Essential role of quantum speed limit in violation of Leggett-Garg inequality across a PT-transition

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the quantum speed limit influences the violation of Leggett-Garg inequality in a non-Hermitian two-level system across a PT-transition, revealing the connection between evolution speed and quantum correlations.

Contribution

It identifies the role of quantum speed limit in LGI violation during PT-transitions and introduces the minimum speed of evolution as an order parameter distinguishing PT phases.

Findings

Maximum LGI violation approaches algebraic maximum near exceptional point.

In PT-broken phase, LGI violation reaches algebraic maximum of 3.

Minimum speed of evolution acts as an order parameter for PT transition.

Abstract

We study Leggett-Garg inequality (LGI) of a two level system (TLS) undergoing non-Hermitian dynamics governed by a non-linear Bloch equation (derived in J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 54, 115301 (2021)) across a PT-transition. We present an algebraic identification of the parameter space for the maximum violation of LGI (in particular $K_{3}$). In the PT-symmetric regime the maximum allowed value for $K_{3}$ is always found to be greater than the quantum bound (L\"{u}ders bound) of $3/2$ but it does not reach the algebraic maximum of $K_{3}=3$ in general. However, in the limit where PT-symmetry breaking parameter approaches the exceptional point from the PT-symmetric side, $K_{3}$ is found to asymptotically approach its algebraic maximum of 3. In contrast, the maximum value of $K_{3}$ always reaches its algebraic maximum in the PT-broken phase $i.e.$ $K_{3}\rightarrow 3$. We find that (i) the speed of evolution (SOE) must reach its maximum value (in the parameter space of initial state and the time interval between successive measurements) to facilitate the value of $K_{3} \rightarrow 3$, (ii) together with the constraint that its minimum value must run into SOE equals to zero during the evolution of the state. In fact we show that the minimum speed of evolution can serve as an order parameter which is finite on the PT-symmetric side and identically zero on the PT-broken side. Finally, we discuss a possible experimental realization of this dynamics by quantum measurement followed by post-selection procedure in a three level atom coupled to cavity mode undergoing a Lindbladian dynamics.