arXiv subjects

Stefano Gherardini

Publications and source records attributed to Stefano Gherardini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Reverse engineering of mechano-kinetic parameters from stochastic force profiles in heterogeneous ensembles of molecular motors and tracks

Heterogeneity in contractile systems of molecular motors interacting with their tracks plays a key role in numerous cellular physiological and pathological processes. However, its effects cannot be captured by theoretical models assuming identical mechano-kinetic properties for all motors. We developed a stochastic framework to describe heterogeneous ensembles of myosin motors comprising two populations with distinct mechano-kinetic properties. Assuming that motors interact with the actin filament (their track) as independent force generators, we derived the probability distribution of the isometric force and characterised the statistics of finite-size force fluctuations. The proposed framework includes an estimation procedure that simultaneously infers the mechano-kinetic parameters and the size of the motor ensemble, eliminating the need to prescribe it a priori. Validation against synthetic and experimental data shows the model accurately captures force fluctuations and provides realistic estimates of the ensemble size. Furthermore, the framework enables a quantitative assessment of ensemble heterogeneity and the inference of an unknown motor species properties. This approach provides a quantitative tool for characterising heterogeneous actin-myosin systems, such as those arising from the co-presence of different protein isoforms in cardiac and skeletal muscle, or from the partial replacement of native proteins with mutation-derived or engineered variants.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2026

Conditioning in Generative Quantum Denoising Diffusion Models

Quantum denoising diffusion models have recently emerged as a powerful framework for generative quantum machine learning. In this work, we extend these models by introducing a conditioning mechanism that enables the generation of quantum states drawn from multiple target distributions. By sharing parameters across distinct classes of quantum states, our approach avoids the need to train separate models for each distribution. We validate our method through numerical simulations that span single-qubit generation tasks, entangled state preparation, and many-body ground state generation. Across these tasks, conditioning significantly reduced the error of targeted state generation by more than an order of magnitude. Finally, we perform an ablation study to quantify the effect of key hyperparameters on the model performance.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Dynamical universality class for competing short- and long-range interactions

Understanding the dynamical universality classes of systems with long-range interactions remains a key challenge in statistical physics. In this Letter, we analytically and numerically investigate the non-equilibrium critical dynamics of the one-dimensional spin-$1/2$ Nagle-Kardar model, which is characterized by the competition between short- and long-range interactions and the presence of a tricritical point. We focus on the slowing-down of the magnetization $m$ at criticality under Glauber dynamics. Starting from the corresponding master equation, we perform a coarse-graining procedure to obtain a Fokker-Planck equation for the macroscopic variables. Then, the asymptotic decay of the magnetization is derived using central manifold theory. We find that $m$ decays as $t^{-1/2}$ along the critical line and as $t^{-1/4}$ precisely at the tricritical point. This finding confirms that the dynamical critical exponent is $z=2$ as for mean-field models, proving that the macroscopic critical dynamics of the Nagle-Kardar model falls within the dynamical universality class of purely relaxational, non-conserved order parameters (model A). While Kardar proved that the equilibrium Curie-Weiss theory extends to Ising models where nearest-neighbor interactions are included, we here show that such result is valid also for critical dynamics. Our work provides the semi-analytical solution for the critical dynamics of a model with mixed-range interactions, assigning its universality class.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2026

Macroscopic Fokker-Planck equation from microscopic Glauber dynamics for the Nagle-Kardar model

In the companion Letter we have highlighted the dynamical universality class of the Nagle-Kardar model, where a mean-field interaction is added to the one-dimensional nearest-neighbor Ising model. Starting from the microscopic Glauber dynamics, this paper provides a complete derivation of the Fokker-Planck equation that describes the time evolution of the macroscopic variables (magnetization and defect density) appearing in the model's Hamiltonian. The study of the Langevin equation, associated with the Fokker-Planck equation, allowed us to prove that the model belongs to the universal class of systems with diffusive dynamics and non-conserved order parameter (model A). To this goal, we used several features of the model at equilibrium, including the phase diagram and the fluctuations of macroscopic variables, which are here discussed for completeness. The derivation of the Fokker-Planck equation requires the solution of some combinatorial problems that appear in the counting of configurations at an intermediate level between the microscopic Glauber dynamics and the macroscopic Fokker-Planck one. Finally, we apply both the Glauber and the Langevin dynamics to the study of the average first passage time between local equilibrium states. We confirm that this time obeys an exponential Arrhenius law in terms of system's size, offering a direct link between microscopic energy landscapes and macroscopic relaxation mechanisms.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2026

Quantum work statistics and coherence effects in quenched bosonic Josephson junctions

We investigate the non-equilibrium work statistics originating from a sudden quench in a bosonic Josephson junction. In particular, by employing the Holstein-Primakoff approximation, the work statistics are analytically characterized in the weak-interaction regime, where the dynamics map onto a time-dependent quantum harmonic oscillator. For a junction initialized in the ground state of the pre-quench Hamiltonian, we demonstrate that the work statistics are governed by a negative binomial distribution, as occurs in fully-connected models driven across a critical point. Furthermore, we also consider initial superposition states containing quantum coherences in the energy basis. To characterize the corresponding work distributions, we employ Kirkwood-Dirac quasiprobabilities (KDQ). Even in the simplest case, when the junction is initialized in a superposition of the ground and second excited states, the KDQ distribution of work exhibits negative or complex values, reflecting non-classical features. Moreover, the coherence content of the initial state can be optimized to enhance the extractable work extracted from the quench, beyond classical bounds. Finally, we propose an experimental interferometric protocol to directly measure the characteristic function of the work distribution in experimentally accessible settings.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Revealing the topology of quantum states via Kirkwood-Dirac quasiprobabilities

We discuss a theoretical approach to discriminate whether two states of a many-body quantum system belong or not to different topology classes. This approach is based on expressing a strange correlator - a recently established tool for quantum topology discrimination - between the states as a function of Kirkwood-Dirac quasiprobabilities (KDQs). KDQs provide a first-principles representation of two-time quantum correlators. The link between strange correlators and KDQs allows to establish that strange correlators are weak values of an observable converting an initial trivial state into a topologically non-trivial one. We thus propose a quantum topology witness that is achievable measuring the prior and subsequent effects on a many-body system of a sudden quench transformation that realizes the transition between trivial and topological phases. The witness is evaluated on a probe quantum state whose main features are detailed within the paper. Finally, directly exploiting schemes that allows for the complete reconstruction of KDQs, we address an interferometric protocol for topology discrimination, along with a general discussion of the main lines and challenges towards its implementation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Nonclassical energy-change distribution as a witness of non-Markovian quantum dynamics

We address the problem of identifying non-Markovian quantum time evolutions of an open quantum system by only performing measurements of the system's energy. We demonstrate that violations of CP-divisibility are always witnessed by non-positive values of the energy-change Kirkwood-Dirac quasiprobability distribution associated with the system's Hamiltonian, evaluated at consecutive times. The link between non CP-divisibility and non-positivity of the system's energy-change distribution is stronger when the system-environment interactions are energy-preserving. The witness works whenever anomalous energy fluxes, due to non-Markovianity, are realized. Anomalous fluxes are also detected by the non-Markovianity measure built over the quantum mutual information between the states of the open system and of a quantum correlated reference.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Squeezing and adiabaticity breaking in time-dependent quantum harmonic oscillators

The quantum harmonic oscillator with time-dependent frequency is a paradigmatic model of driven quantum dynamics and one of the few nontrivial systems that admits an exact analytical solution. In this review paper, we present a unified treatment of the time-dependent oscillator based on the Lewis-Riesenfeld invariant method, Bogoliubov transformations and the Ermakov-Pinney equation. We show how these approaches naturally connect to squeezing for the description of excitations production, and to the breakdown of adiabaticity under generic frequency protocols. Exact results for sudden quenches and smooth ramps are discussed in detail. By explicitly bridging invariant methods and squeezing formalism, this review is meant to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding nonequilibrium dynamics in quadratic potentials, with applications ranging from thermodynamics and condensed matter to quantum control theory.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Nonequilibrium thermometry via an ensemble of initially correlated qubits

We investigate a nonequilibrium quantum thermometry protocol in which an ensemble of qubits, acting as temperature probes, is weakly coupled to a macroscopic thermal bath. The temperature of the bath, the parameter of interest, is encoded in the dissipator of a Markovian thermalization process. For some relevant initial states, we observe a peak in the Quantum Fisher Information (QFI) during the transient of the thermalization, indicating enhanced sensitivity in early-time dynamics. This effect becomes more pronounced at higher bath temperatures and is further enhanced when the initial reduced state of the qubits has a large ground-state population and/or it is highly coherent. We also focus on the role of initial quantum correlations in the thermometric performance, which emerge as a central feature of this work. We find strong numerical evidence that, given same single-qubit reduced states, the inclusion of quantum correlations among the qubits of the ensemble always yields an enhanced QFI. Moreover, even if none of the considered states outperform the (pure, separable) ground state, maximally entangled states display QFIs values remarkably close to the standard quantum limit when probing extremely hot thermal baths. Finally, although the Markovian dynamics does not permit superlinear scaling of the QFI with the number of probes, we identify the most effective initial states for designing high-precision quantum thermometers within this setting. We also provide concrete guidelines for experimental implementations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Operational criterion for Wigner function negativity

We introduce an operational criterion to identify Wigner function (WF) negativity for an arbitrary quantum state within the framework of quantum non-demolition measurements. This criterion corresponds to experimentally accessible schemes that enable a direct measurement of the WF, and establishes the coherent-state basis as a privileged basis for determining when the WF exhibits negative regions. We show that the absence (presence) of coherent superpositions in the coherent-state basis provides direct information about the positivity (negativity) of the WF. In particular, the absence of such superpositions constitutes a sufficient condition for WF positivity. Although a general proof of necessity remains elusive, we demonstrate that this condition is also necessary in two relevant cases: Schrödinger-cat states and higher-order cat states on a circle. More precisely, for Schrödinger-cat states we establish a necessary and sufficient condition for the positivity of the WF in full generality, whereas for high-order cat states on a circle we derive an analogous condition in the limit of a large number of densely packed coherent states.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Orthogonalization speed-up from quantum coherence after a sudden quench

We introduce a nonequilibrium phenomenon, reminiscent of Anderson's orthogonality catastrophe (OC), that arises in the transient dynamics following an interaction quench between a quantum system and a localized defect. Even if the system comprises only a single particle, the overlap between the asymptotic and initial superposition states vanishes according to a power-law scaling with the number of energy eigenstates entering the initial state and an exponent that depends on the interaction strength. The presence of quantum coherence in the initial state is reflected onto the discrete counterpart of an infinite discontinuity in the quasiprobability distribution of work due to the quench transformation, and onto the subsequent power-law decay of the work distribution. The positivity loss of the work distribution is directly linked with a reduction of the minimal time imposed by quantum mechanics for the state to orthogonalize, thus leading to a quantum coherence-enhanced state-orthogonalization. We propose an experimental test of coherence-enhanced orthogonalization dynamics based on Ramsey interferometry of a trapped cold-atom system.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Ising Models of Cooperativity in Muscle Contraction

Regulation of contraction in striated muscle is controlled by a dual mechanism involving both thin filaments containing actin and thick filaments containing myosin. The thin filament is activated by calcium ions binding to troponin, leading to tropomyosin azimuthal displacement which allows the activation of a regulatory unit (composed of one troponin, one tropomyosin and seven actin monomers) that exposes the actin sites for interaction with the myosin motors. Motor attachment to actin contributes to spreading activation within and beyond a regulatory unit along the thin filament through a cooperative mechanism. We introduce a one-dimensional Ising model to elucidate the mechanism of cooperativity in thin filament activation in relation to the force generated by the attached myosin motor. The model characterizes thin filament activation and cooperativity using only two parameters: one related to calcium concentration and the other to the force exerted by the attached myosin motor, which is modulated by temperature. At any force, the model is able to determine the extent of actin-myosin interactions on a correlation length ranging from two to seven actin monomers in addition to the seven actin monomers of the regulatory unit. Our theoretical predictions are successfully tested on experimental data, and our tests also include the condition of hindered filament activation by the use of the specific drug Omecamtiv Mecarbil (OM). According to our model, the effect of OM results in an anti-cooperativity mechanism accounting for the experimental data.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2026

Quantumness certification via non-demolition measurements

The fundamental question of when a static or dynamic system should be deemed intrinsically quantum remains a challenge to address in absolute terms. In this regard, a critical requirement lies in the certification (ideally, in real-time) of the emergence and persistence of genuine quantum features, principally entanglement and quantum superposition. Quantum Non-Demolition Measurements (QNDM) serve as the appropriate instrument for this certification, both from a theoretical and experimental standpoint. In this review paper, we explain, with accessible clarity, how the implementation of QNDM can be directly linked to a necessary and sufficient condition for the presence of genuinely quantum features in the system's state monitored over time in finite-dimensional systems, establishing a conceptual parallel with Leggett-Garg inequalities. Using concrete examples that detail the detection of negative terms in the quasi-probability density function resulting from QNDM, we introduce the core concepts for quantumness certification. As specific examples, we discuss an application where the quantum-to-classical transition due to the interaction with an environment can be tracked by QNDM. Moreover, we argue about the robustness of QNDM protocols in the presence of noise sources and their advantages with respect to standard Leggett-Garg inequalities defined by two-time correlators.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Experimental challenges and prospects for quantum-enhanced energy conversion: Stationary Fano coherence in V-type qutrits interacting with polarized incoherent radiation

Quantum coherence offers potential for energy conversion technologies. It influences light absorption and emission, affecting energy conversion limits and efficiency. As a result, quantum coherence is being harnessed to boost performance in quantum heat engines, photocells, and photosynthetic-inspired platforms. Of particular interest in this context is the generation of Fano coherences, i.e., the formation of quantum coherences due to the interaction with the continuum of modes characterizing an incoherent process. We aim to formalize mathematically the possibility of achieving steady-state Fano coherence in a V-type three-level quantum system using polarized incoherent radiation, without requiring the energy difference between the excited levels to tend to zero. We perform this analysis by deriving the Bloch-Redfield equation from first-principles by quantizing the incoherent radiation. The resulting reduced dynamics of the system are analysed, so as to determine the lifetime of Fano coherence and identify the conditions under which it becomes stationary. We characterise distinct dynamical regimes, ranging from weak to strong pumping, in which steady-state Fano coherence emerges, and we quantitatively determine its magnitude. For each regime, we analyse the generation of Fano coherence as a function of both the intensity of the incoherent pumping and the energy splitting between the excited levels. We also assess how obtaining Fano coherence is modified by symmetric or asymmetric decay rates. These findings indicate that a three-level quantum system driven by polarized incoherent light can act as a robust resource for coherence-assisted energy conversion and storage. Finally, we discuss the experimental challenges associated with the implementation of the proposed model using an ensemble of Rubidium atoms.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Squeezing generation crossing a mean-field critical point: Work statistics, irreversibility and critical fingerprints

Understanding the dynamical consequences of quantum phase transitions on thermodynamical quantities, such as work statistics and entropy production, is one of the most intriguing aspect of quantum many-body systems, pinpointing the emergence of irreversibility to critical features. In this work, we investigate the critical fingerprints appearing in these key thermodynamical quantities for a mean-field critical system undergoing a finite-time cycle, starting from a thermal state at a generic inverse temperature. In contrast to non-zero dimensional many-body systems, the presence of a mean-field critical point in a finite-time cycle leads to constant irreversible work even in the limit of infinitely slow driving. This links with the fact that a slow finite-time cycle results in a constant amount of squeezing, which enables us to derive analytical expressions for the work statistics and irreversible entropy, depending solely on the mean-field critical exponents and the functional form of the control parameter near the critical point. We find that the probability of observing negative work values, corresponding to negative irreversible entropy, is inversely proportional to the time the system remains near to the critical point, and this trend becomes less pronounced the lower the temperature of the initial thermal state. Finally, we determine the irreversibility traits under squeezing generation at zero-temperature using the relative entropy of coherence.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Impact of quantum coherence on the dynamics and thermodynamics of quenched free fermions coupled to a localized defect

We investigate the non-equilibrium quantum dynamics and thermodynamics of free fermions suddenly coupled to a localized defect in a one-dimensional harmonic trap. This setup realizes a quantum quench transformation that gives rise to the orthogonalization of the system's wave-function as an effect of the localized perturbation. Using the Loschmidt echo and the Kirkwood-Dirac quasiprobability (KDQ) distribution of the work done by the defect, we quantify the extent and rate of the orthogonalization dynamics. In particular, we show that initializing the system in a coherent superpositions of energy eigenstates leads to non-classical features, such as Wigner function's negativity and non-positivity of the work KDQ distribution. Starting from simple single-particle superpositions and then progressing with coherent and cat states of few-body fermionic systems, we uncover how quantum coherence and few-body correlations shape the out-of-equilibrium response due to the presence of the defect.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2025

Quasiprobability distributions with weak measurements

We discuss and experimentally demonstrate the role of quantum coherence in a sequence of two measurements collected at different times using weak measurements. For this purpose, we have realized a weak-sequential measurement protocol with photonic qubits, where the first measurement is carried out as a positive operator-valued measure, whereas the second one is a projective operation. We determine the quasiprobability distributions associated to this procedure using both the commensurate and the Margenau-Hill quasiprobabilities approaches. By tuning the weak measurements, we obtain a quasidistribution that may or may not exhibit negative parts, depending on the suitability of a contextual model for describing the experiment. Our results show how quasidistributions may find application in inspecting quantum monitoring, when part of the initial quantum coherence needs to be preserved.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Non-positive energy quasidistributions in coherent collision models

We determine the Kirkwood-Dirac quasiprobability (KDQ) distribution associated to the stochastic instances of internal energy variations for the quantum system and environment particles in coherent Markovian collision models. In the case the interactions between the quantum system and the particles do not conserve energy, the KDQ of the non-energy-preserving stochastic work is also derived. These KDQ distributions can account for non-commutativity, and return the unperturbed average values and variances for a generic interaction-time, and generic local initial states of the quantum system and environment particles. Using this nonequilibrium-physics approach, we certify the conditions under which the collision process of the model exhibits quantum traits, and we quantify the rate of energy exchanged by the quantum system by looking at the variance of the KDQ energy distributions. Finally, we propose an experimental test of our results on a superconducting quantum circuit implementing a qubit system, with microwave photons representing the environment particles.

quant-ph↗