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arXiv:0801.2267 · Physical Review Letters

Identifying Wave-Packet Fractional Revivals by Means of Information Entropy

E. Romera, Francisco de los Santos

Published Dec 28, 2007• 76 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Wave-packet fractional revivals is a relevant feature in the long time-scale evolution of a wide range of physical systems, including atoms, molecules, and nonlinear systems. We show that the sum of information entropies in both position and momentum conjugate spaces is an indicator of fractional revivals by analyzing three different model systems: (i) the infinite square well, (ii) a particle bouncing vertically against a wall in a gravitational field, and (iii) the vibrational dynamics of hydrogen iodide molecules. This description in terms of information entropies complements the usual one in terms of the autocorrelation function.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.99.263601

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We show that the R\'enyi uncertainty relations give a good description of the dynamical behavior of wave packets and constitute a sound approach to revival phenomena by analyzing three model systems: the simple harmonic oscillator, the infinite square well, and the quantum bouncer. We prove the usefulness of entropic uncertainty relations as a tool for identifying fractional revivals by providing a comparison in different contexts with the usual Heisenberg uncertainty relation and with the common approach in terms of the autocorrelation function.

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Abstract Information entropy has played a key role in a wide range of disciplines, for instance, classical and quantum information processing, quantum computing, quantum dynamics and quantum metrology. Here, we develop an information theoretic formalism using Shannon entropy, to investigate the quantum dynamics of Hamiltonian systems with position-dependent mass. Such systems are of fundamental interest in many areas, for instance, condensed matter, mathematical physics and foundations of quantum mechanics. We explore the phenomenon of fractional revivals for the temporal evolution of wave-packet solutions of Schrödinger equation with position-dependent mass by studying, analytically and numerically, the time-development of Shannon information entropy in position and momentum spaces. It is shown by our numerical results that the effect of spatially varying mass on the fractional revivals can not be fully harnessed using conventional measures, for instance, autocorrelation function. However, based on our numerical analysis it is concluded that information entropy is not only more sensitive to identify the fractional revivals but it also better elucidates the effect of position-dependent mass on the structure of fractional revivals in the form of symmetry breaking.

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Fractional Revival Dynamics in Kerr-Type Systems: Angular Momentum Moments and Classical Analogs

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Spatio Temporal Wave Packet Dynamics In Fermi Ulam Accelerator

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Wave packet dynamics in an harmonic potential disturbed by disorder: Entropy, uncertainty, and vibrational revivals

Peter Schürger, Thomas Schaupp, Dustin Kaiser +2 more

We investigate the quantum and classical wave packet dynamics in an harmonic oscillator that is perturbed by a disorder potential. This perturbation causes the dispersion of a Gaussian wave packet, which is reflected in the coordinate-space and the momentum-space Shannon entropies, the latter being a measure for the amount of information available on a system. Regarding the sum of the two quantities, one arrives at an entropy that is related to the coordinate-momentum uncertainty. Whereas in the harmonic case, this entropy is strictly periodic and can be evaluated analytically, this behavior is lost if disorder is added. There, at selected times, the quantum mechanical probability density resembles that of a classical oscillator distribution function, and the entropy assumes larger values. However, at later times and dependent on the degree of disorder and the chosen initial conditions, quantum mechanical revivals occur. Then, the observed effects are reversed, and the entropy may decrease close to its initial value. This effect cannot be found classically.

The Journal of Chemical Physics•Jan 13, 2022•11 citations
Wave-packet fractional revivals is a relevant feature in the long time-scale evolution of a wide range of physical systems, including atoms, molecules, and nonlinear systems. We show that the sum of information entropies in both position and momentum conjugate spaces is an indicator of fractional revivals by analyzing three different model systems: (i) the infinite square well, (ii) a particle bouncing vertically against a wall in a gravitational field, and (iii) the vibrational dynamics of hydrogen iodide molecules. This description in terms of information entropies complements the usual one in terms of the autocorrelation function.
We show that the R\'enyi uncertainty relations give a good description of the dynamical behavior of wave packets and constitute a sound approach to revival phenomena by analyzing three model systems: the simple harmonic oscillator, the infinite square well, and the quantum bouncer. We prove the usefulness of entropic uncertainty relations as a tool for identifying fractional revivals by providing a comparison in different contexts with the usual Heisenberg uncertainty relation and with the common approach in terms of the autocorrelation function.
Abstract Information entropy has played a key role in a wide range of disciplines, for instance, classical and quantum information processing, quantum computing, quantum dynamics and quantum metrology. Here, we develop an information theoretic formalism using Shannon entropy, to investigate the quantum dynamics of Hamiltonian systems with position-dependent mass. Such systems are of fundamental interest in many areas, for instance, condensed matter, mathematical physics and foundations of quantum mechanics. We explore the phenomenon of fractional revivals for the temporal evolution of wave-packet solutions of Schrödinger equation with position-dependent mass by studying, analytically and numerically, the time-development of Shannon information entropy in position and momentum spaces. It is shown by our numerical results that the effect of spatially varying mass on the fractional revivals can not be fully harnessed using conventional measures, for instance, autocorrelation function. However, based on our numerical analysis it is concluded that information entropy is not only more sensitive to identify the fractional revivals but it also better elucidates the effect of position-dependent mass on the structure of fractional revivals in the form of symmetry breaking.
Wave packet revivals and fractional revivals are hallmark quantum interference phenomena that arise in systems with nonlinear energy spectra, and their signatures in expectation values of observables have been studied extensively in earlier work. In this article, we build on these studies and extend the analysis in two important directions. First, we investigate fractional revival dynamics in angular momentum observables, deriving explicit expressions for the time evolution of their moments and demonstrating that higher-order angular momentum moments provide clear and selective signatures of fractional revivals. Second, we examine classical analogs of quantum revival phenomena and elucidate structural similarities between quantum fractional revivals and recurrence behavior in representative classical systems. Using the Kerr-type nonlinear Hamiltonian as a paradigmatic model, we analyze the autocorrelation function, moment dynamics, and phase-space structures, supported by visualizations such as quantum carpets. Our results broaden the range of experimentally accessible diagnostics of fractional revivals and provide a unified perspective on revival phenomena across quantum and classical dynamical systems.
The idea of wave packet, that clarified many conceptual difficulties, has more recently been revisited to address interferometric and dynamical issues.Present work focuses on the spatio-temporal dynamics of the quantum wave packets in the Fermi-Ulam Accelerator Model.The specific system considered here is a one-dimensional box under periodic oscillations at one boundary. Such a seemingly simple system can be mapped to non-trivial problems like BEC trapped in an oscillating cavity or dynamics of atomic wave packet in different potential in presence or absence of gravitational field.The system is shown to display rich dynamical features including transitions from regular to stochastic and further to chaotic domain in classical phase space. We have obtained the approximated eigen-value solutions of the problem through time dependent Schrodinger’s equation under rescaling transformations that effectively replace moving boundary with a static one. Consequently the running time becomes a nonlinear function of the continuously changing boundary.Based on these solutions, revivals or the resurrection of the original wave packet, in the driven and un-driven Fermi-Ulam model are presented. Such revivals correspond to the constructive interference whereas the wave packet’s collapse owes to destructive interference. Furthermore, interplay of constructive and destructive interferences also readily mimics the fractional revivals.It is further demonstrated that initial position and momentum play a highly crucial role in the emergent revival and fractional revival patterns.It is shown that the symmetries exhibited by such structures in un-driven systems are usually lost under driven conditions and the revival/fractional revival times can only be predicted through a transcendental equation whose solution mainly depends on the strength of the external driving force.In present thesis we have proposed a comprehensive mathematical technique to calculate these hitherto unpredictable times.In addition, a graphical method is also suggested to observe these asymmetric revival/fractional revival times.This apparent asymmetry, do display an overall periodicity over a comparatively long span covering many times of revivals.It is found that whenever the ratio between the period of wall oscillation and quantum revival time `α/β' is a rational number then the revivals time shows a periodicity after β number of revival times over α wall oscillation. Standard tools of autocorrelation and quantum carpets, a consequence of quantum interference, have been employed for visual manifestation of these revivals.These carpets amply demonstrate the explicit asymmetric shifting of revival times for the driven case.These micro changes exhibited in quantum carpet morphologies consequently yield amended phase velocities associated with the canals and ridges in the driven framework.Furthermore, to grasp the quantum phase space dynamics in its entirety, we have also utilized the more sophisticated techniques of the Wigner function and information entropy.It is demonstrated mathematically that revivals not apparent via autocorrelation become prominent in the Wigner phase space description along with the appearance of smooth mini wave packets in the fractional revivals.These interference patterns emerge due to the state vector formed through the linear combination of Gaussians with different positions and momenta having pure Gaussian as well as oscillatory terms. Moreover, the information entropy, like the Wigner function also predicts the revivals when and where they happen.Thus a rich pattern of fractional revivals, including some altogether new ones, are observed through this tool in both driven and un-driven situations.Finally we have elucidated various scenarios including cold atoms in magneto-optical traps where such a system can be experimentally realized along with the suggestions for future work in this specific domain
We investigate the quantum and classical wave packet dynamics in an harmonic oscillator that is perturbed by a disorder potential. This perturbation causes the dispersion of a Gaussian wave packet, which is reflected in the coordinate-space and the momentum-space Shannon entropies, the latter being a measure for the amount of information available on a system. Regarding the sum of the two quantities, one arrives at an entropy that is related to the coordinate-momentum uncertainty. Whereas in the harmonic case, this entropy is strictly periodic and can be evaluated analytically, this behavior is lost if disorder is added. There, at selected times, the quantum mechanical probability density resembles that of a classical oscillator distribution function, and the entropy assumes larger values. However, at later times and dependent on the degree of disorder and the chosen initial conditions, quantum mechanical revivals occur. Then, the observed effects are reversed, and the entropy may decrease close to its initial value. This effect cannot be found classically.