Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• How to optimize the absorption of two entangled photons

  Edoardo G. Carnio, Andreas Buchleitner, Frank Schlawin

  SciPost Phys. Core 4, 028 (2021) · published 15 October 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We investigate how entanglement can enhance two-photon absorption in a three-level system. First, we employ the Schmidt decomposition to determine the entanglement properties of the optimal two-photon state to drive such a transition, and the maximum enhancement which can be achieved in comparison to the optimal classical pulse. We then adapt the optimization problem to realistic experimental constraints, where photon pairs from a down-conversion source are manipulated by local operations such as spatial light modulators. We derive optimal pulse shaping functions to enhance the absorption efficiency, and compare the maximal enhancement achievable by entanglement to the yield of optimally shaped, separable pulses.

  9 citations

• Gate-induced decoupling of surface and bulk state properties in selectively-deposited Bi$_2$Te$_3$ nanoribbons

  Daniel Rosenbach, Kristof Moors, Abdur R. Jalil, Jonas Kölzer, Erik Zimmermann, Jürgen Schubert, Soraya Karimzadah, Gregor Mussler, Peter Schüffelgen, Detlev Grützmacher, Hans Lüth, Thomas Schäpers

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 017 (2022) · published 30 March 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) host helical Dirac surface states at the interface with a trivial insulator. In quasi-one-dimensional TI nanoribbon structures the wave function of surface charges extends phase-coherently along the perimeter of the nanoribbon, resulting in a quantization of transverse surface modes. Furthermore, as the inherent spin-momentum locking results in a Berry phase offset of $\pi$ of self-interfering charge carriers an energy gap within the surface state dispersion appears and all states become spin-degenerate. We investigate and compare the magnetic field dependent surface state dispersion in selectively deposited Bi$_2$Te$_3$ TI micro- and nanoribbon structures by analysing the gate voltage dependent magnetoconductance at cryogenic temperatures. While in wide microribbon devices the field effect mainly changes the amount of bulk charges close to the top surface we identify coherent transverse surface states along the perimeter of the nanoribbon devices responding to a change in top gate potential. We quantify the energetic spacing in between these quantized transverse subbands by using an electrostatic model that treats an initial difference in charge carrier densities on the top and bottom surface as well as remaining bulk charges. In the gate voltage dependent transconductance we find oscillations that change their relative phase by $\pi$ at half-integer values of the magnetic flux quantum applied coaxial to the nanoribbon, which is a signature for a magnetic flux dependent topological phase transition in narrow, selectively deposited TI nanoribbon devices.

  9 citations

• Tangent-space methods for truncating uniform MPS

  Bram Vanhecke, Maarten Van Damme, Jutho Haegeman, Laurens Vanderstraeten, Frank Verstraete

  SciPost Phys. Core 4, 004 (2021) · published 19 February 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  A central primitive in quantum tensor network simulations is the problem of approximating a matrix product state with one of a lower bond dimension. This problem forms the central bottleneck in algorithms for time evolution and for contracting projected entangled pair states. We formulate a tangent-space based variational algorithm to achieve this for uniform (infinite) matrix product states. The algorithm exhibits a favourable scaling of the computational cost, and we demonstrate its usefulness by several examples involving the multiplication of a matrix product state with a matrix product operator.

  8 citations

• Adaptive numerical solution of Kadanoff-Baym equations

  Francisco Meirinhos, Michael Kajan, Johann Kroha, Tim Bode

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 030 (2022) · published 27 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  A time-stepping scheme with adaptivity in both the step size and the integration order is presented in the context of non-equilibrium dynamics described via Kadanoff-Baym equations. The accuracy and effectiveness of the algorithm are analysed by obtaining numerical solutions of exactly solvable models. We find a significant reduction in the number of time-steps compared to fixed-step methods. Due to the at least quadratic scaling of Kadanoff-Baym equations, reducing the amount of steps can dramatically increase the accessible integration time, opening the door for the study of long-time dynamics in interacting systems. A selection of illustrative examples is provided, among them interacting and open quantum systems as well as classical stochastic processes. An open-source implementation of our algorithm in the scientific-computing language Julia is made available.

  8 citations

• Classical Casimir free energy for two Drude spheres of arbitrary radii: A plane-wave approach

  Tanja Schoger, Gert-Ludwig Ingold

  SciPost Phys. Core 4, 011 (2021) · published 4 May 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We derive an exact analytic expression for the high-temperature limit of the Casimir interaction between two Drude spheres of arbitrary radii. Specifically, we determine the Casimir free energy by using the scattering approach in the plane-wave basis. Within a round-trip expansion, we are led to consider the combinatorics of certain partitions of the round trips. The relation between the Casimir free energy and the capacitance matrix of two spheres is discussed. Previously known results for the special cases of a sphere-plane geometry as well as two spheres of equal radii are recovered. An asymptotic expansion for small distances between the two spheres is determined and analytical expressions for the coefficients are given.

  7 citations

• More on the three-gluon vertex in SU(2) Yang-Mills theory in three and four dimensions

  Axel Maas, Milan Vujinović

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 019 (2022) · published 8 April 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The three-gluon vertex has been found to be a vital ingredient in non-perturbative functional approaches. We present an updated lattice calculation of it in various kinematical configurations for all tensor structures and multiple lattice parameters in three dimensions, and in a subset of those in four dimensions, for SU(2) Yang-Mills theory in minimal Landau gauge. In three dimensions an unambiguous zero crossing for the tree-level form-factor is established, and consistency for all investigated form factors with a power-like divergence towards the infrared is observed. Using very coarse lattices this is even seen towards momenta as low as about 15 MeV. The results in four dimensions are consistent with such a behavior, but do not yet reach deep enough into the infrared to establish it.

  7 citations

• Renormalised spectral flows

  Jens Braun, Yong-rui Chen, Wei-jie Fu, Andreas Geißel, Jan Horak, Chuang Huang, Friederike Ihssen, Jan M. Pawlowski, Manuel Reichert, Fabian Rennecke, Yang-yang Tan, Sebastian Töpfel, Jonas Wessely, Nicolas Wink

  SciPost Phys. Core 6, 061 (2023) · published 4 September 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We derive renormalised finite functional flow equations for quantum field theories in real and imaginary time that incorporate scale transformations of the renormalisation conditions, hence implementing a flowing renormalisation. The flows are manifestly finite in general non-perturbative truncation schemes also for regularisation schemes that do not implement an infrared suppression of the loops in the flow. Specifically, this formulation includes finite functional flows for the effective action with a spectral Callan-Symanzik cutoff, and therefore gives access to Lorentz invariant spectral flows. The functional setup is fully non-perturbative and allows for the spectral treatment of general theories. In particular, this includes theories that do not admit a perturbative renormalisation such as asymptotically safe theories. Finally, the application of the Lorentz invariant spectral functional renormalisation group is briefly discussed for theories ranging from real scalar and Yukawa theories to gauge theories and quantum gravity.

  7 citations

• Quantum hypothesis testing in many-body systems

  Jan de Boer, Victor Godet, Jani Kastikainen, Esko Keski-Vakkuri

  SciPost Phys. Core 4, 019 (2021) · published 23 June 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  One of the key tasks in physics is to perform measurements in order to determine the state of a system. Often, measurements are aimed at determining the values of physical parameters, but one can also ask simpler questions, such as "is the system in state A or state B?". In quantum mechanics, the latter type of measurements can be studied and optimized using the framework of quantum hypothesis testing. In many cases one can explicitly find the optimal measurement in the limit where one has simultaneous access to a large number $n$ of identical copies of the system, and estimate the expected error as $n$ becomes large. Interestingly, error estimates turn out to involve various quantum information theoretic quantities such as relative entropy, thereby giving these quantities operational meaning. In this paper we consider the application of quantum hypothesis testing to quantum many-body systems and quantum field theory. We review some of the necessary background material, and study in some detail the situation where the two states one wants to distinguish are parametrically close. The relevant error estimates involve quantities such as the variance of relative entropy, for which we prove a new inequality. We explore the optimal measurement strategy for spin chains and two-dimensional conformal field theory, focusing on the task of distinguishing reduced density matrices of subsystems. The optimal strategy turns out to be somewhat cumbersome to implement in practice, and we discuss a possible alternative strategy and the corresponding errors.

  7 citations

• The Lifshitz nature of the transition between the gap and gapless states of a superconductor

  Yuriy Yerin, Caterina Petrillo, A. A. Varlamov

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 009 (2022) · published 18 February 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  It is demonstrated that the known for a long time transition between the gap and the gapless states in the Abrikosov-Gor'kov theory of a superconductor with paramagnetic impurities is of the Lifshitz type, i.e. of the $2\frac12$ order phase transition. We reveal the emergence of a cuspidal edge at the density of states surface $N(\omega,\Delta_0)$ ($\Delta_0$ is the value of the superconducting order parameter in the absence of magnetic impurities) and the occurrence of the catastrophe phenomenon at the transition point. We study the stability of such a transition with respect to the spatial fluctuations of the magnetic impurities critical concentration $n_s$ and show that the requirement for validity of its mean field description is unobtrusive: $\nabla \left( {\ln {n_s}} \right) \ll \xi^{-1} $ (here $\xi$ is the superconducting coherence length). Finally, we show that, similarly to the Lifshitz point, the $2\frac12$ order phase transition should be accompanied by the corresponding singularities. For instance, the superconducting thermoelectric effect has a giant peak exceeding the normal value of the Seebeck coefficient by the ratio of the Fermi energy and the superconducting gap. The concept of the experiment for the confirmation of $2\frac12$ order transition nature is proposed. The obtained theoretical results can be applied for the explanation of recent experiments with lightwave-driven gapless superconductivity, for the new interpretation of the disorder induced transition $s_{\pm}$-$s_{++}$ states via gapless state in multi-band superconductors, for better understanding of the gapless color superconductivity in quantum chromodynamics, the string theory.

  7 citations

• On the dynamics of free-fermionic tau-functions at finite temperature

  Daniel Chernowitz, Oleksandr Gamayun

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 006 (2022) · published 31 January 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In this work we explore an instance of the $\tau$-function of vertex type operators, specified in terms of a constant phase shift in a free-fermionic basis. From the physical point of view this $\tau$-function has multiple interpretations: as a correlator of Jordan-Wigner strings, a Loschmidt Echo in the Aharonov-Bohm effect, or the generating function of the local densities in the Tonks-Girardeau gas. We present the $\tau$-function as a form-factors series and tackle it from four vantage points: (i) we perform an exact summation and express it in terms of a Fredholm determinant in the thermodynamic limit, (ii) we use bosonization techniques to perform partial summations of soft modes around the Fermi surface to acquire the scaling at zero temperature, (iii) we derive large space and time asymptotic behavior for the thermal Fredholm determinant by relating it to effective form-factors with an asymptotically similar kernel, and (iv) we identify and sum the important basis elements directly through a tailor-made numerical algorithm for finite-entropy states in a free-fermionic Hilbert space. All methods confirm each other. We find that, in addition to the exponential decay in the finite-temperature case the dynamic correlation functions exhibit an extra power law in time, universal over any distribution and time scale.

  7 citations