Information-theoretic differential geometry of quantum phase transitions

Paolo Zanardi1, Paolo Giorda, Marco Cozzini

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California Los Angeles, California 90089-0484, USA.

Physical Review Letters
|October 13, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Singularities in the Riemannian metric of quantum Hamiltonians signal quantum phase transitions. This framework unifies differential geometry and information theory for studying quantum critical phenomena.

Related Concept Videos

Phase Transitions01:21

Phase Transitions

A phase transition is the process in which a substance changes from one state of matter to another, like from a solid to a liquid, liquid to gas, or vice versa, at a specific temperature and under given pressure conditions. This change is spontaneous and is affected by alterations in temperature and pressure. These parameters impact the strength of the forces between molecules (intermolecular forces) in the substance.During a phase transition, both the initial and final phases of the substance...
Phase Transitions02:31

Phase Transitions

Whether solid, liquid, or gas, a substance's state depends on the order and arrangement of its particles (atoms, molecules, or ions). Particles in the solid pack closely together, generally in a pattern. The particles vibrate about their fixed positions but do not move or squeeze past their neighbors. In liquids, although the particles are closely spaced, they are randomly arranged. The position of the particles are not fixed—that is, they are free to move past their neighbors to occupy...
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition02:33

Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition

Some solids can transition directly into the gaseous state, bypassing the liquid state, via a process known as sublimation. At room temperature and standard pressure, a piece of dry ice (solid CO2) sublimes, appearing to gradually disappear without ever forming any liquid. Snow and ice sublimate at temperatures below the melting point of water, a slow process that may be accelerated by winds and the reduced atmospheric pressures at high altitudes. When solid iodine is warmed, the solid sublimes...
Phase Diagrams of Ternary Systems01:28

Phase Diagrams of Ternary Systems

Consider a ternary system, which is composed of three components: water (W), ethanoic acid (E), and trichloromethane (T). Here, Ethanoic acid (E) is fully miscible with both water (W) and trichloromethane (T), meaning it can mix entirely with either of them. However, water and trichloromethane have partial miscibility, meaning they can only mix to a certain extent, beyond which two separate phases will form.The phase diagram of a ternary system is represented as an equilateral triangle, where...
Transmission-Line Differential Equations01:26

Transmission-Line Differential Equations

Transmission lines are essential components of electrical power systems. They are characterized by the distributed nature of resistance (R), inductance (L), and capacitance (C) per unit length. To analyze these lines, differential equations are employed to model the variations in voltage and current along the line.
Line Section Model
A circuit representing a line section of length Δx helps in understanding the transmission line parameters. The voltage V(x) and current i(x) are measured from the...
Differential Form of Maxwell's Equations01:17

Differential Form of Maxwell's Equations

James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) was one of the significant contributors to physics in the nineteenth century. He is probably best known for having combined existing knowledge of the laws of electricity and the laws of magnetism with his insights to form a complete overarching electromagnetic theory, represented by Maxwell's equations. The four basic laws of electricity and magnetism were discovered experimentally through the work of physicists such as Oersted, Coulomb, Gauss, and Faraday.