Quantum Phase Transitions detected by a local probe using Time Correlations and Violations of Leggett-Garg Inequalities

Abstract

In the present paper we introduce a way of identifying quantum phase transitions of many-body systems by means of local time correlations and Leggett-Garg inequalities. This procedure allows to experimentally determine the quantum critical points not only of finite-order transitions but also those of infinite order, as the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition that is not always easy to detect with current methods. By means of simple analytical arguments for a general spin-$1/2$ Hamiltonian, and matrix product simulations of one-dimensional $XXZ$ and anisotropic $XY$ models, we argue that finite-order quantum phase transitions can be determined by singularities of the time correlations or their derivatives at criticality. The same features are exhibited by corresponding Leggett-Garg functions, which noticeably indicate violation of the Leggett-Garg inequalities for early times and all the Hamiltonian parameters considered. In addition, we find that the infinite-order transition of the $XXZ$ model at the isotropic point can be revealed by the maximal violation of the Leggett-Garg inequalities. We thus show that quantum phase transitions can be identified by purely local measurements, and that many-body systems constitute important candidates to observe experimentally the violation of Leggett-Garg inequalities.

Minor changes, 11 pages, 11 figures. Final version published in Phys. Rev. B

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