Tree-level entanglement in Quantum Electrodynamics

TL;DR

This paper investigates how entanglement between particle helicities arises at tree-level in QED scattering processes, identifying conditions for maximal entanglement and revealing new entanglement generation mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides a systematic analysis of helicity entanglement in QED, establishing conditions for entanglement and uncovering previously unknown maximal entanglement generation in specific scattering events.

Findings

Maximal or nearly maximal entanglement can be generated in Bhabha and Compton scattering.

Necessary and sufficient conditions for outgoing particles to be entangled are identified.

The study bridges quantum field theory and quantum information theory in high-energy physics.

Abstract

We report on a systematic study on the entanglement between helicity degrees of freedom generated at tree-level in quantum electrodynamics two-particle scattering processes. We determine the necessary and sufficient dynamical conditions for outgoing particles to be entangled with one another, and expose the hitherto unknown generation of maximal or nearly maximal entanglement through Bhabha and Compton scattering. Our work is an early step in revisiting quantum field theory and high-energy physics in the light of quantum information theory.