Quantum interference in the classically forbidden region: a parametric oscillator

We study tunneling between period two states of a parametrically modulated oscillator. The tunneling matrix element is shown to oscillate with the varying frequency of the modulating field. The effect is due to spatial oscillations of the wave function and the related interference in the classically forbidden region. The oscillations emerge already in the ground state of the oscillator Hamiltonian in the rotating frame, which is quartic in the momentum.Comment: Submitted to PR

Relaxation of a qubit measured by a driven Duffing oscillator

We investigate the relaxation of a superconducting qubit for the case when its detector, the Josephson bifurcation amplifier, remains latched in one of its two (meta)stable states of forced vibrations. The qubit relaxation rates are different in different states. They can display strong dependence on the qubit frequency and resonant enhancement, which is due to quasienergy resonances. Coupling to the driven oscillator changes the effective temperature of the qubit.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. A (2010

Exponential peak and scaling of work fluctuations in modulated systems

We extend the stationary-state work fluctuation theorem to periodically modulated nonlinear systems. Such systems often have coexisting stable periodic states. We show that work fluctuations sharply increase near a kinetic phase transition where the state populations are close to each other. The work variance is proportional here to the reciprocal rate of interstate switching. We also show that the variance displays scaling with the distance to a bifurcation point and find the critical exponent for a saddle-node bifurcation

Observable and hidden singular features of large fluctuations in nonequilibrium systems

We study local features, and provide a topological insight into the global structure of the probability density distribution and of the pattern of the optimal paths for large rare fluctuations away from a stable state. In contrast to extremal paths in quantum mechanics, the optimal paths do {\it not} encounter caustics. We show how this occurs, and what, instead of caustics, are the experimentally observable singularities of the pattern. We reveal the possibility for a caustic and a switching line to start at a saddle point, and discuss the consequences.Comment: 10 pages, 3 ps figures by request, LaTeX Article Format (In press, Phys. Lett. A

Multiphoton antiresonance in large-spin systems

We study nonlinear response of a spin $S>1/2$ with easy-axis anisotropy. The response displays sharp dips or peaks when the modulation frequency is adiabatically swept through multiphoton resonance. The effect is a consequence of a special symmetry of the spin dynamics in a magnetic field for the anisotropy energy $\propto S_z^2$. The occurrence of the dips or peaks is determined by the spin state. Their shape strongly depends on the modulation amplitude. Higher-order anisotropy breaks the symmetry, leading to sharp steps in the response as function of frequency. The results bear on the dynamics of molecular magnets in a static magnetic field.Comment: Submitted to PR

Diffusion-induced dephasing in nanomechanical resonators

We study resonant response of an underdamped nanomechanical resonator with fluctuating frequency. The fluctuations are due to diffusion of molecules or microparticles along the resonator. They lead to broadening and change of shape of the oscillator spectrum. The spectrum is found for the diffusion confined to a small part of the resonator and where it occurs along the whole nanobeam. The analysis is based on extending to the continuous limit, and appropriately modifying, the method of interfering partial spectra. We establish the conditions of applicability of the fluctuation-dissipation relations between the susceptibility and the power spectrum. We also find where the effect of frequency fluctuations can be described by a convolution of the spectra without these fluctuations and with them as the only source of the spectral broadening.Comment: 10 page

Theory of Second and Higher Order Stochastic Processes

This paper presents a general approach to linear stochastic processes driven by various random noises. Mathematically, such processes are described by linear stochastic differential equations of arbitrary order (the simplest non-trivial example is $\ddot x = R(t)$, where $R(t)$ is not a Gaussian white noise). The stochastic process is discretized into $n$ time-steps, all possible realizations are summed up and the continuum limit is taken. This procedure often yields closed form formulas for the joint probability distributions. Completely worked out examples include all Gaussian random forces and a large class of Markovian (non-Gaussian) forces. This approach is also useful for deriving Fokker-Planck equations for the probability distribution functions. This is worked out for Gaussian noises and for the Markovian dichotomous noise.Comment: 35 pages, PlainTex, accepted for publication in Phys Rev. E