Von Neumann Entropy of an Electron in One-Dimensional Determined Potentials

By using the measure of von Neumann entropy, we numerically investigate quantum entanglement of an electron moving in the one-dimensional Harper model and in the one-dimensional slowly varying potential model. The delocalized and localized eigenstates can be distinguished by von Neumann entropy of the individual eigenstates. There are drastic decreases in von Neumann entropy of the individual eigenstates at mobility edges. In the curve of the spectrum averaged von Neumann entropy as a function of potential parameter λ, a sharp transition exists at the metal--insulator transition point λ_c=2. It is found that the von Neumann entropy is a good quantity to reflect localization and metal--insulator transition.