Tensor Network Representations for Intrinsically Mixed-State Topological Orders

Abstract:Tensor networks are an efficient platform for representing topological states of matter as well as computing both physical observables and information-theoretic quantities. We present a general protocol to construct tensor network representations for intrinsically mixed-state topological phases. Such phases naturally emerge in noisy long-range entangled quantum systems, and exhibit nontrivial topological phenomena without pure-state counterparts. The method exploits the isomorphism between anyon decoherence in the physical Hilbert space and anyon condensation in the corresponding Choi space. The protocol is applicable to a broad class of systems arising from decoherence of pure-state topological phases, where the incoherent noise creates excitations in the Choi space that have trivial monodromy with all excitations. Representative examples at renormalization group fixed points include $m^a e^b$ decoherence in the $\Z_N$ toric code, decohered non-Abelian quantum double of $S_3$ as well as pure $Z$/$X$ decoherence of arbitrary CSS codes. Another notable example is that of the mixed-state chiral semion, whose tensor network representation has no pure-state analogue. We then generalize the formalism beyond RG fixed points and, as an example, examine the decoherence transition in a $\mathbb{Z}_3$ toric code channel that suffers from sign problem when mapped to a statistical mechanical model. Together, these results establish tensor networks as a natural platform for analyzing noisy intrinsically mixed-state topological matter.

Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el); Mathematical Physics (math-ph); Quantum Physics (quant-ph)

arXiv:2507.22989 [cond-mat.str-el]

(or arXiv:2507.22989v2 [cond-mat.str-el] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2507.22989 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite

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