arXiv subjects

Guido Goldoni

Publications and source records attributed to Guido Goldoni.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Multi-particle quantum systems within the Worldline Monte Carlo formalism

We extend the Worldline Monte Carlo approach to computationally simulating the Feynman path integral of non-relativistic multi-particle quantum-mechanical systems. We show how to generate an arbitrary number of worldlines distributed according to the (free) kinetic part of the multi-particle quantum dynamics and how to simulate interactions between worldlines in the ensemble. We test this formalism with two- and three-particle quantum mechanical systems, with both long range Coulomb-like interactions between the particles and external fields acting separately on the particles, in various spatial dimensionality. We extract accurate estimations of the ground state energy of these systems using the late-time behaviour of the propagator, validating our approach with numerically exact solutions obtained via straightforward diagonalisation of the Hamiltonian. Systematic benchmarking of the new approach, presented here for the first time, shows that the computational complexity of Wordline Monte Carlo scales more favourably with respect to standard numerical alternatives. The method, which is general, numerically exact, and computationally not intensive, can easily be generalised to relativistic systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Listen! It's a phase transition. The sound of a shape-memory alloy

Shape-memory alloys exhibit a solid-to-solid phase transition that involves a temperature-driven rearrangement of their crystal structure and is responsible for their remarkable properties and numerous technological applications. Here, we propose a simple experiment that analyzes the sound emitted by a Ni$_{40}$Ti$_{50}$Cu$_{10}$ bar at different temperatures as it undergoes a transition between its austenite and martensite phases. We show that the phase transition, which occurs slightly above room temperature, can be qualitatively detected by the ear and quantitatively described using a very simple experimental setup and sound analysis tools. Such a sound-based investigation provides an unusual and engaging way to experimentally introduce solid-to-solid phase transitions, that is suitable for undergraduate courses.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Spin-orbit control of Dirac points and end states in inverted gap nanowires

We predict that in InAs/GaSb nanowires with an inverted band alignment a transverse electric field induces a collapse of the hybridization gap, and a semimetal phase occurs. We use a self-consistent k.p approach and an adapted Bernevig-Hughes-Zhang model to show that massless Dirac points result from exact cancellation between the kinetic electron-hole coupling and the field-controlled spin-orbit coupling. End states - mid-gap states localized at the extremes of a finite nanowire - are supported up to a critical field, but suddenly fade away as the system is driven through the semimetal phase, eventually evolving to trivial surface states, which expose a spin-orbit induced topological transition to the normal phase.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

InP/GaSb core-shell nanowires: a novel hole-based platform with strong spin-orbit coupling for full-shell hybrid devices

Full-shell hybrid nanowires (NWs), structures comprising a superconductor shell that encapsulates a semiconductor (SM) core, have attracted considerable attention in the search for Majorana zero modes (MZMs). However, the predicted Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in the SM is too small to achieve substantial topological minigaps. In addition, the SM wavefunction spreads all across the section of the nanowire, leading typically to a finite background of trivial subgap states with which MZMs may coexist. To overcome both problems, we explore the advantages of utilizing core-shell hole-band NWs as the SM part of a full-shell hybrid, with an insulating core and an active SM shell. In particular, we consider InP/GaSb core-shell NWs, which allow to exploit the unique characteristics of the III-V compound SM valence bands. We demonstrate that they exhibit a robust hole SOC that emerges from the combination of the intrinsic spin-orbit interaction of the SM active shell and the confinement effects of the nanostructure, thus depending mainly on SM and geometrical parameters. In other words, the SOC is intrinsic and does not rely on red electric fields, which are non-tunable in a full-shell hybrid geometry. As a result, core-shell SM hole-band NWs are found to be a promising candidate to explore Majorana physics in full-hell hybrid devices, addressing several challenges in the field.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Magnetic tuning of the tunnel coupling in an optically active quantum dot molecule

Self-assembled optically active quantum dot molecules (QDMs) allow the creation of protected qubits via singlet-triplet spin states. The qubit energy splitting of these states is defined by the tunnel coupling strength and is, therefore, determined by the potential landscape and thus fixed during growth. Applying an in-plane magnetic field increases the confinement of the hybridized wave functions within the quantum dots, leading to a decrease of the tunnel coupling strength. We achieve a tuning of the coupling strength by $(53.4\pm1.7)$ %. The ability to fine-tune this coupling is essential for quantum network and computing applications that require quantum systems with near identical performance.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Band structure of n- and p-doped core-shell nanowires

We investigate the electronic band structure of modulation-doped GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires for both n- and p-doping. We developed an 8-band Burt-Foreman k.p Hamiltonian approach to describe coupled conduction and valence bands in heterostructured nanowires of arbitrary composition, growth directions, and doping. Coulomb interactions with the electron/hole gas are taken into account within a mean-field self-consistent approach. We map the ensuing multi-band envelope function and Poisson equations to optimized, non-uniform real-space grids by the finite element method. Self-consistent charge density, single-particle subbands, density of states and absorption spectra are obtained at different doping regimes. For n-doped samples, the large restructuring of the electron gas for increasing doping results in the formation of quasi-1D electron channels at the core-shell interface. Strong heavy-hole/light-hole coupling of hole states leads to non parabolic dispersions with mass inversion, similarly to planar structures, which persist at large dopings, giving rise to direct LH and indirect HH gaps. In p-doped samples the hole gas forms an almost isotropic, ring-like cloud for a large range of doping. Here, as a result of the increasing localization, HH and LH states uncouple, and mass inversion takes place at a threshold density. A similar evolution is obtained at fixed doping as a function of temperature. We show that signatures of the evolution of the band structure can be singled out in the anisotropy of linearly polarized optical absorption.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Enhanced light-harvesting of protein-pigment complexes assisted by a quantum dot antenna

We predict the enhanced light harvesting of a protein-pigment complex when assembled to a quantum dot (QD) antenna. Our prototypical nanoassembly setup is composed of a Fenna-Mattews-Olson system hosting 8 Bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a dyes, and a near-infrared emitting CdSe$_x$Te$_{(1-x)}$/ZnS alloy-core/shell nanocrystal. BChl a has two wide windows of poor absorption in the green and orange-red bands, precisely where most of the sunlight energy lies. The selected QD is able to collect sunlight efficiently in a broader band and funnel its energy by a (non-radiative) Förster resonance energy transfer mechanism to the dyes embedded in the protein. By virtue of the coupling between the QD and the dyes, the nanoassembly absorption is dramatically improved in the poor absorption window of the BChl a.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2019

Anisotropies of the g-factor tensor and diamagnetic coefficient in crystal-phase quantum dots in InP nanowires

Crystal-phase low-dimensional structures offer great potential for the implementation of photonic devices of interest for quantum information processing. In this context, unveiling the fundamental parameters of the crystal phase structure is of much relevance for several applications. Here, we report on the anisotropy of the g-factor tensor and diamagnetic coefficient in wurtzite/zincblende (WZ/ZB) crystal-phase quantum dots (QDs) realized in single InP nanowires. The WZ and ZB alternating axial sections in the NWs are identified by high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The electron (hole) g-factor tensor and the exciton diamagnetic coefficients in WZ/ZB crystal-phase QDs are determined through micro-photoluminescence measurements at low temperature (4.2 K) with different magnetic field configurations, and rationalized by invoking the spin-correlated orbital current model. Our work provides key parameters for band gap engineering and spin states control in crystal-phase low-dimensional structures in nanowires.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Classical and quantum dynamics of indirect excitons driven by surface acoustic waves

We perform explicit time-dependent classical and quantum propagation of a spatially indirect exciton (SIX) driven by surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in a semiconductor heterostructure device. We model the SIX dynamics at different levels of description, from the Euler-Lagrange propagation of structureless classical particles to unitary Schrödinger propagation of an electron-hole wave packet in a mean field and to the full quantum propagation of the two-particle complex. A recently proposed beyond mean-field self-energy approach, adding internal virtual transitions to the c.m. dynamics, has been generalized to time-dependent potentials and turns out to describe very well full quantum calculations, while being orders of magnitude numerically less demanding. We show that SAW-driven SIXs are a sensitive probe of scattering potentials in the devices originating, for example, from single impurities or metallic gates, due to competing length and energy scales between the SAW elastic potential, the scattering potential, and the internal electron-hole dynamic of the SIX. Comparison between different approximations allow us to show that internal correlation of the electron-hole pair is crucial in scattering from shallow impurities, where tunneling plays a major role. On the other hand, scattering from broad potentials, i.e., with length scales exceeding the SIX Bohr radius, is well described as the classical dynamics of a pointlike SIX. Recent experiments are discussed in light of our calculations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Tuning Rashba spin-orbit coupling in homogeneous semiconductor nanowires

We use $\vec{k}\cdot\vec{p}$ theory to estimate the Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in large semiconductor nanowires. We specifically investigate GaAs- and InSb-based devices with different gate configurations to control symmetry and localization of the electron charge density. We explore gate-controlled SOC for wires of different size and doping, and we show that in high carrier density SOC has a non-linear electric field susceptibility, due to large reshaping of the quantum states. We analyze recent experiments with InSb nanowires in light of our calculations. Good agreement is found with SOC coefficients reported in Phys. Rev.B 91, 201413(R) (2015), but not with the much larger values reported in Nat Commun., 8, 478 (2017). We discuss possible origins of this discrepancy.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Predicting signatures of anisotropic resonance energy transfer in dye-functionalized nanoparticles

Resonance energy transfer (RET) is an inherently anisotropic process. Even the simplest, well-known Förster theory, based on the transition dipole-dipole coupling, implicitly incorporates the anisotropic character of RET. In this theoretical work, we study possible signatures of the fundamental anisotropic character of RET in hybrid nanomaterials composed of a semiconductor nanoparticle (NP) decorated with molecular dyes. In particular, by means of a realistic kinetic model, we show that the analysis of the dye photoluminescence difference for orthogonal input polarizations reveals the anisotropic character of the dye-NP RET which arises from the intrinsic anisotropy of the NP lattice. In a prototypical core/shell wurtzite CdSe/ZnS NP functionalized with cyanine dyes (Cy3B), this difference is predicted to be as large as 75\% and it is strongly dependent in amplitude and sign on the dye-NP distance. We account for all the possible RET processes within the system, together with competing decay pathways in the separate segments. In addition, we show that the anisotropic signature of RET is persistent up to a large number of dyes per NP.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2016

Tailoring the core electron density in modulation-doped Core-Multi-Shell nanowires

We show how a proper radial modulation of the composition of core-multi-shell nanowires critically enhances the control of the free-carrier density in the high-mobility core with respect to core-single-shell structures, thus overcoming the technological difficulty of fine tuning the remote doping density. We calculate the electron population of the different nanowire layers as a function of the doping density and of several geometrical parameters by means of a self-consistent Schrödinger-Poisson approach: Free carriers tend to localize in the outer shell and screen the core from the electric field of the dopants.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Exact two-body quantum dynamics of an electron-hole pair in semiconductor coupled quantum wells: a time-dependent approach

We simulate the time-dependent coherent dynamics of a spatially indirect exciton (an electron-hole pair with the two particles confined in different layers) in a GaAs coupled quantum well system. We use a unitary wave-packet propagation method taking into account in full the four degrees of freedom of the two particles in a two-dimensional system, including both the long-range Coulomb attraction and arbitrary two-dimensional electrostatic potentials affecting the electron and/or the hole separately. The method has been implemented for massively parallel architectures to cope with the huge numerical problem, showing good scaling properties and allowing evolution for tens of picoseconds. We have investigated both transient time phenomena and asymptotic time transmission and reflection coefficients for potential profiles consisting of i) extended barriers and wells and ii) a single-slit geometry. We found clear signatures of the internal two-body dynamics, with transient phenomena in the picosecond time-scale which might be revealed by optical spectroscopy. Exact results have been compared with mean-field approaches which, neglecting dynamical correlations by construction, turn out to be inadequate to describe the electron-hole pair evolution in realistic experimental conditions.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Magneto-photoluminescence in GaAs/AlAs core-multishell nanowires: a theoretical investigation

The magneto-photoluminescence in modulation doped core-multishell nanowires is predicted as a function of photo-excitation intensity in non-perturbative transverse magnetic fields. We use a self-consistent field approach within the effective mass approximation to determine the photoexcited electron and hole populations, including the complex composition and anisotropic geometry of the nano-material. The evolution of the photoluminescence is analyzed as a function of i) photo-excitation power, ii) magnetic field intensity, iii) type of doping, and iv) anisotropy with respect to field orientation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Prediction of inelastic light scattering spectra from electronic collective excitations in GaAs/AlGaAs core-multishell nanowires

We predict inelastic light scattering spectra from electron collective excitations in a coaxial quantum well embedded in a core-multishell GaAs/AlGaAs nanowire. The complex composition, the hexagonal cross section and the remote doping of typical samples are explicitly included, and the free electron gas is obtained by a DFT approach. Inelastic light scattering cross sections due to charge and spin collective excitations belonging to quasi-1D and quasi-2D states, which coexist in such radial heterostructures, are predicted in the non-resonant approximation from a fully three-dimensional multi-subband TDDFT formalism. We show that collective excitations can be classified in azimuthal, radial and longitudinal excitations, according to the associated density fluctuations, and we suggest that their character can be exposed by specific spectral dispersion of inelastic light scattering along different planes of the heterostructure.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Space- and time-dependent quantum dynamics of spatially indirect excitons in semiconductor heterostructures

We study the unitary propagation of a two-particle one-dimensional Schrödinger equation by means of the Split-Step Fourier method, to study the coherent evolution of a spatially indirect exciton (IX) in semiconductor heterostructures. The mutual Coulomb interaction of the electron-hole pair and the electrostatic potentials generated by external gates and acting on the two particles separately are taken into account exactly in the two-particle dynamics. As relevant examples, step/downhill and barrier/well potential profiles are considered. The space- and time-dependent evolution during the scattering event as well as the asymptotic time behavior are analyzed. For typical parameters of GaAs-based devices the transmission or reflection of the pair turns out to be a complex two-particle process, due to comparable and competing Coulomb, electrostatic and kinetic energy scales. Depending on the intensity and anisotropy of the scattering potentials, the quantum evolution may result in excitation of the IX internal degrees of freedom, dissociation of the pair, or transmission in small periodic IX wavepackets due to dwelling of one particle in the barrier region. We discuss the occurrence of each process in the full parameter space of the scattering potentials and the relevance of our results for current excitronic technologies.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Aharonov-Bohm oscillations and electron gas transitions in hexagonal core-shell nanowires with an axial magnetic field

We use spin-density-functional theory within an envelope function approach to calculate electronic states in a GaAs/InAs core-shell nanowire pierced by an axial magnetic field. Our fully 3D quantum modeling includes explicitly the description of the realistic cross-section and composition of the sample, and the electrostatic field induced by external gates in two different device geometries, gate-all-around and back-gate. At low magnetic fields, we investigate Aharonov-Bohm oscillations and signatures therein of the discrete symmetry of the electronic system, and we critically analyze recent magnetoconductance observations. At high magnetic fields we find that several charge and spin transitions occur. We discuss the origin of these transitions in terms of different localization and Coulomb regimes and predict their signatures in magnetoconductance experiments.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Symmetries in the collective excitations of an electron gas in core-shell nanowires

We study the collective excitations and inelastic light scattering cross-section of an electron gas confined in a GaAs/AlGaAs coaxial quantum well. These system can be engineered in a core-multi-shell nanowire and inherit the hexagonal symmetry of the underlying nanowire substrate. As a result, the electron gas forms both quasi 1D channels and quasi 2D channels at the quantum well bents and facets, respectively. Calculations are performed within the RPA and TDDFT approaches. We derive symmetry arguments which allow to enumerate and classify charge and spin excitations and determine whether excitations may survive to Landau damping. We also derive inelastic light scattering selection rules for different scattering geometries. Computational issues stemming from the need to use a symmetry compliant grid are also investigated systematically.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗