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At least 199 records · Page 11

Electronically nonadiabatic wave packet propagation using frozen Gaussian scattering

We present an approach, which allows to employ the adiabatic wave packet propagation technique and semiclassical theory to treat the nonadiabatic processes by using trajectory hopping. The approach developed generates a bunch of hopping trajectories and gives all additional information to incorporate the effect of nonadiabatic coupling into the wave packet dynamics. This provides an interface between a general adiabatic frozen Gaussian wave packet propagation method and the trajectory surface hopping technique. The basic idea suggested in [A. D. Kondorskiy and H. Nakamura, J. Chem. Phys. 120, 8937 (2004)] is revisited and complemented in the present work by the elaboration of efficient numerical algorithms. We combine our approach with the adiabatic Herman-Kluk frozen Gaussian approximation. The efficiency and accuracy of the resulting method is demonstrated by applying it to popular benchmark model systems including three Tully’s models and 24D model of pyrazine. It is shown that photoabsorption spectrum is successfully reproduced by using a few hundreds of trajectories. We employ the compact finite difference Hessian update scheme to consider feasibility of the ab initio “on-the-fly” simulations. It is found that this technique allows us to obtain the reliable final results using several Hessian matrix calculations per trajectory.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Theory of Plasmonic Hot-Carrier Generation and Relaxation

Hot-carrier (HC) generation from (localized) surface plasmon decay has recently attracted much attention due to its promising applications in physical, chemical, materials, and energy science. However, the detailed mechanisms of plasmonic HC generation, relaxation, and trapping are less studied. In this work, we developed and applied a quantum-mechanical model and coupled master equation method to study the generation of HCs from plasmon decay and their following relaxation processes with different mechanisms treated on equal footing. First, a quantum-mechanical model for HC generation is developed. Its connection to existing semiclassical models and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) is discussed. Second, the relaxation and lifetimes of HCs are investigated in the presence of electron–electron and electron–phonon interactions. A GW-like approximation is introduced to account for the electron–electron scattering. The numerical simulations on the Jellium nanoparticles with a size up to 1.6 nm demonstrate the electron–electron scattering and electron–phonon scattering dominate different time scale in the relaxation dynamics. We also generalize the model to study the extraction of HCs to attached molecules. The quantum yield of extracting HCs for other applications is found to be size-dependent. In general, the smaller size of NP improves the quantum yield, which is in agreement with recent experimental measurements. Even though we demonstrate this newly developed theoretical formalism with Jellium model, the theory applies to any other atomistic models.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

2D Quantum Mechanical Study of Nanoscale MOSFETs

With the onset of quantum confinement in the inversion layer in nanoscale MOSFETs, behavior of the resonant level inevitably determines all device characteristics. While most classical device simulators take quantization into account in some simplified manner, the important details of electrostatics are missing. Our work addresses this shortcoming and provides: (a) a framework to quantitatively explore device physics issues such as the source-drain and gate leakage currents, DIBL, and threshold voltage shift due to quantization, and b) a means of benchmarking quantum corrections to semiclassical models (such as density-gradient and quantum-corrected MEDICI). We have developed physical approximations and computer code capable of realistically simulating 2-D nanoscale transistors, using the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) method. This is the most accurate full quantum model yet applied to 2-D device simulation. Open boundary conditions and oxide tunneling are treated on an equal footing. Electrons in the ellipsoids of the conduction band are treated within the anisotropic effective mass approximation. We present the results of our simulations of MIT 25, 50 and 90 nm "well-tempered" MOSFETs and compare them to those of classical and quantum corrected models. The important feature of quantum model is smaller slope of Id-Vg curve and consequently higher threshold voltage. Surprisingly, the self-consistent potential profile shows lower injection barrier in the channel in quantum case. These results are qualitatively consistent with ID Schroedinger-Poisson calculations. The effect of gate length on gate-oxide leakage and subthreshold current has been studied. The shorter gate length device has an order of magnitude smaller current at zero gate bias than the longer gate length device without a significant trade-off in on-current. This should be a device design consideration.

Svizhenko, Alexei↗

Probing Excited-State Dynamics of Transmon Ionization

The fidelity and quantum nondemolition character of the dispersive readout in circuit QED are limited by unwanted transitions to highly excited states at specific photon numbers in the readout resonator. This observation can be explained by multiphoton resonances between computational states and highly excited states in strongly driven nonlinear systems, analogous to multiphoton ionization in atoms and molecules. In this work, we utilize the multilevel nature of high-𝐸 𝐽 /𝐸 𝐶 transmons to probe the excited-state dynamics induced by strong drives during readout. With up to ten resolvable states, we quantify the critical photon number of ionization, the resulting state after ionization, and the fraction of the population transferred to highly excited states. Moreover, using pulse shaping to control the photon number in the readout resonator in the high-power regime, we tune the adiabaticity of the transition and verify that transmon ionization is a Landau-Zener-type transition. We further extend these methods to a typical transmon with 𝐸 𝐽 /𝐸 𝐶 ≈ 55 and probe the offset-charge dependence of ionization dynamics in a timed-resolved manner. Our experimental results agree well with the theoretical prediction from a semiclassical driven transmon model and may guide future exploration of strongly driven nonlinear oscillators.

cavity quantum electrodynamics↗

Dirac open-quantum-system dynamics: Formulations and simulations

In this work, we present an open-system interaction formalism for the Dirac equation. Overcoming a complexity bottleneck of alternative formulations, our framework enables efficient numerical simulations (utilizing a typical desktop) of relativistic dynamics within the von Neumann density matrix and Wigner phase-space descriptions. Employing these instruments, we gain important insights into the effect of quantum dephasing for relativistic systems in many branches of physics. In particular, the conditions for robustness of Majorana spinors against dephasing are established. Using the Klein paradox and tunneling as examples, we show that quantum dephasing does not suppress negative energy particle generation. Hence, the Klein dynamics is also robust to dephasing.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Polymer quantum mechanics some examples using path integrals

In this work we analyze several physical systems in the context of polymer quantum mechanics using path integrals. First we introduce the group averaging method to quantize constrained systems with path integrals and later we use this procedure to compute the effective actions for the polymer non-relativistic particle and the polymer harmonic oscillator. We analyze the measure of the path integral and we describe the semiclassical dynamics of the systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Non-Adiabatic Excited State Molecular Dynamics Methodologies: comparison and convergence

Direct atomistic simulation of nonadiabatic molecular dynamics is a challenging goal that allows important insights into fundamental physical phenomena. A variety of frameworks, ranging from fully quantum treatment of nuclei to semiclassical and mixed quantum–classical approaches, were developed. These algorithms are then coupled to specific electronic structure techniques. Such diversity and lack of standardized implementation make it difficult to compare the performance of different methodologies when treating realistic systems. Here, we compare three popular methods for large chromophores: Ehrenfest, surface hopping, and multiconfigurational Ehrenfest with ab initio multiple cloning (MCE-AIMC). These approaches are implemented in the NEXMD software, which features a common computational chemistry model. The resulting comparisons reveal the method performance for population relaxation and coherent vibronic dynamics. Finally, we study the numerical convergence of MCE-AIMC algorithms by considering the number of trajectories, cloning thresholds, and Gaussian wavepacket width. Our results provide helpful reference data for selecting an optimal methodology for simulating excited-state molecular dynamics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Semiclassical gravitational effects on the gravitational lensing in the spacetime of topological defects

The theory of gravitational lensing has revealed many generic and fundamental properties of compact objects like black holes and wormholes. In this article, we utilize a recent formulation to compute the quantum effects on the deflection angle of a light ray, namely, the Gauss–Bonnet theorem (GBT) to explore the semiclassical gravitational effects in the spacetime of a point-like global monopole and a cosmic string. Previously, the Gauss–Bonnet theorem (Gibbons and Werner, 2008) was proposed as an alternative way to compute the deflection angle of light in a static, spherically symmetric and asymptotically flat spacetime. In the present article we have used the celebrated GBT that applied to the optical metric as well as the geodesic method in computing the deflection angle. Interestingly one can observe that we have found an exact result between GBT and the standard approach up to the third-order contributions terms by modifying the domain of integration for cosmic string and global monopole deflection angles. Finally we have considered the time delay in the cosmic string/global monopole spacetime and found that the delay in time is proportional to the linear mass density of the cosmic string and global monopole parameter, respectively.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Impact of field-induced quantum confinement on the onset of tunneling field-effect transistors: Experimental verification

The Tunneling Field-Effect Transistor (TFET) is a promising device for future low-power logic. Its performance is often predicted using semiclassical simulations, but there is usually a large discrepancy with experimental results. An important reason is that Field-Induced Quantum Confinement (FIQC) is neglected. Quantum mechanical simulations show FIQC delays the onset of Band-To-Band Tunneling (BTBT) with hundreds of millivolts in the promising line-TFET configuration. In this letter, we provide experimental verification of this delayed onset. We accomplish this by developing a method where line-TFET are modeled using highly doped MOS capacitors (MOS-CAP). Using capacitance-voltage measurements, we demonstrate AC inversion by BTBT, which was so far unobserved in MOS-CAP. Good agreement is shown between the experimentally obtained BTBT onset and quantum mechanical predictions, proving the need to include FIQC in all TFET simulations. Finally, we show that highly doped MOS-CAP is promising for characterization of traps deep into the conduction band.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Variational mixed quantum/semiclassical simulation of dihalogen guest and rare-gas solid host dynamics

A variational mixed quantum-semiclassical theory for the internal nuclear dynamics of a small molecule and the induced small-amplitude coherent motion of a low-temperature host medium is developed, tested, and used to simulate the temporal evolution of nonstationary states of the internal molecular and surrounding medium degrees of freedom. In this theory, termed the Fixed Vibrational Basis/Gaussian Bath (FVB/GB) method, the system is treated fully quantum mechanically while Gaussian wave packets are used for the bath degrees of freedom. An approximate time-dependent wave function of the entire model is obtained instead of just a reduced system density matrix, so the theory enables the analysis of the entangled system and bath dynamics that ensues following initial displacement of the internal-molecular (system) coordinate from its equilibrium position. The norm- and energy-conserving properties of the propagation of our trial wave function are natural consequences of the Dirac-Frenkel-McLachlan variational principle. The variational approach also stabilizes the time evolution in comparison to the same ansatz propagated under a previously employed locally quadratic approximation to the bath potential and system-bath interaction terms in the bath-parameter equations of motion. Dynamics calculations are carried out for molecular iodine in a 2D krypton lattice that reveal both the time-course of vibrational decoherence and the details of host-atom motion accompanying energy dissipation and dephasing. This work sets the stage for the comprehensive simulation of ultrafast time-resolved optical experiments on small molecules in low-temperature solids.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Nonequilibrium dynamics of superconductivity in the attractive Hubbard model

We present a framework of semiclassical superconductivity (SC) dynamics that properly includes effects of spatial fluctuations for the attractive Hubbard model. We consider both coherent and adiabatic limits. To model the coherent SC dynamics, we develop a real-space von Neumann equation based on the time-dependent Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory. Applying our method to interaction quenches in the negative- U Hubbard model, we show that the relaxation of SC order at weak coupling is dominated by Landau-damping. At strong coupling, we find a two-stage relaxation of the pairing field: a collapse of the synchronized oscillation of Cooper pairs due to spatial inhomogeneity, followed by a slow relaxation to a quasistationary state. SC dynamics in the adiabatic limit is described by a quantum Landau-Lifshitz equation with Ginzburg-Landau relaxation. Numerical simulations of the pump-probe process show that long-time recovery of the pairing field is dominated by defect dynamics. Here, our results demonstrate the important role of spatial fluctuations in both limits.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Harnessing complexity: Nonlinear optical phenomena in L-shapes, nanocrescents, and split-ring resonators

Here, we conduct systematic studies of the optical characteristics of plasmonic nanoparticles that exhibit C 2v symmetry. In particular, we analyze three distinct geometric configurations: an L-type shape, a crescent, and a split-ring resonator shaped like the Greek letter π. Optical properties are examined using the finite-difference time-domain method. It is demonstrated that all three shapes exhibit two prominent plasmon modes associated with the two axes of symmetry. This is in addition to a wide range of resonances observed at high frequencies corresponding to quadrupole modes and peaks due to sharp corners. Next, to facilitate nonlinear analysis, we employ a semiclassical hydrodynamic model, where the electron pressure term is explicitly accounted for. This model goes beyond the standard Drude description and enables capturing nonlocal and nonlinear effects. Employing this model enables us to rigorously examine the second-order angular resolved nonlinear optical response of these nanoparticles in each of the three configurations. Two pumping regimes are considered, namely, continuous wave (CW) and pulsed excitations. For CW pumping, we explore the properties of the second harmonic generation (SHG). Polarization and angle-resolved SHG spectra are obtained, revealing strong dependence on the nanoparticle geometry and incident wave polarization. The C 2v symmetry is shown to play a key role in determining the polarization states and selection rules of the SHG signal. For pulsed excitations, we discuss the phenomenon of broadband terahertz (THz) generation induced by the difference-frequency generation . It is shown that the THz emission spectra exhibit unique features attributed to the plasmonic resonances and symmetry of the nanoparticles. The polarization of the generated THz waves is also examined, revealing interesting patterns tied to the nanoparticle geometry. To gain deeper insight, we propose an analytical theory that agrees very well with the numerical experiments. The theory shows that the physical origin of the THz radiation is the mixing of various frequency components of the fundamental pulse by the second-order nonlinear susceptibility. An expression for the far-field THz intensity is derived in terms of the incident pulse parameters and the nonlinear response tensor of the nanoparticle. The results presented in this work offer new insights into the linear and nonlinear optical properties of nanoparticles with C 2v symmetry. The demonstrated strong SHG response and efficient broadband THz generation hold great promise for applications in nonlinear spectroscopy, nanophotonics, and optoelectronics. The proposed theoretical framework also provides a valuable tool for understanding and predicting the nonlinear behavior of other related nanostructures.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Collisional excitation of the highly excited hydrogen atoms in the dipole form of the semiclassical impact parameter and Born approximations

Expressions for the excitation cross section of the highly excited states of the hydrogenlike atoms by fast charged particles have been derived in the dipole approximation of the semiclassical impact parameter and the Born approximations, making use of a formula for the asymptotic expansion of the oscillator strength of the hydrogenlike atoms given by Menzel. When only the leading term in the asymptotic expansion is retained, the expression for the cross section becomes identical to the expression obtained by the method of the classical collision and correspondence principle given by Percival and Richards. Comparisons are made between the Bethe coefficients obtained here and the Bethe coefficients of the Born approximation for transitions where the Born calculation is available. Satisfactory agreement is obtained only for n yields n + 1 transitions, with n the principal quantum number of the excited state.

Omidvar, K.↗

Derivation of instanton rate theory from first principles

Instanton rate theory is used to study tunneling events in a wide range of systems including low-temperature chemical reactions. Despite many successful applications, the method has never been obtained from first principles, relying instead on the “Im F” premise. In this paper, the same expression for the rate of barrier penetration at finite temperature is rederived from quantum scattering theory [W. H. Miller, S. D. Schwartz, and J. W. Tromp, J. Chem. Phys. 79, 4889 (1983)] using a semiclassical Green’s function formalism. This justifies the instanton approach and provides a route to deriving the rate of other processes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Charge-impact excitation of the highly excited hydrogen atoms in the dipole form of the semiclassical impact-parameter and Born approximations.

Derivation of expressions for the excitation cross section in the dipole approximation of the semiclassical impact parameter and the Born approximations, making use of a formula given by Menzel (1968, 1969) for the asymptotic expansion of the oscillator strength of the hydrogen-like atoms. When only the leading term in the asymptotic expansion is retained, the expression for the cross section becomes identical with the expression obtained by the method of the classical collision and correspondence principle given by Percival and Richards (1970). Comparisons are made between the Bethe coefficients obtained by the author and the Bethe coefficients of the Born approximation for transitions where the Born calculation is available. Satisfactory agreement is obtained only for n yields n + 1 transitions, where n is the principal quantum number of the excited state.

Omidvar, K.↗

Predicting and Understanding Non-Covalent Interactions Using Novel Forms of Symmetry-Adapted Perturbation Theory

Although sometimes derided as “weak” interactions, non-covalent forces play a critical role in ligand binding and crystal packing and in determining the conformational landscape of flexible molecules. Symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) provides a framework for accurate ab initio calculation of intermolecular interactions and furnishes a natural decomposition of the interaction energy into physically meaningful components: semiclassical electrostatics (rigorously obtained from monomer charge densities), Pauli or steric repulsion, induction (including both polarization and charge transfer), and dispersion. This decomposition helps to foster deeper understanding of non-covalent interactions and can be used to construct transferable, physics-based force fields. Separability of the SAPT interaction energy also provides the flexibility to construct composite methods, a feature that we exploit to improve the description of dispersion interactions. Furthermore, these are challenging to describe accurately because they arise from nonlocal electron correlation effects that appear for the first time at second order in perturbation theory but are not quantitatively described at that level.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗