Nodal domains statistics: a criterion for quantum chaos

We consider the distribution of the (properly normalized) numbers of nodal domains of wave functions in 2D quantum billiards. We show that these distributions distinguish clearly between systems with integrable (separable) or chaotic underlying classical dynamics, and for each case the limiting distribution is universal (system independent). Thus, a new criterion for quantum chaos is provided by the statistics of the wave functions, which complements the well-established criterion based on spectral statistics.     

Review: Characterizing and quantifying quantum chaos with quantum tomography

We explore quantum signatures of classical chaos by studying the rate of information gain in quantum tomography. The tomographic record consists of a time series of expectation values of a Hermitian operator evolving under the application of the Floquet operator of a quantum map that possesses (or lacks) time-reversal symmetry. We find that the rate of information gain, and hence the fidelity of quantum state reconstruction, depends on the symmetry class of the quantum map involved. Moreover, we find an increase in information gain and hence higher reconstruction fidelities when the Floquet maps employed increase in chaoticity. We make predictions for the information gain and show that these results are well described by random matrix theory in the fully chaotic regime. We derive analytical expressions for bounds on information gain using random matrix theory for different classes of maps and show that these bounds are realized by fully chaotic quantum systems.     

Nodal densities of planar gaussian random waves

The nodal densities of gaussian random functions, modelling various physical systems including chaotic quantum eigenfunctions and optical speckle patterns, are reviewed. The nodal domains of isotropically random real and complex functions are formulated in terms of their Minkowski functionals, and their correlations and spectra are discussed. The results on the statistical densities of the zeros of the real and complex functions, and their derivatives, in two dimensions are reviewed. New results are derived on the nodal domains of the hessian determinant (gaussian curvature) of two-dimensional random surfaces.     

The classical skeleton of open quantum chaotic maps

We have studied two complementary decoherence measures, purity and fidelity, for a generic diffusive noise in two different chaotic systems (the baker map and the cat map). For both quantities, we have found classical structures in quantum mechanics-the scar functions-that are specially stable when subjected to environmental perturbations. We show that these quantum states constructed on classical invariants are the most robust significant quantum distributions in generic dissipative maps.     

Do we understand the role of incoherent interactions in many-body physics?

Recent developments in many-body quantum chaos show that a quantum system with strong incoherent interactions can still be described with the aid of mean quasiparticle occupation numbers as in Fermi liquid theory. We use these ideas and the geometric chaoticity of angular momentum coupling to explain the predominance of ground states with zero spin and the maximum possible spin for a system of randomly interacting fermions in a rotationally invariant mean field (an analog of the Hund rule). We show that spin ordering coexists with the chaotic features of the ground-state wave functions.     

Wave Node Dynamics and Revival Symmetry in Quantum Rotors

Symmetries and dynamics of wave nodes in space and time expose principles of quantum theory and its relativistic underpinning. Among these are key principles behind recently discovered dephasing and rephasing phenomena known as revivals. A reexamination of basic Eberly revivals, Berry “quantum fractal” landscapes, and the “quantum carpets” of Schleich and co-workers reveals a simple Farey arithmetic and C_n-group revival structure in one of the earliest quantum wave models, the Bohr rotor. These principles may be useful for interpreting modern time-dependent rovibrational spectra. The nodal dynamics of the Bohr rotor is seen to have a quasi-fractal structure similar to that of earlier systems involving chaotic circle maps. The fractal structure is an overlay of discrete versions of Bohr's rotor model. Each N-point Bohr rotor acts like a base-N quantum “odometer” which performs rational fraction arithmetic. Such systems may have applications for optical information technology and quantum computing.     

Food chain chaos with canard explosion

The "tea-cup" attractor of a classical prey-predator-superpredator food chain model is studied analytically. Under the assumption that each species has its own time scale, ranging from fast for the prey to intermediate for the predator and to slow for the superpredator, the model is transformed into a singular perturbed system. It is demonstrated that the singular limit of the attractor contains a canard singularity. Singular return maps are constructed for which some subdynamics are shown to be equivalent to chaotic shift maps. Parameter regions in which the described chaotic dynamics exist are explicitly given.     

Chladni figures in Andreev billiards

We study wave functions and their nodal patterns in Andreev billiards consisting of a normal-conducting (N) ballistic quantum dot in contact with a superconductor (S). The bound states in such systems feature an electron and a hole component which are coherently coupled by the scattering of electrons into holes at the S-N interface. The wave function “lives” therefore on two sheets of configuration space, each of which features, in general, distinct nodal patterns. By comparing the wave functions and their nodal patterns for holes and electrons detailed tests of semiclassical predictions become possible. One semiclassical theory based on ideal Andreev retroreflection predicts the electron- and hole eigenstates to perfectly mirror each other. We probe the limitations of validity of this model both in terms of the spectral density of the eigenstates and the shape of the wavefunctions in the electron and hole sheet. We identify cases where the Chladni figures for the electrons and holes drastically differ from each other and explain these discrepancies by limitations of the retroreflection picture.     

Diffusion of magnetic field lines in a confined RFP plasma

Summary  A volume-preserving symplectic map is proposed to describe the magnetic field lines when the Taylor equilibriumis perturbed in a generic way. The standard scenario is observed by varying the perturbation strength, but the statistical properties in the chaotic regions are not simple due to the presence of boundaries and remnants of invariant structures. Simpler models of volume-preserving maps are proposed. The slowly modulated standard map captures the basic topological and statistical features. The diffusion is analytically described for large perturbations (above the break-up of the last KAM torus) in terms of correlation functions and for small perturbations using the adiabatic theory, provided that the modulation is sufficiently slow.     

Copenhagen quantum mechanics

In our quantum mechanics courses, measurement is usually taught in passing, as an ad-hoc procedure involving the ugly collapse of the wave function. No wonder we search for more satisfying alternatives to the Copenhagen interpretation. But this overlooks the fact that the approach fits very well with modern measurement theory with its notions of the conditioned state and quantum trajectory. In addition, what we know of as the Copenhagen interpretation is a later 1950s development and some of the earlier pioneers like Bohr did not talk of wave function collapse. In fact, if one takes these earlier ideas and mixes them with later insights of decoherence, a much more satisfying version of Copenhagen quantum mechanics emerges, one for which the collapse of the wave function is seen to be a harmless book keeping device. Along the way, we explain why chaotic systems lead to wave functions that spread out quickly on macroscopic scales implying that Schrödinger cat states are the norm rather than curiosities generated in physicists’ laboratories. We then describe how the conditioned state of a quantum system depends crucially on how the system is monitored illustrating this with the example of a decaying atom monitored with a time of arrival photon detector, leading to Bohr’s quantum jumps. On the other hand, other kinds of detection lead to much smoother behaviour, providing yet another example of complementarity. Finally we explain how classical behaviour emerges, including classical mechanics but also thermodynamics.     

Complex dynamical behaviors of compact solitary waves in the perturbed mKdV equation

In this paper, we give a detailed discussion about the dynamical behaviors of compact solitary waves subjected to the periodic perturbation. By using the phase portrait theory, we find one of the nonsmooth solitary waves of the mKdV equation, namely, a compact solitary wave, to be a weak solution, which can be proved. It is shown that the compact solitary wave easily turns chaotic from the Melnikov theory. We focus on the sufficient conditions by keeping the system stable through selecting a suitable controller. Furthermore, we discuss the chaotic threshold for a perturbed system. Numerical simulations including chaotic thresholds, bifurcation diagrams, the maximum Lyapunov exponents, and phase portraits demonstrate that there exists a special frequency which has a great influence on our system; with the increase of the controller strength, chaos disappears in the perturbed system. But if the controller strength is sufficiently large, the solitary wave vibrates violently.     

Wave functions,nodal domains,flow, and vortices in open microwave systems

The signatures of wave functions in open cylindrical microwave billiards are investigated. The wave functions are obtained by means of a transmission measurement from an attached lead to a probe antenna inside the billiard. One can deduce complex wave functions and current densities of the system from the measurement. We investigate distributions and correlations of wave functions, currents and other quantities and compare this results with predictions from the random plane wave approach. Vortices and saddles are created and annihilated as a function of frequency and show a rich dynamic. Additionally we investigate nodal domains of the real and imaginary part of the wave function, their relation to the phase rigidity, and its parametric dependance on global phase shifts.     

On Algebraic Integrability of the Deformed Elliptic Calogero-Moser Problem

Abstract

We discuss stationary solutions of the discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation (DNSE) with a potential of the ? ⁴ type which is generically applicable to several quantum spin, electron and classical lattice systems. We show that there may arise chaotic spatial structures in the form of incommensurate or irregular quantum states. As a first (typical) example we consider a single electron which is strongly coupled with phonons on a 1D chain of atoms — the (Rashba)–Holstein polaron model. In the adiabatic approximation this system is conventionally described by the DNSE. Another relevant example is that of superconducting states in layered superconductors described by the same DNSE. Amongst many other applications the typical example for a classical lattice is a system of coupled nonlinear oscillators. We present the exact energy spectrum of this model in the strong coupling limit and the corresponding wave function. Using this as a starting point we go on to calculate the wave function for moderate coupling and find that the energy eigenvalue of these structures of the wave function is in exquisite agreement with the exact strong coupling result. This procedure allows us to obtain (numerically) exact solutions of the DNSE directly. When applied to our typical example we find that the wave function of an electron on a deformable lattice (and other quantum or classical discrete systems) may exhibit incommensurate and irregular structures. These states are analogous to the periodic, quasiperiodic and chaotic structures found in classical chaotic dynamics.     

Investigation of nodal domains in a chaotic three-dimensional microwave rough billiard with the translational symmetry

We show that using the concept of the two-dimensional level number N_⊥ one can experimentally study of the nodal domains in a three-dimensional (3D) microwave chaotic rough billiard with the translational symmetry. Nodal domains are regions where a wave function has a definite sign. We found the dependence of the number of nodal domains ℵN_⊥ lying on the cross-sectional planes of the cavity on the two-dimensional level number N_⊥. We demonstrate that in the limit N_⊥→∞ the least squares fit of the experimental data reveals the asymptotic ratio ℵN_⊥/N_⊥?0.059±0.029 that is close to the theoretical prediction ℵN_⊥/N_⊥?0.062. This result is in good agreement with the predictions of percolation theory.     

Soliton and chaotic structures of dust ion-acoustic waves in quantum dusty plasmas

The quantum hydrodynamic model is employed to study the soliton and chaotic structures of dust ion-acoustic waves in quantum dusty plasmas consisting of electrons, ions, and negatively/positively charged dust particles. By means of the reductive perturbation technique, two-dimensional Davey-Stewartson (DS) system is derived. By improving the extended projective method and the extended tanh-function method, a separation of variables solution with arbitrary functions for the Davey-Stewartson system is obtained. Many soliton and chaotic structures such as localized nonlinear coherent structure, line-soliton structure, periodic wave pattern structure, Rössler and Lorenz chaotic structures are given. It is found that these structures are effected by the quantum effects.     

The Spatiotemporal Evolution of Wave Packets under Chaotic Condition

Using the minimum uncertainty state of quantum integrable system H0 as initial state,the spatiotemporal evolution of the wave packet under the action of perturbed Hamiltonian is studied causally as in classical mechanics,Due to the existence of the avoided energy level crossing in the spectrum there exist nonlinear resonances between some paris of neighboring components of the wave packet,the deterministic dynamical evolution becomes very complicated and appears to be chaotic.It is proposed to use expectation values for the whole set of basic dynamical variables and the corresponding spreading widths to describe the topological features concisely such that the quantum chaotic motion can be studied in contrast with the quantum regular motion and well characterized with the asymptotic behaviors .It has been demonstrated with numerical results that such a wave packet has indeed quantum behaviors of ergodicity as in corresponding classical case.     

Wannier–Stark chaos of a Bose–Einstein condensate in 1D optical lattices

Using the idea of the macroscopic quantum wave function and the definition of the Melnikov chaos, we investigate the spatially chaotic features of a Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) in a Wannier–Stark potential for the trivial phase and the non-trivial phase cases. The perturbed chaotic solutions are constructed, and the chaotic and unstable regions on the parameter space are illustrated. Numerical calculations to the spatial evolutions of the atomic number density and the energy density demonstrate the analytical results and exhibit the chaotic spatial distribution and energy distribution of the BEC atoms.     

Symmetry of quantum phase space in a degenerate Hamiltonian system

The structure of the global "quantum phase space" is analyzed for the harmonic oscillator perturbed by a monochromatic wave in the limit when the perturbation amplitude is small. Usually, the phenomenon of quantum resonance was studied in nondegenerate [G. M. Zaslavsky, Chaos in Dynamic Systems (Harwood Academic, Chur, 1985)] and degenerate [Demikhovskii, Kamenev, and Luna-Acosta, Phys. Rev. E 52, 3351 (1995)] classically chaotic systems only in the particular regions of the classical phase space, such as the center of the resonance or near the separatrix. The system under consideration is degenerate, and even an infinitely small perturbation generates in the classical phase space an infinite number of the resonant cells which are arranged in the pattern with the axial symmetry of the order 2&mgr; (where &mgr; is the resonance number). We show analytically that the Husimi functions of all Floquet states (the quantum phase space) have the same symmetry as the classical phase space. This correspondence is demonstrated numerically for the Husimi functions of the Floquet states corresponding to the motion near the elliptic stable points (centers of the classical resonance cells). The derived results are valid in the resonance approximation when the perturbation amplitude is small enough, and the stochastic layers in the classical phase space are exponentially thin. The developed approach can be used for studying a global symmetry of more complicated quantum systems with chaotic behavior. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.     

The Van Vleck formula,Maslov theory,and phase space geometry

The Van Vleck formula is an approximate, semiclassical expression for the quantum propagator. It is the starting point for the derivation of the Gutzwiller trace formula, and through this, a variety of other expansions representing eigenvalues, wave functions, and matrix elements in terms of classical periodic orbits. These are currently among the best and most promising theoretical tools for understanding the asymptotic behavior of quantum systems whose classical analogs are chaotic. Nevertheless, there are currently several questions remaining about the meaning and validity of the Van Vleck formula, such as those involving its behavior for long times. This article surveys an important aspect of the Van Vleck formula, namely, the relationship between it and phase space geometry, as revealed by Maslov's theory of wave asymptotics. The geometrical constructions involved are developed with a minimum of mathematical formalism.