Eur. Phys. J. D (2016) 70: 177
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2016-70174-9

Regular Article

Dissipation, dephasing and quantum Darwinism in qubit systems with random unitary interactions

Institut fúr Angewandte Physik, Technische Universitát Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany

^a e-mail: balaneskovic@gmx.net

Received: 7 March 2016
Received in final form: 26 May 2016
Published online: 1 September 2016

Abstract

We investigate the influence of dissipation and decoherence on quantum Darwinism by generalizing Zurek’s original qubit model of decoherence and the establishment of pointer states [W.H. Zurek, Nat. Phys. 5, 181 (2009); see also arXiv: quant-ph/0707.2832v1, pp. 14-19.]. Our model allows for repeated multiple qubit-qubit couplings between system and environment which are described by randomly applied two-qubit quantum operations inducing entanglement, dissipation and dephasing. The resulting stationary qubit states of system and environment are investigated. They exhibit the intricate influence of entanglement generation, dissipation and dephasing on this characteristic quantum phenomenon.