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For a given Hamiltonian $H$ on a multipartite quantum system, one is interested in finding the energy $E_0$ of its ground state. In the separability approximation, arising as a natural consequence of measurement in a separable basis, one looks for the minimal expectation value $\lambda_{\rm min}^{\otimes}$ of $H$ among all product states. For several concrete model Hamiltonians, we investigate the difference $\lambda_{\rm min}^{\otimes}-E_0$, called separability gap, which vanishes if the ground state has a product structure. In the generic case of a random Hermitian matrix of the Gaussian orthogonal ensemble, we find explicit bounds for the size of the gap which depend on the number of subsystems and hold with probability one. This implies an effective entanglement criterion applicable for any multipartite quantum system: If an expectation value of a typical observable among a given state is sufficiently distant from the average value, the state is almost surely entangled., Comment: 8 pages total, 3 figures

A non-commuting measurement transfers, via the apparatus, information encoded in a system's state to the external "observer". Classical measurements determine properties of physical objects. In the quantum realm, the very same notion restricts the recording process to orthogonal states as only those are distinguishable by measurements. Therefore, even a possibility to describe physical reality by means of non-hermitian operators should \emph{volens nolens} be excluded as their eigenstates are not orthogonal. Here, we show that non-hermitian operators with real spectrum can be treated within the standard framework of quantum mechanics. Furthermore, we propose a quantum canonical transformation that maps hermitian systems onto non-hermitian ones. Similar to classical inertial forces this transformation is accompanied by an energetic cost pinning the system on the unitary path.

Thermodynamics is the phenomenological theory of heat and work. Here we analyze to what extent quantum thermodynamic relations are immune to the underlying mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics. As a main result, we show that the Jarzynski equality holds true for all non-hermitian quantum systems with real spectrum. This equality expresses the second law of thermodynamics for isothermal processes arbitrarily far from equilibrium. In the quasistatic limit however, the second law leads to the Carnot bound which is fulfilled even if some eigenenergies are complex provided they appear in conjugate pairs. Furthermore, we propose two setups to test our predictions. Namely with strongly interacting excitons and photons in a semiconductor microcavity and in the non-hermitian tight-binding model., Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures

We address the problem of obtaining the exact reduced dynamics of the spin-half (qubit) immersed within the bosonic bath (enviroment). An exact solution of the Schrodinger equation with the paradigmatic spin-boson Hamiltonian is obtained. We believe that this result is a major step ahead and may ultimately contribute to the complete resolution of the problem in question. We also construct the constant of motion for the spin-boson system. In contrast to the standard techniques available within the framework of the open quantum systems theory, our analysis is based on the theory of block operator matrices., Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX, to appear in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical

A problem of finding stationary states of open quantum systems is addressed. We focus our attention on a generic type of open system: a qubit coupled to its environment. We apply the theory of block operator matrices and find stationary states of two--level open quantum systems under certain conditions applied both on the qubit and the surrounding., Comment: 12 pages, 0 figures, revtex 4-1

In this paper we revisit the problem of decoherence applying the block operator matrices analysis. Riccati algebraic equation associated with the Hamiltonian describing the process of decoherence is studied. We prove that if the environment responsible for decoherence is invariant with respect to the antylinear transformation then the antylinear operator solves Riccati equation in question. We also argue that this solution leads to neither linear nor antilinear operator similarity matrix. This fact deprives us the standard procedure for solving linear differential equation (e.g, Schrodinger equation). Furthermore, the explicit solution of the Riccati equation is found for the case where the environment operators commute with each other. We discuss the connection between our results and the standard description of decoherence (one that uses the Kraus representation). We show that reduced dynamics we obtain does not have the Kraus representation if the initial correlations between the system and its environment are present. However, for any initial state of the system (even when the correlations occur) reduced dynamics can be written in a manageable way., Comment: 17 pages, 0 figures, The quality of English used in the paper has been improved