Two-particle localization and antiresonance in disordered spin and qubit chains

Abstract

We show that, in a system with defects, two-particle states may experience destructive quantum interference, or antiresonance. It prevents an excitation localized on a defect from decaying even where the decay is allowed by energy conservation. The system studied is a qubit chain or an equivalent spin chain with an anisotropic ($XXZ$) exchange coupling in a magnetic field. The chain has a defect with an excess on-site energy. It corresponds to a qubit with the level spacing different from other qubits. We show that, because of the interaction between excitations, a single defect may lead to multiple localized states. The energy spectra and localization lengths are found for two-excitation states. The localization of excitations facilitates the operation of a quantum computer. Analytical results for strongly anisotropic coupling are confirmed by numerical studies.

Updated version, 13 pages, 5 figures To appear in Phys. Rev. B (2003)