448 research outputs found
Impact of classical forces and decoherence in multi-terminal Aharonov-Bohm networks
Multi-terminal Aharonov-Bohm (AB) rings are ideal building blocks for quantum
networks (QNs) thanks to their ability to map input states into controlled
coherent superpositions of output states. We report on experiments performed on
three-terminal GaAs/Al_(x)Ga_(1-x)As AB devices and compare our results with a
scattering-matrix model including Lorentz forces and decoherence. Our devices
were studied as a function of external magnetic field (B) and gate voltage at
temperatures down to 350 mK. The total output current from two terminals while
applying a small bias to the third lead was found to be symmetric with respect
to B with AB oscillations showing abrupt phase jumps between 0 and pi at
different values of gate voltage and at low magnetic fields, reminiscent of the
phase-rigidity constraint due to Onsager-Casimir relations. Individual outputs
show quasi-linear dependence of the oscillation phase on the external electric
field. We emphasize that a simple scattering-matrix approach can not model the
observed behavior and propose an improved description that can fully describe
the observed phenomena. Furthermore, we shall show that our model can be
successfully exploited to determine the range of experimental parameters that
guarantee a minimum oscillation visibility, given the geometry and coherence
length of a QN.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure
Persistent oscillations after quantum quenches in d dimensions
We obtain analytical results for the time evolution of local observables in systems undergoing quantum quenches in d spatial dimensions. For homogeneous systems we show that oscillations undamped in time occur when the state produced by the quench includes single-quasiparticle modes and the observable couples to those modes. In particular, a quench of the transverse field within the ferromagnetic phase of the Ising model produces undamped oscillations of the order parameter when d>1. For the more general case in which the quench is performed only in a subregion of the whole d-dimensional space occupied by the system, the time evolution occurs inside a light cone spreading away from the boundary of the quenched region as time increases. The additional condition for undamped oscillations is that the volume of the quenched region is extensive in all dimensions
A quantum Hall Mach-Zehnder interferometer far beyond the equilibrium
We experimentally realize quantum Hall Mach-Zehnder interferometer which
operates far beyond the equilibrium. The operation of the interferometer is
based on allowed intra-edge elastic transitions within the same Landau sublevel
in the regime of high imbalances between the co-propagating edge states. Since
the every edge state is definitely connected with the certain Landau sublevel,
the formation of the interference loop can be understood as a splitting and a
further reconnection of a single edge state. We observe an Aharonov-Bohm type
interference pattern even for low-size interferometers. This novel interference
scheme demonstrates high visibility even at millivolt imbalances and survives
in a wide temperature range.Comment: As accepted by PR
Electrostatic tailoring of magnetic interference in quantum point contact ballistic Josephson junctions
The magneto-electrostatic tailoring of the supercurrent in quantum point
contact ballistic Josephson junctions is demonstrated. An etched InAs-based
heterostructure is laterally contacted to superconducting niobium leads and the
existence of two etched side gates permits, in combination with the application
of a perpendicular magnetic field, to modify continuously the magnetic
interference pattern by depleting the weak link. For wider junctions the
supercurrent presents a Fraunhofer-like interference pattern with periodicity
h/2e whereas by shrinking electrostatically the weak link, the periodicity
evolves continuously to a monotonic decay. These devices represent novel
tunable structures that might lead to the study of the elusive Majorana
fermions.Comment: 4.5 pages, 4 color figure
Interface in presence of a wall. Results from field theory
We consider three-dimensional statistical systems at phase coexistence in the half-volume with boundary conditions leading to the presence of an interface. Working slightly below the critical temperature, where universal properties emerge, we show how the problem can be studied analytically from first principles, starting from the degrees of freedom (particle modes) of the bulk field theory. After deriving the passage probability of the interface and the order parameter profile in the regime in which the interface is not bound to the wall, we show how the theory accounts at the fundamental level also for the binding transition and its key parameter
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