arXiv subjects

Giulio Pettini

Publications and source records attributed to Giulio Pettini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Bloch-sphere rotations in driven double-well for ultracold atoms

We show that, by using suitable protocols for a non-interacting condensate in a driven double-well, one can achieve controlled rotations about arbitrary axes in the equatorial plane of the Bloch sphere, composed with fast rotations about the $z$-axis. Specifically, we investigate the dynamics induced by a spatially linear time-periodic potential, by means of numerical simulations. We also provide an explicit two-level model that accurately captures the microscopic evolution of the driven system, with the full time-dependent evolution operator obtained using a Floquet-based approach. The analysis is carried out using as a reference a recently realized experimental platform consisting of arrays of double-well potentials based on Beat-Note Superlattices, to which the proposed control scheme is directly applicable.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2026

Hamiltonian Dynamics and Fundamental Phenomena in Biophysics: A Review

We review a theoretical and experimental programme addressing two closely related phenomena in biophysics: the classical analogue of Fr\"ohlich phonon condensation in macromolecules driven out of thermal equilibrium, and the resulting activation of long-range resonant electrodynamic intermolecular forces.The first is obtained by applying the time-dependent variational principle (TDVP) to the quantum Wu-Austin model,yielding a fully classical Hamiltonian in action-angle variables whose nonlinear rate equations display a nonequilibrium phase transition: supplied energy is channelled into the lowest-frequency collective mode. The second is based on a classical electrodynamic Hamiltonian for two coupled oscillating dipoles, whose normal modes predict long-range (1/r^3) resonant interactions. These are absent at thermal equilibrium but emerge under out-of-equilibrium coherent oscillations.We also discuss how to link Fr\"ohlich rate equations directly to Hamilton equations, clarifying the role of bath-mediated nonlinear couplings and the conditions for strong condensation at room temperature.In addition, TDVP is applied to a Davydov-Holstein-Fr\"ohlich model describing electron-phonon dynamics along a specific DNA sequence and its cognate restriction enzyme EcoRI. The time-domain Fourier cross-spectrum of the resulting electron currents shows a sharp co-resonance peak for the canonical recognition sequence, which disappears under randomisation, providing a sequence-specific electrodynamic signature of DNA-protein recognition.Experimental evidence from THz near-field spectroscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, and direct protein clustering is reviewed. Together these results support the view that metabolic energy can drive macromolecules into coherent oscillatory states, activating selective long-range electrodynamic forces relevant to biochemical organisation in living matter.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2024

Topological Phase Diagram of Optimally Shaken Honeycomb Lattices: A Dual Perspective from Stroboscopic and Non-Stroboscopic Floquet Hamiltonians

We present a direct comparison between the stroboscopic and non-stroboscopic effective approaches for ultracold atoms in shaken honeycomb lattices, focusing specifically on the optimal driving introduced by A. Verdeny and F. Mintert [Phys. Rev. A 92, 063615 (2015)]. In the fast-driving regime, we compare the effective non-stroboscopic Hamiltonian derived through a perturbative expansion with a non-perturbative calculation of the stroboscopic Floquet Hamiltonian, obtained through a simple non-perturbative numerical approach. We show that while some of the tunneling parameters are inherently model-dependent, the topological properties of the system remains robust, as expected. Using the same numerical approach we compute the topological phase diagram, arguing that it is most effectively represented in terms of the physical parameters characterizing the driving and the bare Hamiltonian -- parameters directly accessible in experiments -- rather than the emergent tunneling parameters, that depend on the model representation.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2022

Topological Theory of Phase Transitions

The investigation of the Hamiltonian dynamical counterpart of phase transitions, combined with the Riemannian geometrization of Hamiltonian dynamics, has led to a preliminary formulation of a differential-topological theory of phase transitions. In fact, in correspondence of a phase transition there are peculiar geometrical changes of the mechanical manifolds that are found to stem from changes of their topology. These findings, together with two theorems, have suggested that a topological theory of phase transitions can be formulated to go beyond the limits of the existing theories. Among other advantages, the new theory applies to phase transitions in small $N$ systems (that is, at nanoscopic and mesoscopic scales), and in the absence of symmetry-breaking. However, the preliminary version of the theory was incomplete and still falsifiable by counterexamples. The present work provides a relevant leap forward leading to an accomplished development of the topological theory of phase transitions paving the way to further developments and applications of the theory that can be no longer hampered.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

Hamiltonian chaos and differential geometry of configuration space-time

This paper tackles Hamiltonian chaos by means of elementary tools of Riemannian geometry. More precisely, a Hamiltonian flow is identified with a geodesic flow on configuration space-time endowed with a suitable metric due to Eisenhart. Until now, this framework has never been given attention to describe chaotic dynamics. A gap that is filled in the present work. In a Riemannian-geometric context, the stability/instability of the dynamics depends on the curvature properties of the ambient manifold and is investigated by means of the Jacobi--Levi-Civita (JLC) equation for geodesic spread. It is confirmed that the dominant mechanism at the ground of chaotic dynamics is parametric instability due to curvature variations along the geodesics. A comparison is reported of the outcomes of the JLC equation written also for the Jacobi metric on configuration space and for another metric due to Eisenhart on an extended configuration space-time. This has been applied to the Hénon-Heiles model, a two-degrees of freedom system. Then the study has been extended to the 1D classical Heisenberg XY model at a large number of degrees of freedom. Both the advantages and drawbacks of this geometrization of Hamiltonian dynamics are discussed. Finally, a quick hint is put forward concerning the possible extension of the differential-geometric investigation of chaos in generic dynamical systems, including dissipative ones, by resorting to Finsler manifolds.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2020

Geometrical aspects in the analysis of microcanonical phase-transitions

In the present work, we discuss how the functional form of thermodynamic observables can be deduced from the geometric properties of subsets of phase space. The geometric quantities taken into account are mainly extrinsic curvatures of the energy level sets of the Hamiltonian of a system under investigation. In particular, it turns out that peculiar behaviours of thermodynamic observables at a phase transition point are rooted in more fundamental changes of the geometry of the energy level sets in phase space. More specifically, we discuss how microcanonical and geometrical descriptions of phase-transitions are shaped in the special case of $ϕ^4$ models with either nearest-neighbours and mean-field interactions.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2018

Non-linear mixing of Bogoliubov modes in a bosonic Josephson junction

We revisit the dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a double-well potential, from the regime of Josephson plasma oscillations to the self-trapping regime, by means of the Bogoliubov quasiparticle projection method. For very small imbalance between left and right wells only the lowest Bogoliubov mode is significantly occupied. In this regime the system performs plasma oscillations at the corresponding frequency, and the evolution of the condensate is characterized by a periodic transfer of population between the ground and the first excited state. As the initial imbalance is increased, more excited modes -- though initially not macroscopically occupied -- get coupled during the evolution of the system. Since their population also varies with time, the frequency spectrum of the imbalance turns out to be still peaked around a single frequency, which is continuously shifted towards lower values. The nonlinear mixing between Bogoliubov modes eventually drives the system into the the self-trapping regime, when the population of the ground state can be transferred completely to the excited states at some time during the evolution. For simplicity, here we consider a one-dimensional setup, but the results are expected to hold also in higher dimensions.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2018

On the origin of Phase Transitions in the absence of Symmetry-Breaking

In this paper we investigate the Hamiltonian dynamics of a lattice gauge model in three spatial dimension. Our model Hamiltonian is defined on the basis of a continuum version of a duality transformation of a three dimensional Ising model. The system so obtained undergoes a thermodynamic phase transition in the absence of symmetry-breaking. Besides the well known use of quantities like the Wilson loop we show how else the phase transition in such a kind of models can be detected. It is found that the first order phase transition undergone by this model is characterised according to an Ehrenfest-like classification of phase transitions applied to the configurational entropy. On the basis of the topological theory of phase transitions, it is discussed why the seemingly divergent behaviour of the third derivative of configurational entropy can be considered as the "shadow" of some suitable topological transition of certain submanifolds of configuration space.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2017

Correspondence between a shaken honeycomb lattice and the Haldane model

We investigate the correspondence between the tight-binding Floquet Hamiltonian of a periodically modulated honeycomb lattice and the Haldane model. We show that - though the two systems share the same topological phase diagram, as reported in a breakthrough experiment with ultracold atoms in a stretched honeycomb lattice [Jotzu et al., Nature 515, 237 (2014)] - the corresponding Hamiltonians are not equivalent, the one of the shaken lattice presenting a much richer structure.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2016

Tight-binding models for ultracold atoms in optical lattices: general formulation and applications

Tight-binding models for ultracold atoms in optical lattices can be properly defined by using the concept of maximally localized Wannier functions for composite bands. The basic principles of this approach are reviewed here, along with different applications to lattice potentials with two minima per unit cell, in one and two spatial dimensions. Two independent methods for computing the tight-binding coefficients - one ab initio, based on the maximally localized Wannier functions, the other through analytic expressions in terms of the energy spectrum - are considered. In the one dimensional case, where the tight-binding coefficients can be obtained by designing a specific gauge transformation, we consider both the case of quasi resonance between the two lowest bands, and that between s and p orbitals. In the latter case, the role of the Wannier functions in the derivation of an effective Dirac equation is also reviewed. Then, we consider the case of a two dimensional honeycomb potential, with particular emphasis on the Haldane model, its phase diagram, and the breakdown of the Peierls substitution. Tunable honeycomb lattices, characterized by movable Dirac points, are also considered. Finally, general considerations for dealing with the interaction terms are presented.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2015

Ab initio analysis of the topological phase diagram of the Haldane model

We present an ab initio analysis of a continuous Hamiltonian that maps into the celebrated Haldane model. The tunnelling coefficients of the tight-binding model are computed by means of two independent methods - one based on the maximally localized Wannier functions, the other through analytic expressions in terms of gauge-invariant properties of the spectrum - that provide a remarkable agreement and allow to accurately reproduce the exact spectrum of the continuous Hamiltonian. By combining these results with the numerical calculation of the Chern number, we are able to draw the phase diagram in terms of the physical parameters of the microscopic model. Remarkably, we find that only a small fraction of the original phase diagram of the Haldane model can be accessed, and that the topological insulator phase is suppressed in the deep tight-binding regime.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

One-dimensional s-p superlattice

The physics of one dimensional optical superlattices with resonant $s$-$p$ orbitals is reexamined in the language of appropriate Wannier functions. It is shown that details of the tight binding model realized in different optical potentials crucially depend on the proper determination of Wannier functions. We discuss the properties of a superlattice model which quasi resonantly couples $s$ and $p$ orbitals and show its relation with different tight binding models used in other works.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2014

Breakdown of the Peierls substitution for the Haldane model with ultracold atoms

We present two independent calculations of the tight-binding parameters for a specific realization of the Haldane model with ultracold atoms. The tunneling coefficients up to next-to-nearest neighbors are computed ab-initio by using the maximally localized Wannier functions, and compared to analytical expressions written in terms of gauge invariant, measurable properties of the spectrum. The two approaches present a remarkable agreement and evidence the breakdown of the Peierls substitution: (i) the phase acquired by the next-to-nearest tunneling amplitude $t_{1}$ presents quantitative and qualitative differences with respect to that obtained by the integral of the vector field A, as considered in the Peierls substitution, even in the regime of low amplitudes of A; (ii) for larger values, also $|t_{1}|$ and the nearest-neighbor tunneling $t_{0}$ have a marked dependence on A. The origin of this behavior and its implications are discussed.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2014

On the effective Dirac equation for ultracold atoms in optical lattices: role of the localization properties of the Wannier functions

We review the derivation of the effective Dirac equation for ultracold atoms in one-dimensional bichromatic optical lattices, following the proposal by Witthaut et al. Phys. Rev. A 84, 033601 (2011). We discuss how such a derivation - based on a suitable rotation of the Bloch basis and on a coarse graining approximation - is affected by the choice of the Wannier functions entering the coarsening procedure. We show that in general the Wannier functions obtained by rotating the maximally localized Wannier functions for the original Bloch bands can be sufficiently localized for justifying the coarse graining approximation. We also comment on the relation between the rotation needed to achieve the Dirac form and the standard Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation. Our results provide a solid ground for the interpretation of the experimental results by Salger et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 240401 (2011) in terms of an effective Dirac dynamics.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2013

Self-consistent tight-binding description of Dirac points moving and merging in two dimensional optical lattices

We present an accurate ab initio tight-binding model, capable of describing the dynamics of Dirac points in tunable honeycomb optical lattices following a recent experimental realization [L. Tarruell et al., Nature 483, 302 (2012)]. Our scheme is based on first-principle maximally localized Wannier functions for composite bands. The tunneling coefficients are calculated for different lattice configurations, and the spectrum properties are well reproduced with high accuracy. In particular, we show which tight binding description is needed in order to accurately reproduce the position of Dirac points and the dispersion law close to their merging, for different laser intensities.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2012

Tight binding models for ultracold atoms in honeycomb optical lattices

We discuss how to construct tight-binding models for ultra cold atoms in honeycomb potentials, by means of the maximally localized Wannier functions (MLWFs) for composite bands introduced by Marzari and Vanderbilt [1]. In particular, we work out the model with up to third-nearest neighbors, and provide explicit calculations of the MLWFs and of the tunneling coefficients for the graphene-lyke potential with two degenerate minima per unit cell. Finally, we discuss the degree of accuracy in reproducing the exact Bloch spectrum of different tight-binding approximations, in a range of typical experimental parameters.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2012

Maximally localized Wannier functions for ultracold atoms in one-dimensional double-well periodic potentials

We discuss a method for constructing generalized Wannier functions that are maximally localized at the minima of a one-dimensional periodic potential with a double-well per unit cell. By following the approach of (Marzari M and Vanderbilt D 1997 Phys. Rev. B 56, 12847), we consider a set of band-mixing Wannier functions with minimal spread, and design a specific two-step gauge transformation of the Bloch functions for a composite two band system. This method is suited to efficiently compute the tight-binding coefficients needed for mapping the continuous system to a discrete lattice model. Their behaviour is analyzed here as a function of the symmetry properties of the double-well (including the possibility of parity-breaking), in a range of feasible experimental parameters.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2010

Anomalous Bloch oscillations in one dimensional parity-breaking periodic potentials

We investigate the dynamics of a wave packet in a parity-breaking one-dimensional periodic potential slowly varied in time and perturbed by a linear potential. Parity is broken by considering an asymmetric double well per unit cell. By comparing the prediction of the semiclassical dynamics with the full Schrödinger solution, we show that Bloch oscillations are strongly affected by anomalous velocity corrections related to Berry's phase. We characterize how these effects depend on the degree of parity breaking of the potential and on the modulation parameters. We also discuss how to measure the effects of the anomalous velocity in current experiments with non-interacting Bose-Einstein condensates in bichromatic optical lattices, under the effect of gravity.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗