Non-Commutative weak measurements: Entanglement, Symmetry Breaking, and the Role of Readout

TL;DR

This paper explores how different measurement readout protocols affect the phase structure and entanglement in quantum systems undergoing competing non-commuting weak measurements, revealing complex phase transitions and symmetry-breaking phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis of measurement-induced phase transitions under various readout schemes, including a novel channel-fidelity-based approach to characterize entanglement and symmetry breaking.

Findings

Complete readout leads to a direct SRE to LRE transition.

No readout results in symmetry breaking without entanglement.

Partial readout produces a mixed phase with complex symmetry-breaking behavior.

Abstract

The preparation of long-range entangled (LRE) states via quantum measurements is a promising strategy, yet its stability against realistic, non-commuting measurement noise remains a critical open question. Here, we systematically investigate the rich phase structure emerging from a minimal model of competing, non-commuting weak measurements: nearest-neighbor Ising ($Z_iZ_j$) and single-qubit transverse ($X_i$) operators. We analyze three experimentally relevant scenarios based on which measurement outcomes are read out: complete readout, no readout, and partial readout. Using a replica mean-field theory for higher dimensions, complemented by numerical simulations in one dimension, we derive the complete finite-time and stationary phase diagrams. Our analysis reveals a striking dependence on the readout protocol. Complete readout yields a direct transition between a short-range entangled (SRE) phase and a pure LRE phase. No readout (pure decoherence) precludes entanglement but exhibits a strong-to-weak spontaneous symmetry breaking (SWSSB) transition into a classically ordered mixed state. Most intriguingly, partial readout interpolates between these limits, featuring a mixed-state phase transition where the system can become trapped in the SWSSB phase or, for weaker non-commutativity, undergo successive symmetry breaking to reach a mixed LRE phase. A novel technical contribution is the use of a channel-fidelity-based partition function that allows us to simultaneously characterize both entanglement and SWSSB order, revealing a deep interplay between them in the replica limit. These results provide a cohesive picture for understanding measurement phase transitions, SWSSB, and mixed-state phase transitions, offering crucial insights for designing robust state preparation protocols on noisy quantum devices.