Entanglement as a quantum order parameter

We show that the quantum order parameters (QOP) associated with the transitions between a normal conductor and a superconductor in the BCS and eta-pairing models and between a Mott-insulator and a superfluid in the Bose-Hubbard model are directly related to the amount of entanglement existent in the ground state of each system. This gives a physical meaningful interpretation to these QOP, which shows the intrinsically quantum nature of the phase transitions considered.Comment: 5 pages. No figures. Revised version. References adde

Heat capacity as an indicator of entanglement

We demonstrate that the presence of entanglement in macroscopic bodies (e.g., solids) in thermodynamical equilibrium could be revealed by measuring heat capacity. The idea is that if the system was in a separable state, then for certain Hamiltonians heat capacity would not tend asymptotically to zero as the temperature approaches absolute zero. Since this would contradict the third law of thermodynamics, one concludes that the system must contain entanglement. The separable bounds are obtained by minimalization of the heat capacity over separable states and using its universal low-temperature behavior. Our results open up a possibility to use standard experimental techniques of solid-state physics-namely, heat-capacity measurements-to detect entanglement in macroscopic samples. © 2008 The American Physical Society