Production of Entanglement Entropy by Decoherence

Abstract

We examine the dynamics of entanglement entropy of all parts in an open system consisting of a two-level dimer interacting with an environment of oscillators. The dimer-environment interaction is almost energy conserving. We find the precise link between decoherence and production of entanglement entropy. We show that not all environment oscillators carry significant entanglement entropy and we identify the oscillator frequency regions which contribute to the production of entanglement entropy. Our results hold for arbitrary strengths of the dimer-environment interaction, and they are mathematically rigorous.

Manuscript somewhat shortened from Version 1. Title slightly changed