Correlations in Open Quantum Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Understanding the difference between classical and quantum systems is one of the greatest challenges of modern science. The peculiar quantum traits of an ideal quantum experiment, described by the unitary evolution of a wavefunction, are arguably well understood. On the other hand, quantumness manifests in more elusive ways when interactions with a complex environment are taken into account, and a quantum process has to be mathematically expressed by a density matrix evolving under a general quantum operation. Studying the rich, emerging hierarchy of different kinds of quantum correlations in this scenario promises to shed light on the key features of noisy quantum systems, including their operational meaning for information processing and their thermodynamic properties.

This Special Issue aims to collect papers advancing our knowledge of quantum correlations in open quantum systems, e.g., quantum computers, communication networks, and sensors which are subject to decoherence and dissipation. We welcome contributions exploring both fundamental questions and applications, having the goal to provide the reader with a state-of-the art description of this rapidly evolving field.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to the followings:

• Study of quantum-to-classical transition and decoherence via correlation dynamics in open systems;
• Interplay between the various forms of quantum correlations in noisy systems, e.g., non-locality, steering, entanglement and discord;
• Links between quantum correlations and quantum coherence in open quantum systems;
• Quantum correlations as signatures of complexity, non-Markovianity, criticality, and other exotic behavior in open quantum systems;
• Quantum correlations and thermodynamic properties of out-of-equilibrium quantum systems;
• Quantum correlations as resources for noisy information processing.

Dr. Davide Girolami
Dr. Fabio Anzà
Guest Editors

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