Scattering induced dynamical entanglement and the quantum-classical correspondence

The generation of entanglement produced by a local potential interaction in a bipartite system is investigated. The degree of entanglement is contrasted with the underlying classical dynamics for a Rydberg molecule (a charged particle colliding on a kicked top). Entanglement is seen to depend on the structure of classical phase-space rather than on the global dynamical regime. As a consequence regular classical dynamics can in certain circumstances be associated with higher entanglement generation than chaotic dynamics. In addition quantum effects also come into play: for example partial revivals, which are expected to persist in the semiclassical limit, affect the long time behaviour of the reduced linear entropy. These results suggest that entanglement may not be a pertinent universal signature of chaos.