Probing quantum information scrambling via local randomized measurements
Phys. Rev. A 114, 022438 – Published 19 August, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/3wng-ynk2
Abstract
In quantum many-body dynamics, locally encoded information typically scrambles across the entire system, becoming inaccessible to local probes. The upper bound of accessible information of local probes can be characterized by the Holevo information via optimal measurement. In this work, we investigate the information dynamics of quantum scrambling utilizing local randomized probes, quantified by the averaged accessible information (AAI). We derive an analytical expression for the AAI under Haar-random measurements and demonstrate that it is a function of purity of local reduced density matrix. Operationally, we employ the classical shadow protocol, using only single-qubit randomized Pauli measurements, to efficiently extract the AAI across extended subsystems. Through numerical simulations across diverse many-body paradigms, we show that the AAI can reveal distinct scrambling behaviors, resolving phenomena that range from dynamical confinement and ballistic transport to persistent scar revivals and many-body localization. This work highlights a pragmatic paradigm shift, from relying on optimal measurements to utilizing randomized local probes, for the characterization of complex quantum information dynamics.
