Multipartite-entanglement tomography of a quantum simulator

Multipartite-entanglement tomography, namely the quantum Fisher information (QFI) calculated with respect to different collective operators, allows to fully characterize the phase diagram of the quantum Ising chain in a transverse field with variable-range interaction. In particular, it recognizes the phase stemming from long-range (LR) antiferromagnetic interaction, a capability also shared by the spin squeezing. Furthermore, the QFI locates the quantum critical points, both with vanishing and nonvanishing mass gap. In this case, we also relate the finite-size power-law exponent of the QFI to the critical exponents of the model, finding a signal for the breakdown of conformal invariance in the deep LR regime. Finally, the effect of a finite temperature on the multipartite entanglement, and ultimately on the phase stability, is considered. In light of the current realizations of the model with trapped ions and of the potential measurability of the QFI, our approach yields a promising strategy to probe LR physics in controllable quantum systems.