Videos

Ankur Moitra - Transitions in Quantum Spin Systems - IPAM at UCLA

Presenter
January 13, 2026
Abstract
Recorded 13 January 2026. Ankur Moitra of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology presents "Transitions in Quantum Spin Systems" at IPAM's New Frontiers in Quantum Algorithms for Open Quantum Systems Workshop. Abstract: Classical spin systems exhibit a variety of interesting phase transitions wherein there are sudden and dramatic changes in their macroscopic behavior as the temperature varies. In this talk, I will introduce quantum spin systems and study the relationship between entanglement and temperature. In particular, I will show that above a constant temperature, that depends only on the degree and locality of the interactions, there is literally zero entanglement. While the proof involves some unusual manipulations, I will attempt to explain it through analogies with classical approximate counting and sampling. This is based on joint work with Ainesh Bakshi, Allen Liu and Ewin Tang. Learn more online at: https://www.ipam.ucla.edu/programs/workshops/new-frontiers-in-quantum-algorithms-for-open-quantum-systems/