arXiv subjects

Alessandro Ferreri

Publications and source records attributed to Alessandro Ferreri.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

High-order interactions in quantum optomechanics: fluctuations, dynamics and thermodynamics

Quantum optomechanics describes the interaction between a confined field and a fluctuating wall due to radiation pressure. The dynamics of this system is typically understood using perturbation theory up to second order in the small coupling. Improving beyond this regime can shed light onto new phenomena. In this work we study high-order resonant wall-field interactions characterized by two- and three-phonon scattering processes. We obtain the Hamiltonian, compute the perturbed energy spectrum and explicitly calculate corrections to the ground state. Finally, we study the dynamics of the system when second- and third-order resonance conditions are activated, showing that the presence of high-order terms in the Hamiltonian drastically affects the populations of all particles, as well as the entropy production rate.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Limits to the validity of gravitational redshift as a quantum-optical multimode mixer

We analyze the domain of validity of a quantum optical model that describes the effects of gravitational redshift on the quantum state of photons that propagate in curved spacetime. This model assumes that the modes defining the initial state of the photon are mixed with an auxiliary environment mode via an effective multimode mixer. We find that the model, as proposed, is consistent only to first order for small redshift, where the range of validity is conditional not only to the gravitational parameters, but also to those that define the photonic modes. We identify the problem and provide a partial solution in terms of a necessary condition on the transformation matrix representing the process, which requires the use of a number of auxiliary modes that is at least equal to the number of modes that define the photonic state. We conclude by discussing implications for theoretical quantum optics and photonics in curved spacetime, as well as for the development of quantum technologies.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Gravitational redshift of broadband relativistic quantum photons

We employ linearized quantum gravity to study gravitational redshift of photons in the context of relativistic and quantum physics, where photons interact in flat spacetime with a classical massive body via graviton exchange. We find that gravitational redshift, as predicted by general relativity, occurs only in the case of localized photons with a well defined momentum that interact with a classical source of gravitons. On the contrary, photons initially prepared in states with nonclassical features, such as quantum coherence in the position degree of freedom, witness no well-defined redshift in general. Our work not only shows that gravitational redshift can be found in flat spacetime as a consequence of the interaction of quantum fields, but it also challenges the robustness of one of the most important predictions of general relativity, furthermore indicating that deviations from the theory can already be observed at low energies using highly nonclassical photonic states.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Photon-graviton polarization entanglement induced by a classical electromagnetic wave

We study the photon-graviton pair production induced by the propagation of a classical electromagnetic (EM) wave in a Minkowskian spacetime. In our model, the gravitational field is described in terms of the quantized graviton field, whereas the electromagnetic field is split into a classical drive (a linearly or circularly polarized electromagnetic wave) and a quantum fluctuation field. We analyze the time evolution of the quantum state showing that, among other outcomes, the propagation of the EM wave can generate Bell states in the photon-graviton polarization basis. We finally discuss the possibility to observe entangled photons in artificial and natural scenarios.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Splitting obstructions and $\mathbb{Z}_2$ invariants in time-reversal symmetric topological insulators

The Fu-Kane-Mele $\mathbb{Z}_2$ index characterizes two-dimensional time-reversal symmetric topological phases of matter. We shed some light on some features of this index by investigating projection-valued maps endowed with a fermionic time-reversal symmetry. Our main contributions are threefold. First, we establish a decomposition theorem, proving that any such projection-valued map admits a splitting into two projection-valued maps that are related to each other via time-reversal symmetry. Second, we provide a complete homotopy classification theorem for these maps, thereby clarifying their topological structure. Third, by means of the previous analysis, we connect the Fu-Kane-Mele index to the Chern number of one of the factors in the previously-mentioned decomposition, which in turn allows to exhibit how the $\mathbb{Z}_2$-valued topological obstruction to constructing a periodic and smooth Bloch frame for the projection-valued map, measured by the Fu-Kane-Mele index, can be concentrated in a single pseudo-periodic Kramers pair.

math-ph↗

arXiv2025

Function Based Isolation Forest (FuBIF): A Unifying Framework for Interpretable Isolation-Based Anomaly Detection

Anomaly Detection (AD) is evolving through algorithms capable of identifying outliers in complex datasets. The Isolation Forest (IF), a pivotal AD technique, exhibits adaptability limitations and biases. This paper introduces the Function-based Isolation Forest (FuBIF), a generalization of IF that enables the use of real-valued functions for dataset branching, significantly enhancing the flexibility of evaluation tree construction. Complementing this, the FuBIF Feature Importance (FuBIFFI) algorithm extends the interpretability in IF-based approaches by providing feature importance scores across possible FuBIF models. This paper details the operational framework of FuBIF, evaluates its performance against established methods, and explores its theoretical contributions. An open-source implementation is provided to encourage further research and ensure reproducibility.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2025

Bounding the rotating wave approximation for coupled harmonic oscillators

In this work we study the validity of the rotating wave approximation of an ideal system composed of two harmonic oscillators evolving with a quadratic Hamiltonian and arbitrarily strong interaction. We prove its validity for arbitrary states by bounding the error introduced. We then restrict ourselves to the dynamics of Gaussian states and are able to fully quantify the deviation of arbitrary pure Gaussian states that evolve through different dynamics from a common quantum state. We show that this distance is fully determined by the first and second moments of the statistical distribution of the number of excitations created from the vacuum during an appropriate effective time-evolution. We use these results to completely control the dynamics for this class of states, therefore providing a toolbox to be used in quantum optics and quantum information. Applications and potential physical implementations are also discussed.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Quantum heat engine based on quantum interferometry: the SU(1,1) Otto cycle

We present a quantum heat engine based on a quantum Otto cycle, whose working substance reproduces the same outcomes of a SU(1,1) interference process at the end of each adiabatic transformation. This device takes advantage of the extraordinary quantum metrological features of the SU(1,1) interferometer to better discriminate the sources of uncertainty of relevant observables during each adiabatic stroke of the cycle. Applications to circuit QED platforms are also discussed.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Particle creation in left-handed metamaterial transmission lines

Transmission lines are excellent examples of quantum simulators of quantum fields. By appropriately driving specific circuit elements, these devices can reproduce relativistic and quantum such as particle creation due to the non-adiabatic stimulation of the quantum vacuum. We investigate particle creation in left-handed transmission lines induced by the modulation of the Josephson energy in superconducting quantum interference devices. Our results show that, as a consequence of the peculiar dispersion relations present in these systems, particle production occurs with much more favorable conditions with respect to the usual right-handed transmission lines.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Quantum simulation in hybrid transmission lines

Platforms based on transmission lines are nowadays employed for the simulation of standard phenomena in quantum electrodynamics and quantum field theory. In this work, we propose a hybrid platform, in which a right-handed transmission line is connected to a left-handed transmission line by means of a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). We examine the interaction between the two transmission lines, as well as the excitation flow along the composed platform. We show that, by activating specific resonance conditions, this platform can be used as a quantum simulator of different phenomena in quantum optics, multimode quantum systems and quantum thermodynamics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Phonon-photon conversion as mechanism for cooling and coherence transfer

The dynamical Casimir effect is the physical phenomenon where the mechanical energy of a movable wall of a cavity confining a quantum field can be converted into quanta of the field itself. This effect has been recognized as one of the most astonishing predictions of quantum field theory. At the quantum scale, the energy conversion can also occur incoherently, namely without an physical motion of the wall. We employ quantum thermodynamics to show that this phenomenon can be employed as a tool to cool down the wall when there is a non-vanishing temperature gradient between the wall and the cavity. At the same time, the process of heat-transfer enables to share the coherence from one cavity mode, driven by a laser, to the wall, thereby forcing its coherent oscillation. Finally, we show how to employ one laser drive to cool the entire system including the case when it is composed of other subsystems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Quantum field heat engine powered by phonon-photon interactions

We present a quantum heat engine based on a cavity with two oscillating mirrors that confine a quantum field as the working substance. The engine performs an Otto cycle during which the walls and a field mode interact via a nonlinear Hamiltonian. Resonances between the frequencies of the cavity mode and the walls allow to transfer heat from the hot and the cold bath by exploiting the conversion between phononic and photonic excitations. We study the time evolution of the system and show that net work can be extracted after a full cycle. We evaluate the efficiency of the process.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Interplay between optomechanics and the dynamical Casimir effect

We develop a model of a quantum field confined within a cavity with a movable wall where the position of the wall is quantized. We obtain a full description of the dynamics of both the quantum field and the confining wall depending on the initial state of the whole system. Both the reaction and back-reaction of the field on the wall, and the wall on the field, can be taken into account, as well as external driving forces on both the cavity and the wall. The model exactly reproduces the resonant cavity mode stimulation due to the periodic motion of the mirror (dynamical Casimir effect), as well as the standard radiation pressure effects on the quantized wall(optomechanics). The model also accounts for the interplay of the two scenarios. Finally, the time evolution of the radiation force shows the interplay between the static and dynamical Casimir effect.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Quantum vibrational mode in a cavity confining a massless spinor field

We analyse the reaction of a massless (1+1)-dimensional spinor field to the harmonic motion of one cavity wall. In our model, the oscillation amplitude of the harmonic oscillator is promoted to a quantum operator, providing the system with an additional quantum degree of freedom having bosonic nature. After obtaining the interaction Hamiltonian, we estimate the correction to both the ground state and its energy. We demonstrate that the system is able to convert bosons into fermion pairs at the lowest perturbative order. Extension of our model to multiple bags is contemplated.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Two-colour spectrally multimode integrated SU(1,1) interferometer

Multimode integrated interferometers have great potential for both spectral engineering and metrological applications. However, material dispersion of integrated platforms constitutes an obstacle which limits the performance and precision of such interferometers. At the same time, two-colour non-linear interferometers present an important tool for metrological applications, when measurements in a certain frequency range are difficult. In this manuscript, we theoretically develop and investigate an integrated multimode two-colour SU(1,1) interferometer that operates in a supersensitive mode. By ensuring a proper design of the integrated platform, we suppress dispersion and thereby significantly increase the visibility of the interference pattern. We demonstrate that such an interferometer overcomes the classical phase sensitivity limit for wide parametric gain ranges, when up to $3*10^4$ photons are generated.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Spectrally multimode integrated SU(1,1) interferometer

Nonlinear SU(1,1) interferometers are fruitful and promising tools for spectral engineering and precise measurements with phase sensitivity below the classical bound. Such interferometers have been successfully realized in bulk and fiber-based configurations. However, rapidly developing integrated technologies provide higher efficiencies, smaller footprints, and pave the way to quantum-enhanced on-chip interferometry. In this work, we theoretically realised an integrated architecture of the multimode SU(1,1) interferometer which can be applied to various integrated platforms. The presented interferometer includes a polarization converter between two photon sources and utilizes a continuous-wave (CW) pump. Based on the potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) platform, we show that this configuration results in almost perfect destructive interference at the output and supersensitivity regions below the classical limit. In addition, we discuss the fundamental difference between single-mode and highly multimode SU(1,1) interferometers in the properties of phase sensitivity and its limits. Finally, we explore how to improve the phase sensitivity by filtering the output radiation and using different seeding states in different modes with various detection strategies.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Collective spontaneous emission of two entangled atoms near an oscillating mirror

We consider the cooperative spontaneous emission of a system of two identical atoms, interacting with the electromagnetic field in the vacuum state and in the presence of an oscillating mirror. We assume that the two atoms, one in the ground state and the other in the excited state, are prepared in a correlated (symmetric or antisymmetric) {\em Bell}-type state. We also suppose that the perfectly reflecting plate oscillates adiabatically, with the field modes satisfying the boundary conditions at the mirror surface at any given instant, so that the time-dependence of the interaction Hamiltonian is entirely enclosed in the instantaneous atoms-wall distance. Using time-dependent perturbation theory, we investigate the spectrum of the radiation emitted by the two-atom system, showing how the oscillation of the boundary modifies the features of the emitted spectrum, which exhibits two lateral peaks not present in the case of a static boundary. We also evaluate the transition rate to the collective ground state of the two-atom system in both cases of the superradiant (symmetric) and subradiant (antisymmetric) state. We show that it is modulated in time, and that the presence of the oscillating mirror can enhance or inhibit the decay rate compared to the case of atoms in vacuum space or near a static boundary. Our results thus suggest that a dynamical (i.e. time-modulated) environment can give new possibilities to control and manipulate radiative processes of atoms or molecules nearby, such as the cooperative decay, and strongly indicate a similar possibility for other radiative processes, for example the resonance interaction and the energy transfer between atoms or molecules.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Spontaneous emission of an atom near an oscillating mirror

We investigate the spontaneous emission of one atom placed near an oscillating reflecting plate. We consider the atom modeled as a two-level system, interacting with the quantum electromagnetic field in the vacuum state, in the presence of the oscillating mirror. We suppose that the plate oscillates adiabatically, so that the time-dependence of the interaction Hamiltonian is entirely enclosed in the time-dependent mode functions, satisfying the boundary conditions at the plate surface, at any given time. Using time-dependent perturbation theory, we evaluate the transition rate to the ground-state of the atom, and show that it depends on the time-dependent atom-plate distance. We also show that the presence of the oscillating mirror significantly affects the physical features of the spontaneous emission of the atom, in particular the spectrum of the emitted radiation. Specifically, we find the appearance of two symmetric lateral peaks in the spectrum, not present in the case of a static mirror, due to the modulated environment. The two lateral peaks are separated from the central peak by the modulation frequency, and we discuss the possibility to observe them with actual experimental techniques of dynamical mirrors and atomic trapping. Our results indicate that a dynamical (i.e. time-modulated) environment can give new possibilities to control and manipulate also other radiative processes of two or more atoms or molecules nearby, for example their cooperative decay or the resonant energy transfer.

quant-ph↗