The semiclassical limit of a quantum Fermi accelerator

A classical Fermi accelerator model (FAM) is known to show chaotic behavior. The FAM is defined by a free particle bouncing elastically from two rigid walls, one fixed and the other oscillating periodically in time. The central aim of this paper is to connect the quantum and the classical solutions to the FAM in the semiclassical limit. This goal is accomplished using a finite inverted parametric oscillator (FIPO), confined to a box withfixed walls, as an alternative representation of the FAM. In the FIPO representation, an explicit correspondence between classical and quantum limits is accomplished using a Husimi representation of the quasienergy eigenfunctions.     

Frequency map analysis and scars in molecular vibrations

In a previous paper [ J Chem Phys 1998, 108 , 63], an analysis of the phase space structure of the isomerizing molecular system LiNC/LiCN was presented, with the conclusion that the chaotic region was extremely influenced by the dynamics associated to a 1:8 resonance between the stretching Li? CN and the bending modes. This result was inferred based on a very restricted calculation. In this work we generalize our previous study in order to assess the generality of our former conclusion. The quantum implications of this finding are also addressed. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2001     

Chaotic Eigenfunctions in Phase Space

We study individual eigenstates of quantized area-preserving maps on the 2-torus which are classically chaotic. In order to analyze their semiclassical behavior, we use the Bargmann–Husimi representations for quantum states as well as their stellar parametrization, which encodes states through a minimal set of points in phase space (the constellation of zeros of the Husimi density). We rigorously prove that a semiclassical uniform distribution of Husimi densities on the torus entails a similar equidistribution for the corresponding constellations. We deduce from this property a universal behavior for the phase patterns of chaotic Bargmann eigenfunctions which is reminiscent of the WKB approximation for eigenstates of integrable systems (though in a weaker sense). In order to obtain more precise information on chaotic eigenconstellations, we then model their properties by ensembles of random states, generalizing former results on the 2-sphere to the torus geometry. This approach yields statistical predictions for the constellations which fit quite well the chaotic data. We finally observe that specific dynamical information, e.g., the presence of high peaks (like scars) in Husimi densities, can be recovered from the knowledge of a few long-wavelength Fourier coefficients, which therefore appear as valuable order parameters at the level of individual chaotic eigenfunctions.     

Scars of periodic orbits in the stadium action billiard

Compact billiards in phase space, or action billiards, are constructed by truncating the classical Hamiltonian in the action variables. The corresponding quantum mechanical system has a finite Hamiltonian matrix. In previous papers we defined the compact analog of common billiards, i.e., straight motion in phase space followed by specular reflections at the boundaries. Computation of their quantum energy spectra establishes that their properties are exactly those of common billiards: the short-range statistics follow the known universality classes depending on the regular or chaotic nature of the motion, while the long-range fluctuations are determined by the periodic orbits. In this work we show that the eigenfunctions also follow qualitatively the general characteristics of common billiards. In particular, we show that the low-lying levels can be classified according to their nodal lines as usual and that the high excited states present scars of several short periodic orbits. Moreover, since all the eigenstates of action billiards can be computed with great accuracy, Bogomolny's semiclassical formula for the scars can also be tested successfully.