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At least 1,063 records · Page 59

Unconventional supercurrent phase in Ising superconductor Josephson junction with atomically thin magnetic insulator

Abstract In two-dimensional (2D) NbSe 2 crystal, which lacks inversion symmetry, strong spin-orbit coupling aligns the spins of Cooper pairs to the orbital valleys, forming Ising Cooper pairs (ICPs). The unusual spin texture of ICPs can be further modulated by introducing magnetic exchange. Here, we report unconventional supercurrent phase in van der Waals heterostructure Josephson junctions (JJs) that couples NbSe 2 ICPs across an atomically thin magnetic insulator (MI) Cr 2 Ge 2 Te 6 . By constructing a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), we measure the phase of the transferred Cooper pairs in the MI JJ. We demonstrate a doubly degenerate nontrivial JJ phase ( ϕ ), formed by momentum-conserving tunneling of ICPs across magnetic domains in the barrier. The doubly degenerate ground states in MI JJs provide a two-level quantum system that can be utilized as a new dissipationless component for superconducting quantum devices. Our work boosts the study of various superconducting states with spin-orbit coupling, opening up an avenue to designing new superconducting phase-controlled quantum electronic devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Entanglement properties of SU(2) gauge theory

Understanding how isolated quantum systems thermalize is central to both fundamental physics and the development of quantum technologies. In this Perspective, we present recent and new results on thermalization in nonabelian gauge theory from exact real-time simulations of two-dimensional lattice models. We discuss tests of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis, entanglement entropy dynamics, the absence of persistent non-thermal states, spectral signatures, and measures of quantum complexity. Our new results include a two-step thermalization process in localized regions and the role of higher gauge field representations. These findings suggest that thermalization in gauge theories may offer a test case for quantum advantage.

information theory and computation↗

Quantum Computing

In recent years Quantum Computing has attracted a great deal of attention in the scientific and technical communities. Interest in the field has expanded to include the popular press and various funding agencies. We discuss the origins of the idea of using quantum systems for computing. We then give an overview in recent developments in quantum hardware and software, as well as some potential applications for high energy physics.

Amundson, James↗

On the reflection type decomposition of the adjoint reduced phase space of a compact semisimple Lie group

We consider a system with symmetries whose configuration space is a compact Lie group, acted upon by inner automorphisms. The classical reduced phase space of this system decomposes into connected components of orbit type subsets. To investigate hypothetical quantum effects of this decomposition one has to construct the associated costratification of the Hilbert space of the quantum system in the sense of Huebschmann. In the present paper, instead of the decomposition by orbit types, we consider the related decomposition by reflection types (conjugacy classes of reflection subgroups). These two decompositions turn out to coincide, e.g., for the classical groups SU(n) and Sp(n). We derive defining relations for reflection type subsets in terms of irreducible characters and discuss how to obtain from that the corresponding costratification of the Hilbert space of the system. To illustrate the method, we give explicit results for some low rank classical groups.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Quantum theory of the classical: quantum jumps, Born’s Rule and objective classical reality via quantum Darwinism

Here, the emergence of the classical world from the quantum substrate of our Universe is a long-standing conundrum. In this paper, I describe three insights into the transition from quantum to classical that are based on the recognition of the role of the environment. I begin with the derivation of preferred sets of states that help to define what exists—our everyday classical reality. They emerge as a result of the breaking of the unitary symmetry of the Hilbert space which happens when the unitarity of quantum evolutions encounters nonlinearities inherent in the process of amplification—of replicating information. This derivation is accomplished without the usual tools of decoherence, and accounts for the appearance of quantum jumps and the emergence of preferred pointer states consistent with those obtained via environment-induced superselection, or einselection . The pointer states obtained in this way determine what can happen—define events—without appealing to Born’s Rule for probabilities. Therefore, p k = |ψ k | 2 can now be deduced from the entanglement-assisted invariance, or envariance —a symmetry of entangled quantum states. With probabilities at hand, one also gains new insights into the foundations of quantum statistical physics. Moreover, one can now analyse the information flows responsible for decoherence. These information flows explain how the perception of objective classical reality arises from the quantum substrate: the effective amplification that they represent accounts for the objective existence of the einselected states of macroscopic quantum systems through the redundancy of pointer state records in their environment—through quantum Darwinism .

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Spin-energy entanglement of a time-focused neutron

Intraparticle entanglement of individual particles such as neutrons could enable another class of scattering probes that are sensitive to entanglement in quantum systems and materials. Here, in this work, we present experimental results demonstrating quantum contextuality as a result of entanglement between the spin and energy modes (i.e., degrees of freedom) of single neutrons in a beam using a pair of resonant radio-frequency neutron spin flippers in the modulated intensity with zero effort configuration. We verified the mode entanglement by measuring a Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt contextuality witness S defined in the spin and energy subsystems, observing a clear breach of the classical bound of |S| ≤ 2, obtaining S = 2.40 ± 0.02. These entangled beams could enable alternative approaches for directly probing dynamics and entanglement in quantum materials whose low-energy excitation scales match those of the incident entangled neutron.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Gamow shell model description of proton scattering on 18 Ne

Background: The structure of weakly bound/unbound nuclei close to particle drip lines is different from that around the valley of beta stability. A comprehensive description of these systems goes beyond the standard shell model (SM) and demands an open quantum system description of the nuclear many-body system. Purpose: For that purpose, we are using the Gamow shell model (GSM) in this study, which provides a fully microscopic description of bound and unbound nuclear states, nuclear decays, and reactions. Here, we formulate the GSM in coupled-channel (GSM-CC) representation to describe low-energy elastic and inelastic scattering of protons on $\mathrm{^{18}Ne}$. Method: The GSM-CC formalism is applied to a translationally invariant Hamiltonian with an effective finite-range two-body interaction. We discuss in detail the GSM-CC formalism in coordinate space and give the description of the novel equivalent potential method for solving the GSM-CC system of integrodifferential equations. This method is then applied for the description of ($p, p'$) reaction cross-sections. The reactions channels are built by GSM wave functions for the ground state $\mathrm{0^+}$ and the first excited $\mathrm{2^+}$ of $\mathrm{^{18}Ne}$ and a proton wave function expanded in different partial waves. The completeness of this basis is verified by comparing GSM and GSM-CC energies of low-energy resonant states in $\mathrm{^{19}Na}$. The differences between the two calculations provide a measure of the missing configurations in the GSM-CC calculation of low-energy states of $\mathrm{^{19}Na}$ due to the restriction on the number of excited states of $\mathrm{^{18}Ne}$. Results: We present the first application of the GSM-CC formalism for the calculation of excited states of $\mathrm{^{18}Ne}$ and $\mathrm{^{19}Na}$, the excitation function, and the elastic/inelastic differential cross-sections in the $\mathrm{^{18}Ne}$ ($p,p'$) reaction at different energies. This is the first unified description of the spectra and reaction cross-sections in the GSM formalism. The method is shown to be both feasible and accurate. The approximate equivalence of GSM and GSM-CC in describing spectra of $\mathrm{^{19}Na}$ has been demonstrated numerically. Conclusions: The GSM in the coupled-channel representation opens a possibility for the unified description of low-energy nuclear structure and reactions using the same Hamiltonian. While both GSM and GSM-CC can describe energies, widths, and wave functions of the many-body states, the GSM-CC can in addition yield reaction cross-sections. The combined application of GSM and GSM-CC to describe energies of resonant states allows to test the exactitude of calculated cross-sections for a given many-body Hamiltonian.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Research in Quantum Field Theory, Cosmology, and String Theory

This project covered research in theoretical high energy physics at Brandeis University by PI Albion Lawrence and Co-PIs Matthew Headrick and Howard Schnitzer. The work of Albion Lawrence covered quantum field theoretic models of cosmic inflation and of quintessence-type dark energy, consistent with constraints on quantum gravity; the dynamics of open quantum systems, with an eye towards applications to holography; and the application of quantum information theory – particularly measures of quantum entanglement – to quantum field theories and quantum gravity. The work of Matthew Headrick covered the intersection of quantum information theory and quantum gravity, with a focus on the holographic encoding of quantum information theoretic concepts such as entanglement and computational complexity in field theory. Headrick also achieved significant technical results in closed string field theory. The work of Howard Schnitzer covered the computation of quantum information theoretic quantities in quantum field theories.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Equivalence between classical and quantum dynamics. Neutral kaons and electric circuits

An equivalence between the Schroedinger dynamics of a quantum system with a finite number of basis states and a classical dynamics is presented. The equivalence is an isomorphism that connects in univocal way both dynamical systems. We treat the particular case of neutral kaons and found a class of electric networks uniquely related to the kaon system finding the complete map between the matrix elements of the effective Hamiltonian of kaons and those elements of the classical dynamics of the networks. As a consequence, the relevant {epsilon} parameter that measures CP violation in the kaon system is completely determined in terms of network parameters. - Highlights: > We provide a formal equivalence between classical and quantum dynamics. > We make use of the decomplexification concept. > Neutral kaon systems can be represented by electric circuits. > CP symmetry violation can be taken into account by non-reciprocity. > Non-reciprocity is represented by gyrators.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Electrically driven optical interferometry with spins in silicon carbide

Interfacing solid-state defect electron spins to other quantum systems is an ongoing challenge. The ground-state spin’s weak coupling to its environment not only bestows excellent coherence properties but also limits desired drive fields. The excited-state orbitals of these electrons, however, can exhibit stronger coupling to phononic and electric fields. Here, we demonstrate electrically driven coherent quantum interference in the optical transition of single, basally oriented divacancies in commercially available 4H silicon carbide. By applying microwave frequency electric fields, we coherently drive the divacancy’s excited-state orbitals and induce Landau-Zener-Stückelberg interference fringes in the resonant optical absorption spectrum. In addition, we find remarkably coherent optical and spin subsystems enabled by the basal divacancy’s symmetry. These properties establish divacancies as strong candidates for quantum communication and hybrid system applications, where simultaneous control over optical and spin degrees of freedom is paramount.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Saddle point approaches in strong field physics and generation of attosecond pulses

Attoscience is the emerging field that accesses the fastest electronic processes occurring at the atomic and molecular length scales with attosecond (1 as = 10 –18 s) time resolution having wide ranging physical, chemical, material science and biological applications. The quintessential and one of the most fundamental processes in this domain is the generation of phase locked XUV attosecond pulses. The theoretical approach to understand the process incorporates a fully quantum or semi classical or relativistic description of coherent charge dynamics in intense ultrashort electromagnetic fields driving a quantum system (an atom, a molecule, solid band gap materials or surface plasmas). Modelling of such physical and dynamical systems in science and also in many other branches often leads to equations represented in terms of complex multi-dimensional integrals. These integrals can often be solved using the stationary phase approximation, which leads to a series of equations identifying the points in the multi-dimensional space, having most significant contributions in their evaluation. These points are usually indicated as saddle points. The description of the dynamics of quantum mechanical or relativistic systems that results from such an approach enables near to classical physics intuitive perceptions of the processes under investigation. Thus, the saddle point methods are very powerful and valuable general theoretical tools to obtain asymptotic expressions of such solutions and help also to gain physical insights on the underlying phenomena. Such techniques developed in the past have been adapted to study the emission of as pulses by different physical systems and have been widely employed in calculating and estimating the response of matter to intense electromagnetic pulses on ultrafast time scales. Here we provide an extensive disposition of the saddle point approaches unifying their ubiquitous applications within the domain of attoscience valid for simple atomic to more complex condensed matter systems undergoing ultrafast dynamics and present current trends and advancements in the field. In this review we would delineate the methodology, present a synthesis of seminal works and describe the state of the art applications. Finally we also address ultrashort time dynamics of novel materials that have gained much attention recently, namely lower dimensional material systems and micro-plasma systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

$T\overline{T}$ deformations and the width of fundamental particles

We provide a simple geometric meaning for deformations of so-called $T\overline{T}$ type in relativistic and non-relativistic systems. Deformations by the cross products of energy and momentum currents in integrable quantum field theories are known to modify the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz equations by a “CDD factor”. In turn, CDD factors may be interpreted as additional, fixed shifts incurred in scattering processes: a finite width added to the fundamental particles (or, if negative, to the free space between them). We suggest that this physical effect is a universal way of understanding $T\overline{T}$ deformations, both in classical and quantum systems. We first show this in non-relativistic systems, with particle conservation and translation invariance, using the deformation formed out of the densities and currents of particles and momentum. This holds at the level of the equations of motion, and for any interaction potential, integrable or not. We then argue, and show by similar techniques in free relativistic particle systems, that $T\overline{T}$ deformations of relativistic systems produce the equivalent phenomenon, accounting for length contractions. We also show that, in both the relativistic and non-relativistic cases, the width of particles is equivalent to a state-dependent change of metric, where the distance function discounts the particles’ widths, or counts the additional free space. This generalises and explains the known field-dependent coordinate change describing $T\overline{T}$ deformations. The results connect such deformations with generalised hydrodynamics, where the relations between scattering shifts, widths of particles and state-dependent changes of metric have been established.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Partially polaron-transformed quantum master equation for exciton and charge transport dynamics

Polaron-transformed quantum master equation (PQME) offers a unified framework to describe the dynamics of quantum systems in both limits of weak and strong couplings to environmental degrees of freedom. Thus, the PQME serves as an efficient method to describe charge and exciton transfer/transport dynamics for a broad range of parameters in condensed or complex environments. However, in some cases, the polaron transformation (PT) being employed in the formulation invokes an over-relaxation of slow modes and results in premature suppression of important coherence terms. A formal framework to address this issue is developed in the present work by employing a partial PT that has smaller weights for low frequency bath modes. In this work, it is shown that a closed form expression of a second order time-local PQME including all the inhomogeneous terms can be derived for a general form of partial PT, although more complicated than that for the full PT. All the expressions needed for numerical calculation are derived in detail. Applications to a model of a two-level system coupled to a bath of harmonic oscillators, with test calculations focused on those due to homogeneous relaxation terms, demonstrate the feasibility and the utility of the present approach.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Denoising and Extension of Response Functions in the Time Domain

Response functions of quantum systems, such as electron Green’s functions, magnetic, or charge susceptibilities, describe the response of a system to an external perturbation. They are the central objects of interest in field theories and quantum computing and measured directly in experiment. Further, response functions are intrinsically causal. In equilibrium and steady-state systems, they correspond to a positive spectral function in the frequency domain. Since response functions define an inner product on a Hilbert space and thereby induce a positive definite function, the properties of this function can be used to reduce noise in measured data and, in equilibrium and steady state, to construct positive definite extensions for data known on finite time intervals, which are then guaranteed to correspond to positive spectra.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Downfolding of many-body Hamiltonians using active-space models: Extension of the sub-system embedding sub-algebras approach to unitary coupled cluster formalisms

Here, we discuss the extension of the recently introduced subsystem embedding subalgebra coupled cluster (SES-CC) formalism to unitary CC formalisms. In analogy to the standard single-reference SES-CC formalism, its unitary CC extension allows one to include the dynamical (outside the active space) correlation effects in an SES induced complete active space (CAS) effective Hamiltonian. In contrast to the standard single-reference SES-CC theory, the unitary CC approach results in a Hermitian form of the effective Hamiltonian. Additionally, for the double unitary CC (DUCC) formalism, the corresponding CAS eigenvalue problem provides a rigorous separation of external cluster amplitudes that describe dynamical correlation effects—used to define the effective Hamiltonian—from those corresponding to the internal (inside the active space) excitations that define the components of eigenvectors associated with the energy of the entire system. The proposed formalism can be viewed as an efficient way of downfolding many-electron Hamiltonian to the low-energy model represented by a particular choice of CAS. In principle, this technique can be extended to any type of CAS representing an arbitrary energy window of a quantum system. The Hermitian character of low-dimensional effective Hamiltonians makes them an ideal target for several types of full configuration interaction type eigensolvers. As an example, we also discuss the algebraic form of the perturbative expansions of the effective DUCC Hamiltonians corresponding to composite unitary CC theories and discuss possible algorithms for hybrid classical and quantum computing. Given growing interest in quantum computing, we provide energies for H 2 and Be systems obtained with the quantum phase estimator algorithm available in the Quantum Development Kit for the approximate DUCC Hamiltonians.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Harnessing Quantum Computing for Energy Materials: Opportunities and Challenges

Developing high-performance materials is critical for diverse energy applications to increase efficiency, improve sustainability and reduce costs. Classical computational methods have enabled important breakthroughs in energy materials development, but they face scaling and time-complexity limitations, particularly for high-dimensional or strongly correlated material systems. Quantum computing (QC) promises to offer a paradigm shift by exploiting quantum bits with their superposition and entanglement to address challenging problems intractable for classical approaches. This Perspective discusses the opportunities in leveraging QC to advance energy materials research and the challenges QC faces in solving complex and high-dimensional problems. We present cases on how QC, when combined with classical computing methods, can be used for the design and simulation of practical energy materials. We also outline the outlook for error-corrected, fault-tolerant QC capable of achieving predictive accuracy and quantum advantage for complex material systems.

Algorithms↗

The Kronecker product in terms of Hubbard operators and the Clebsch–Gordan decomposition of SU(2)×SU(2)

We review the properties of the Kronecker (direct, or tensor) product of square matrices A⊗B⊗C⋯ in terms of Hubbard operators. In its simplest form, a Hubbard operator X{sub n}{sup i,j} can be expressed as the n-square matrix which has entry 1 in position (i,j) and zero in all other entries. The algebra and group properties of the observables that define a multipartite quantum system are notably straightforward in such a framework. In particular, we use the Kronecker product in Hubbard notation to get the Clebsch–Gordan decomposition of the product group SU(2)×SU(2). Finally, the n-dimensional irreducible representations so obtained are used to derive closed forms of the Clebsch–Gordan coefficients that rule the addition of angular momenta. Our results can be further developed in many different directions. -- Highlights: •The Kronecker product is studied in terms of Hubbard operators. •Complicated calculations involving large matrices are reduced to simple relations of subscripts. •The algebraic properties of the quantum observables of multipartite systems are studied. •The Clebsch–Gordan coefficients are given in terms of hypergeometric {sub 3}F{sub 2} functions. •The results can be further developed in many different directions.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Electron-nuclear decoupling at a spin clock transition

The ability to design quantum systems that decouple from environmental noise sources is highly desirable for development of quantum technologies with optimal coherence. The chemical tunability of electronic states in magnetic molecules combined with advanced electron spin resonance techniques provides excellent opportunities to address this problem. Indeed, so-called clock transitions have been shown to protect molecular spin qubits from magnetic noise, giving rise to significantly enhanced coherence. Here we conduct a spectroscopic and computational investigation of this physics, focusing on the role of the nuclear bath. Away from the clock transition, linear coupling to the nuclear degrees of freedom causes a modulation and decay of electronic coherence, as quantified via electron spin echo signals generated experimentally and in silico. Meanwhile, the effective hyperfine interaction vanishes at the clock transition, resulting in electron-nuclear decoupling and an absence of quantum information leakage to the nuclear bath, providing opportunities to characterize other decoherence sources.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗