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Updated: Apr 19, 2026

A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference
Published on: September 5, 2019
Locality, entanglement, and thermalization of isolated quantum systems
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University, 525 Northwestern Avenue, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2036, USA.
Thermalization in isolated quantum systems is linked to increasing entanglement. This study shows entanglement entropy rapidly reaches thermal values in a quantum boson gas, supporting the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH).
Area of Science:
- Quantum statistical mechanics
- Condensed matter physics
- Quantum information theory
Background:
- Thermalization in isolated quantum systems is poorly understood.
- Entanglement entropy is proposed as a key indicator of thermalization.
- The eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH) suggests individual energy eigenstates behave thermally.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the connection between entanglement and thermalization in a quantum boson gas.
- To numerically test the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH).
- To explore the implications of ETH for quantum black holes.
Main Methods:
- Analytical calculations.
- Krylov-subspace-based numerical methods.
- Study of a quantum gas of bosons.
Main Results:
- Entanglement entropy of a subsystem rapidly generated and approaches the thermal value.
- Accurate numerical validation of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH).
- Demonstration of rapid thermalization in the quantum boson gas.
Conclusions:
- Entanglement growth is a primary mechanism for thermalization in isolated quantum systems.
- ETH is numerically supported, suggesting individual eigenstates can represent thermal states.
- ETH may be a quantum analogue to the classical no-hair theorem in quantum black hole physics.
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