Dequantization via quantum channels

For a unital completely positive map $\Phi$ ("quantum channel") governing the time propagation of a quantum system, the Stinespring representation gives an enlarged system evolving unitarily. We argue that the Stinespring representations of each power $\Phi^m$ of the single map together encode the structure of the original quantum channel and provides an interaction-dependent model for the bath. The same bath model gives a "classical limit" at infinite time $m\to\infty$ in the form of a noncommutative "manifold" determined by the channel. In this way a simplified analysis of the system can be performed by making the large-$m$ approximation. These constructions are based on a noncommutative generalization of Berezin quantization. The latter is shown to involve very fundamental aspects of quantum-information theory, which are thereby put in a completely new light

Influence of vortices and phase fluctuations on thermoelectric transport properties of superconductors in a magnetic field

We study heat transport and thermoelectric effects in two-dimensional superconductors in a magnetic field. These are modeled as granular Josephson-junction arrays, forming either regular or random lattices. We employ two different models for the dynamics, relaxational model-A dynamics or resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction (RCSJ) dynamics. We derive expressions for the heat current in these models, which are then used in numerical simulations to calculate the heat conductivity and the Nernst coefficient for different temperatures and magnetic fields. At low temperatures and zero magnetic field the heat conductivity in the RCSJ model is calculated analytically from a spin wave approximation, and is seen to have an anomalous logarithmic dependence on the system size, and also to diverge in the completely overdamped limit C -> 0. From our simulations we find at low magnetic fields that the Nernst signal displays a characteristic "tilted hill" profile similar to experiments and a non-monotonic temperature dependence of the heat conductivity. We also investigate the effects of granularity and randomness, which become important for higher magnetic fields. In this regime geometric frustration strongly influences the results in both regular and random systems and leads to highly non-trivial magnetic field dependencies of the studied transport coefficients