High-order numerical method for the nonlinear Helmholtz equation with material discontinuities in one space dimension

The nonlinear Helmholtz equation (NLH) models the propagation of electromagnetic waves in Kerr media, and describes a range of important phenomena in nonlinear optics and in other areas. In our previous work, we developed a fourth order method for its numerical solution that involved an iterative solver based on freezing the nonlinearity. The method enabled a direct simulation of nonlinear self-focusing in the nonparaxial regime, and a quantitative prediction of backscattering. However, our simulations showed that there is a threshold value for the magnitude of the nonlinearity, above which the iterations diverge. In this study, we numerically solve the one-dimensional NLH using a Newton-type nonlinear solver. Because the Kerr nonlinearity contains absolute values of the field, the NLH has to be recast as a system of two real equations in order to apply Newton's method. Our numerical simulations show that Newton's method converges rapidly and, in contradistinction with the iterations based on freezing the nonlinearity, enables computations for very high levels of nonlinearity. In addition, we introduce a novel compact finite-volume fourth order discretization for the NLH with material discontinuities.The one-dimensional results of the current paper create a foundation for the analysis of multi-dimensional problems in the future.Comment: 47 pages, 8 figure

Approximated Lax Pairs for the Reduced Order Integration of Nonlinear Evolution Equations

A reduced-order model algorithm, called ALP, is proposed to solve nonlinear evolution partial differential equations. It is based on approximations of generalized Lax pairs. Contrary to other reduced-order methods, like Proper Orthogonal Decomposition, the basis on which the solution is searched for evolves in time according to a dynamics specific to the problem. It is therefore well-suited to solving problems with progressive front or wave propagation. Another difference with other reduced-order methods is that it is not based on an off-line / on-line strategy. Numerical examples are shown for the linear advection, KdV and FKPP equations, in one and two dimensions

Tensor Product Multiscale Many-Particle Spaces with Finite-Order Weights for the Electronic Schrödinger Equation

We study tensor product multiscale many-particle spaces with finite-order weights and their application for the electronic Schrödinger equation. Any numerical solution of the electronic Schrödinger equation using conventional discretization schemes is impossible due to its high dimensionality. Therefore, typically Monte Carlo methods (VMC/DMC) or nonlinear model approximations like Hartree-Fock (HF), coupled cluster (CC) or density functional theory (DFT) are used. In this work we develop and implement in parallel a numerical method based on adaptive sparse grids and a particle-wise subspace splitting with respect to one-particle functions which stem from a nonlinear rank-1 approximation. Sparse grids allow to overcome the exponential complexity exhibited by conventional discretization procedures and deliver a convergent numerical approach with guaranteed convergence rates. In particular, the introduced weighted many-particle tensor product multiscale approximation spaces include the common configuration interaction (CI) spaces as a special case. To realize our new approach, we first introduce general many-particle Sobolev spaces, which particularly include the standard Sobolev spaces as well as Sobolev spaces of dominated mixed smoothness. For this novel variant of sparse grid spaces we show estimates for the approximation and complexity orders with respect to the smoothness and decay parameters. With known regularity properties of the electronic wave function it follows that, up to logarithmic terms, the convergence rate is independent of the number of electrons and almost the same as in the two-electron case. However, besides the rate, also the dependence of the complexity constants on the number of electrons plays an important role for a truly practical method. Based on a splitting of the one-particle space we construct a subspace splitting of the many-particle space, which particularly includes the known ANOVA decomposition, the HDMR decomposition and the CI decomposition as special cases. Additionally, we introduce weights for a restriction of this subspace splitting. In this way weights of finite order q lead to many-particle spaces in which the problem of an approximation of an N-particle function reduces to the problem of the approximation of q-particle functions. To obtain as small as possible constants with respect to the cost complexity, we introduce a heuristic adaptive scheme to build a sequence of finite-dimensional subspaces of a weighted tensor product multiscale many-particle approximation space. Furthermore, we construct a multiscale Gaussian frame and apply Gaussians and modulated Gaussians for the nonlinear rank-1 approximation. In this way, all matrix entries of the corresponding discrete eigenvalue problem can be computed in terms of analytic formulae for the one and two particle operator integrals. Finally, we apply our novel approach to small atomic and diatomic systems with up to 6 electrons (18 space dimensions). The numerical results demonstrate that our new method indeed allows for convergence with expected rates.Tensorprodukt-Multiskalen-Mehrteilchenräume mit Gewichten endlicher Ordnung für die elektronische Schrödingergleichung In der vorliegenden Arbeit beschäftigen wir uns mit gewichteten Tensorprodukt-Multiskalen-Mehrteilchen-Approximationsräumen und deren Anwendung zur numerischen Lösung der elektronischen Schrödinger-Gleichung. Aufgrund der hohen Problemdimension ist eine direkte numerische Lösung der elektronischen Schrödinger-Gleichung mit Standard-Diskretisierungsverfahren zur linearen Approximation unmöglich, weshalb üblicherweise Monte Carlo Methoden (VMC/DMC) oder nichtlineare Modellapproximationen wie Hartree-Fock (HF), Coupled Cluster (CC) oder Dichtefunktionaltheorie (DFT) verwendet werden. In dieser Arbeit wird eine numerische Methode auf Basis von adaptiven dünnen Gittern und einer teilchenweisen Unterraumzerlegung bezüglich Einteilchenfunktionen aus einer nichtlinearen Rang-1 Approximation entwickelt und für parallele Rechnersysteme implementiert. Dünne Gitter vermeiden die in der Dimension exponentielle Komplexität üblicher Diskretisierungsmethoden und führen zu einem konvergenten numerischen Ansatz mit garantierter Konvergenzrate. Zudem enthalten unsere zugrunde liegenden gewichteten Mehrteilchen Tensorprodukt-Multiskalen-Approximationsräume die bekannten Configuration Interaction (CI) Räume als Spezialfall. Zur Konstruktion unseres Verfahrens führen wir zunächst allgemeine Mehrteilchen-Sobolevräume ein, welche die Standard-Sobolevräume sowie Sobolevräume mit dominierender gemischter Glattheit beinhalten. Wir analysieren die Approximationseigenschaften und schätzen Konvergenzraten und Kostenkomplexitätsordnungen in Abhängigkeit der Glattheitsparameter und Abfalleigenschaften ab. Mit Hilfe bekannter Regularitätseigenschaften der elektronischen Wellenfunktion ergibt sich, dass die Konvergenzrate bis auf logarithmische Terme unabhängig von der Zahl der Elektronen und fast identisch mit der Konvergenzrate im Fall von zwei Elektronen ist. Neben der Rate spielt allerdings die Abhängigkeit der Konstanten in der Kostenkomplexität von der Teilchenzahl eine wichtige Rolle. Basierend auf Zerlegungen des Einteilchenraumes konstruieren wir eine Unterraumzerlegung des Mehrteilchenraumes, welche insbesondere die bekannte ANOVA-Zerlegung, die HDMR-Zerlegung sowie die CI-Zerlegung als Spezialfälle beinhaltet. Eine zusätzliche Gewichtung der entsprechenden Unterräume mit Gewichten von endlicher Ordnung q führt zu Mehrteilchenräumen, in denen sich das Approximationsproblem einer N-Teilchenfunktion zu Approximationsproblemen von q-Teilchenfunktionen reduziert. Mit dem Ziel, Konstanten möglichst kleiner Größe bezüglich der Kostenkomplexität zu erhalten, stellen wir ein heuristisches adaptives Verfahren zur Konstruktion einer Sequenz von endlich-dimensionalen Unterräumen eines gewichteten Mehrteilchen-Tensorprodukt-Multiskalen-Approximationsraumes vor. Außerdem konstruieren wir einen Frame aus Multiskalen-Gauss-Funktionen und verwenden Einteilchenfunktionen im Rahmen der Rang-1 Approximation in der Form von Gauss- und modulierten-Gauss-Funktionen. Somit können die zur Aufstellung der Matrizen des zugehörigen diskreten Eigenwertproblems benötigten Ein- und Zweiteilchenintegrale analytisch berechnet werden. Schließlich wenden wir unsere Methode auf kleine Atome und Moleküle mit bis zu sechs Elektronen (18 Raumdimensionen) an. Die numerischen Resultate zeigen, dass sich die aus der Theorie zu erwartenden Konvergenzraten auch praktisch ergeben

Coherent state-based approaches to quantum dynamics: application to thermalization in finite systems

We investigate thermalization in finite quantum systems using coherent state-based approaches to solve the time-dependent Schr\'odinger equation. Earlier, a lot of work has been done in the quantum realm, to study thermalization in spin systems, but not for the case of continuous systems. Here, we focus on continuous systems. We study the zero temperature thermalization i.e., we consider the ground states of the bath oscillators (environment). In order to study the quantum dynamics of a system under investigation, we require numerical methods to solve the time-dependent Schr\'odinger equation. We describe different numerical methods like the split-operator fast fourier transform, coupled coherent states, static grid of coherent states, semiclassical Herman-Kluk propagator and the linearized semiclassical initial value representation to study the quantum dynamics. We also give a comprehensive comparison of the most widely used coherent state based methods. Starting from the fully variational coherent states method, after a first approximation, the coupled coherent states method can be derived, whereas an additional approximation leads to the semiclassical Herman-Kluk method. We numerically compare the different methods with another one, based on a static rectangular grid of coherent states, by applying all of them to the revival dynamics in a one-dimensional Morse oscillator, with a special focus on the number of basis states (for the coupled coherent states and Herman-Kluk methods the number of classical trajectories) needed for convergence. We also extend the Husimi (coherent state) based version of linearized semiclassical theories for the calculation of correlation functions to the case of survival probabilities. This is a case that could be dealt with before only by use of the Wigner version of linearized semiclassical theory. Numerical comparisons of the Husimi and the Wigner case with full quantum results as well as with full semiclassical ones is given for the revival dynamics in a Morse oscillator with and without coupling to an additional harmonic degree of freedom. From this, we see the quantum to classical transition of the system dynamics due to the coupling to the environment (bath harmonic oscillator), which then can lead ultimately to our final goal of thermalization for long-time dynamics. In regard to thermalization in quantum systems, we address the following questions--- is it enough to increase the interaction strength between the different degrees of freedom in order to fully develop chaos which is the classical prerequisite for thermalization, or if, in addition, the number of those degrees of freedom has to be increased (possibly all the way to the thermodynamic limit) in order to observe thermalization. We study the ``toppling pencil'' model, i.e., an excited initial state on top of the barrier of a symmetric quartic double well to investigate thermalization. We apply the method of coupled coherent states to study the long-time dynamics of this system. We investigate if the coupling of the central quartic double well to a finite, environmental bath of harmonic oscillators in their ground states will let the central system evolve towards its uncoupled ground state. This amounts to thermalization i.e., a cooling down to the bath ``temperature'' (strictly only defined in the thermodynamic limit) of the central system. It is shown that thermalization can be achieved in finite quantum system with continuous variables using coherent state-based methods to solve the time-dependent Schr\'odinger equation. Also, here we witness thermalization by coupling the system to a bath of only few oscillators (less than ten), which until now has been seen for more than ten to twenty bath oscillators

Geometric Integrators for Schrödinger Equations

The celebrated Schrödinger equation is the key to understanding the dynamics of quantum mechanical particles and comes in a variety of forms. Its numerical solution poses numerous challenges, some of which are addressed in this work. Arguably the most important problem in quantum mechanics is the so-called harmonic oscillator due to its good approximation properties for trapping potentials. In Chapter 2, an algebraic correspondence-technique is introduced and applied to construct efficient splitting algorithms, based solely on fast Fourier transforms, which solve quadratic potentials in any number of dimensions exactly - including the important case of rotating particles and non-autonomous trappings after averaging by Magnus expansions. The results are shown to transfer smoothly to the Gross-Pitaevskii equation in Chapter 3. Additionally, the notion of modified nonlinear potentials is introduced and it is shown how to efficiently compute them using Fourier transforms. It is shown how to apply complex coefficient splittings to this nonlinear equation and numerical results corroborate the findings. In the semiclassical limit, the evolution operator becomes highly oscillatory and standard splitting methods suffer from exponentially increasing complexity when raising the order of the method. Algorithms with only quadratic order-dependence of the computational cost are found using the Zassenhaus algorithm. In contrast to classical splittings, special commutators are allowed to appear in the exponents. By construction, they are rapidly decreasing in size with the semiclassical parameter and can be exponentiated using only a few Lanczos iterations. For completeness, an alternative technique based on Hagedorn wavepackets is revisited and interpreted in the light of Magnus expansions and minor improvements are suggested. In the presence of explicit time-dependencies in the semiclassical Hamiltonian, the Zassenhaus algorithm requires a special initiation step. Distinguishing the case of smooth and fast frequencies, it is shown how to adapt the mechanism to obtain an efficiently computable decomposition of an effective Hamiltonian that has been obtained after Magnus expansion, without having to resolve the oscillations by taking a prohibitively small time-step. Chapter 5 considers the Schrödinger eigenvalue problem which can be formulated as an initial value problem after a Wick-rotating the Schrödinger equation to imaginary time. The elliptic nature of the evolution operator restricts standard splittings to low order, ¿ < 3, because of the unavoidable appearance of negative fractional timesteps that correspond to the ill-posed integration backwards in time. The inclusion of modified potentials lifts the order barrier up to ¿ < 5. Both restrictions can be circumvented using complex fractional time-steps with positive real part and sixthorder methods optimized for near-integrable Hamiltonians are presented. Conclusions and pointers to further research are detailed in Chapter 6, with a special focus on optimal quantum control.Bader, PK. (2014). Geometric Integrators for Schrödinger Equations [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/38716TESISPremios Extraordinarios de tesis doctorale