Ising models, and the physical systems described by them, play a central role
in generating entangled states for use in quantum metrology and quantum
information. In particular, ultracold atomic gases, trapped ion systems, and
Rydberg atoms realize long-ranged Ising models, which even in the absence of a
transverse field can give rise to highly non-classical dynamics and long-range
quantum correlations. In the first part of this paper, we present a detailed
theoretical framework for studying the dynamics of such systems driven (at time
t=0) into arbitrary unentangled non-equilibrium states, thus greatly extending
and unifying the work of Ref. [1]. Specifically, we derive exact expressions
for closed-time-path ordered correlation functions, and use these to study
experimentally relevant observables, e.g. Bloch vector and spin-squeezing
dynamics. In the second part, these correlation functions are then used to
derive closed-form expressions for the dynamics of arbitrary spin-spin
correlation functions in the presence of both T_1 (spontaneous spin
relaxation/excitation) and T_2 (dephasing) type decoherence processes. Even
though the decoherence is local, our solution reveals that the competition
between Ising dynamics and T_1 decoherence gives rise to an emergent non-local
dephasing effect, thereby drastically amplifying the degradation of quantum
correlations. In addition to identifying the mechanism of this deleterious
effect, our solution points toward a scheme to eliminate it via
measurement-based coherent feedback.
