Measurement and the quantum non-equilibrium frontier

Abstract: Measurement has a two-fold role in quantum mechanics: it allows us to learn features of a quantum system, but can also shape its state through wavefunction collapse. Recent progress in our ability to engineer, control and measure quantum systems is increasingly enabling the exploration of new regimes, particularly out of equilibrium, where both aspects of quantum measurement can assume a more central and active role. I will present recent theoretical and experimental developments in this direction: (i) the application of insights from quantum chaotic dynamics to design more informative measurement protocols, in the framework of "classical shadow tomography", thereby allowing more efficient learning of certain features of many-body states; (ii) the use of measurements to stabilize non-equilibrium phases of quantum information, and their experimental detection on Google Quantum AI's superconducting quantum hardware.