Quantum Correlations in Frustrated Three-Body Systems

Abstract

Many physical systems are not understood from first principles due to the presence of multi-body quantum correlations. The effort taken to simulate such systems on classical computers increases exponentially with increase in the system size. We study simple, yet non-trivial, three-body frustrated systems that can help in understanding the underlying quantum correlations. First we investigate the ground state of helium-like atoms using the variational method and physically meaningful ansatze, revealing how quantum entanglement arises due to frustration in the system. Next we consider another frustrated three-body system, the hydrogen molecular ion, and analytically demonstrate the nature of its wavefunction arising from the quantum tunneling phenomenon. Finally, we extend these results to model yet another physically important system, the hydrogen bond.