Work

Distinct Modes of Quantum Information Transfer in Power–Law Long-Range Spin Networks

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We identify different regimes of quantum state transfer in long-range coupled spin-12 systems, where naturally occurring power–law interactions enable rapid, high-fidelity transfer with minimal engineering. Across a broad range of interaction profiles, from effectively nearest-neighbour coupling to Coulomb interactions, we show how long-range connectivity fundamentally reshapes the mechanisms underlying information propagation within such systems. For effectively short-range interactions, transfer follows familiar ballistic transfer dynamics: an initially localised excitation spreads across many eigenmodes concentrated within the approximately linear region of the spectrum, enabling robust wavepacket motion. In contrast, increasing long-distance interactions via lowering the power–law exponent α (α=1−2) drives a striking transformation, where the initial state becomes confined to progressively fewer eigenmodes, ultimately reducing the dynamics to the coherent participation of only a few states corresponding to the highest eigenenergies. This spectral localisation gives rise to emergent long-range oscillations between distant sites, revealing a distinct—and faster—transfer mechanism arising from the intrinsic structure of long-range quantum interactions rather than from full-system engineering pathways.

Source: Entropy

DOI: 10.3390/e28101101

Authors: Ellis E. Marshall, Chad C. Nelmes, Tony J. G. Apollaro, Timothy P. Spiller, Irene D’Amico

Institutions: University of Sussex, University of York, University of Malta

Language: English

Topic: Quantum many-body systems

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funders: Royal Society, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council