Entanglement and mixedness in open systems with continuous variables

Abstract: In the framework of the theory of open systems based on completely positive quantum dynamical semigroups, we give a description of the dynamics of entanglement for a system consisting of two uncoupled modes interacting with a thermal environment. Using Peres-Simon necessary and sufficient criterion of separability for two-mode Gaussian states, we describe the evolution of entanglement in terms of the covariance matrix for a Gaussian input state. We determine the asymptotic Gaussian maximally entangled mixed states (GMEMS) and their corresponding asymptotic maximal logarithmic negativity, which characterizes the degree of entanglement. Using the symplectic eigenvalues of the asymptotic covariance matrix, the expressions of von Neumann entropy and mutual information of asymptotic GMEMS are obtained.