Entanglement and SU(n) symmetry in one-dimensional valence bond solid states

Here we evaluate the many-body entanglement properties of a generalized SU(n) valence bond solid state on a chain. Our results follow from a derivation of the transfer matrix of the system which, in combination with symmetry properties, allows for a new, elegant and straightforward evaluation of different entanglement measures. In particular, the geometric entanglement per block, correlation length, von Neumann and R\'enyi entropies of a block, localizable entanglement and entanglement length are obtained in a very simple way. All our results are in agreement with previous derivations for the SU(2) case.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Visualizing elusive phase transitions with geometric entanglement

We show that by examining the global geometric entanglement it is possible to identify "elusive" or hard to detect quantum phase transitions. We analyze several one-dimensional quantum spin chains and demonstrate the existence of non-analyticities in the geometric entanglement, in particular across a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition and across a transition for a gapped deformed Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki chain. The observed non-analyticities can be understood and classified in connection to the nature of the transitions, and are in sharp contrast to the analytic behavior of all the two-body reduced density operators and their derived entanglement measures.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, revised version, accepted for publication in PR

Classical simulation of infinite-size quantum lattice systems in two spatial dimensions

We present an algorithm to simulate two-dimensional quantum lattice systems in the thermodynamic limit. Our approach builds on the {\em projected entangled-pair state} algorithm for finite lattice systems [F. Verstraete and J.I. Cirac, cond-mat/0407066] and the infinite {\em time-evolving block decimation} algorithm for infinite one-dimensional lattice systems [G. Vidal, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 070201 (2007)]. The present algorithm allows for the computation of the ground state and the simulation of time evolution in infinite two-dimensional systems that are invariant under translations. We demonstrate its performance by obtaining the ground state of the quantum Ising model and analysing its second order quantum phase transition.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, 1 table. Revised version, with new diagrams and plots. The results on classical systems can now be found at arXiv:0711.396

Adiabatic quantum computation and quantum phase transitions

We analyze the ground state entanglement in a quantum adiabatic evolution algorithm designed to solve the NP-complete Exact Cover problem. The entropy of entanglement seems to obey linear and universal scaling at the point where the mass gap becomes small, suggesting that the system passes near a quantum phase transition. Such a large scaling of entanglement suggests that the effective connectivity of the system diverges as the number of qubits goes to infinity and that this algorithm cannot be efficiently simulated by classical means. On the other hand, entanglement in Grover's algorithm is bounded by a constant.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in PR

Equivalence of critical scaling laws for many-body entanglement in the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model

We establish a relation between several entanglement properties in the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model, which is a system of mutually interacting spins embedded in a magnetic field. We provide analytical proofs that the single-copy entanglement and the global geometric entanglement of the ground state close to and at criticality behave as the entanglement entropy. These results are in deep contrast to what is found in one- dimensional spin systems where these three entanglement measures behave differently.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, published versio

Exploring corner transfer matrices and corner tensors for the classical simulation of quantum lattice systems

In this paper we explore the practical use of the corner transfer matrix and its higher-dimensional generalization, the corner tensor, to develop tensor network algorithms for the classical simulation of quantum lattice systems of infinite size. This exploration is done mainly in one and two spatial dimensions (1d and 2d). We describe a number of numerical algorithms based on corner matri- ces and tensors to approximate different ground state properties of these systems. The proposed methods make also use of matrix product operators and projected entangled pair operators, and naturally preserve spatial symmetries of the system such as translation invariance. In order to assess the validity of our algorithms, we provide preliminary benchmarking calculations for the spin-1/2 quantum Ising model in a transverse field in both 1d and 2d. Our methods are a plausible alternative to other well-established tensor network approaches such as iDMRG and iTEBD in 1d, and iPEPS and TERG in 2d. The computational complexity of the proposed algorithms is also considered and, in 2d, important differences are found depending on the chosen simulation scheme. We also discuss further possibilities, such as 3d quantum lattice systems, periodic boundary conditions, and real time evolution. This discussion leads us to reinterpret the standard iTEBD and iPEPS algorithms in terms of corner transfer matrices and corner tensors. Our paper also offers a perspective on many properties of the corner transfer matrix and its higher-dimensional generalizations in the light of novel tensor network methods.Comment: 25 pages, 32 figures, 2 tables. Revised version. Technical details on some of the algorithms have been moved to appendices. To appear in PR

Universal geometric entanglement close to quantum phase transitions

Under successive Renormalization Group transformations applied to a quantum state $\ket{\Psi}$ of finite correlation length $\xi$, there is typically a loss of entanglement after each iteration. How good it is then to replace $\ket{\Psi}$ by a product state at every step of the process? In this paper we give a quantitative answer to this question by providing first analytical and general proofs that, for translationally invariant quantum systems in one spatial dimension, the global geometric entanglement per region of size $L \gg \xi$ diverges with the correlation length as $(c/12) \log{(\xi/\epsilon)}$ close to a quantum critical point with central charge $c$, where $\epsilon$ is a cut-off at short distances. Moreover, the situation at criticality is also discussed and an upper bound on the critical global geometric entanglement is provided in terms of a logarithmic function of $L$.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Simulation of two dimensional quantum systems on an infinite lattice revisited: corner transfer matrix for tensor contraction

An extension of the projected entangled-pair states (PEPS) algorithm to infinite systems, known as the iPEPS algorithm, was recently proposed to compute the ground state of quantum systems on an infinite two-dimensional lattice. Here we investigate a modification of the iPEPS algorithm, where the environment is computed using the corner transfer matrix renormalization group (CTMRG) method, instead of using one-dimensional transfer matrix methods as in the original proposal. We describe a variant of the CTMRG that addresses different directions of the lattice independently, and use it combined with imaginary time evolution to compute the ground state of the two-dimensional quantum Ising model. Near criticality, the modified iPEPS algorithm is seen to provide a better estimation of the order parameter and correlators.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, revised version, accepted in PR

On single-copy entanglement

The largest eigenvalue of the reduced density matrix for quantum chains is shown to have a simple physical interpretation and power-law behaviour in critical systems. This is verified numerically for XXZ spin chains.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, note added, typo correcte