Complexity, Information Geometry, and Loschmidt Echo near Quantum Criticality

Abstract: We consider the Nielsen complexity ${\mathcal C}_N$, the Loschmidt echo ${\mathcal L}$, and the Fubini-Study complexity $\tau$ in the transverse XY model, following a sudden quantum quench, in the thermodynamic limit. At small times, the first two are related by ${\mathcal L} \sim e^{-{\mathcal C}_N}$. By computing a novel time-dependent quantum information metric, we show that in this regime, ${\mathcal C}_N \sim d\tau^2$, up to lowest order in perturbation. The former relation continues to hold in the same limit at large times, whereas the latter does not. Our results indicate that in the thermodynamic limit, the Nielsen complexity and the Loschmidt echo show enhanced temporal oscillations when one quenches from a close neighbourhood of the critical line, while such oscillations are notably absent when the quench is on such a line. We explain this behaviour by studying the nature of quasi-particle excitations in the vicinity of criticality. Finally, we argue that the triangle inequality for the Nielsen complexity might be violated in certain regions of the parameter space, and point out why one should be careful about the nature of the interaction Hamiltonian, while using this measure.