Efficient detection of localization transitions using predictability

Abstract

Identifying phase transition points is a fundamental challenge in condensed matter physics, particularly for transitions driven by quantum interference effects, such as Anderson and many-body localization. Recent studies have demonstrated that quantum coherence provides an effective means of detecting localization transitions, offering a practical alternative to full quantum state tomography and related approaches. Building on this idea, we investigate localization transitions through complementarity relations that connect local predictability, local coherence, and entanglement in bipartite pure states. Our results show that predictability serves as a robust and efficient marker for localization transitions. Crucially, its experimental determination requires exponentially fewer measurements than coherence or entanglement, making it a powerful tool for probing quantum phase transitions.