arXiv subjects

Oriol Vendrell

Publications and source records attributed to Oriol Vendrell.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

A bosonic perspective on the classical mapping of fermionic quantum dynamics

We consider the application of the original Meyer-Miller (MM) Hamiltonian to mapping fermionic quantum dynamics to classical equations of motion. Non-interacting fermionic and bosonic systems share the same one-body density dynamics when evolving from the same initial many-body state. The MM classical mapping is exact for non-interacting bosons, and therefore it yields the exact time-dependent one-body density for non-interacting fermions as well. Starting from this observation, the MM mapping is compared to different mappings specific for fermionic systems, namely the spin mapping (SM) with and without including a Jordan-Wigner transformation, and the Li-Miller mapping (LMM). For non-interacting systems, the inclusion of fermionic anti-symmetry through the Jordan-Wigner transform does not lead to any improvement in the performance of the mappings and instead it worsens the classical description. For an interacting impurity model and for models of excitonic energy transfer, the MM and LMM mappings perform similarly, and in some cases the former outperforms the latter when compared to a full quantum description. The classical mappings are able to capture interference effects, both constructive and destructive, that originate from equivalent energy transfer pathways in the models.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2021

Quantum state tomography of molecules by ultrafast diffraction

Ultrafast electron diffraction and time-resolved serial crystallography are the basis of the ongoing revolution in capturing at the atomic level of detail the structural dynamics of molecules. However, most experiments employ the classical "ball-and-stick" depictions, and the information of molecular quantum states, such as the density matrix, is missing. Here, we introduce a framework for the preparation and ultrafast coherent diffraction from rotational wave packets of molecules, and we establish a new variant of quantum state tomography for ultrafast electron diffraction to characterize the molecular quantum states. The ability to reconstruct the density matrix of molecules of arbitrary degrees of freedom will provide us with an unprecedentedly clear view of the quantum states of molecules, and enable the visualization of effects dictated by the quantum dynamics of molecules.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Dynamical Jahn-Teller effects on the generation of electronic ring currents by circularly polarized light

The generation of electronic ring currents in ring-shaped molecules by photo-excitation with circularly polarized laser light is considered in the presence of vibronic coupling effects. $(E\times e)$ Jahn-Teller distortions, unavoidable by symmetry in the $(E)$ subset of electronic states supporting the ring current, mix the clockwise and anti-clockwise circulation directions of the electrons and can suppress the maximum achievable current by at least one order of magnitude, already for moderate vibronic coupling strengths, as compared to the Born-Oppenheimer limit of fixed atomic positions. The circulation direction of the electrons is found to depend on the spectral region of the $(E\times e)$ Hamiltonian. This fact results in the surprising effect that the same polarization direction of the laser pulse can trigger either clockwise or anti-clockwise electronic dynamics depending on the wavelength of the photons. These findings are illustrated in a model of the triazine molecule.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2021

Generalized Discrete Truncated Wigner Approximation for Nonadiabtic Quantum-Classical Dynamics

Nonadiabatic molecular dynamics occur in a wide range of chemical reactions and femtochemistry experiments involving electronically excited states. These dynamics are hard to treat numerically as the system's complexity increases and it is thus desirable to have accurate yet affordable methods for their simulation. Here, we introduce a linearized semiclassical method, the generalized discrete truncated Wigner approximation (GDTWA), which is well-established in the context of quantum spin lattice systems, into the arena of chemical nonadiabatic systems. In contrast to traditional continuous mapping approaches, e.g. the Meyer-Miller-Stock-Thoss and the spin mappings, GDTWA samples the electron degrees of freedom in a discrete phase space, and thus forbids an unphysical unbounded growth of electronic state populations. The discrete sampling also accounts for an effective reduced but non-vanishing zero-point energy without an explicit parameter, which makes it possible to treat the identity operator and other operators on an equal footing. As numerical benchmarks on two Linear Vibronic Coupling models show, GDTWA has a satisfactory accuracy in a wide parameter regime, independently of whether the dynamics is dominated by relaxation or by coherent interactions. Our results suggest that the method can be very adequate to treat challenging nonadiabatic dynamics problems in chemistry and related fields.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2020

Tomographic imaging of complete quantum state of matter by ultrafast diffraction

With the ability to directly obtain the Wigner function and density matrix of photon states, quantum tomography (QT) has had a significant impact on quantum optics, quantum computing and quantum information. By an appropriate sequence of measurements on the evolution of each degreeof freedom (DOF), the full quantum state of the observed photonic system can be determined. The first proposal to extend the application of QT to reconstruction of complete quantum states of matter wavepackets had generated enormous interest in ultrafast diffraction imaging and pump-probe spectroscopy of molecules. This interest was elevated with the advent of ultrafast electron and X-ray diffraction techniques using electron accelerators and X-ray free electron lasers to add temporal resolution to the observed nuclear and electron distributions. However, the great interest in this area has been tempered by the illustration of an impossibility theorem, known as the dimension problem. Not being able to associate unitary evolution to every DOF of molecular motion, quantum tomography could not be used beyond 1D and categorically excludes most vibrational and all rotational motion of molecules. Here we present a theoretical advance to overcome the notorious dimension problem. Solving this challenging problem is important to push imaging molecular dynamics to the quantum limit. The new theory has solved this problem, which makes quantum tomography a truly useful methodology in ultrafast physics and enables the making of quantum version of a molecular movie. With the new theory, quantum tomography can be finally advanced to a sufficient level to become a general method for reconstructing quantum states of matter, without being limited in one dimension. Our new concept is demonstrated using a simulated dataset of ultrafast diffraction experiment of laser-aligned nitrogen molecules.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Ultrafast transfer and transient entrapment of photoexcited Mg electron in Mg@C60

Electron relaxation is studied in endofullerene Mg@C60, after an initial localized photoexcitation in Mg, by nonadiabtic molecular dynamics simulations. To ensure reliability, two methods are used: i) an independent particle approach with a DFT description of the ground state and ii) HF ground state with many-body effects for the excited state dynamics. Both methods exhibit similar relaxation times leading to an ultrafast decay and charge transfer from Mg to C60 within tens of femtoseconds. Method (i) further elicits a robust transient-trap of the transferred electron that can delay the electron-hole recombination. Results shall motivate experiments to probe these ultrafast processes by two-photon transient absorption spectroscopy in gas phase, in solution, or as thin films.

physics.atm-clus↗

arXiv2020

On the Generation of Electronic Ring Currents under Vibronic Coupling Effects

We study the generation of electronic ring currents in the presence of nonadiabatic coupling using circularly polarized light. For this, we introduce a solvable model consisting of an electron and a nucleus rotating around a common center and subject to their mutual Coulomb interaction. The simplicity of the model brings to the forefront the non-trivial properties of electronic ring currents in the presence of coupling to the nuclear coordinates and enables the characterization of various limiting situations transparently. Employing this model, we show that vibronic coupling effects play a crucial role even when a single $E$ degenerate eigenstate of the system supports the current. The maximum current of a degenerate eigenstate depends on the strength of the nonadiabatic interactions. In the limit of large nuclear to electronic masses, in which the Born-Oppenheimer approximation becomes exact, constant ring currents and time-averaged oscillatory currents necessarily vanish.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2020

Non-adiabatic quantum dynamics without potential energy surfaces based on second-quantized electrons: application within the framework of the MCTDH method

A first principles quantum formalism to describe the non-adiabatic dynamics of electrons and nuclei based on a second quantization representation (SQR) of the electronic motion combined with the usual representation of the nuclear coordinates is introduced. This procedure circumvents the introduction of potential energy surfaces and non-adiabatic couplings, providing an alternative to the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. An important feature of the molecular Hamiltonian in the mixed first quantized representation for the nuclei and the SQR representation for the electrons is that all degrees of freedom, nuclear positions and electronic occupations, are distinguishable. This makes the approach compatible with various tensor decomposition \emph{ansätze} for the propagation of the nuclear-electronic wavefunction. Here, we describe the application of this formalism within the multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree (MCTDH) framework and its multilayer generalization, corresponding to Tucker and hierarchical Tucker tensor decompositions of the wavefunction, respectively. The approach is applied to the calculation of the photodissociation cross-section of the HeH$^+$ molecule under extreme ultraviolet irradiation, which features non-adiabatic effects and quantum interferences between the two possible fragmentation channels, He+H$^+$ and He$^+$+H. These calculations are compared with the usual description based on ab \emph{ab initio} potential energy surfaces and non-adiabatic coupling matrix elements, which fully agree. The proof-of-principle calculations serve to illustrate the advantages and drawbacks of this formalism, which are discussed in detail, as well as possible ways to overcome them.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2020

Photoinduced Vibrations Drive Ultrafast Structural Distortion in Lead Halide Perovskite

Organic-inorganic perovskites have shown great promise towards their application in optoelectronics. The success of this class of material is dictated by the complex interplay between various underlying microscopic phenomena. The structural dynamics of organic cations and the inorganic sublattice after photoexcitation is hypothesized to have a direct effect on the material properties, thereby affecting the overall device performance. Here, we use two-dimensional (2D) electronic spectroscopy to reveal impulsively excited vibrational modes of methylammonium (MA) lead iodide perovskite, which drive the structural distortion after photoexcitation. The vibrational analysis of the measured data allows us to directly monitor the time evolution of the librational motion of the MA cation along with the vibrational coherences of inorganic sublattice. Wavelet analysis of the observed vibrational coherences uncovers the interplay between these two types of phonons. It reveals the coherent generation of the librational motion of the MA cation within ~300 fs, which is complemented by the coherent evolution of the skeletal motion of the inorganic sublattice. We have employed time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) to study the atomic motion of the MA cation and the inorganic sublattice during the process of photoexcitation. The TDDFT calculations support our experimental observations of the coherent generation of librational motions in the MA cation and highlight the importance of the anharmonic interaction between the MA cation and the inorganic sublattice. Our calculations predict the transfer of the photoinduced vibrational coherence from the MA cation to the inorganic sublattice, which drives the skeleton motion to form a polaronic state leading to long lifetimes of the charge carriers. This work may lead to novel design principles for next generation of solar cell materials.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2018

Towards attochemistry: Control of nuclear motion through conical intersections and electronic coherences

The effect of nuclear dynamics and conical intersections on electronic coherences is investigated employing a two-state, two-mode linear vibronic coupling model. Exact quantum dynamical calculations are performed using the multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree method (MCTDH). It is found that the presence of a non-adiabatic coupling close to the Franck-Condon point can preserve electronic coherence to some extent. Additionally, the possibility of steering the nuclear wavepackets by imprinting a relative phase between the electronic states during the photoionization process is discussed. It is found that the steering of nuclear wavepackets is possible given that a coherent electronic wavepacket embodying the phase difference passes through a conical intersection. A conical intersection close to the Franck-Condon point is thus a necessary prerequisite for control, providing a clear path towards attochemistry.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2018

Collective conical intersections through light-matter coupling in a cavity

The ultrafast non-radiative relaxation of a molecular ensemble coupled to a cavity mode is considered theoretically and by real-time quantum dynamics. For equal coupling strength of single molecules to the cavity mode, the non-radiative relaxation rate from the upper to the lower polariton states is found to strongly depend on the number of coupled molecules. For N>2 molecules, the N-1 dark light-matter states between the two optically active polaritons feature true collective conical intersection crossings, whose location depends on the internal atomic coordinates of each molecule in the ensemble, and which contribute to the ultrafast non-radiative decay from the upper polariton. At least N=3 coupled molecules are necessary for cavity-induced collective conical intersections to exist and, for identical molecules, they constitute a special case of the Jahn-Teller effect.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2018

Coherent dynamics in cavity femtochemistry: application of the multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree method

The photochemistry of a molecular ensemble coupled to a resonance cavity and triggered by a femtosecond laser pulse is investigated from a real-time, quantum dynamics perspective with the multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree method. Coherent excitation of a superposition of electronic states in the ensemble leads to superradiant energy transfer to the cavity characterized by quadratic scaling with the number of molecules. Electronic decoherence associated with loss of nuclear wave packet overlap among those states destroys superradiant energy transfer, returning to a linear regime. For equal pump laser conditions, the photoexcitation probability per molecule decreases with increase of the number of molecules inside the cavity. This is caused by a loss of resonance condition of the laser with the bright electronic-photonic states of the coupled cavity-ensemble system. Increase of the laser bandwidth restores the energy transferred per molecule and the trigger probability remains independent of the number of molecules in the cavity.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2017

Ultrafast Isomerization in Acetylene Dication: To Be or Not To Be

Experimental evidence has pointed toward the existence of ultrafast proton migration and isomerization as a key process for acetylene and its ions, however the actual mechanism for ultrafast isomerization of the acetylene [HCCH]2+ to vinylidene [H2CC]2+ dication remains nebulous. Theoretical studies show a high potential barrier of over 2eV for the isomerization pathways on the low lying dicationic states, implying that the corresponding isomerization should take picoseconds or even longer according to transition state theory. However a recent experiment at a femtosecond X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) [Nature Commun. 6, 8199 (2015)] suggests that large amplitude hydrogen migration proceeds on a sub-100 femtosecond time scale. In order to resolve the contradiction, we present a complete theoretical study of the dynamics of acetylene dication produced by Auger decay after X-ray photoionization of the carbon atom K shell. We find that isomerization does not occur on the sub-100 fs timescale and is not required to explain the time-resolved Coulomb imaging experiment. This study resolves the seeming contradiction between experiment and theory concerning the isomerization time scale in acetylene dication. This work calls for careful interpretation of structural information from the widely applied Coulomb momentum imaging method but also points out its strengths in mapping out momentum dispersion dynamics even when structural variation is minor.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2017

Electronic decoherence following photoionization: full quantum-dynamical treatment of the influence of nuclear motion

Photoionization using attosecond pulses can lead to the formation of coherent superpositions of the electronic states of the parent ion. However, ultrafast electron ejection triggers not only electronic but also nuclear dynamics---leading to electronic decoherence, which is typically neglected on time scales up to tens of femtoseconds. We propose a full quantum-dynamical treatment of nuclear motion in an adiabatic framework, where nuclear wavepackets move on adiabatic potential energy surfaces expanded up to second order at the Franck-Condon point. We show that electronic decoherence is caused by the interplay of a large number of nuclear degrees of freedom and by the relative topology of the potential energy surfaces. Application to $\mathrm{H_2O}$, paraxylene, and phenylalanine shows that an initially coherent state evolves to an electronically mixed state within just a few femtoseconds. In these examples the fast vibrations involving hydrogen atoms do not affect electronic coherence at short times. Conversely, vibrational modes involving the whole molecular skeleton, which are slow in the ground electronic state, quickly destroy it upon photoionization.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2016

Sub-picosecond energy transfer from a highly intense THz pulse to water: a computational study based on the TIP4P/2005 model

The dynamics of ultrafast energy transfer to water clusters and to bulk water by a highly intense, sub-cycle THz pulse of duration $\approx$~150~fs is investigated in the context of force-field molecular dynamics simulations. We focus our attention on the mechanisms by which rotational and translational degrees of freedom of the water monomers gain energy from these sub-cycle pulses with an electric field amplitude of up to about 0.6~V/Å. It has been recently shown that pulses with these characteristics can be generated in the laboratory [PRL 112, 213901 (2014)]. Through their permanent dipole moment, water molecules are acted upon by the electric field and forced off their preferred hydrogen-bond network conformation. This immediately sets them in motion with respect to one another as energy quickly transfers to their relative center of mass displacements. We find that, in the bulk, the operation of these mechanisms is strongly dependent on the initial temperature and density of the system. In low density systems, the equilibration between rotational and translational modes is slow due to the lack of collisions between monomers. As the initial density of the system approaches 1~g/cm$^3$, equilibration between rotational and translational modes after the pulse becomes more efficient. In turn, low temperatures hinder the direct energy transfer from the pulse to rotational motion owing to the resulting stiffness of the hydrogen bond network. For small clusters of just a few water molecules we find that fragmentation due to the interaction with the pulse is faster than equilibration between rotations and translations, meaning that the latter remain colder than the former after the pulse.

physics.atm-clus↗

arXiv2014

Multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree impurity solver for nonequilibrium dynamical mean-field theory

Nonequilibrium dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) solves correlated lattice models by obtaining their local correlation functions from an effective model consisting of a single impurity in a self-consistently determined bath. The recently developed mapping of this impurity problem from the Keldysh time contour onto a time-dependent single-impurity Anderson model (SIAM) [C. Gramsch et al., Phys. Rev. B 88, 235106 (2013)] allows one to use wave function-based methods in the context of nonequilibrium DMFT. Within this mapping, long times in the DMFT simulation become accessible by an increasing number of bath orbitals, which requires efficient representations of the time-dependent SIAM wave function. These can be achieved by the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree (MCTDH) method and its multi-layer extensions. We find that MCTDH outperforms exact diagonalization for large baths in which the latter approach is still within reach and allows for the calculation of SIAMs beyond the system size accessible by exact diagonalization. Moreover, we illustrate the computation of the self-consistent two-time impurity Green's function within the MCTDH second quantization representation.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Dynamics of fluctuations in a quantum system

"\textit{The noise is the signal}"[R. Landauer, Nature \textbf{392}, 658 (1998)] emphasizes the rich information content encoded in fluctuations. This paper assesses the dynamical role of fluctuations of a quantum system driven far from equilibrium, with laser-aligned molecules as a physical realization. Time evolutions of the expectation value and the uncertainty of a standard observable are computed quantum mechanically and classically. We demonstrate the intricate dynamics of the uncertainty that are strikingly independent of those of the expectation value, and their exceptional sensitivity to quantum properties of the system. In general, detecting the time evolution of the fluctuations of a given observable provides information on the dynamics of correlations in a quantum system.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

The Multi-Layer Multi-Configuration Time-Dependent Hartree Method for Bosons: Theory, Implementation and Applications

We develop the multi-layer multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree method for bosons (ML-MCTDHB), a variational numerically exact ab-initio method for studying the quantum dynamics and stationary properties of bosonic systems. ML-MCTDHB takes advantage of the permutation symmetry of identical bosons, which allows for investigations of the quantum dynamics from few to many-body systems. Moreover, the multi-layer feature enables ML-MCTDHB to describe mixed bosonic systems consisting of arbitrary many species. Multi-dimensional as well as mixed-dimensional systems can be accurately and efficiently simulated via the multi-layer expansion scheme. We provide a detailed account of the underlying theory and the corresponding implementation. We also demonstrate the superior performance by applying the method to the tunneling dynamics of bosonic ensembles in a one-dimensional double well potential, where a single-species bosonic ensemble of various correlation strengths and a weakly interacting two-species bosonic ensemble are considered.

physics.comp-ph↗