arXiv subjects

Ruo Kun Cai

Publications and source records attributed to Ruo Kun Cai.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Thouless pumping and generation of squeezed Fock-state superpositions in a Fock-state lattice

In this paper, Thouless pumping in a one-dimensional semi-infinite Fock-state lattice is investigated. A distinctive feature of such lattices is the intrinsic $\sqrt{n}$-dependent coupling arising from the bosonic mode, which leads to spatially nonuniform hopping amplitudes. In the dimer limit, the topological invariants and the quantized transport dynamics in the Fock-state basis are numerically evaluated and analyzed. By introducing an additional inter-cell coupling and applying a squeezing transformation, the framework is then extended to Thouless pumping in the squeezed Fock-state basis, where a topologically protected scheme for preparing superpositions of squeezed Fock states is proposed. This study establishes Thouless pumping in Fock-state lattices as a useful tool for quantum state engineering, shifting the focus from observing topological transport to harnessing it for the preparation of non-classical states of the bosonic mode.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Quantum-Optical Bound States in the Continuum

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) are counterintuitive localized states that lie within the continuum of extended states. While extensively realized and utilized in classical wave systems, it is still unclear what a close analog of BICs would be, and how to extract their experimental signature in quantum-optical settings -- where the wave field itself is quantized into bosonic excitations. Here, we present a paradigmatic quantum-optical model consisting of a driven multi-level Jaynes-Cummings (JC) system, featuring few quantum degrees of freedom yet capable of hosting a BIC. Using the concept of a Fock-state lattice (FSL), this model can be mapped to an extended structure comprising two semi-infinite inhomogeneous Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) chains coupled to a common continuum. An appropriate quantum superposition of two topological zero modes from the separate chains forms a BIC that remains perfectly localized in the Fock-state dimension within the continuum spectrum, due to complete decoupling from the common continuum via destructive quantum interference. We further develop a method to extract the spectroscopic signature of the BIC -- a discrete peak embedded in a continuous background -- by Fourier-transforming the time-dependent dynamics of the system's chiral-symmetry operator. A highly feasible experimental proposal using a single trapped ion is provided. Our work bridges BIC physics with quantum optics, opening a pathway to harnessing such exotic states at the quantum limit.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Confined non-Hermitian skin effect in a semi-infinite Fock-state lattice

In this paper, we investigate the non-Hermitian skin effect in a semi-infinite Fock-state lattice, where the inherent coupling scales as \sqrt{n}. By analytically solving a non-uniform, non-reciprocal SSH model, we demonstrate that the intrinsic inhomogeneous coupling, in combination with nonreciprocity, fundamentally modifies the conventional skin effect. Instead of accumulating at the physical boundary, all eigenmodes become compressed and skewed within a finite spatial range determined by the inhomogeneous profile-a phenomenon we term the confined non-Hermitian skin effect. Consequently, the evolution of the probability distribution on the lattice starting from a single site is doubly confined: it is spatially bounded to a finite range by the inhomogeneous coupling, and further restricted to a one-sided trajectory at the edge of this range by the non-reciprocity. Moreover, a feasible experimental scheme based on a single trapped ion is also proposed. This work reveals how engineered coupling profiles in synthetic dimensions can reshape non-Hermitian properties and enable new protocols for quantum state manipulation.

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