Cover Picture: Fortschritte der Physik 8 / 2009

The cover page of 2009 shows high‐resolution interference “quantum carpet” patterns for the momentum wave function of an interacting Bose‐Einstein condensate (BEC). As time progresses (from back to front), the many‐body mean field interaction of the BEC first leads to a broadening of the wave function, but then also to a time‐varying interference structure by inducing site‐dependent nonlinear phase shifts when the BEC is confined in a spatially periodic potential. Imaging the wave function in momentum space for different times leads to a pattern that one reminds of a carefully woven carpet and is hence termed “quantum carpet”. Quantum carpets beautifully demonstrate the surprisingly high matter wave coherence of particle‐particle interactions in the zero‐temperature limit.     

Quantum carpets: efficiently probing fractional revivals in position-dependent mass systems

Position-dependent-mass systems are of great importance in many physical situations,such as the transport of charge carriers in semiconductors with non-uniform composition and in the theory of many-body interactions in condensed matter.Here we investigate,numerically and analytically,the phenomenon of fractional revivals in such systems,which is a generic characteristic manifested by the wave-packet evolution in bounded Hamiltonian systems.Identifying the fractional revivals using specific probe...     

Quantum Carpets: a Probe to Identify Wave-Packet Fractional Revivals

We explain quantum carpets in the position and momentum spaces woven by the self-interference of the de Broglie wave of an atom or an electron trapped in an infinitely deep potential well. The recurrence of self-similar structures in designs of these carpets mimics the phenomena of quantum revivals and fractional revivals. We identify fractional revivals of various order by means of these space–time and momentum–time interference patterns.     

Fractional recurrence in discrete-time quantum walk

Quantum recurrence theorem holds for quantum systems with discrete energy eigenvalues and fails to hold in general for systems with continuous energy. We show that during quantum walk process dominated by interference of amplitude corresponding to different paths fail to satisfy the complete quantum recurrence theorem. Due to the revival of the fractional wave packet, a fractional recurrence characterized using quantum Pólya number can be seen.     

Quantum carpets of a slightly relativistic particle

We analyze the structures emerging in the spacetime representation of the probability density woven by a slightly relativistic particle caught in a one‐dimensional box. In particular, we evaluate the relativistic effects on the revival time and the specific changes produced in the intermode traces, which quantum carpets consist of. Moreover, we present a detailed mathematical analysis of such quantum carpets pursuing the approach of a kernel. Here we represent the probability distribution as a superposition of interfering Airy function‐type structures along straight world lines. We also show that this phenomenon can be enhanced by many orders of magnitude in semiconductors with narrow band‐gap (e.g. as in InSb) and small effective mass of the electron, whereby due to the strong nonparabolicity of the semiconductor conduction band, the electron energy vs momentum dispersion relation behaves in a pseudo‐relativistic way.     

Quantum spin chains with fractional revival

A systematic study of fractional revival at two sites in XX$XX$ quantum spin chains is presented. Analytic models with this phenomenon are obtained by combining two basic ways of realizing fractional revival in a spin chain. The first proceeds through isospectral deformations of spin chains with perfect state transfer. The second makes use of couplings provided by the recurrence coefficients of polynomials with a bi-lattice orthogonality grid. The latter method leads to analytic models previously identified that can exhibit perfect state transfer in addition to fractional revival.     

矩形弹子球中的量子波包分析(英文)

利用波包分析量子力学体系的动力学行为在研究经典和量子的对应关系方面越来越成为一个非常重要的方法.利用高斯波包分析方法,我们计算了矩形弹子球体系的自关联函数,自关联函数的峰和经典周期轨道的周期符合的很好,这表明经典周期轨道的周期可以通过含时的量子波包方法产生.我们还讨论了矩形弹子球的波包回归和波包的部分回归,计算结果表明在每一个回归时间,波包出现精确的回归.对于动量为零的波包,初始位置在弹子球内部的特殊对称点处,出现一些时间比较短的附加的回归.     

Quantum Dynamical Behavior of the Morse Oscillator: the Wigner Function Approach

We explore the quantum dynamical behavior of the Morse oscillator in the phase space using the Wigner function. For an initial wave packet excited with Gaussian probability distribution, we calculate the associated Wigner function and compute its time evolution. By calculating the marginal probabilities, we study the formation of quantum carpets both in the position space and in the momentum space. In addition, in view of these probabilities, we present the time evolution of the position and momentum expectation values. The structure of quantum carpets and the time-evolved expectation values mimic the emergence of quantum revivals and fractional revivals.     

Shapiro Step Features and Quantum Dynamics of Aharonov-Bohm Electron Interference in a Two-Mode Squeezed State

Aharonov-Bohm-type electron interference in a two-mode squeezed state is inves tigated.The properties of Shapiro steps, visibility of the interference fringe and the dynamic behavior of electron interference are discussed. We find that the time evolution of electron interference intensity in the two-mode squeezed state can exhibit very interesting quantum collapse and revival phenomenon.     

Dynamic quantum revivals in phase space

We explain quantum revivals and fractional revivals in phase space of the Fermi?CUlam accelerator. We derive analytic expressions of the Wigner distribution function for the driven system describing quantum interferences in position and momentum space. We assume that the fractional revival times are nonrecurrent under certain conditions and display randomness in the occurrence of the phenomenon at these times.     

The Critical Behavior of Partially Directed SAW on Sierpinski Carpets

Using the fractal-cell generation method we perform a numerical simulation study for partially directed self-avoiding walks (PDSAW) on Sierpinski carpets. The obtained critical exponents v_H is found to be independent of the fractal dimension of Sierpinski carpet d_f, but v_⊥ is dependent on d_f . This result indicates that PDSAW on different Sierpinski carpets belong to different universality classes. Compared with the fully directed self-avoiding walks (FDSAW) on the same carpets, the obtained results indicate that PDSAW and FDSAW belong to the same universality class.     

氢负离子在梯度电场中光剥离的波包动力学研究

利用含时微扰论和闭合轨道理论相结合的方法, 给出了氢负离子在梯度电场中自关联函数的计算公式, 并且对体系的自关联函数进行了计算和分析. 重点探讨了激光脉冲的宽度、梯度电场中背景电场强度及电场梯度对氢负离子体系的自关联函数的影响. 研究结果表明, 当激光脉冲的脉冲宽度较短, 远小于剥离电子的闭合轨道的周期时, 量子波包的回归现象显著, 自关联函数中会出现一系列比较明显的回归峰, 这是由于沿闭合轨道返回的电子波包和出射的电子波包之间产生干涉形成的. 但是随着激光脉冲宽度的增加, 量子波包的回归现象减弱. 当脉冲宽度和闭合轨道的周期相差不是很大时, 自关联函数中的回归峰逐渐变宽, 振荡渐趋平缓, 相邻的峰之间发生相互干涉, 从而导致对应关系消失. 除此之外, 我们还发现梯度电场中背景电场强度和电场梯度对体系的自关联函数也会发生显著的影响. 随着背景电场强度和电场梯度的增加, 剥离电子的闭合轨道的周期变短, 自关联函数中回归峰的个数逐渐增加, 量子回归现象增强. 因此, 我们可以通过改变脉冲的宽度、外加电场强度的大小对氢负离子发生光剥离的自关联函数进行调控. 我们的结果对于实验研究原子或离子体系在外场中的波包动力学性质可以提供一定的参考价值.     

广义量子干涉原理及对偶量子计算机

我们综述最近提出的广义量子干涉原理及其在量子计算中的应用。广义量子干涉原理是对狄拉克单光子干涉原理的具体化和多光子推广,不但对像原子这样的紧致的量子力学体系适用,而且适用于几个独立的光子这样的松散量子体系。利用广义量子干涉原理,许多引起争议的问题都可以得到合理的解释,例如两个以上的单光子的干涉等问题。从广义量子干涉原理来看双光子或者多光子的干涉就是双光子和双光子自身的干涉,多光子和多光子自身的干涉。广义量子干涉原理可以利用多组分量子力学体系的广义Feynman积分表示,可以定量地计算。基于这个原理我们提出了一种新的计算机,波粒二象计算机,又称为对偶计算机。在原理上对偶计算机超越了经典的计算机和现有的量子计算机。在对偶计算机中,计算机的波函数被分成若干个子波并使其通过不同的路径,在这些路径上进行不同的量子计算门操作,而后这些子波重新合并产生干涉从而给出计算结果。除了量子计算机具有的量子平行性外,对偶计算机还具有对偶平行性。形象地说,对偶计算机是一台通过多狭缝的运动着的量子计算机,在不同的狭缝进行不同的量子操作,实现对偶平行性。目前已经建立起严格的对偶量子计算机的数学理论,为今后的进一步发展打下了基础。本文着重从物理的角度去综述广义量子干涉原理和对偶计算机。现在的研究已经证明,一台d狭缝的n比特的对偶计算机等同与一个n比特+一个d比特(qudit)的普通量子计算机,证明了对偶计算机具有比量子计算机更强大的能力。这样,我们可以使用一台具有n+log2d个比特的普通量子计算机去模拟一个d狭缝的n比特对偶计算机,省去了研制运动量子计算机的巨大的技术上的障碍。我们把这种量子计算机的运行模式称为对偶计算模式,或简称为对偶模式。利用这一联系反过来可以帮助我们理解广义量子干涉原理,因为在量子计算机中一切计算都是普通的量子力学所允许的量子操作,因此广义量子干涉原理就是普通的量子力学体系所允许的原理,而这个原理只是是在多体量子力学体系中才会表现出来。对偶计算机是一种新式的计算机,里面有许多问题期待研究和发展,同时也充满了机会。在对偶计算机中,除了幺正操作外,还可以允许非幺正操作,几乎包括我们可以想到的任何操作,我们称之为对偶门操作或者广义量子门操作。目前这已经引起了数学家的注意,并给出了广义量子门操作的一些数学性质。此外,利用量子计算机和对偶计算机的联系,可以将许多经典计算机的算法移植到量子计算机中,经过改造成为量子算法。由于对偶计算机中的演化是非幺正的,对偶量子计算机将可能在开放量子力学的体系的研究中起到重要的作用。     

Geometrical condition for observing Talbot effect in plasmonics infinite metallic groove arrays

The plasmonics Talbot effect in metallic layer with infinite periodic grooves is presented in this study. Numerical approach based on the finite element method is employed to verify the derived Talbot carpet on the non-illumination side. The groove depth is less than the metallic layer thickness; however, for specific conditions, surface plasmons polaritons(SPPs)can penetrate through grooves, propagate under the metallic layer, and form Talbot revivals. The geometrical parameters are specified via groove width, gap size, period, and wavelength, and their proper values are determined by introducing two opening ratio parameters. To quantitatively compare different Talbot carpets, we introduce new parameters such as R-square that characterizes the periodicity of Talbot images. The higher the R-square of a carpet, the more coincident with non-paraxial approximation the Talbot distance becomes. We believe that our results can help to understand the nature of SPPs and also contribute to exploring this phenomenon in Talbot-image-based applications, including imaging, optical systems, and measurements.     

Quantum carpets woven by cold atoms in a laser field

Propagation of wave packets of cold two-level atoms in a standing-wave laser field can be interpreted in the dressed-state basis as motion in two optical potentials. The three distinct regimes of the wavepacket motion are specified by the ratio of the squared atom–laser detuning to the normalized Doppler shift. We calculate the momentum and position probability densities, which form patterns with minima and maxima of probability both in the momentum and the position spaces known as quantum carpets. At small and large detunings, the atomic motion is substantially adiabatic, and the quantum carpets have a simple form. At intermediate detunings, the wave packet moves nonadiabatically, splitting at each node of the standing wave, which causes a proliferation or branching of atomic trajectories with a single atom. Nonadiabatic transitions produce beautiful quantum carpets with a rich structure.     

Transformation of a Rabi oscillation spectrum for a two-level system in a strong resonant field

We have found an analytical expression describing the evolution of a two-level system in a strong resonant quantum field beyond the rotating wave approximation. The solution obtained has allowed us for the first time to identify the qualitative features of the behavior of the system in this case: suppression of the "collapse–revival" effect, and a change in the spectrum and shape of Rabi oscillations for an inverted population. The results are of interest for applied spectroscopy, quantum optics, and nanomechanics.     

广义量子干涉原理及对偶量子计算机

我们综述最近提出的广义量子干涉原理及其在量子计算中的应用.广义量子干涉原理是对狄拉克单光子干涉原理的具体化和多光子推广,不但对像原子这样的紧致的量子力学体系适用,而且适用于几个独立的光子这样的松散量子体系.利用广义量子干涉原理,许多引起争议的问题都可以得到合理的解释,例如两个以上的单光子的干涉等问题.从广义量子干涉原理来看双光子或者多光子的干涉就是双光子和双光子自身的干涉,多光子和多光子自身的干涉.广义量子干涉原理可以利用多组分量子力学体系的广义Feynman积分表示,可以定量地计算.基于这个原理我们提出了一种新的计算机,波粒二象计算机,又称为对偶计算机.在原理上对偶计算机超越了经典的计算机和现有的量子计算机.在对偶计算机中,计算机的波函数被分成若干个子波并使其通过不同的路径,在这些路径上进行不同的量子计算门操作,而后这些子波重新合并产生干涉从而给出计算结果.除了量子计算机具有的量子平行性外,对偶计算机还具有对偶平行性.形象地说,对偶计算机是一台通过多狭缝的运动着的量子计算机,在不同的狭缝进行不同的量子操作,实现对偶平行性.目前已经建立起严格的对偶量子计算机的数学理论,为今后的进一步发展打下了基础.本文着重从物理的角度去综述广义量子干涉原理和对偶计算机.现在的研究已经证明,一台d狭缝的n比特的对偶计算机等同与一个n比特+一个d比特(qudit)的普通量子计算机,证明了对偶计算机具有比量子计算机更强大的能力.这样,我们可以使用一台具有n+log<,2>d个比特的普通量子计算机去模拟一个d狭缝的n比特对偶计算机,省去了研制运动量子计算机的巨大的技术上的障碍.我们把这种量子计算机的运行模式称为对偶计算模式,或简称为对偶模式.利用这一联系反过来可以帮助我们理解广义量子干涉原理,因为在量子计算机中一切计算都是普通的量子力学所允许的量子操作,因此广义量子干涉原理就是普通的量子力学体系所允许的原理,而这个原理只是是在多体量子力学体系中才会表现出来.对偶计算机是一种新式的计算机,里面有许多问题期待研究和发展,同时也充满了机会.在对偶计算机中,除了幺正操作外.还可以允许非幺正操作,几乎包括我们可以想到的任何操作,我们称之为对偶门操作或者广义量子门操作.目前这已经引起了数学家的注意,并给出了广义量子门操作的一些数学性质.此外,利用量子计算机和对偶计算机的联系,可以将许多经典计算机的算法移植到量子计算机中,经过改造成为量子算法.由于对偶计算机中的演化是非幺正的,对偶量子计算机将可能在开放量子力学的体系的研究中起到重要的作用.     

New optical soliton solutions for nonlinear complex fractional Schrödinger equation via new auxiliary equation method and novel $$({G'}/{G})$$-expansion method

In this research, we apply two different techniques on nonlinear complex fractional nonlinear Schrödinger equation which is a very important model in fractional quantum mechanics. Nonlinear Schrödinger equation is one of the basic models in fibre optics and many other branches of science. We use the conformable fractional derivative to transfer the nonlinear real integer-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation to nonlinear complex fractional nonlinear Schrödinger equation. We apply new auxiliary equation method and novel \(\left( {G'}/{G}\right) \)-expansion method on nonlinear complex fractional Schrödinger equation to obtain new optical forms of solitary travelling wave solutions. We find many new optical solitary travelling wave solutions for this model. These solutions are obtained precisely and efficiency of the method can be demonstrated.     

The Relation Between Two Types of Characteristic Equations for Quantum Matrices

A definition (modification) of the power of quantum matrices using the -matrix has recently been proven useful to obtain generalizations of many well known theorems from linear algebra to the quantum case, among which are the Cayley–Hamilton theorem and the Newton identities. A separate effort has provided another generalization of the Cayley–Hamilton theorem for GL _q (n), which uses usual matrix powers but diagonal matrices as coefficients.We show that the latter generalization can be derived in the aforementioned more general framework and it is the expression of the modified quantum power in terms of the usual ones that accounts for the appearance of diagonal matrices.     

Fisher information,nonclassicality and quantum revivals

Wave packet revivals and fractional revivals are studied by means of a measure of nonclassicality based on the Fisher information. In particular, we show that the spreading and the regeneration of initially Gaussian wave packets in a quantum bouncer and in the infinite square-well correspond, respectively, to high and low nonclassicality values. This result is in accordance with the physical expectations that at a quantum revival wave packets almost recover their initial shape and the classical motion revives temporarily afterward.