PhD Comprehensive Exam | Jose Polo Gomez, Two aspects of information in quantum field theory in curved spacetime: measurements and thermodynamics

Zoom (please email amgrad@uwaterloo.ca for the meeting link)

Candidate

Jose Polo Gomez | Applied Mathematics, University of Waterloo

Title

Two aspects of information in quantum field theory in curved spacetime: measurements and thermodynamics

Abstract

In this research project we intend to apply algebraic quantum field theory and relativistic quantum information tools to two foundational issues related to information in quantum field theory in curved spacetime: measurements and thermodynamics.

Regarding measurements, we introduce the measurement problem in quantum field theory, and show how a solution can be provided using particle detectors (and the algebraic formalism), applying it to study how measurements affect entanglement harvesting. Moreover, we explain how machine learning techniques can be used to target specific field observables using measurements on detectors, and briefly outline two ongoing lines of generalization of the simple Unruh-DeWitt-like detector models.

Regarding thermodynamics, we justify the need for quantum thermodynamics, and introduce the problem of understanding how work and heat distributions should be defined for processes involving far-from-equilibrium quantum systems. We provide a solution to this problem using operational arguments and von Neumann algebras, and summarize how we intend to use this formalism to obtain first and second laws of quantum thermodynamics and quantum field thermodynamics for arbitrary processes.