Out-of-time-order correlators bridge classical transport and quantum dynamics

The out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) has emerged as a central tool for quantifying decoherence across wide-ranging physical platforms. Here, we demonstrate its direct measurement in a classical ensemble using nuclear magnetic resonance with a modulated gradient spin echo sequence and extend the method into a multidimensional correlation to track exchange phenomena. Position is encoded through magnetic field gradients and momentum through the velocity autocorrelation function, enabling experimental access to OTOCs for proton motion confined within the self-similar lattice of the metal-organic framework MOF-808. Here, water confined to specified geometries within the MOF pores gives rise to spatially distinct diffusive eigenmodes with characteristic relative entropies. We demonstrate that periodic radio frequency driving combined with gradient modulation yields entropy evolution through the selection of distinct diffusion modes. Frequency-resolved diffusion spectra connect these entropy dynamics to classical heat exchange laws, revealing how operational features of quantum systems are mirrored in confined, macroscopic spin ensembles.

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Publication Details

Journal
The Journal of Chemical Physics
Published
2026-04-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0323131
Primary Topic
NMR spectroscopy and applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Out-of-time-order correlators bridge classical transport and quantum dynamics

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Out-of-time-order correlators bridge classical transport and quantum dynamics

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article en

Abstract

The out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) has emerged as a central tool for quantifying decoherence across wide-ranging physical platforms. Here, we demonstrate its direct measurement in a classical ensemble using nuclear magnetic resonance with a modulated gradient spin echo sequence and extend the method into a multidimensional correlation to track exchange phenomena. Position is encoded through magnetic field gradients and momentum through the velocity autocorrelation function, enabling experimental access to OTOCs for proton motion confined within the self-similar lattice of the metal-organic framework MOF-808. Here, water confined to specified geometries within the MOF pores gives rise to spatially distinct diffusive eigenmodes with characteristic relative entropies. We demonstrate that periodic radio frequency driving combined with gradient modulation yields entropy evolution through the selection of distinct diffusion modes. Frequency-resolved diffusion spectra connect these entropy dynamics to classical heat exchange laws, revealing how operational features of quantum systems are mirrored in confined, macroscopic spin ensembles.

The Journal of Chemical PhysicsVol. 164(13)
Tulane University (US), North Carolina State University (US), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (US), University of Toronto (CA), Miller College (US), Joint BioEnergy Institute (US), University of California, Berkeley (US), Stanford University (US)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Basic Energy Sciences
Sustainable cities and communities
Openalex Percentile: Top 33%
NMR spectroscopy and applications
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