An alternative approach to quantum phenomena

This paper outlines the qualitative foundations of a quasiclassical theory in which particles are pictured as spatially extended periodic excitations of a universal background field, interacting with each other via nonlinearity in the equations of motion for that field, and undergoing collapse to a much smaller volume if and when they are detected. The theory is based as far as possible directly on experiment, rather than on the existing quantum mechanical formalism, and it offers simple physical interpretations of such concepts as mass, 4-momentum, interaction, potentials, and quantization; it may lead directly to the standard equations of quantum theory, such as the multiparticle Schrödinger equation, without going through the conventional process of quantizing a classical theory. The theory also provides an alternative framework in which to discuss wave-particle duality and the quantum measurement problem; in particular, it is suggested that the unpredictability of quantum phenomena may arise from deterministic chaos in the behavior of the background field.     

Non-equilibrium STLS approach to transport properties of single impurity Anderson model

In this work, using the non-equilibrium Keldysh formalism, we study the effects of the electron–electron interaction and the electron-spin correlation on the non-equilibrium Kondo effect and the transport properties of the symmetric single impurity Anderson model (SIAM) at zero temperature by generalizing the self-consistent method of Singwi, Tosi, Land, and Sjolander (STLS) for a single-band tight-binding model with Hubbard type interaction to out of equilibrium steady-states. We at first determine in a self-consistent manner the non-equilibrium spin correlation function, the effective Hubbard interaction, and the double-occupancy at the impurity site. Then, using the non-equilibrium STLS spin polarization function in the non-equilibrium formalism of the iterative perturbation theory (IPT) of Yosida and Yamada, and Horvatic and Zlatic, we compute the spectral density, the current–voltage characteristics and the differential conductance as functions of the applied bias and the strength of on-site Hubbard interaction. We compare our spectral densities at zero bias with the results of numerical renormalization group (NRG) and depict the effects of the electron–electron interaction and electron-spin correlation at the impurity site on the aforementioned properties by comparing our numerical result with the order U²$U^2$ IPT. Finally, we show that the obtained numerical results on the differential conductance have a quadratic universal scaling behavior and the resulting Kondo temperature shows an exponential behavior.     

Number-resolved master equation approach to quantum measurement and quantum transport

In addition to the well-known Landauer–Büttiker scattering theory and the nonequilibrium Green’s function technique for mesoscopic transports, an alternative (and very useful) scheme is quantum master equation approach. In this article, we review the particle-number (n)-resolved master equation (n-ME) approach and its systematic applications in quantum measurement and quantum transport problems. The n-ME contains rich dynamical information, allowing efficient study of topics such as shot noise and full counting statistics analysis. Moreover, we also review a newly developed master equation approach (and its n-resolved version) under self-consistent Born approximation. The application potential of this new approach is critically examined via its ability to recover the exact results for noninteracting systems under arbitrary voltage and in presence of strong quantum interference, and the challenging non-equilibrium Kondo effect.     

Many-body approach to spin-dependent transport in quantum dot systems

By means of a diagram technique for Hubbard operators, we show the existence of a spin-dependent renormalization of the localized levels in an interacting region, e.g., quantum dot, modeled by the Anderson Hamiltonian with two conduction bands. It is shown that the renormalization of the levels with a given spin direction is due to kinematic interactions with the conduction subbands of the opposite spin. The consequence of this dressing of the localized levels is a drastically decreased tunneling current for ferromagnetically ordered leads compared to that of paramagnetically ordered leads. Furthermore, the studied system shows a spin-dependent resonant tunneling behavior for ferromagnetically ordered leads.     

Projection operator approach to transport in complex single-particle quantum systems

We discuss the time-convolutionless (TCL) projection operator approach to transport in closed quantum systems. The projection onto local densities of quantities such as energy, magnetization, particle number, etc. yields the reduced dynamics of the respective quantities in terms of a systematic perturbation expansion. In particular, the lowest order contribution of this expansion is used as a strategy for the analysis of transport in “modular” quantum systems corresponding to quasi one-dimensional structures which consist of identical or similar many-level subunits. Such modular quantum systems are demonstrated to represent many physical situations and several examples of complex single-particle models are analyzed in detail. For these quantum systems lowest order TCL is shown to represent an efficient tool which also allows to investigate the dependence of transport on the considered length scale. To estimate the range of validity of the obtained equations of motion we extend the standard projection to include additional degrees of freedom which model non-Markovian effects of higher orders.     

Non-equilibrium Green's function approach to the quasiparticle transport and magnetoresistance in hybrid magnetic tunnel junctions

A generalized approach to study quasiparticle transport across hybrid magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) is formulated using the non-equilibrium Green's function technique. This formalism allows for arbitrary thicknesses of the electrodes and the central scattering region comprising of materials with multiple electronic bands, and incorporates the many body interactions present in the electrode regions. While the method can be used to study the transport characteristics of various types of MTJs, we have used it to study the tunneling characteristics and magnetoresistance (MR) of MTJs in which s-f interaction is present at the electrode layers. It is also used to study the transport characteristics of MTJs with hybrid electrodes and double barrier. The magnetic correlation present in the electrodes is found to strongly influence the TMR. Eventhough the magnetic correlation in general suppress the TMR, the TMR is found to be enhanced strongly for certain band occupations of the electrodes. We observe a fall of TMR with increase in the number of layers in the insulating region. Band occupation of the metallic layer present at the middle of the insulating layers in the double barrier MTJ is found to be important in deciding its tunnel characteristics. Origin of the different types of behavior of TMR is analyzed in terms of the spin-dependent tunnel currents.     

A Boltzmann equation approach to transport in finite modular quantum systems

We investigate the transport behavior of finite modular quantum systems. Such systems have recently been analyzed by different methods. These approaches indicate diffusive behavior even and especially for finite systems. Inspired by these results we analyze analytically and numerically if and in which sense the dynamics of those systems are in agreement with an appropriate Boltzmann equation. We find that the transport behavior of a certain type of finite modular quantum systems may indeed be described in terms of a Boltzmann equation. However, the applicability of the Boltzmann equation appears to be rather limited to a very specific type of model.     

Influence of quantum wire cross section fluctuations on transport phenomena

For all currently available methods of quantum wire (QWI) fabrication the cross section of the QWI varies along the length, producing fluctuations in the energy position of the subband energy along the QWI. This fluctuation leads to a smearing of the peak-like structure of the dependence of the average density of states on carrier energy. This, in turn, results in a smearing of the peak-like structure of the dependence of the resistivity of a QWI on the Fermi energy and/or total electron concentration, and in an increase of resistivity. In previous attempts to obtain agreement between theory and experiment the subband energy fluctuation was not taken into account, that is why the importance of other factors, such as impurity scattering, have been overestimated.     

Non-equilibrium melting of colloidal crystals in confinement

A novel and flexible experiment is reported for investigation of the non-equilibrium melting behaviour of model crystals made from charged colloidal spheres. In a slit geometry, polycrystalline material formed in a low salt region is driven by hydrostatic pressure up an evolving gradient in salt concentration and melts at large salt concentration. Depending on particle and initial salt concentration, driving velocity and the local salt concentration, complex morphologic evolution is observed. Crystal–melt interface positions and the melting velocity are obtained quantitatively from time-resolved Bragg and polarisation microscopic measurements. A simple theoretical model predicts the interface to first advance, then for balanced drift and melting velocities to become stationary at a salt concentration larger than the equilibrium melting concentration. It also describes the relaxation of the interface to its equilibrium position in a stationary gradient after stopping the drive in different manners. The influence of the gradient strength on the resulting interface morphology and a shear-induced morphologic transition from polycrystalline to oriented single crystalline material before melting are discussed.     

New quantum electron transport phenomena in low-dimensional systems in a magnetic field

In low-dimensional electron systems with an asymmetric quantizing potential in a magnetic field, the electromotive force appears in the presence of a standing acoustic wave [O.V. Kibis, Phys. Lett. A 237 (1998) 292]. The consequence of this quantum macroscopic effect is that homogeneous heating of the electron system leads to the emergence of a phonon drag of electrons, which leads to a new class of electron transport phenomena.     

An experimental approach for investigating many-body phenomena in Rydberg-interacting quantum systems

Recent developments in the study of ultracold Rydberg gases demand an adwanced level of experimental sophistication, in which high atomic and optical densities must be combined with excellent control of external fields and sensitive Rydberg atom detection. We describe a tailored experimental system used to produce and study Rydberg-interacting atoms excited from dense ultracold atomic gases. The experiment has been optimized for fast duty cycles using a high flux cold atom source and a three beam optical dipole trap. The latter enables tuning of the atomic density and temperature over several orders of magnitude, all the way to the Bose--Einstein condensation transition. An elec- trode structure surrounding the atoms allows for precise control over electric fields and single-particle sensitive field ionization detection of Rydberg atoms. We review two experiments which highlight the influence of strong Rydberg---Rydberg interactions on different many-body systems. First, the Rydberg blockade effect is used to pre-structure an atomic gas prior to its spontaneous evolution into an ultracold plasma. Second, hybrid states of photons and atoms called dark-state polaritons are studied. By looking at the statistical distribution of Rydberg excited atoms we reveal correlations between dark-state polaritons. These experiments will ultimately provide a deeper understanding of many-body phenomena in strongly-interacting regimes, including the study of strongly-coupled plasmas and interfaces between atoms and light at the quantum level.     

Spectral method in quantum theory of channeling phenomena of fast charged particles in crystals

We show the possibility of using the spectral method to determine the quantum characteristics of interaction between fast charged particles and crystal when the channeling occurs. Basing on this method, we have developed the procedure for calculation of particles transversal motions eigenlevels for plane channeling. We considered origin of new levels with increasing of particle's energy and zone structure forming from these levels with increasing number of potential wells. We discuss also the possibility of using the spectral method in number of other problems of quantum theory of channeling.     

Green’s function approach to transport in quantum wires with rough surfaces

By including the scattering from bulk impurities and rough surface, a Green’s function approach to transport in a quasi-one-dimensional cylindrical wire is presented. Taking into account the quantum size effects (QSE), we calculate the one-particle Green’s function and the electrical conductivity along a quantum wire, yielding a new formula for the conductivity in quantum wires. It is shown that the conductivity exhibits certain oscillation in the region of very small radius of wires where the QSE are manifestly important, and its envelope decreases with decreasing the radius.     

Geometrical-numerical approach to diffraction phenomena

The calculation of diffracted fields is considered by means of a geometrical analysis of the incoming wave into semiperiodic zones in the aperture plane, followed by a numerical process for addition of the contributions corresponding to the semiperiodic zones. This general approach constitutes a novel interpretation of diffraction phenomena that permits exact evaluation of the mathematical expressions of diffraction theory and overcomes the limitations of any approximation. The method is illustrated by analysis of two important configuration in optics: the pinhole camera, for which we deduce the optimum radius for imaging, and the diffraction of a spherical converging wave through a circular aperture, from which we determine the limit of the validity of the Fraunhofer approximation (i.e., of the Airy pattern) and the influence of the obliquity factor.     

Time-dependent wave-packet approach to the quantum transport of carbon nanotubes with vacancies

We investigate the vacancy effect on the electronic transport properties of the (5,5)-metallic and (5,0)-semiconducting carbon nanotubes using the time-dependent wave-packet approach based on the Kubo-Greenwood formula within the tight-binding approximation. We found that the metallic and semiconducting carbon nanotubes show different electronic transport properties for the states created by vacancies.     

A quasi-classical formulation of the Wigner function approach to quantum ballistic transport

The time evolution of Wigner's function is shown to be a linear superposition of classical distributions unfolded by a family of classical hamiltonians.