Quantum discord in a spin system with symmetry breaking

We analyze the quantum discord Q throughout the low temperature phase diagram of the quantum XY model in transverse field. We first focus on the T = 0 orderdisorder quantum phase transition QPT both in the symmetric ground state and in the symmetry broken one. Beside it, we highlight how Q displays clear anomalies also at a noncritical value of the control parameter inside the ordered phase, where the ground state is completely factorized. We evidence how the phenomenon is in fact of collective nature and displays universal features. We also study Q at finite temperature. We show that, close to the QPT, Q exhibits quantum-classical crossover of the system with universal scaling behavior. We evidence a nontrivial pattern of thermal correlations resulting from the factorization phenomenon. © World Scientific Publishing Company.