Strongly correlated non-equilibrium steady states with currents – quantum and classical picture

In this minireview we will discuss recent progress in the analytical study of current-carrying non-equilibrium steady states (NESS) that can be constructed in terms of a matrix product ansatz. We will focus on one-dimensional exactly solvable strongly correlated cases, and will study both quantum models, and classical models which are deterministic in the bulk. The only source of classical stochasticity in the time-evolution will come from the boundaries of the system. Physically, these boundaries may be understood as Markovian baths, which drive the current through the system. The examples studied include the open XXZ Heisenberg spin chain, the open Hubbard model, and a classical integrable reversible cellular automaton, namely the Rule 54 of A. Bobenko et al. [A. Bobenko et al., Commun. Math. Phys. 158, 127 (1993)] with stochastic boundaries. The quantum NESS can be at least partially understood through the Yang–Baxter integrability structure of the underlying integrable bulk Hamiltonian, whereas for the Rule 54 model NESS seems to come from a seemingly unrelated integrability theory. In both the quantum and the classical case, the underlying matrix product ansatz defining the NESS also allows for construction of novel conservation laws of the bulk models themselves. In the classical case, a modification of the matrix product ansatz also allows for construction of states beyond the steady state (i.e., some of the decay modes – Liouvillian eigenvectors of the model). We hope that this article will help further the quest to unite different perspectives of integrability of NESS (of both quantum and classical models) into a single unified framework.     

Buckled nano rod – a two state system: quantum effects on its dynamics

We consider a suspended elastic rod under longitudinal compression. The compression can be used to adjust potential energy for transverse displacements from the harmonic to the double well regime. The two minima in potential energy curve describe two possible buckled states. Using transition state theory (TST) we have calculated the rate of conversion from one state to other. If the strain ? = 4? _c the simple TST rate diverges. We suggest a method to correct this divergence for quantum calculations. We also find that zero point energy contributions can be quite large so that single mode calculations can lead to large errors in the rate.     

Dynamic dipole–dipole induction of coherence among a quantum dot ensemble

The quantum mechanical dynamic resonance due to dipole–dipole interaction is shown possibly to induce coherent modes of electrons within an ensemble of two-level systems or quantum dots. The physical origin of this coherence would naturally be postulated as the parity inheritance into a site being excited from another site being de-excited. An experimental spectrum suggestive of this dipole–dipole mode is also shown. This coherence is expected to be useful for quantum computing.     

Does the integrability of a classical hamiltonian imply its quantum integrability?

By considering a simple example of a nonlinear integrable classical system and then quantizing it, we show that completely integrable hamiltonians in classical dynamics are not necessarily integrible in quantum mechanics.     

Frozen entanglement and quantum correlations of one-parameter qubit−qutrit states under classical noise effects

We provide a detailed analysis of the dynamics of entanglement and quantum correlations for one-parameter qubit-qutrit states under independent or common classical noises influence. Namely the static noise, the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) noise and the random telegraph noise. Independently of the intrinsic features of the noises, entanglement measured by negativity and quantum correlations measured by measured-induced disturbance (MID) vanish after a finite time under the effects of independent noise environments. In a common environment setup, we show the existence of specific and very important features of perfect insulation of the systems quantum properties from noise effects, for suitable range of the entanglement parameter. We refer these phenomena to as frozen entanglement and frozen quantum correlations. The dichotomy between entanglement (separability) and quantum correlations is strengthened by our results, with the robustness of MID over entanglement and existence of separable qubit-qutrit states with non-zero quantum correlations.     

From quantum to classical without ħ → 0

In this paper we put forward some simple rules which can be used in order to pass from the quantum Moyal evolution operator to the classical one of Liouville without taking the limit of $?\to 0$. These rules involve the averaging over some auxiliary variables.     

Neutron spin quantum plasmas – Ferromagnetism as a relaxed state

It is shown that a ferromagnetic “minimum energy relaxed state” is accessible to a neutron fluid. We model the neutron fluid as a spin quantum plasma where the electromagnetic interaction is trough the magnetic moment of the neutron. The neutron ferromagnetism results from the macroscopic spin alignment that occurs due to a profound interplay between the classical and spin quantum vorticities carried by the charge-less neutron fluid. The simplest manifestation of a neutron superfluidity comes about by an exact cancellation of the quantum and classical vorticities to create a helicity free system.     

Can spatial coherence effects produce a local minimum of intensity at focus?

It is demonstrated that, for high-Fresnel-number focusing systems illuminated by certain classes of partially coherent light, it is possible to produce a local minimum of intensity at the geometrical focus. Such an effect is possible even though the average intensity in the entrance plane of the lens is uniform. An explanation is offered for this effect, and potential applications are considered.     

Nonlocal effects on second-harmonic generation in a Pöschl-Teller quantum well

Nonlocal effects on the energy conversion efficiency of the second-harmonic generation (SHG) for a p-polarized incident field in a P?schl-Teller quantum well (PTQW) are investigated in detail. The numerical results show that the spatial distribution of the second-harmonic field is nonuniform, and that there exist two resonance peaks in the second-harmonic energy reflection spectra, and their positions have a notable blueshift because of the nonlocal effects. A very important property is that a maximum blueshift at the second-harmonic resonance can be obtained by adopting a proper quantum-well width and donor concentration, which may be interesting in future precision experiments.     

Ternary mixed crystal effects on interface optical phonon and electron-phonon coupling in zinc-blende GaN/AlxGa1−xN spherical quantum dots

The theoretical investigations of the interface optical phonons, electron–phonon couplings and its ternary mixed effects in zinc-blende spherical quantum dots are obtained by using the dielectric continuum model and modified random-element isodisplacement model. The features of dispersion curves, electron–phonon coupling strengths, and its ternary mixed effects for interface optical phonons in a single zinc-blende GaN/Al_xGa_1−xN spherical quantum dot are calculated and discussed in detail. The numerical results show that there are three branches of interface optical phonons. One branch exists in low frequency region; another two branches exist in high frequency region. The interface optical phonons with small quantum number l have more important contributions to the electron–phonon interactions. It is also found that ternary mixed effects have important influences on the interface optical phonon properties in a single zinc-blende GaN/Al_xGa_1−xN quantum dot. With the increase of Al component, the interface optical phonon frequencies appear linear changes, and the electron–phonon coupling strengths appear non-linear changes in high frequency region. But in low frequency region, the frequencies appear non-linear changes, and the electron–phonon coupling strengths appear linear changes.     

Electron–hole two-stream instability in a quantum semiconductor plasma with exchange-correlation effects

The electron–hole two-stream instability in a quantum semiconductor plasma has been studied including electrons and holes quantum recoil effects, exchange-correlation potentials, and degenerate pressures of the plasma species. Typical values of GaAs and GaSb semiconductors are used to estimate the growth rate of the two-stream instability. The effects of electron– and hole–phonon collision, quantum recoil effects, the streaming velocities, and the corresponding threshold on the growth rate are investigated numerically. Considering the phonon susceptibility allows the acoustic mode to exist and the collisional instability arises in combination with drift of the holes.     

Electric field-induced nonlinear optical properties of a hydrogenic impurity in a GaAs/GaAlAs quantum dot: effects of spin–orbit interactions

Nonlinear optical properties, optical rectification coefficients and the second-order and third-order harmonic generation coefficients as a function of photon energy are dealt in a GaAs/Ga_0.8Al_0.2As quantum dot in the presence of electric field and the spin–orbit interactions. The Dresselhaus and the Rashba spin–orbit interactions are added in the Hamiltonian. The electric field-induced photoionization cross section with the normalized photon energy for an on-centre donor impurity in the quantum dot is studied. The effect of nonparabolicity is included in the Hamiltonian. The spin–orbit interaction as a function of photon energy is investigated. The computations are carried out within the framework of the single band effective mass approximation using variational technique and the compact density approach. It is found that the spin–orbit interaction coefficients show strong effects on the resonant position of harmonic generations. The results are compared with the recent investigations.     

Effect of impurity on the absorption of a parabolic quantum dot with including Rashba spin–orbit interaction

In this paper, the influence of impurity parameters on the electron energy spectrum and absorption coefficients in a parabolic quantum dot and in the presence of Rashba spin–orbit interaction subjected to a perpendicular magnetic field is studied. The impurity potential is approximated by a Gaussian form. We have shown that in the both cases of a repulsive and attractive Gaussian impurity, the absorption coefficients are strongly affected by the decay length. These coefficients show blue (red) shift as the decay length of repulsive (attractive) impurity is increased. The dependence of the absorption coefficients on the impurity position is also examined for different polarizations. Our results show that the absorption coefficient has local maximum (minimum) for a given value of impurity position for Y-polarized (X-polarized) light.     

Transport properties of the two-dimensional electron gas in AlP quantum wells at finite temperature including magnetic field and exchange–correlation effects

We investigate the transport scattering time, the single-particle relaxation time and the magnetoresistance of a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas in a GaP/AlP/GaP quantum well at zero and finite temperatures. We consider the interface-roughness and impurity scattering, and study the dependence of the mobility, scattering time and magnetoresistance on the carrier density, temperature and local-field correction. In the case of zero temperature and Hubbard local-field correction our results reduce to those of Gold and Marty (Physica E 40 (2008) 2028; Phys. Rev. B 76 (2007) 165309). We also discuss the possibility of a metal–insulator transition which might happen at low density.     

The isospin-dependent quadrupole-quadrupole interaction used in shell model calculations – the effects of including ΔN = 2 excitations and a two-body spin-orbit interaction term

The effect of the “B” term in the interaction −χQ(1) · Q(2)[1+Bτ(1) ·τ(2)] was previously considered in the 0p shell (small space). It is now studied in a larger space which additionally includes ΔN = 2 excitations. When B is made sufficiently negative we still obtain for ¹⁰Be, even in the larger space, an unphysical collapse of some of the low-lying states so that their energies are less than the energy of the conventional J = 0⁺ ground state. This effect, however, occurs for values of B considerably more negative than was the case in the smaller space. It is shown that the inclusion of an additional two-body spin-orbit interaction term prevents this unrealistic collapse in both the large and small spaces. Received: 9 November 1999 / Revised version: 11 January 2000     

Cell labeling and cytotoxicity of aqueously synthesized CdTe/CdS/ZnS core–shell–shell quantum dots by a water bath-hydrothermal method

CdTe/CdS/ZnS core–shell–shell quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized in aqueous solution via water-bathing combined hydrothermal method using L-cysteine as a stabilizer. The present method features markedly reduced synthesis time, higher fluorescent intensity and lower cytotoxicity of the QDs. Structural and spectroscopic properties of core–shell–shell QDs are well characterized by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Both CdS and ZnS shells were capped on the CdTe core and the fluorescence was greatly enhanced by the ZnS coating. The ternary QDs conjugated with transferrins were successfully employed for the biolabeling and fluorescent imaging of HeLa cells. Cytotoxicity evaluation shows that CdTe/CdS/ZnS was less toxic for cells than CdTe and CdTe/CdS due to the presence of a ZnS coating on surface, which inhibited the release of cadmium ions.