arXiv subjects

Franco Nori

Publications and source records attributed to Franco Nori.

At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Fisher information under decoherence in Bloch representation

The dynamics of two variants of quantum Fisher information under decoherence are investigated from a geometrical point of view. We first derive the explicit formulas of these two quantities for a single qubit in terms of the Bloch vector. Moreover, we obtain analytical results for them under three different decoherence channels, which are expressed as affine transformation matrices. Using the hierarchy equation method, we numerically study the dynamics of both the two information in a dissipative model and compare the numerical results with the analytical ones obtained by applying the rotating-wave approximation. We further express the two information quantities in terms of the Bloch vector for a qudit, by expanding the density matrix and Hermitian operators in a common set of generators of the Lie algebra $\mathfrak{su}(d)$. By calculating the dynamical quantum Fisher information, we find that the collisional dephasing significantly diminishes the precision of phase parameter with the Ramsey interferometry.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Observation of the Larmor and Gouy Rotations with Electron Vortex Beams

Electron vortex beams carrying intrinsic orbital angular momentum (OAM) are produced in electron microscopes where they are controlled and focused using magnetic lenses. We observe various rotational phenomena arising from the interaction between the OAM and magnetic lenses. First, the Zeeman coupling, proportional to the OAM and magnetic field strength, produces an OAM-independent Larmor rotation of a mode superposition inside the lens. Second, hen passing through the focal plane, the electron beam acquires an additional Gouy phase dependent on the absolute value of the OAM. This brings about the Gouy rotation of the superposition image proportional to the sign of the OAM. A combination of the Larmor and Gouy effects can result in the addition (or subtraction) of rotations, depending on the OAM sign. This behaviour is unique to electron vortex beams and has no optical counterpart, as Larmor rotation occurs only for charged particles. Our experimental results are in agreement with recent theoretical predictions.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Oblique surface Josephson plasma waves in layered superconductors

We have theoretically studied oblique surface waves (OSWs) which propagate along the interface between a dielectric and a layered superconductor. We assume that this interface is perpendicular to the superconducting layers, and OSWs at the interface can propagate at an arbitrary angle with respect to them. The electromagnetic field of the OSWs in a layered superconductor is a superposition of an ordinary wave (with its electric field parallel to the layers) and an extraordinary wave (with its magnetic field parallel to the layers). We have derived the dispersion equation for the OSWs and shown that the dispersion curves have end-points where the extraordinary mode transforms from evanescent wave to bulk wave, propagating deep into the superconductor. In addition, we have analytically solved the problem of the resonance excitation of the OSWs by the attenuated-total-reflection method using an additional dielectric prism. Due to the strong current anisotropy in the boundary of the superconductor, the excitation of the OSWs is accompanied by an additional important phenomenon: the electromagnetic field component with the orthogonal polarization appears in the wave reflected from the bottom of the prism. We show that, for definite optimal combinations of the problem parameters (the wave frequency, the direction of the incident wave vector, the thickness of the gap between dielectric prism and superconductor, etc.), there is a complete suppression of the reflected wave with its polarization coinciding with the polarization of the incident wave. Contrary to the isotropic case, this phenomenon can be observed even in the dissipationless limit. In such a regime, the complete transformation of the incident wave into a reflected wave with orthogonal polarization can be observed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Mie scattering and optical forces from evanescent fields: A complex-angle approach

Mie theory is one of the main tools describing scattering of propagating electromagnetic waves by spherical particles. Evanescent optical fields are also scattered by particles and exert radiation forces which can be used for optical near-field manipulations. We show that the Mie theory can be naturally adopted for the scattering of evanescent waves via rotation of its standard solutions by a complex angle. This offers a simple and powerful tool for calculations of the scattered fields and radiation forces. Comparison with other, more cumbersome, approaches shows perfect agreement, thereby validating our theory. As examples of its application, we calculate angular distributions of the scattered far-field irradiance and radiation forces acting on dielectric and conducting particles immersed in an evanescent field.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Photoluminescence of a microcavity quantum dot system in the quantum strong-coupling regime

The Jaynes-Cummings model, describing the interaction between a single two-level system and a photonic mode, has been used to describe a large variety of systems, ranging from cavity quantum electrodynamics, trapped ions, to superconducting qubits coupled to resonators. Recently there has been renewed interest in studying the quantum strong-coupling (QSC) regime, where states with photon number greater than one are excited. This regime has been recently achieved in semiconductor nanostructures, where a quantum dot is trapped in a planar microcavity. Here we study the quantum strong-coupling regime by calculating its photoluminescence (PL) properties under a pulsed excitation. We discuss the changes in the PL as the QSC regime is reached, which transitions between a peak around the cavity resonance to a doublet. We particularly examine the variations of the PL in the time domain, under regimes of short and long pulse times relative to the microcavity decay time.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Feedback-controlled adiabatic quantum computation

We propose a simple feedback-control scheme for adiabatic quantum computation with superconducting flux qubits. The proposed method makes use of existing on-chip hardware to monitor the ground-state curvature, which is then used to control the computation speed to maximize the success probability. We show that this scheme can provide a polynomial speed-up in performance and that it is possible to choose a suitable set of feedback-control parameters for an arbitrary problem Hamiltonian.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Witnessing Quantum Coherence: from solid-state to biological systems

Quantum coherence is one of the primary non-classical features of quantum systems. While protocols such as the Leggett-Garg inequality (LGI) and quantum tomography can be used to test for the existence of quantum coherence and dynamics in a given system, unambiguously detecting inherent "quantumness" still faces serious obstacles in terms of experimental feasibility and efficiency, particularly in complex systems. Here we introduce two "quantum witnesses" to efficiently verify quantum coherence and dynamics in the time domain, without the expense and burden of non-invasive measurements or full tomographic processes. Using several physical examples, including quantum transport in solid-state nanostructures and in biological organisms, we show that these quantum witnesses are robust and have a much finer resolution in their detection window than the LGI has. These robust quantum indicators may assist in reducing the experimental overhead in unambiguously verifying quantum coherence in complex systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

QuTiP 2: A Python framework for the dynamics of open quantum systems

We present version 2 of QuTiP, the Quantum Toolbox in Python. Compared to the preceding version [Comput. Phys. Comm. 183 (2012) 1760], we have introduced numerous new features, enhanced performance, made changes in the Application Programming Interface (API) for improved functionality and consistency within the package, as well as increased compatibility with existing conventions used in other scientific software packages for Python. The most significant new features include efficient solvers for arbitrary time-dependent Hamiltonians and collapse operators, support for the Floquet formalism, and new solvers for Bloch-Redfield and Floquet-Markov master equations. Here we introduce these new features, demonstrate their use, and give a summary of the important backward-incompatible API changes introduced in this version.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Spectral Analysis and Identification of Noises in Quantum Systems

In quantum information processing, knowledge of the noise in the system is crucial for high-precision manipulation and tomography of coherent quantum operations. Existing strategies for identifying this noise require the use of additional quantum devices or control pulses. We present a noise-identification method directly based on the system's non-Markovian response of an ensemble measurement to the noise. The noise spectrum is identified by reversing the response relationship in the frequency domain. For illustration, the method is applied to superconducting charge qubits, but it is equally applicable to any type of qubits. We find that the identification strategy recovers the well-known Fermi's golden rule under the lowest-order perturbation approximation, which corresponds to the Markovian limit when the measurement time is much longer than the noise correlation time. Beyond such approximation, it is possible to further improve the precision at the so-called optimal point by incorporating the transient response data in the non-Markovian regime. This method is verified with experimental data from coherent oscillations in a superconducting charge qubit.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Confidence and Backaction in the Quantum Filter Equation

We study the confidence and backaction of state reconstruction based on a continuous weak measurement and the quantum filter equation. As a physical example we use the traditional model of a double quantum dot being continuously monitored by a quantum point contact. We examine the confidence of the estimate of a state constructed from the measurement record, and the effect of backaction of that measurement on that state. Finally, in the case of general measurements we show that using the relative entropy as a measure of confidence allows us to define the lower bound on the confidence as a type of quantum discord.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Quantum-criticality-induced strong Kerr nonlinearities in optomechanical systems

We investigate a hybrid electro-optomechanical system that allows us to obtain controllable strong Kerr nonlinearities in the weak-coupling regime. We show that when the controllable electromechanical subsystem is close to its quantum critical point, strong photon-photon interactions can be generated by adjusting the intensity (or frequency) of the microwave driving field. Nonlinear optical phenomena, such as the appearance of the photon blockade and the generation of nonclassical states (e.g., Schrödinger cat states), are predicted in the weak-coupling regime, which is feasible for most current optomechanical experiments.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Vibrationally-mediated molecular transistors

We investigate the steady-state electronic transport through a suspended dimer molecule coupled to leads. When strongly coupled to a vibrational mode, the electron transport is enhanced at the phonon resonant frequency and higher-order resonances. The temperature and bias determines the nature of the phonon-assisted resonances, with clear absorption and emission peaks. The strong coupling also induces a Frank-Condon-like blockade, suppressing the current between the resonances. We compare an analytical polaron transformation method to two exact numerical methods: the Hierarchy equations of motion and an exact diagonalization in the Fock basis. In the steady--state, our two numerical results are an exact match and qualitatively reflect the main features of the polaron treatment. Our results indicate the possibility of a new type of molecular transistor or sensor where the current can be extremely sensitive to small changes in the energies of the electronic states in the dimer.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Entanglement amplification via local weak measurements

We propose a measurement-based method to produce a maximally-entangled state from a partially-entangled pure state. Our goal can be thought of as entanglement distillation from a single copy of a partially-entangled state. The present approach involves local two-outcome weak measurements. We show that application of these local weak measurements leads to a probabilistic amplification of entanglement. In addition, we examine how the probability to find the maximally-entangled state is related to the entanglement of the input state. We also study the application of our method to a mixed initial state. We show that the protocol is successful if the separable part of the mixed initial state fulfils certain conditions.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Nonperturbative theory of weak pre- and post-selected measurements

This paper starts with a brief review of the topic of strong and weak pre- and post-selected (PPS) quantum measurements, as well as weak values, and afterwards presents original work. In particular, we develop a nonperturbative theory of weak PPS measurements of an arbitrary system with an arbitrary meter, for arbitrary initial states. New and simple analytical formulas are obtained for the average and the distribution of the meter pointer variable, which hold to all orders in the weak value. In the case of a mixed preselected state, in addition to the standard weak value, an associated weak value is required to describe weak PPS measurements. In the linear regime, the theory provides the generalized Aharonov-Albert-Vaidman formula. Moreover, we reveal two new regimes of weak PPS measurements: the strongly-nonlinear regime and the inverted region, where the system-dependent contribution to the pointer deflection decreases with increasing the measurement strength. The optimal conditions for weak PPS measurements are achieved in the strongly-nonlinear regime, where the magnitude of the average pointer deflection is equal or close to the maximum. This maximum is independent of the measurement strength, being typically of the order of the pointer uncertainty. We show that the amplification in the weak PPS measurements is a product of two qualitatively different quantities: proper amplification and enhancement. The effects of the free system and meter Hamiltonians are discussed. We also identify optimal meters for weak measurements. Exact solutions are obtained for a certain class of the measured observables. These solutions are used for numerical calculations, the results of which agree with the theory. Moreover, the theory is extended to allow for a completely general post-selection measurement. We also discuss time-symmetry properties of PPS measurements of any strength.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

The Leggett-Garg inequality in electron interferometers

We consider the violation of the Leggett-Garg inequality in electronic Mach-Zehnder inteferometers. This set-up has two distinct advantages over earlier quantum-transport proposals: firstly, the required correlation functions can be obtained without time-resolved measurements. Secondly, the geometry of an interferometer allows one to construct the correlation functions from ideal negative measurements, which addresses the non-invasiveness requirement of the Leggett-Garg inequality. We discuss two concrete realisations of these ideas: the first in quantum Hall edge-channels, the second in a double quantum dot interferometer.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Electron vortex beams in a magnetic field: A new twist on Landau levels and Aharonov-Bohm states

We examine the propagation of the recently-discovered electron vortex beams in a longitudinal magnetic field. We consider both the Aharonov-Bohm configuration with a single flux line and the Landau case of a uniform magnetic field. While stationary Aharonov-Bohm modes represent Bessel beams with flux- and vortex-dependent probability distributions, stationary Landau states manifest themselves as non-diffracting Laguerre-Gaussian beams. Furthermore, the Landau-state beams possess field- and vortex-dependent phases: (i) the Zeeman phase from coupling the quantized angular momentum to the magnetic field and (ii) the Gouy phase, known from optical Laguerre-Gaussian beams. Remarkably, together these phases determine the structure of Landau energy levels. This unified Zeeman-Landau-Gouy phase manifests itself in a nontrivial evolution of images formed by various superpositions of modes. We demonstrate that, depending on the chosen superposition, the image can rotate in a magnetic field with either (i) Larmor, (ii) cyclotron (double-Larmor), or (iii) zero frequency. At the same time, its centroid always follows the classical cyclotron trajectory, in agreement with the Ehrenfest theorem. Remarkably, the non-rotating superpositions reproduce stable multi-vortex configurations that appear in rotating superfluids. Our results open up an avenue for the direct electron-microscopy observation of fundamental properties of free quantum electron states in magnetic fields.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Disorder-induced cavities, resonances, and lasing in randomly-layered media

We study, theoretically and experimentally, disorder-induced resonances in randomly-layered samples,and develop an algorithm for the detection and characterization of the effective cavities that give rise to these resonances. This algorithm enables us to find the eigen-frequencies and pinpoint the locations of the resonant cavities that appear in individual realizations of random samples, for arbitrary distributions of the widths and refractive indices of the layers. Each cavity is formed in a region whose size is a few localization lengths. Its eigen-frequency is independent of the location inside the sample, and does not change if the total length of the sample is increased by, for example, adding more scatterers on the sides. We show that the total number of cavities, $N_{\mathrm{cav}}$, and resonances, $N_{\mathrm{res}}$, per unit frequency interval is uniquely determined by the size of the disordered system and is independent of the strength of the disorder. In an active, amplifying medium, part of the cavities may host lasing modes whose number is less than $N_{\mathrm{res}}$. The ensemble of lasing cavities behaves as distributed feedback lasers, provided that the gain of the medium exceeds the lasing threshold, which is specific for each cavity. We present the results of experiments carried out with single-mode optical fibers with gain and randomly-located resonant Bragg reflectors (periodic gratings). When the fiber was illuminated by a pumping laser with an intensity high enough to overcome the lasing threshold, the resonances revealed themselves by peaks in the emission spectrum. Our experimental results are in a good agreement with the theory presented here.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2012

The transition from Quantum Zeno to anti-Zeno effects for a qubit in a cavity by modulating the cavity frequency

We propose a strategy to demonstrate the transition from the quantum Zeno effect (QZE) to the anti-Zeno effect (AZE) by modulating the central frequency of the cavity mode. Our results are obtained without using the rotating wave approximation (RWA), and the initial state (a dressed state) is easy to prepare. When the central frequency of the cavity mode is resonant with the qubit energy level spacing, the normalized decay rate of the qubit is lower than 1, which manifests the QZE. However, when the cavity frequency is detuned from resonance, the normalized decay rate becomes larger than 1, which corresponds to the AZE. The change from the QZE to the AZE, by just varying the central frequency of the cavity mode, should allow to distinguish these two different effects. Moreover, we find that in the presence of both qubit's intrinsic bath and the cavity bath, the emergence of the QZE and the AZE behaviors relies not only on the match between the qubit energy level spacing and the central frequency of the cavity mode, but also on the coupling strength between the qubit and the cavity mode.

quant-ph↗