arXiv subjects

C. Gonzalez-Ballestero

Publications and source records attributed to C. Gonzalez-Ballestero.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Tutorial: projector approach to master equations for open quantum systems

Most quantum theorists are familiar with different ways of describing the effective quantum dynamics of a system coupled to external degrees of freedom, such as the Born-Markov master equation or the adiabatic elimination. Understanding the deep connection between these -- sometimes apparently unrelated -- methods can be a powerful tool, allowing us to derive effective dynamics in unconventional systems or regimes. This tutorial aims at providing quantum theorists across multiple fields (e.g., quantum and atom optics, optomechanics, or hybrid quantum systems) with a self-contained practical toolbox to derive effective quantum dynamics, applicable to systems ranging from N-level emitters to mechanical resonators. First, we summarize the projector approach to open quantum systems and the derivation of the fundamental Nakajima-Zwanzig equation. Then, we show how three common effective equations, namely the Brownian master equation, the Born-Markov master equation, and the adiabatic elimination used in atom and molecular optics, can be derived from different perturbative expansions of the Nakajima-Zwanzig equation. We also solve in detail four specific examples using this formalism, namely a harmonic oscillator subject to displacement noise, the effective equations of a mechanical resonator cooled by an optical cavity, the Purcell effect for a qubit coupled to an optical cavity, and the adiabatic elimination in a Lambda system.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Suppressing Recoil Heating in Levitated Optomechanics using Squeezed Light

We theoretically show that laser recoil heating in free-space levitated optomechanics can be arbitrarily suppressed by shining squeezed light onto an optically trapped nanoparticle. The presence of squeezing modifies the quantum electrodynamical light-matter interaction in a way that enables us to control the amount of information that the scattered light carries about a given mechanical degree of freedom. Moreover, we analyze the trade-off between measurement imprecision and back-action noise and show that optical detection beyond the standard quantum limit can be achieved. We predict that, with state-of-the-art squeezed light sources, laser recoil heating can be reduced by at least 60% by squeezing a single Gaussian mode with an appropriate incidence direction, and by 98% by squeezing a properly mode-matched mode. Our results, which are valid both for motional and librational degrees of freedom, will lead to improved feedback cooling schemes as well as boost the coherence time of optically levitated nanoparticles in the quantum regime.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Levitodynamics: Levitation and control of microscopic objects in vacuum

The control of levitated nano- and micro-objects in vacuum is of considerable interest, capitalizing on the scientific achievements in the fields of atomic physics, control theory and optomechanics. The ability to couple the motion of levitated systems to internal degrees of freedom, as well as to external forces and systems, provides opportunities for science and technology. Attractive research directions, ranging from fundamental quantum physics to commercial sensors, have been unlocked by the many recent experimental achievements, including motional ground-state cooling of an optically levitated nanoparticle. We review the status, challenges and prospects of levitodynamics, the mutidisciplinary research devoted to understanding, controlling, and using levitated nano- and micro-objects in vacuum.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Quantum Size Effects in the Magnetic Susceptibility of a Metallic Nanoparticle

We theoretically study quantum size effects in the magnetic response of a spherical metallic nanoparticle (e.g. gold). Using the Jellium model in spherical coordinates, we compute the induced magnetic moment and the magnetic susceptibility for a nanoparticle in the presence of a static external magnetic field. Below a critical magnetic field the magnetic response is diamagnetic, whereas above such field the magnetization is characterized by sharp, step-like increases of several tenths of Bohr magnetons, associated with the Zeeman crossing of energy levels above and below the Fermi sea. We quantify the robustness of these regimes against thermal excitations and finite linewidth of the electronic levels. Finally, we propose two methods for experimental detection of the quantum size effects based on the coupling to superconducting quantum interference devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Roadmap on Spin-Wave Computing

Magnonics is a field of science that addresses the physical properties of spin waves and utilizes them for data processing. Scalability down to atomic dimensions, operations in the GHz-to-THz frequency range, utilization of nonlinear and nonreciprocal phenomena, and compatibility with CMOS are just a few of many advantages offered by magnons. Although magnonics is still primarily positioned in the academic domain, the scientific and technological challenges of the field are being extensively investigated, and many proof-of-concept prototypes have already been realized in laboratories. This roadmap is a product of the collective work of many authors that covers versatile spin-wave computing approaches, conceptual building blocks, and underlying physical phenomena. In particular, the roadmap discusses the computation operations with Boolean digital data, unconventional approaches like neuromorphic computing, and the progress towards magnon-based quantum computing. The article is organized as a collection of sub-sections grouped into seven large thematic sections. Each sub-section is prepared by one or a group of authors and concludes with a brief description of the current challenges and the outlook of the further development of the research directions.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2021

Non-Markovian Effects of Two-Level Systems in a Niobium Coaxial Resonator with a Single-Photon Lifetime of 10 ms

Understanding and mitigating loss channels due to two-level systems (TLS) is one of the main cornerstones in the quest of realizing long photon lifetimes in superconducting quantum circuits. Typically, the TLS to which a circuit couples are modeled as a large bath without any coherence. Here we demonstrate that the coherence of TLS has to be considered to accurately describe the ring-down dynamics of a coaxial quarter-wave resonator with an internal quality factor of $0.5\times10^9$ at the single-photon level. The transient analysis reveals effective non-Markovian dynamics of the combined TLS and cavity system, which we can accurately fit by introducing a comprehensive TLS model. The fit returns an average coherence time of around $T_2^*\approx0.3\,\mathrm{μs}$ for a total of $N\approx10^{9}$ TLS with power-law distributed coupling strengths. Despite the shortly coherent TLS excitations, we observe long-term effects on the cavity decay due to coherent elastic scattering between the resonator field and the TLS. Moreover, this model provides an accurate prediction of the internal quality factor's temperature dependence.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Towards a quantum interface between spin waves and paramagnetic spin baths

Spin waves have risen as promising candidate information carriers for the next generation of information technologies. Recent experimental demonstrations of their detection using electron spins in diamond pave the way towards studying the back-action of a controllable paramagnetic spin bath on the spin waves. Here, we present a quantum theory describing the interaction between spin waves and paramagnetic spins. As a case study we consider an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy spins in diamond in the vicinity of an Yttrium-Iron-Garnet thin film. We show how the back-action of the ensemble results in strong and tuneable modifications of the spin-wave spectrum and propagation properties. These modifications include the full suppression of spin-wave propagation and, in a different parameter regime, the enhancement of their propagation length by $\sim 50\%$. Furthermore, we show how the spin wave thermal fluctuations induce a measurable frequency shift of the paramagnetic spins in the bath. This shift results in a thermal dispersion force that can be measured optically and/or mechanically with a diamond mechanical resonator. In addition, we use our theory to compute the spin wave-mediated interaction between the spins in the bath. We show that all the above effects are measurable by state-of-the-art experiments. Our results provide the theoretical foundation for describing hybrid quantum systems of spin waves and spin baths, and establish the potential of quantum spins as active control, sensing, and interfacing tools for spintronics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Theory of Quantum Acoustomagnonics and Acoustomechanics with a Micromagnet

Recently [1], we proposed a new way to engineer a flexible acoustomechanical coupling between the center-of-mass motion of an isolated micromagnet and one of its internal acoustic phonons by using a magnon as a passive mediator. In our approach, the coupling is enabled by the strong magnetoelastic interaction between magnons and acoustic phonons which originates from the small particle size. Here, we substantially extend our previous work. First, we provide the full theory of the quantum acoustomagnonic interaction in small micromagnets and analytically calculate the magnon-phonon coupling rates. Second, we fully derive the acoustomechanical Hamiltonian presented in Ref. [1]. Finally, we extend our previous results for the fundamental acoustic mode to higher order modes. Specifically, we show the cooling of the center-of-mass motion with a range of internal acoustic modes. Additionally, we derive the power spectral densities of the center-of-mass motion which allow to probe the same acoustic modes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Theory for Cavity Cooling of Levitated Nanoparticles via Coherent Scattering: Master Equation Approach

We develop a theory for cavity cooling of the center-of-mass motion of a levitated nanoparticle through coherent scattering into an optical cavity. We analytically determine the full coupled Hamiltonian for the nanoparticle, cavity, and free electromagnetic field. By tracing out the latter, we obtain a Master Equation for the cavity and the center of mass motion, where the decoherence rates ascribed to recoil heating, gas pressure, and trap displacement noise are calculated explicitly. Then, we benchmark our model by reproducing published experimental results for three-dimensional cooling. Finally, we use our model to demonstrate the possibility of ground-state cooling along each of the three motional axes. Our work illustrates the potential of cavity-assisted coherent scattering to reach the quantum regime of levitated nanomechanics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

Uncovering nonperturbative dynamics of the biased sub-Ohmic spin-boson model with variational Matrix Product States

We study the dynamics of the biased sub-Ohmic spin-boson model by means of a time-dependent variational matrix product state (TDVMPS) algorithm. The evolution of both the system and the environment is obtained in the weak- and the strong-coupling regimes, respectively characterized by damped spin oscillations and by a nonequilibrium process where the spin freezes near its initial state, which are explicitly shown to arise from a variety of reactive environmental quantum dynamics. We also explore the rich phenomenology of the intermediate-coupling case, a nonperturbative regime where the system shows a complex dynamical behavior, combining features of both the weakly and the strongly coupled case in a sequential, time-retarded fashion. Our work demonstrates the potential of TDVMPS methods for exploring otherwise elusive, nonperturbative regimes of complex open quantum systems, and points to the possibilities of exploiting the qualitative, real-time modification of quantum properties induced by nonequilibrium bath dynamics in ultrafast transient processes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Non-reciprocal few-photon devices based on chiral waveguide-emitter couplings

We demonstrate the possibility of designing efficient, non reciprocal few-photon devices by exploiting the chiral coupling between two waveguide modes and a single quantum emitter. We show how this system can induce non-reciprocal photon transport at the single-photon level and act as an optical diode. Afterwards, we also show how the same system shows a transistor-like behaviour for a two-photon input. The efficiency in both cases is shown to be large for feasible experimental implementations. Our results illustrate the potential of chiral waveguide-emitter couplings for applications in quantum circuitry.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2016

Uncoupled dark states can inherit polaritonic properties

When a collection of quantum emitters interacts with an electromagnetic field, the whole system can enter into the collective strong coupling regime in which hybrid light-matter states, i.e., polaritons can be created. Only a small portion of excitations in the emitters are coupled to the light field, and there are many dark states that, in principle, retain their pure excitonic nature. Here we theoretically demonstrate that these dark states can have a delocalized character, which is inherent to polaritons, despite the fact that they do not have a photonic component. This unexpected behavior only appears when the electromagnetic field displays a discrete spectrum. In this case, when the main loss mechanism in the hybrid system stems from the radiative losses of the light field, dark states are even more efficient than polaritons in transferring excitations across the structure.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Generation, manipulation, and detection of two-qubit entanglement in waveguide QED

We study the possibility of using guided photons to generate, control, and measure the entanglement of two qubits that is mediated by a one-dimensional waveguide. We show how entanglement can be generated both with single photon and with two-photon wavepackets. The introduction of a second photon allows for a manipulation of the entanglement between the qubits, and phenomena such as sudden death and revival of entanglement appear. Finally, we propose a procedure for entanglement detection via the scattering output of a single-photon over a qubit state.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Non-Markovian effects in waveguide-mediated entanglement

We study the generation and evolution of entanglement between two qubits coupled through one-dimensional waveguide modes. By using a complete quantum electrodynamical formalism we go beyond the Markovian approximation. The diagonalization of the hamiltonian is carried out, and a set of quasi-localized eigenstates is found. We show that when the qubit-waveguide coupling is increased, the Markov approximation is not anymore valid, and the generation of entanglement is worsened.

quant-ph↗