Coherence evolution of bipartite state under decoherent environment

Abstract

Abstract We provide an analysis on the quantum coherence (QC) of a general two-qubit pure state interacting with a local decoherent environment. Our results show that the QC in the environment obeys a conservation relation, i.e. the coherence evolution is equal to the product of the coherence contained in the initial state and the environmental action on the maximum entangled state. This means that the coherence dynamics behaviors of the composite quantum-environment system can be observed by analyzing the environmental action. Moreover, within the Markovian environment, the QC damps monotonously, while it exhibits damped oscillations and suffers damped revivals within the non-Markovian environment. These phenomena of damped oscillations and revivals have been interpreted as memory effects of the non-Markovian environment.