arXiv subjects

S. Teufel

Publications and source records attributed to S. Teufel.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2016

The Localization Dichotomy for gapped periodic quantum systems

We investigate the localization properties of gapped periodic quantum systems, modeled by a periodic or covariant family of projectors, as e.g. the orthogonal projectors on the occupied orbitals at fixed crystal momentum for a gas of non-interacting electrons. We prove a general localization dichotomy for dimension $d\leq 3$: either the system is topologically trivial i.e. all the Chern numbers vanish, or any arbitrary choice of composite Wannier functions yields an infinite expectation value for the squared position operator. Equivalently, in the topologically non-trivial phase, the localization functional introduced by Marzari and Vanderbilt diverges, as already noticed in the case of the Haldane model. Our result is formulated by using only the relevant symmetries of the system, and it is thus largely model-independent. Possible applications include both tight-binding and continuous models of crystalline solids, cold gases in optical lattices as well as flat band superconductivity.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Optimal decay of Wannier functions in Chern and Quantum Hall insulators

We investigate the localization properties of independent electrons in a periodic background, possibly including a periodic magnetic field, as e.g. in Chern insulators and in Quantum Hall systems. Since, generically, the spectrum of the Hamiltonian is absolutely continuous, localization is characterized by the decay, as $|x| \rightarrow \infty$, of the composite (magnetic) Wannier functions associated to the Bloch bands below the Fermi energy, which is supposed to be in a spectral gap. We prove the validity of a localization dichotomy, in the following sense: either there exist exponentially localized composite Wannier functions, and correspondingly the system is in a trivial topological phase with vanishing Hall conductivity, or the decay of any composite Wannier function is such that the expectation value of the squared position operator, or equivalently of the Marzari-Vanderbilt localization functional, is $+ \infty$. In the latter case, the Bloch bundle is topologically non-trivial, and one expects a non-zero Hall conductivity.

math-ph↗

arXiv2007

Effective dynamics for particles coupled to a quantized scalar field

We consider a system of N non-relativistic spinless quantum particles (``electrons'') interacting with a quantized scalar Bose field (whose excitations we call ``photons''). We examine the case when the velocity v of the electrons is small with respect to the one of the photons, denoted by c (v/c= epsilon << 1). We show that dressed particle states exist (particles surrounded by ``virtual photons''), which, up to terms of order (v/c)^3, follow Hamiltonian dynamics. The effective N-particle Hamiltonian contains the kinetic energies of the particles and Coulomb-like pair potentials at order (v/c)^0 and the velocity dependent Darwin interaction and a mass renormalization at order (v/c)^{2}. Beyond that order the effective dynamics are expected to be dissipative. The main mathematical tool we use is adiabatic perturbation theory. However, in the present case there is no eigenvalue which is separated by a gap from the rest of the spectrum, but its role is taken by the bottom of the absolutely continuous spectrum, which is not an eigenvalue. Nevertheless we construct approximate dressed electrons subspaces, which are adiabatically invariant for the dynamics up to order (v/c)\sqrt{\ln (v/c)^{-1}}. We also give an explicit expression for the non adiabatic transitions corresponding to emission of free photons. For the radiated energy we obtain the quantum analogue of the Larmor formula of classical electrodynamics.

math-ph↗

arXiv2000

Semiclassical limit for the Schroedinger equation with a short scale periodic potential

We consider the dynamics generated by the Schroedinger operator $H=-{1/2}Δ+ V(x) + W(\epsi x)$, where $V$ is a lattice periodic potential and $W$ an external potential which varies slowly on the scale set by the lattice spacing. We prove that in the limit $\epsi \to 0$ the time dependent position operator and, more generally, semiclassical observables converge strongly to a limit which is determined by the semiclassical dynamics.

math-ph↗