Kinetic equations within the formalism of non-equilibrium thermo field dynamics

After reviewing the real-time formalism of dissipative quantum field theory, i.e. non-equilibrium thermo field dynamics (NETFD), a kinetic equation, a self-consistent equation for the dissipation coefficient and a “mass” or “chemical potential” renormalization equation for non-equilibrium transient situations are extracted out of the two-point Green's function of the Heisenberg field, in their most general forms upon the basic requirements of NETFD. The formulation is applied to the electron-phonon system, as an example, where the gradient expansion and the quasi-particle approximation are performed. The formalism of NETFD is reinvestigated in connection with the kinetic equations.     

Quantum electrodynamic fluctuations of the macroscopic Josephson phase

We study the equilibrium dynamics of the relative phase in a superconducting Josephson link taking into account the quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic vacuum. The photons act as a superohmic heat bath on the relative Cooper pair number and thus, indirectly, on the macroscopic phase difference φ. This leads to an enhancement of the mean square 〈φ²〉 that adds to the spread due to the Coulomb interaction carried by the longitudinal electromagnetic field. We also include the interaction with the electronic degrees of freedom due to quasiparticle tunneling, which couple to the phase and only indirectly to the particle number. The simultaneous inclusion of both the radiation field fluctuations and quasiparticle tunneling leads to a novel type of particle-bath Hamiltonian in which the quantum particle couples through its position and momentum to two independent bosonic heat baths. We study the interplay between the two mechanisms in the present context and find interference contributions to the quantum fluctuations of the phase. We explore the observability of the QED effects discussed here.     

Quantum entanglement and quantum phase transitions in frustrated Majumdar-Ghosh model

By using the density matrix renormalization group technique, the quantum phase transitions in the frustrated Majumdar-Ghosh model are investigated. The behaviors of the conventional order parameter and the quantum entanglement entropy are analyzed in detail. The order parameter is found to peak at J₂∼0.58, but not at the Majumdar-Ghosh point (J₂=0.5). Although, the quantum entanglements calculated with different subsystems display dissimilarly, the extremes of their first derivatives approach to the same critical point. By finite size scaling, this quantum critical point J^C₂ converges to around 0.301 in the thermodynamic limit, which is consistent with those predicted previously by some authors (Tonegawa and Harada, 1987 [6]; Kuboki and Fukuyama, 1987 [7]; Chitra et al., 1995 [9]). Across the J^C₂, the system undergoes a quantum phase transition from a gapless spin-fluid phase to a gapped dimerized phase.     

The classical limit for quantum mechanical correlation functions

For quantum systems of finitely many particles as well as for boson quantum field theories, the classical limit of the expectation values of products of Weyl operators, translated in time by the quantum mechanical Hamiltonian and taken in coherent states centered inx- andp-space around? ^?1/2 (coordinates of a point in classical phase space) are shown to become the exponentials of coordinate functions of the classical orbit in phase space. In the same sense,? ^?1/2 [(quantum operator) (t) — (classical function) (t)] converges to the solution of the linear quantum mechanical system, which is obtained by linearizing the non-linear Heisenberg equations of motion around the classical orbit.     

Spin and charge order in Mott insulators and d-wave superconductors

We argue that aspects of the anomalous, low temperature, spin and charge dynamics of the high temperature superconductors can be understood by studying the corresponding physics of undoped Mott insulators. Such insulators display a quantum transition from a magnetically ordered Néel state to a confining paramagnet with a spin gap; the latter state has bond-centered charge order, a low energy S=1 spin exciton, confinement of S=1/2 spinons, and a free S=1/2 moment near non-magnetic impurities. We discuss how these characteristics, and the quantum phase transitions, evolve upon doping the insulator into a d-wave superconductor. This theoretical framework was used to make a number of predictions for STM measurements and for the phase diagram of the doped Mott insulator in an applied magnetic field.     

Dynamical renormalization group approach to relaxation in quantum field theory

The real time evolution and relaxation of expectation values of quantum fields and of quantum states are computed as initial value problems by implementing the dynamical renormalization group (DRG). Linear response is invoked to set up the renormalized initial value problem to study the dynamics of the expectation value of quantum fields. The perturbative solution of the equations of motion for the field expectation values of quantum fields as well as the evolution of quantum states features secular terms, namely terms that grow in time and invalidate the perturbative expansion for late times. The DRG provides a consistent framework to resum these secular terms and yields a uniform asymptotic expansion at long times. Several relevant cases are studied in detail, including those of threshold infrared divergences which appear in gauge theories at finite temperature and lead to anomalous relaxation. In these cases the DRG is shown to provide a resummation akin to Bloch-Nordsieck but directly in real time and that goes beyond the scope of Bloch-Nordsieck and Dyson resummations. The nature of the resummation program is discussed in several examples. The DRG provides a framework that is consistent, systematic, and easy to implement to study the non-equilibrium relaxational dynamics directly in real time that does not rely on the concept of quasiparticle widths.     

A trilayer process for the fabrication of Al phase qubits

Herein we develop an Al/AlOx/Al trilayer process,feasible to fabricate complex circuits with wiring crossovers,for the preparation of Al junctions and phase qubits.The AlOx layer is obtained by in situ thermal oxidation,which provides high-quality junction tunnel barriers.The Al junctions show a considerably low leakage current and the Josephson critical current density can be conveniently controlled in the range of a few to above 100 A/cm2,which is favorable in the phase qubit application.Macroscopic quantum tunneling,energy spectrum,energy relaxation time,Rabi oscillation,and Ramsey interference of the Al phase qubits are measured,demonstrating clearly quantum coherent dynamics with a timescale of 10 ns.Further improvements of the coherent dynamic properties of the device are discussed.     

Temperature dependence of bound state spectra in field theory

We analyze the behaviour of kinks and semiclassical bound states at finite temperatures by applying quantum statistics to the fluctuations which determine the quantum dynamics of these states. We consider two theories in one space dimension — the ?⁴ theory with a dynamical symmetry breaking and the Gross-Neveu model. For the ?⁴ theory, the one-loop temperature corrections are obtained by using temperature-dependent Green function techniques. We show that the same result can be obtained by applying quantum statistics to the fluctuations around the kink. For the Gross-Neveu model, the temperature dependence of the bound states, which correspond to time-independent field configurations, is obtained. We show that for every bound state there exists a critical temperature at which this state breaks up into its constituents. This critical temperature increases with the number of constituents of the bound state.     

Magnetic properties of a non-equilibrium Al(Fe–Ni) alloy powder by rod-milling and chemical leaching

In this paper, the magnetic properties of non-equilibrium nanocrystalline phase by chemical leaching of as-milled Al_0.6(Fe_0.5Ni_0.5)_0.4 powder is reported. X-ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry (SQUID) were used to characterize the as-milled powder and leached specimens. The saturation magnetization M_s decreased approximately 15 times than that of the powder before milling. Magnetization sharply increased to approximately 580 °C, when cooling of the specimen from 750 °C. The broad peaks of the magnetization shifted towards a lower-temperature side and the peak intensity increased, with increasing external field. The irreversibility between the field-cooling (FC) and zero-field cooling (ZFC) for the specimen begins greatly above the wide ZFC magnetization maximum and occurs at relatively high temperature. The magnetization is higher at lower temperatures, with increasing external field.     

Role of dipole image forces in molecular adsorption

The transverse-field XY model in one dimension is a well-known spin model for which the ground state properties and excitation spectrum are known exactly. The model has an interesting phase diagram describing quantum phase transitions (QPTs) belonging to two different universality classes. These are the transverse-field Ising model and the XX model universality classes with both the models being special cases of the transverse-field XY model. In recent years, quantities related to quantum information theoretic measures like entanglement, quantum discord (QD) and fidelity have been shown to provide signatures of QPTs. Another interesting issue is that of decoherence to which a quantum system is subjected due to its interaction, represented by a quantum channel, with an environment. In this paper, we determine the dynamics of different types of correlations present in a quantum system, namely, the mutual information I(?? _AB ), the classical correlations C(?? _AB ) and the quantum correlations Q(?? _AB ), as measured by the quantum discord, in a two-qubit state. The density matrix of this state is given by the nearest-neighbour reduced density matrix obtained from the ground state of the transverse-field XY model in 1d. We assume Markovian dynamics for the time-evolution due to system-environment interactions. The quantum channels considered include the bit-flip, bit-phase-flip and phase-flip channels. Two different types of dynamics are identified for the channels in one of which the quantum correlations are greater in magnitude than the classical correlations in a finite time interval. The origins of the different types of dynamics are further explained. For the different channels, appropriate quantities associated with the dynamics of the correlations are identified which provide signatures of QPTs. We also report results for further-neighbour two-qubit states and finite temperatures.     

Non-equilibrium phase transitions in the two-temperature Ising model with Kawasaki dynamics

Phase transitions of the two-finite temperature Ising model on a square lattice are investigated by using a position space renormalization group (PSRG) transformation. Different finite temperatures, T _x ?and?T _y , and also different time-scale constants, ?? _x and ?? _y for spin exchanges in the x and y directions define the dynamics of the non-equilibrium system. The critical surface of the system is determined by RG flows as a function of these exchange parameters. The Onsager critical point (when the two temperatures are equal) and the critical temperature for the limit when the other temperature is infinite, previously studied by the Monte Carlo method, are obtained. In addition, two steady-state fixed points which correspond to the non-equilibrium phase transition are presented. These fixed points yield the different universality class properties of the non-equilibrium phase transitions.     

The quantum correlation of anisotropic Heisenberg spin chain under the control of inhomogeneous magnetic field

The quantum correlation (quantum entanglement and quantum discord)’s dynamical behavior characteristics of Heisenberg XXZ spin chain with Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya (DM) interaction heterogeneous magnetic field that manipulated by sinusoidal wave are investigated in this paper. The results indicate that quantum correlation of anisotropic Heisenberg XXZ spin chain can be regulated effectively by magnetic field intensity B and magnetic field uniformity cos θ   of the external magnetic field. Under the effects of DM interaction in qubits, the quantum correlation's dynamics evolution process appears sudden death and birth. But DM interaction has a critical value D_CZ$D_{CZ}$ which is connected with other quantum correlation versus parameters. Only when Dz≥D_CZ$D_z\ge D_{CZ}$, sudden death and birth can be obviously observed under the rest given parameters.     

Effects of external magnetic field on the electron Zitterbewegung in the quantum dots and wires with Rashba spin–orbit interaction

We study in this article the effects of external magnetic field on the electron Zitterbewegung in semiconductor quantum dots and wires with parabolic confinements and Rashba spin–orbit interaction. In doing so, we have calculated the dynamics of the expectation value of the position operator by means of the time evolution operator in an appropriate Hilbert space. The results show that the electron Zitterbewegung, its amplitude which is related to the electron confinement, and the period of the electron Zitterbewegung depend on the external magnetic field. We propose that the magnetic field can be used as an external agent to control the electron Zitterbewegung, a fundamental key for experimental detection of this phenomena.     

The Emergence of Temporal Structures in Dynamical Systems

Dynamical systems in classical, relativistic and quantum physics are ruled by laws with time reversibility. Complex dynamical systems with time-irreversibility are known from thermodynamics, biological evolution, growth of organisms, brain research, aging of people, and historical processes in social sciences. Complex systems are systems that compromise many interacting parts with the ability to generate a new quality of macroscopic collective behavior the manifestations of which are the spontaneous emergence of distinctive temporal, spatial or functional structures. But, emergence is no mystery. In a general meaning, the emergence of macroscopic features results from the nonlinear interactions of the elements in a complex system. Mathematically, the emergence of irreversible structures is modelled by phase transitions in non-equilibrium dynamics of complex systems. These methods have been modified even for chemical, biological, economic and societal applications (e.g., econophysics). Emergence of irreversible structures can also be simulated by computational systems. The question arises how the emergence of irreversible structures is compatible with the reversibility of fundamental physical laws. It is argued that, according to quantum cosmology, cosmic evolution leads from symmetry to complexity of irreversible structures by symmetry breaking and phase transitions. Thus, arrows of time and aging processes are not only subjective experiences or even contradictions to natural laws, but they can be explained by quantum cosmology and the nonlinear dynamics of complex systems. Human experiences and religious concepts of arrows of time are considered in a modern scientific framework. Platonic ideas of eternity are at least understandable with respect to mathematical invariance and symmetry of physical laws. Heraclit’s world of change and dynamics can be mapped onto our daily real-life experiences of arrows of time.     

Macroscopic approach to the Casimir friction force

The general formula is derived for the vacuum friction force between two parallel perfectly flat planes bounding two material media separated by a vacuum gap and moving relative to each other with a constant velocity v. The material media are described in the framework of macroscopic electrodynamics whereas the nonzero temperature and dissipation are taken into account by making use of the Kubo formulas from non-equilibrium statistical thermodynamics. The formula obtained provides a rigorous basis for calculation of the vacuum friction force within the quantum field theory methods in the condensed matter physics. The revealed v dependence of the vacuum friction force proves to be the following: for zero temperature (T = 0) it is proportional to (v/c)³ and for T > 0 this force is linear in v/c.