models with thermal ancillas to study temperature effects on non-Markovianity, uncovering non-monotonic relations and mechanisms behind temperature-enhanced quantum memory.

Findings

Non-monotonic relation between temperature and non-Markovianity.

Revivals of non-Markovianity as temperature increases.

System-environment coherence exchange explains temperature-enhanced memory effects.

Abstract

Quantum non-Markovianity represents memory during the system dynamics, which is typically weakened by the temperature. We here study the effects of environmental temperature on the non-Markovianity of an open quantum system by virtue of collision models. The environment is simulated by a chain of ancillary qubits that are prepared in thermal states with a finite temperature $T$. Two distinct non-Markovian mechanisms are considered via two types of collision models, one where the system $S$ consecutively interacts with the ancillas and a second where $S$ collides only with an intermediate system $S'$ which in turn interacts with the ancillas. We show that in both models the relation between non-Markovianity and temperature is non-monotonic. In particular, revivals of non-Markovianity may occur as temperature increases. We find that the physical reason behind this behavior can be revealed by examining a peculiar system-environment coherence exchange, leading to ancillary qubit coherence larger than system coherence which triggers information backflow from the environment to the system. These results provide insights on the mechanisms underlying the counterintuitive phenomenon of temperature-enhanced quantum memory effects.