arXiv subjects

Fernando C. Lombardo

Publications and source records attributed to Fernando C. Lombardo.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Radiation from an oscillating dipole layer facing a conducting plane: resonances and Dynamical Casimir Effect

We study the properties of the classical electromagnetic (EM) radiation produced by two physically different yet closely related systems, which may be regarded as classical analogues of the Dynamical Casimir Effect (DCE). They correspond to two flat, infinite, parallel planes, one of them static and imposing perfect conductor boundary conditions, while the other performs a rigid oscillatory motion. The systems differ just in the electrical properties of the oscillating plane: one of them is just a planar dipole layer (representing, for instance, a small-width electret). The other, instead, has a dipole layer on the side which faces the static plane, but behaves as a conductor on the other side: this can be used as a representation of a conductor endowed with patch potentials (on the side which faces the conducting plane). We evaluate, in both cases, the dissipative flux of energy between the system and its environment, showing that, at least for small mechanical oscillation amplitudes, it can be written in terms of the dipole layer autocorrelation function. We show that there are resonances as a function of the frequency of the mechanical oscillation.

hep-th↗

arXiv2015

Functional approach to quantum friction: effective action and dissipative force

We study the Casimir friction due to the relative, uniform, lateral motion of two parallel semitransparent mirrors coupled to a vacuum real scalar field, $ϕ$. We follow a functional approach, whereby nonlocal terms in the action for $ϕ$, concentrated on the mirrors' locii, appear after functional integration of the microscopic degrees of freedom. This action for $ϕ$, which incorporates the relevant properties of the mirrors, is then used as the starting point for two complementary evaluations: Firstly, we calculate the { in-out} effective action for the system, which develops an imaginary part, hence a non-vanishing probability for the decay (because of friction) of the initial vacuum state. Secondly, we evaluate another observable: the vacuum expectation value of the frictional force, using the { in-in} or Closed Time Path formalism. Explicit results are presented for zero-width mirrors and half-spaces, in a model where the microscopic degrees of freedom at the mirrors are a set of identical quantum harmonic oscillators, linearly coupled to $ϕ$

hep-th↗

arXiv2015

Correction to the geometric phase by structured environments: the onset of non-Markovian effects

We study the geometric phase of a two-level system under the presence of a structured environment, particularly analysing its correction with the ohmicity parameter $s$ and the onset of non-Markovianity. We firstly examine the system coupled to a set of harmonic oscillators and studied the decoherence factor as function of the environment's ohmicity parameter. Secondly, we propose the two-level system coupled to a non-equilibrium environment, and show that these environments display non-Markovian effects for all values of the ohmicity parameter. The geometric phase of the two-level system is therefore computed under the presence of both types of environment. The correction to the unitary geometric phase is analysed in both, Markovian and non-Markovian regimes. Under Markovian environments, the correction induced on the system's phase is mainly ruled by the coupling constant between the system and the environment, while in the non-Markovian regime, memory effects seem to trigger a significant correction to the unitary geometric phase. The result is significant to the quantum information processing based on the geometric phase in quantum open systems

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

Quantum electrodynamics of inhomogeneous anisotropic media

In this work we calculate the closed time path (CTP) generating functional for the electromagnetic (EM) field interacting with inhomogeneous anisotropic matter. For this purpose, we first find a general expression for the electromagnetic field's influence action from the interaction of the field with a composite environment consisting in the quantum polarization degrees of freedom in each point of space, at arbitrary temperatures, connected to thermal baths. Then, we evaluate the generating functional for the gauge field, in the temporal gauge, by implementing the Faddeev-Popov procedure. Finally, through the point-splitting technique, we calculate closed expressions for the energy, the Poynting vector and the Maxwell tensor in terms of the Hadamard propagator. We show that all the quantities have contributions from the field's initial conditions and also from the matter degrees of freedom. Throughout the whole work we discuss and give insights about how the gauge invariance must be treated in the formalism when the EM field is interacting with inhomogeneous anisotropic matter. We study the electrodynamics in the temporal gauge, obtaining the EM field's equation and a residual condition. Finally analyze the case of the EM field in bulk material and also discuss several general implications of our results in relation with the Casimir physics in a nonequilibrium scenario.

hep-th↗

arXiv2014

Decoherence of a solid-state qubit by different noise correlation spectra

The interaction between solid-state qubits and their environmental degrees of freedom produces non-unitary effects like decoherence and dissipation. Uncontrolled decoherence is one of the main obstacles that must be overcome in quantum information processing. We study the dynamically decay of coherences in a solid-state qubit by means of the use of a master equation. We analyse the effects induced by thermal Ohmic environments and low-frequency 1/f noise. We focus on the effect of longitudinal and transversal noise on the superconducting qubit's dynamics. Our results can be used to design experimental future setups when manipulating superconducting qubits.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

Closed time path approach to the Casimir energy in real media

The closed time path formalism is applied, in the framework of open quantum systems, to study the time evolution of the expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor of a scalar field in the presence of real materials. We analyze quantum fluctuations in a fully non-equilibrium scenario, when the scalar field is interacting with the polarization degrees of freedom of matter, described as quantum Brownian particles. A generalized analysis was done for two types of couplings between the field and the material. On the one hand, we considered a bilinear coupling, and on the other hand, a (more realistic) current-type coupling as in the case of the electromagnetic field interacting with matter. We considered the high temperature limit for the field, keeping arbitrary temperatures for each part of the volume elements of the material. We obtained a closed form for the Hadamard propagator, which let us study the dynamical evolution of the expectations values of the energy-momentum tensor components from the initial time. We showed that two contributions always take place in the transient evolution: one of these is associated to the material and the other one is only associated to the field. Transient features were studied and the long-time limit was derived in several cases. We proved that in the steady situation of a field in n + 1 dimensions, the material always contribute unless is non-dissipative. Conversely, the proper field contribution vanishes unless the material is non-dissipative or, moreover, at least for the 1 + 1 case, if there are regions without material. We conclude that any steady quantization scheme in 1 + 1 dimensions must consider both contributions and we argue why these results are physically expected from a dynamical point of view, and also could be valid for higher dimensions based on the expected continuity between the non-dissipative and real material cases.

hep-th↗

arXiv2014

Corrections to the Berry phase in a solid-state qubit due to low-frequency noise

We present a quantum open-system approach to analyze the nonunitary dynamics of a superconducting qubit when it evolves under the influence of external noise. We consider the presence of longitudinal and transverse environmental fluctuations affecting the system's dynamics and model these fluctuations by defining their correlation function in time. By using a Gaussian-like noise correlation, we can study low- and high-frequency noise contribution to decoherence and implement our results in the computation of geometric phases in open quantum systems. We numerically study when the accumulated phase of a solid-state qubit can still be found close to the unitary (Berry) one. Our results can be used to explain experimental measurements of the Berry phase under high-frequency fluctuations and design experimental future setups when manipulating superconducting qubits.

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arXiv2013

Nonunitary geometric phases: a qubit coupled to an environment with random noise

We describe the decoherence process induced on a two-level quantum system in direct interaction with a non-equilibrium environment. The non-equilibrium feature is represented by a non-stationary random function corresponding to the fluctuating transition frequency between two quantum states coupled to the surroundings. In this framework, we compute the decoherence factors which have a characteristic "dip" related to the initial phases of the bath modes. We therefore study different types of environments, namely ohmic and supra-ohmic. These environments present different decoherence time-scales than the thermal environment we used to study. As a consequence, we compute analytically and numerically the non-unitary geometric phase for the qubit in a quasi-cyclic evolution under the presence of these particular non-equilibrium environments. We show in which cases decoherence effects could, in principle, be controlled in order to perform a measurement of the geometric phase using standard procedures.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Dynamics of an Acoustic Black Hole as an Open Quantum System

We studied the process of decoherence induced by the presence of an environment in acoustic black holes, using the open quantum system approach, thus extending previous work. We focused on the ion trap model but the formalism is general to any experimental implementation. We computed the decoherence time for that setup. We found that a quantum to classical transition occurs during the measurement and we proposed improved parameters to avoid such a feature. We provide analytic estimations for both zero and finite temperature. We also studied the entanglement between the Hawking-pair phonons for an acoustic black hole while in contact with a reservoir, through the quantum correlations, showing that they remain strongly correlated for small enough times and temperatures. We used the stochastic formalism and the method of characteristic to solve the field wave equation.

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arXiv2012

Derivative expansion of the electromagnetic Casimir energy for two thin mirrors

We extend our previous work on a derivative expansion for the Casimir energy, to the case of the electromagnetic field coupled to two thin, imperfect mirrors. The latter are described by means of vacuum polarization tensors localized on the mirrors. We apply the results so obtained to compute the first correction to the proximity force approximation to the static Casimir effect.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Decoherence and Loss of Entanglement in Acoustic Black Holes

We studied the process of decoherence in acoustic black holes. We focused on the ion trap model proposed by Horstmann et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 250403 (2010)) but the formalism is general to any experimental implementation. For that particular setup, we computed the decoherence time for the experimental parameters that they proposed. We found that a quantum to classical transition occurs during the measurement and we proposed improved parameters to avoid such a feature. We also studied the entanglement between the Hawking-pair phonons for an acoustic black hole while in contact with a reservoir, through the quantum correlations, showing that they remain strongly correlated for small enough times and temperatures.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2011

Casimir Force for Absorbing Media in an Open Quantum System Framework: Scalar Model

In this article we compute the Casimir force between two finite-width mirrors at finite temperature, working in a simplified model in 1+1 dimensions. The mirrors, considered as dissipative media, are modeled by a continuous set of harmonic oscillators which in turn are coupled to an external environment at thermal equilibrium. The calculation of the Casimir force is performed in the framework of the theory of quantum open systems. It is shown that the Casimir interaction has two different contributions: the usual radiation pressure from vacuum, which is obtained for ideal mirrors without dissipation or losses, and a Langevin force associated with the noise induced by the interaction between dielectric atoms in the slabs and the thermal bath. Both contributions to the Casimir force are needed in order to reproduce the analogous of Lifshitz formula in 1+1 dimensions. We also discuss the relation between the electromagnetic properties of the mirrors and the spectral density of the environment

quant-ph↗

arXiv2011

Quantum dissipative effects in moving imperfect mirrors: sidewise and normal motions

We extend our previous work on the functional approach to the dynamical Casimir effect, to compute dissipative effects due to the relative motion of two flat, parallel, imperfect mirrors in vacuum. The interaction between the internal degrees of freedom of the mirrors and the vacuum field is modeled with a nonlocal term in the vacuum field action. We consider two different situations: either the motion is `normal', i.e., the mirrors advance or recede changing the distance $a(t)$ between them; or it is `parallel', namely, $a$ remains constant, but there is a relative sliding motion of the mirrors' planes. For the latter, we show explicitly that there is a non-vanishing frictional force, even for a constant shifting speed.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Geometric phases under the presence of a composite environment

We compute the geometric phase for a spin-1/2 particle under the presence of a composite environment, composed of an external bath (modeled by an infinite set of harmonic oscillators) and another spin-1/2 particle. We consider both cases: an initial entanglement between the spin-1/2 particles and an initial product state in order to see if the initial entanglement has an enhancement effect on the geometric phase of one of the spins. We follow the nonunitary evolution of the reduced density matrix and evaluate the geometric phase for a single two-level system. We also show that the initial entanglement enhances the sturdiness of the geometric phase under the presence of an external composite environment.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2010

Environmentally-induced effects on a bipartite two-level system: geometric phase and entanglement properties

We calculate the geometric phase of a bipartite two-level system coupled to an external environment. We analyze the reduced density matrix for an arbitrary initial state of the composite system and compute the correction to the unitary geometric phase through a kinematic approach. In all cases considered, we observe a similar structure as a function of the degree of the entanglement of the initial state. Further, we compute the entanglement entropy and concurrence of the bipartite state and analyze if there is any relation among these quantities and the geometric phase acquired during the nonunitary system's evolution. Finally, we discuss the results obtained.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2008

On the accuracy of the PFA: analogies between Casimir and electrostatic forces

We present an overview of the validity of the Proximity Force Approximation (PFA) in the calculation of Casimir forces between perfect conductors for different geometries, with particular emphasis for the configuration of a cylinder in front of a plane. In all cases we compare the exact numerical results with those of PFA, and with asymptotic expansions that include the next to leading order corrections. We also discuss the similarities and differences between the results for Casimir and electrostatic forces.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2008

Environmentally induced corrections to the geometric phase in a two-level system

We calculate the geometric phase for different open systems (spin-boson and spin-spin models). We study not only how they are corrected by the presence of the different type of environments but also discuss the appearence of decoherence effects. These should be taken into account when planning experimental setups to study the geometric phase in the nonunitary regime. We propose a model with slow decoherence rate in which the geometric phase is still modified and might be measured.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2007

Noise-induced energy excitation by a general environment

We analyze the effects that general environments, namely ohmic and non-ohmic, at zero and high temperature induce over a quantum Brownian particle. We state that the evolution of the system can be summarized in terms of two main environmental induced physical phenomena: decoherence and energy activation. In this article we show that the latter is a post-decoherence phenomenon. As the energy is an observable, the excitation process is a direct indication of the system-environment entanglement particularly useful at zero temperature.

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