Research

The Complex Quantum Systems Group is led by Fabio Anza. The group is an interdisciplinary research endeavor centered around the “Physics of Information” theme. This means

  1. Studying natural and artificial systems using Information Theory;
  2. Understanding, controlling, and exploiting the information-processing resources embedded in their dynamics.

Below, you will find some of the active research projects.

Students or postdocs interested in joining the group should reach out to PI Anza at fanza@umbc.edu

Complex Quantum Systems

Complex Quantum Systems (CQS) are one of the open frontiers of modern theoretical physics: many-body, out-of-equilibrium, open quantum systems interacting with highly structured environments. Understanding, modeling, and exploiting their information-processing capabilities is a formidable challenge at the interface of Complexity Science, Information Theory, and Quantum Physics.

Geometric Quantum Mechanics

The Hilbert space formulation of Quantum Mechanics, grounded in Linear Algebra, is known to be redundant. Geometric Quantum Mechanics (GQM) is an alternative – physically equivalent – approach. Grounded in Differential Geometry and Dynamical Systems theory, GQM provides an entirely new set of tools and ideas that can be leveraged to advance our understanding of Quantum Systems and their Dynamics.

 

Foundations of Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics

At the most fundamental level, we believe nature undergoes unitary quantum dynamics. How do classical and quantum statistical mechanics and their irreversibility emerge from such underlying coherent dynamics? What are the necessary and sufficient conditions for the emergence of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics?

Thermodynamic Emergence of a Smooth Spacetime

How does a smooth spacetime emerge, e.g. at the nanoscale, from some underlying quantum gravity theory dominating at the Planck scale? The well-known thermodynamic features of General Relativity (GR) suggest that smooth spacetime might emerge as the thermodynamic (possibly out-of-equilibrium) of quantum gravity.