arXiv subjects

L. Kaplan

Publications and source records attributed to L. Kaplan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

Freak waves in the linear regime: A microwave study

Microwave transport experiments have been performed in a quasi-two-dimensional resonator with randomly distributed scatterers, each mimicking an $r^{-2}$ repulsive potential. Analysis of both stationary wave fields and transient transport shows large deviations from Rayleigh's law for the wave height distribution, which can only partially be described by existing multiple-scattering theories. At high frequencies, the flow shows branching structures similar to those observed previously in stationary imaging of electron flow. Semiclassical simulations confirm that caustics in the ray dynamics are likely to be responsible for the observed structures. Particular conspicuous features observed in the stationary patterns are "hot spots" with intensities far beyond those expected in a random wave field. Reinterpreting the flow patterns as ocean waves in the presence of spatially varying currents or depth variations in the sea floor, the branches and hot spots lead to enhanced frequency of freak or rogue wave formation in these regions.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2009

Interaction Matrix Element Fluctuations in Ballistic Quantum Dots: Dynamical Effects

We study matrix element fluctuations of the two-body screened Coulomb interaction and of the one-body surface charge potential in ballistic quantum dots, comparing behavior in actual chaotic billiards with analytic results previously obtained in a normalized random wave model. We find that the matrix element variances in actual chaotic billiards typically exceed by a factor of 3 or 4 the predictions of the random wave model, for dot sizes commonly used in experiments. We discuss dynamical effects that are responsible for this enhancement. These dynamical effects have an even more striking effect on the covariance, which changes sign when compared with random wave predictions. In billiards that do not display hard chaos, an even larger enhancement of matrix element fluctuations is possible. These enhanced fluctuations have implications for peak spacing statistics and spectral scrambling for quantum dots in the Coulomb blockade regime.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

Vacuum Stress and Closed Paths in Rectangles, Pistons, and Pistols

Rectangular cavities are solvable models that nevertheless touch on many of the controversial or mysterious aspects of the vacuum energy of quantum fields. This paper is a thorough study of the two-dimensional scalar field in a rectangle by the method of images, or closed classical (or optical) paths, which is exact in this case. For each point r and each specularly reflecting path beginning and ending at r, we provide formulas for all components of the stress tensor T_{μν}(r), for all values of the curvature coupling constant ξand all values of an ultraviolet cutoff parameter. Arbitrary combinations of Dirichlet and Neumann conditions on the four sides can be treated. The total energy is also investigated, path by path. These results are used in an attempt to clarify the physical reality of the repulsive (outward) force on the sides of the box predicted by calculations that neglect both boundary divergences and the exterior of the box. Previous authors have studied "piston" geometries that avoid these problems and have found the force to be attractive. We consider a "pistol" geometry that comes closer to the original problem of a box with a movable lid. We find again an attractive force, although its origin and detailed behavior are somewhat different from the piston case. However, the pistol (and the piston) model can be criticized for extending idealized boundary conditions into short distances where they are physically implausible. Therefore, it is of interest to see whether leaving the ultraviolet cutoff finite yields results that are more plausible. We then find that the force depends strongly on a geometrical parameter; it can be made repulsive, but only by forcing that parameter into the regime where the model is least convincing physically.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Superradiance Transition in Transport Through Nanosystems

Using an energy-independent non-Hermitian Hamiltonian approach to open systems, we fully describe transport through a sequence of potential barriers as external barriers are varied. Analyzing the complex eigenvalues of the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian model, a transition to a superradiant regime is shown to occur. Transport properties undergo a strong change at the superradiance transition, where the transmission is maximized and a drastic change in the structure of resonances is demonstrated. Finally, we analyze the effect of the superradiance transition in the Anderson localized regime.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2008

Interaction Matrix Element Fluctuations in Ballistic Quantum Dots: Random Wave Model

We study matrix element fluctuations of the two-body screened Coulomb interaction and of the one-body surface charge potential in ballistic quantum dots. For chaotic dots, we use a normalized random wave model to obtain analytic expansions for matrix element variances and covariances in the limit of large kL (where k is the Fermi wave number and L the linear size of the dot). These leading-order analytical results are compared with exact numerical results. Both two-body and one-body matrix elements are shown to follow strongly non-Gaussian distributions, despite the Gaussian random nature of the single-electron wave functions.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2008

Refraction of a Gaussian Seaway

Refraction of a Longuet-Higgins Gaussian sea by random ocean currents creates persistent local variations in average energy and wave action. These variations take the form of lumps or streaks, and they explicitly survive dispersion over wavelength and incoming wave propagation direction. Thus, the uniform sampling assumed in the venerable Longuet-Higgins theory does not apply following refraction by random currents. Proper handling of the non-uniform sampling results in greatly increased probability of freak wave formation. The present theory represents a synthesis of Longuet-Higgins Gaussian seas and the refraction model of White and Fornberg, which considered the effect of currents on a plane wave incident seaway. Using the linearized equations for deep ocean waves, we obtain quantitative predictions for the increased probability of freak wave formation when the refractive effects are taken into account. The crest height or wave height distribution depends primarily on the ``freak index", gamma, which measures the strength of refraction relative to the angular spread of the incoming sea. Dramatic effects are obtained in the tail of this distribution even for the modest values of the freak index that are expected to occur commonly in nature. Extensive comparisons are made between the analytical description and numerical simulations.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2007

Interaction matrix element fluctuations in quantum dots

In the Coulomb blockade regime of a ballistic quantum dot, the distribution of conductance peak spacings is well known to be incorrectly predicted by a single-particle picture; instead, matrix element fluctuations of the residual electronic interaction need to be taken into account. In the normalized random-wave model, valid in the semiclassical limit where the number of electrons in the dot becomes large, we obtain analytic expressions for the fluctuations of two-body and one-body matrix elements. However, these fluctuations may be too small to explain low-temperature experimental data. We have examined matrix element fluctuations in realistic chaotic geometries, and shown that at energies of experimental interest these fluctuations generically exceed by a factor of about 3-4 the predictions of the random wave model. Even larger fluctuations occur in geometries with a mixed chaotic-regular phase space. These results may allow for much better agreement between the Hartree-Fock picture and experiment. Among other findings, we show that the distribution of interaction matrix elements is strongly non-Gaussian in the parameter range of experimental interest, even in the random wave model. We also find that the enhanced fluctuations in realistic geometries cannot be computed using a leading-order semiclassical approach, but may be understood in terms of short-time dynamics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2007

A trivial observation on time reversal in random matrix theory

It is commonly thought that a state-dependent quantity, after being averaged over a classical ensemble of random Hamiltonians, will always become independent of the state. We point out that this is in general incorrect: if the ensemble of Hamiltonians is time reversal invariant, and the quantity involves the state in higher than bilinear order, then we show that the quantity is only a constant over the orbits of the invariance group on the Hilbert space. Examples include fidelity and decoherence in appropriate models.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2007

Repulsive Casimir Pistons

Casimir pistons are models in which finite Casimir forces can be calculated without any suspect renormalizations. It has been suggested that such forces are always attractive. We present three scenarios in which that is not true. Two of these depend on mixing two types of boundary conditions. The other, however, is a simple type of quantum graph in which the sign of the force depends upon the number of edges.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2006

Sudden switching in qubits

Analytic solutions are developed for two-state systems (e.g. qubits) strongly perturbed by a series of rapidly changing pulses, called `kicks'. The evolution matrix may be expressed as a time ordered product of evolution matrices for single kicks. Single, double, and triple kicks are explicitly considered, and the onset of observability of time ordering is examined. The effects of different order of kicks on the dynamics of the system are studied and compared with effects of time ordering in general. To determine the range of validity of this approach, the effect of using pulses of finite widths for 2s-2p transitions in atomic hydrogen is examined numerically.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2005

How Time Works in Quantum Systems: Overview of time ordering and time correlation in weakly perturbed atomic collisions and in strongly perturbed qubits

Time ordering may be defined by first defining the limit of no time ordering (NTO) in terms of a time average of an external interaction, V(t). Previously, time correlation was defined in terms of a similar limit called the independent time approximation (ITA). Experimental evidence for time correlation has not yet been distinguished from experimental evidence for time ordering.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2005

Scar Intensity Statistics in the Position Representation

We obtain general predictions for the distribution of wave function intensities in position space on the periodic orbits of chaotic ballistic systems. The expressions depend on effective system size N, instability exponent lambda of the periodic orbit, and proximity to a focal point of the orbit. Limiting expressions are obtained that include the asymptotic probability distribution of rare high-intensity events and a perturbative formula valid in the limit of weak scarring. For finite system sizes, a single scaling variable lambda N describes deviations from the semiclassical N -> infinity limit.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2005

Brownian Motion Model of Quantization Ambiguity and Universality in Chaotic Systems

We examine spectral equilibration of quantum chaotic spectra to universal statistics, in the context of the Brownian motion model. Two competing time scales, proportional and inversely proportional to the classical relaxation time, jointly govern the equilibration process. Multiplicity of quantum systems having the same semiclassical limit is not sufficient to obtain equilibration of any spectral modes in two-dimensional systems, while in three-dimensional systems equilibration for some spectral modes is possible if the classical relaxation rate is slow. Connections are made with upper bounds on semiclassical accuracy and with fidelity decay in the presence of a weak perturbation.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2005

An overview of simply pulsed qubits

The behavior of simply pulsed qubits (quantum systems with two linearly independent states) may be characterized by the energy difference $ΔE$ between the two states of the qubit and by an external stimulating potential $V(t)$ that causes transitions between them. Thus, the operation of such quantum mechanical systems may be categorized in various regions that explicitly depend on $ΔE$ and $V(t)$. Limiting cases of degenerate, perturbative, and adiabatic regions are discussed. A comprehensive and illustrative map for simply pulsed qubits is presented that can be used as a visual tool for students. Furthermore, analytic solutions may be obtained when the interaction $V(t)$ is proportional to $δ(t-t_k)$, namely when a fast interaction, called a kick, is used.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2005

Correlation Function Bootstrapping in Quantum Chaotic Systems

We discuss a general and efficient approach for "bootstrapping" short-time correlation data in chaotic or complex quantum systems to obtain information about long-time dynamics and stationary properties, such as the local density of states. When the short-time data is sufficient to identify an individual quantum system, we obtain a systematic approximation for the spectrum and wave functions. Otherwise, we obtain statistical properties, including wave function intensity distributions, for an ensemble of all quantum systems sharing the given short-time correlations. The results are valid for open or closed systems, and are stable under perturbation of the short-time input data. Numerical examples include quantum maps and two-dimensional anharmonic oscillators.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2004

Time Ordering in Kicked Qubits

We examine time ordering effects in strongly, suddenly perturbed two-state quantum systems (kicked qubits) by comparing results with time ordering to results without time ordering. Simple analytic expressions are given for state occupation amplitudes and probabilities for singly and multiply kicked qubits. We investigate the limit of no time ordering, which can differ in different representations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2004

Semiclassical Accuracy in Phase Space for Regular and Chaotic Dynamics

A phase-space semiclassical approximation valid to $O(\hbar)$ at short times is used to compare semiclassical accuracy for long-time and stationary observables in chaotic, stable, and mixed systems. Given the same level of semiclassical accuracy for the short time behavior, the squared semiclassical error in the chaotic system grows linearly in time, in contrast with quadratic growth in the classically stable system. In the chaotic system, the relative squared error at the Heisenberg time scales linearly with $\hbar_{\rm eff}$, allowing for unambiguous semiclassical determination of the eigenvalues and wave functions in the high-energy limit, while in the stable case the eigenvalue error always remains of the order of a mean level spacing. For a mixed classical phase space, eigenvalues associated with the chaotic sea can be semiclassically computed with greater accuracy than the ones associated with stable islands.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2001

Eigenstate Structure in Graphs and Disordered Lattices

We study wave function structure for quantum graphs in the chaotic and disordered regime, using measures such as the wave function intensity distribution and the inverse participation ratio. The result is much less ergodicity than expected from random matrix theory, even though the spectral statistics are in agreement with random matrix predictions. Instead, analytical calculations based on short-time semiclassical behavior correctly describe the eigenstate structure.

nlin.CD↗