Quasiprobability distribution of work in the quantum Ising model

Area of Science:

• Quantum Many-Body Physics
• Statistical Mechanics
• Quantum Information Theory

Background:

• Understanding work statistics in quantum systems with initial coherence is incomplete.
• Work in such systems can be described by quasiprobability distributions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify genuinely quantum features of work done during parameter quenching.
• To study work quasiprobability in an Ising model with a transverse field.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of work quasiprobability distributions.
• Consideration of both global and local quenches.
• Focus on the thermodynamic limit.

Main Results:

• Global quenches yield symmetric, noncontextual work distributions (Gaussian).
• Local quenches exhibit quantum contextuality, indicated by a negative fourth work moment.
• Critical features of quantum phase transitions were examined.

Conclusions:

• Initial quantum coherence acts as a resource in quantum many-body systems.
• Distinguishing global and local quench dynamics is crucial for understanding quantum features like contextuality.