Entanglement as a probe of hadronization

TL;DR

This paper applies the concept of quantum entanglement to hadronization, specifically relating jet fragmentation functions to entropy, and validates the approach with LHC data, offering a new quantum perspective on the transition from perturbative to non-perturbative QCD.

Contribution

It introduces the novel application of entanglement concepts to jet fragmentation, linking quantum information to experimental hadronization data.

Findings

Good agreement between entanglement-based predictions and ATLAS data

First experimental validation of entanglement framework in hadronization

Provides new insights into the quantum nature of the hadronization process

Abstract

Recently, it was discovered that the proton structure at high energies exhibits maximal entanglement. This leads to a simple relation between the proton's parton distributions and the entropy of hadrons produced in high-energy inelastic interactions that has been experimentally confirmed. In this letter, we extend this approach to the production of jets. Here, the maximal entanglement predicts a relation between the jet fragmentation function and the entropy of hadrons produced in jet fragmentation. We test this relation using the ATLAS Collaboration data on jet production at the Large Hadron Collider and find good agreement between the prediction based on maximal entanglement within the jet and the data. This study represents the first use of the quantum entanglement framework in the experimental study of the hadronization process, offering a new perspective on the transition from perturbative to non-perturbative QCD. Our results open the door to a more comprehensive understanding of the quantum nature of hadronization.