Free Probability in a Minimal Quantum Circuit Model

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Fritzsch, Felix, Claeys, Pieter W.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Fritzsch, Felix
Claeys, Pieter W.
author_facet Fritzsch, Felix
Claeys, Pieter W.
contents Recent experimental and theoretical developments in many-body quantum systems motivate the study of their out-of-equilibrium properties through multi-time correlation functions. We consider the dynamics of higher-order out-of-time-order correlators (OTOCs) in a minimal circuit model for quantum dynamics. This model mimics the dynamics of a structured subsystem locally coupled to a maximally random environment. We prove the exponential decay of all higher-order OTOCs and fully characterize the relevant time scales, showing how local operators approach free independence at late times. We show that the effects of the environment on the local subsystem can be captured in a higher-order influence matrix, which allows for a Markovian description of the dynamics provided an auxiliary degree of freedom is introduced. This degree of freedom directly yields a dynamical picture for the OTOCs in terms of free cumulants from free probability, consistent with recent predictions from the full eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH). This approach and the relevant influence matrix are expected to be applicable in more general settings and present a first step to characterizing quantum memory in higher-order OTOCs.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_11197
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Free Probability in a Minimal Quantum Circuit Model
Fritzsch, Felix
Claeys, Pieter W.
Quantum Physics
Statistical Mechanics
High Energy Physics - Theory
Mathematical Physics
Recent experimental and theoretical developments in many-body quantum systems motivate the study of their out-of-equilibrium properties through multi-time correlation functions. We consider the dynamics of higher-order out-of-time-order correlators (OTOCs) in a minimal circuit model for quantum dynamics. This model mimics the dynamics of a structured subsystem locally coupled to a maximally random environment. We prove the exponential decay of all higher-order OTOCs and fully characterize the relevant time scales, showing how local operators approach free independence at late times. We show that the effects of the environment on the local subsystem can be captured in a higher-order influence matrix, which allows for a Markovian description of the dynamics provided an auxiliary degree of freedom is introduced. This degree of freedom directly yields a dynamical picture for the OTOCs in terms of free cumulants from free probability, consistent with recent predictions from the full eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH). This approach and the relevant influence matrix are expected to be applicable in more general settings and present a first step to characterizing quantum memory in higher-order OTOCs.
title Free Probability in a Minimal Quantum Circuit Model
topic Quantum Physics
Statistical Mechanics
High Energy Physics - Theory
Mathematical Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.11197