arXiv subjects

L. Kaplan

Publications and source records attributed to L. Kaplan.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2000

Scarring Effects on Tunneling in Chaotic Double-Well Potentials

The connection between scarring and tunneling in chaotic double-well potentials is studied in detail through the distribution of level splittings. The mean level splitting is found to have oscillations as a function of energy, as expected if scarring plays a role in determining the size of the splittings, and the spacing between peaks is observed to be periodic of period {$2π\hbar$} in action. Moreover, the size of the oscillations is directly correlated with the strength of scarring. These results are interpreted within the theoretical framework of Creagh and Whelan. The semiclassical limit and finite-{$\hbar$} effects are discussed, and connections are made with reaction rates and resonance widths in metastable wells.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2000

Localization of Eigenfunctions in the Stadium Billiard

We present a systematic survey of scarring and symmetry effects in the stadium billiard. The localization of individual eigenfunctions in Husimi phase space is studied first, and it is demonstrated that on average there is more localization than can be accounted for on the basis of random-matrix theory, even after removal of bouncing-ball states and visible scars. A major point of the paper is that symmetry considerations, including parity and time-reversal symmetries, enter to influence the total amount of localization. The properties of the local density of states spectrum are also investigated, as a function of phase space location. Aside from the bouncing-ball region of phase space, excess localization of the spectrum is found on short periodic orbits and along certain symmetry-related lines; the origin of all these sources of localization is discussed quantitatively and comparison is made with analytical predictions. Scarring is observed to be present in all the energy ranges considered. In light of these results the excess localization in individual eigenstates is interpreted as being primarily due to symmetry effects; another source of excess localization, scarring by multiple unstable periodic orbits, is smaller by a factor of $\sqrt{\hbar}$.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2000

Periodic orbit effects on conductance peak heights in a chaotic quantum dot

We study the effects of short-time classical dynamics on the distribution of Coulomb blockade peak heights in a chaotic quantum dot. The location of one or both leads relative to the short unstable orbits, as well as relative to the symmetry lines, can have large effects on the moments and on the head and tail of the conductance distribution. We study these effects analytically as a function of the stability exponent of the orbits involved, and also numerically using the stadium billiard as a model. The predicted behavior is robust, depending only on the short-time behavior of the many-body quantum system, and consequently insensitive to moderate-sized perturbations.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv1999

Structure of Quantum Chaotic Wavefunctions: Ergodicity, Localization, and Transport

We discuss recent developments in the study of quantum wavefunctions and transport in classically ergodic systems. Surprisingly, short-time classical dynamics leaves permanent imprints on long-time and stationary quantum behavior, which are absent from the long-time classical motion. These imprints can lead to quantum behavior on single-wavelength or single-channel scales which are very different from random matrix theory expectations. Robust and quantitative predictions are obtained using semiclassical methods. Applications to wavefunction intensity statistics and to resonances in open systems are discussed.

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1999

Short-Time Effects on Eigenstate Structure in Sinai Billiards and Related Systems

There is much latitude between the requirements of Schnirelman's theorem regarding the ergodicity of individual high-energy eigenstates of classically chaotic systems on the one hand, and the extreme requirements of random matrix theory on the other. It seems likely that some eigenstate statistics and long-time transport behavior bear nonrandom imprints of the underlying classical dynamics while simultaneously obeying Schnirelman's theorem. Indeed this was shown earlier in the case of systems which approach classical ergodicity slowly, and is also realized in the scarring of eigenstates, even in the $\hbar \to 0$ limit, along unstable periodic orbits and their manifolds. Here we demonstrate the nonrandom character of eigenstates of Sinai-like systems. We show that mixing between channels in Sinai systems is dramatically deficient compared to random matrix theory predictions. The deficit {\it increases} as $|\log \hbar|$ for $\hbar\to 0$, and is due to the vicinity of the measure zero set of orbits which never collide with the Sinai obstruction. Coarse graining to macroscopic scales recovers the Schnirelman result. Three systems are investigated here: a Sinai-type billiard, a quantum map which possesses the essential properties of the Sinai billiard, and a unitary map corresponding to a quasirandom Hamiltonian. Various wavefunction and long-time transport statistics are defined, theoretically investigated, and compared to numerical data.

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1999

Quantization Ambiguity, Ergodicity, and Semiclassics

A simple argument shows that eigenstates of a classically ergodic system are individually ergodic on coarse-grained scales. This has implications for the quantization ambiguity in ergodic systems: the difference between alternative quantizations is suppressed compared with the $O(\hbar^2)$ ambiguity in the integrable case. For two-dimensional ergodic systems in the high-energy regime, individual eigenstates are independent of the choice of quantization procedure, in contrast with the regular case, where even the ordering of eigenlevels is ambiguous. Surprisingly, semiclassical methods are shown to be much more precise for chaotic than for integrable systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv1998

Measuring Scars of Periodic Orbits

The phenomenon of periodic orbit scarring of eigenstates of classically chaotic systems is attracting increasing attention. Scarring is one of the most important "corrections" to the ideal random eigenstates suggested by random matrix theory. This paper discusses measures of scars and in so doing also tries to clarify the concepts and effects of eigenfunction scarring. We propose a new, universal scar measure which takes into account an entire periodic orbit and the linearized dynamics in its vicinity. This measure is tuned to pick out those structures which are induced in quantum eigenstates by unstable periodic orbits and their manifolds. It gives enhanced scarring strength as measured by eigenstate overlaps and inverse participation ratios, especially for longer orbits. We also discuss off-resonance scars which appear naturally on either side of an unstable periodic orbit.

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1998

Quantizing Constrained Systems: New Perspectives

We consider quantum mechanics on constrained surfaces which have non-Euclidean metrics and variable Gaussian curvature. The old controversy about the ambiguities involving terms in the Hamiltonian of order hbar^2 multiplying the Gaussian curvature is addressed. We set out to clarify the matter by considering constraints to be the limits of large restoring forces as the constraint coordinates deviate from their constrained values. We find additional ambiguous terms of order hbar^2 involving freedom in the constraining potentials, demonstrating that the classical constrained Hamiltonian or Lagrangian cannot uniquely specify the quantization: the ambiguity of directly quantizing a constrained system is inherently unresolvable. However, there is never any problem with a physical quantum system, which cannot have infinite constraint forces and always fluctuates around the mean constraint values. The issue is addressed from the perspectives of adiabatic approximations in quantum mechanics, Feynman path integrals, and semiclassically in terms of adiabatic actions.

quant-ph↗

arXiv1998

Recent Developments in the Theory of Scarring

We review recent progress in attaining a quantitative understanding of the scarring phenomenon, the non-random behavior of quantum wavefunctions near unstable periodic orbits of a classically chaotic system. The wavepacket dynamics framework leads to predictions about statistical long-time and stationary properties of quantum systems with chaotic classical analogues. Many long-time quantum properties can be quantitatively understood using only short-time classical dynamics information; these include wavefunction intensity distributions, intensity correlations in phase space and correlations between wavefunctions, and distributions of decay rates and conductance peaks in weakly open systems. Strong deviations from random matrix theory are predicted and observed in the presence of short unstable periodic orbits.

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1998

Weak Quantum Ergodicity

We examine the consequences of classical ergodicity for the localization properties of individual quantum eigenstates in the classical limit. We note that the well known Schnirelman result is a weaker form of quantum ergodicity than the one implied by random matrix theory. This suggests the possibility of systems with non-gaussian random eigenstates which are nonetheless ergodic in the sense of Schnirelman and lead to ergodic transport in the classical limit. These we call "weakly quantum ergodic.'' Indeed for a class of "slow ergodic" classical systems, it is found that each eigenstate becomes localized to an ever decreasing fraction of the available state space, in the semiclassical limit. Nevertheless, each eigenstate in this limit covers phase space evenly on any classical scale, and long-time transport properties betwen individual quantum states remain ergodic due to the diffractive effects which dominate quantum phase space exploration.

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1998

Scar and Antiscar Quantum Effects in Open Chaotic Systems

We predict and numerically observe strong periodic orbit effects in the properties of open quantum systems with a chaotic classical limit. Antiscars lead to a large number of exponentially narrow resonances when the opening is located on a short unstable orbit of the closed system; the probability to remain in the system at long times is thus exponentially enhanced over the random matrix theory prediction. The distribution of resonance widths and the probability to remain are quantitatively given in terms of only the stability matrix of the orbit on which the opening is placed. The long-time remaining probability density is non-trivially distributed over the available phase space; it can be enhanced or suppressed near orbits other than the one on which the lead is located, depending on the periods and classical actions of these other orbits. These effects of the short periodic orbits on quantum decay rates have no classical counterpart, and first appear on times scales much larger than the Heisenberg time of the system. All the predictions are quantitatively compared with numerical data.

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1998

Wavefunction Intensity Statistics from Unstable Periodic Orbits

We examine the effect of short unstable periodic orbits on wavefunction statistics in a classically chaotic system, and find that the tail of the wavefunction intensity distribution in phase space is dominated by scarring associated with the least unstable periodic orbits. In an ensemble average over systems with classical orbits of different instabilities, a power law tail is found, in sharp contrast to the exponential prediction of random matrix theory. The calculations are compared with numerical data and quantitative agreement is obtained

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1998

Linear and Nonlinear Theory of Eigenfunction Scars

The theory of scarring of eigenfunctions of classically chaotic systems by short periodic orbits is extended in several ways. The influence of short-time linear recurrences on correlations and fluctuations at long times is emphasized. We include the contribution to scarring of nonlinear recurrences associated with homoclinic orbits, and treat the different scenarios of random and nonrandom long-time recurrences. The importance of the local classical structure around the periodic orbit is emphasized, and it is shown for an optimal choice of test basis in phase space, scars must persist in the semiclassical limit. The crucial role of symmetry is also discussed, which together with the nonlinear recurrences gives a much improved account of the actual strength of scars for given classical orbits and in individual wavefunctions. Quantitative measures of scarring are provided and comparisons are made with numerical data.

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1998

Multiplicative semiclassical dynamics and the quantization time

We study smooth, caustic-free, chaotic semiclassical dynamics on two-dimensional phase space and find that the dynamics can be approached by an iterative procedure which constructs an approximation to the exact long-time semiclassical propagator. Semiclassical propagation all the way to the Heisenberg time, where individual eigenstates are resolved, can be computed in polynomial time, obviating the need to sum over an exponentially large number of classical paths. At long times, the dynamics becomes quantum-like, given by a matrix of the same dimension as the quantum propagator. This matrix, however, differs both from the quantum and the one-step semiclassical propagators, allowing for the study of the breakdown of the semiclassical approximation. The results shed light on the accuracy of the Gutzwiller trace formula in two dimensions, and on the source of long-time periodic orbit correlations.

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1998

Overcoming the wall in the semiclassical baker's map

A major barrier in semiclassical calculations is the sheer number of terms that contribute as time increases; for classically chaotic dynamics, the proliferation is exponential. We have been able to overcome this ``exponential wall'' for the baker's map, using an analogy with spin-chain partition functions. The semiclassical sum is contracted so that only of order N T^(3/2) operations are needed for an N-state system evolved for T time steps. This is typically less than the computational load for quantum propagation, T N^2. This method enables us to obtain semiclassical results up to the Heisenberg time, which in our example would have required 10^90 terms if we were to evaluate the sum exactly. This calculation in turn provides new insight as to the accuracy of the semiclassical approximation at long times. The semiclassical result is often correct; its breakdown is nonuniform.

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1998

Semiclassical dynamical localization and the multiplicative semiclassical propagator

We describe an iterative approach to computing long-time semiclassical dynamics in the presence of chaos, which eliminates the need for summing over an exponentially large number of classical paths, and has good convergence properties even beyond the Heisenberg time. Long-time semiclassical properties can be compared with those of the full quantum system. The method is used to demonstrate semiclassical dynamical localization in one-dimensional classically diffusive systems, showing that interference between classical paths is a sufficient mechanism for limiting long-time phase space exploration.

chao-dyn↗

arXiv1993

Nonperturbative Matching for Field Theories with Heavy Fermions

We examine a paradox, suggested by Banks and Dabholkar, concerning nonperturbative effects in an effective field theory which is obtained by integrating out a generation of heavy fermions, where the heavy fermion masses arise from Yukawa couplings. They argue that light fermions in the effective theory appear to decay via instanton processes, whereas their decay is forbidden in the full theory. We resolve this paradox by showing that such processes in fact do not occur in the effective theory, due to matching corrections which cause the relevant light field configurations to have infinite action.

hep-ph↗