Quantum Darwinism and non-Markovianity in a model of quantum harmonic oscillators

TL;DR

This paper investigates the relationship between quantum Darwinism and non-Markovianity in a model of quantum harmonic oscillators, highlighting differences in definitions and showing no clear link between non-Markovianity and Darwinism.

Contribution

The study compares two perspectives of quantum Darwinism within a harmonic oscillator model and examines how non-Markovianity affects the emergence of classical information.

Findings

No clear relationship between non-Markovianity and quantum Darwinism in the model.

Differences between two definitions of quantum Darwinism are illustrated.

Non-Markovianity can be varied independently of Darwinism effects.

Abstract

To explain aspects of the quantum-to-classical transition, quantum Darwinism explores the fact that, due to interactions between a quantum open system and its surrounding environment, information about the system can be spread redundantly to the environment. Here we recall that there are in the literature two distinct and non-equivalent ways to make this statement precise and quantitative. We first point out the difference with some simple but illustrative examples. We then consider a model where Darwinism can be seen from both perspectives. Moreover, the non-Markovianity of our model can be varied with a parameter. In a recent work [F. Galve \textit{et al.}, Sci. Reps. 6, 19607 (2016)], the authors concluded that quantum Darwinism can be hindered by non-Markovianity. We depart from their analysis and argue that, from both perspectives to quantum Darwinism, there is no clear relationship between non-Markovianity and quantum Darwinism in our model.