Scientists solve 60-year-old puzzle in quantum magnetism
Researchers have formulated a quantum version of a foundational physics equation that governs how magnets behave—closing a gap that existed since the classical theory was developed. The breakthrough could accelerate development of quantum computers and next-generation magnetic devices by enabling more accurate predictions of how quantum systems evolve over time.
Originaltitel: Quantum Analog of Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert Dynamics
<p>The Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) and Landau-Lifshitz (LL) equations play an essential role for describing the dynamics of magnetization in solids. While a quantum analog of the LL dynamics has been proposed in [Phys. Rev. Lett. <strong>110</strong>, 147201 (2013)], the corresponding quantum version of LLG remains unknown. Here, we propose such a quantum LLG equation that inherently conserves purity of the quantum state. We examine the quantum LLG dynamics of a dimer consisting of two interacting spin-1/2 particles. Our analysis reveals that, in the case of ferromagnetic coupling, the evolution of initially uncorrelated spins mirrors the classical LLG dynamics. However, in the antiferromagnetic scenario, we observe pronounced deviations from classical behavior, underscoring the unique dynamics of becoming a spinless state, which is nonlocally correlated. Moreover, when considering spins that are initially entangled, our study uncovers an unusual form of revival-type quantum correlation dynamics, which differs significantly from what is typically seen in open quantum systems.</p>