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arXiv:1506.08786 · Physical Review A

Dynamics of observables and exactly solvable quantum problems: Using time-dependent density-functional theory to control quantum systems

Mehdi Farzanehpour, I. V. Tokatly

Published May 24, 2016• 2 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We use analytic (current) density-potential maps of time-dependent (current) density-functional theory [TD(C)DFT] to inverse engineer analytically solvable time-dependent quantum problems. In this approach the driving potential (the control signal) and the corresponding solution of the Schr\"odinger equation are parametrized analytically in terms of the basic TD(C)DFT observables. We describe the general reconstruction strategy and illustrate it with a number of explicit examples. First we consider the real space one-particle dynamics driven by a time-dependent electromagnetic field and recover, from the general TDDFT reconstruction formulas, the known exact solution for a driven oscillator with a time-dependent frequency. Then we use analytic maps of the lattice TD(C)DFT to control quantum dynamics in a discrete space. As a first example we construct a time-dependent potential which generates prescribed dynamics on a tight-binding chain. Then our method is applied to the dynamics of spin-1/2 driven by a time-dependent magnetic field. We design an analytic control pulse that transfers the system from the ground to excited state and vice versa. This pulse generates the spin flip thus operating as a quantum not gate.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.93.052515

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We use analytic (current) density-potential maps of time-dependent (current) density-functional theory [TD(C)DFT] to inverse engineer analytically solvable time-dependent quantum problems. In this approach the driving potential (the control signal) and the corresponding solution of the Schr"odinger equation are parametrized analytically in terms of the basic TD(C)DFT observables. We describe the general reconstruction strategy and illustrate it with a number of explicit examples. First we consider the real space one-particle dynamics driven by a time-dependent electromagnetic field and recover, from the general TDDFT reconstruction formulas, the known exact solution for a driven oscillator with a time-dependent frequency. Then we use analytic maps of the lattice TD(C)DFT to control quantum dynamics in a discrete space. As a first example we construct a time-dependent potential which generates prescribed dynamics on a tight-binding chain. Then our method is applied to the dynamics of spin-1/2 driven by a time-dependent magnetic field. We design an analytic control pulse that transfers the system from the ground to excited state and vice versa. This pulse generates the spin flip thus operating as a quantum not gate.
Analytical solutions to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation describing a driven two-level system are invaluable to many areas of physics, but they are also extremely rare. Here, we present a simple algorithm that generates an unlimited number of exact analytical solutions. We show that a general single-axis driving term and its corresponding evolution operator are determined by a single real function which is constrained only by a certain inequality and initial conditions. Any function satisfying these constraints yields an exact analytical solution. We demonstrate this method by presenting several new exact solutions to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Our general method and many of the new solutions we present are particularly relevant to qubit control in quantum computing applications.
Time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) is a central tool for studying the dynamical electronic structure of molecules and solids, yet aspects of its mathematical foundations remain insufficiently understood. In this work, we revisit the foundations of TDDFT within a finite-dimensional setting by developing a general geometric framework for Schrödinger dynamics subject to prescribed expectation values of selected observables. We show that multiple natural definitions of such constrained dynamics arise from the underlying geometry of the state manifold. The conventional TDDFT formulation emerges from demanding stationarity of the action functional, while an alternative, purely geometric construction leads to a distinct form of constrained Schrödinger evolution that has not been previously explored. This alternative dynamics may provide a more mathematically robust route to TDDFT and may suggest new strategies for constructing nonadiabatic approximations. Applying the theory to interacting fermions on finite lattices, we derive novel Kohn--Sham schemes in which the density constraint is enforced via an imaginary potential or, equivalently, a nonlocal Hermitian operator. Numerical illustrations for the Hubbard dimer demonstrate the behavior of these new approaches.
Time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) is a central tool for studying the dynamical electronic structure of molecules and solids, yet aspects of its mathematical foundations remain insufficiently understood. In this work, we revisit the foundations of TDDFT within a finite-dimensional setting by developing a general geometric framework for Schrödinger dynamics subject to prescribed expectation values of selected observables. We show that multiple natural definitions of such constrained dynamics arise from the underlying geometry of the state manifold. The conventional TDDFT formulation emerges from demanding stationarity of the action functional, while an alternative, purely geometric construction leads to a distinct form of constrained Schrödinger evolution that has not been previously explored. This alternative dynamics may provide a more mathematically robust route to TDDFT and may suggest new strategies for constructing nonadiabatic approximations. Applying the theory to interacting fermions on finite lattices, we derive novel Kohn--Sham schemes in which the density constraint is enforced via an imaginary potential or, equivalently, a nonlocal Hermitian operator. Numerical illustrations for the Hubbard dimer demonstrate the behavior of these new approaches.
Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) for quantum many-body systems on a lattice is formulated rigorously. We prove the uniqueness of the density-to-potential mapping and demonstrate that a given density is vvv representable if the initial many-body state and the density satisfy certain well-defined conditions. In particular, we show that for a system evolving from its ground state any density with a continuous second time derivative is locally in time vvv representable and therefore the lattice TDDFT is guaranteed to exist. The TDDFT existence and uniqueness theorem is valid for any connected lattice, independently of its size, geometry, and/or spatial dimensionality. General statements of the existence theorem are illustrated on a pedagogical exactly solvable example, which displays all the details and subtleties of the proof in a transparent form. In conclusion we briefly discuss remaining open problems and directions for future research.
Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) provides a successful approach to calculate excitation energies of atomic and molecular systems. In part I of this work we present a double-pole approximation (DPA) to the response equations of TDDFT. The double-pole approximation provides an exact description of systems with two strongly coupled excitations which are isolated from the rest of the spectrum. In contrast to the traditional single- pole approximation of TDDFT the DPA also yields corrections to the Kohn-Sham oscillator strengths. Several critical pole separations can be identified, e.g. we find that the pole coupling can cause transitions to vanish entirely from the optical spectrum. We also demonstrate how to invert the double-pole solution which allows us to predict matrix elements of the exchange- correlation kernel fxc from experimental input. This can serve as benchmark for the construction of future approximations for the kernel fxc. Reduced density matrix functional theory (RDMFT) has emerged recently as promising candidate to treat strongly correlated electronic many-body systems beyond traditional density functional theory (DFT). The research within RDMFT was so far focussed on the static theory. In this work we attempt some first steps towards a time-dependent generalization of RDMFT. In part II we derive equations of motion for natural orbitals and occupation numbers. Using the equation of motion for the occupation numbers we show that an adiabatic extension of presently known ground-state functionals of static RDMFT always leads to occupation numbers which are constant in time. From the stationary conditions of the equations of motion for the N-body correlations (correlated parts of the N-body matrices) we derive a new class of ground-state functionals which can be used in static RDMFT. Applications are presented for a one-dimensional model system where the time-dependent many-body Schrödinger equation can be propagated numerically. We use optimal control theory to find optimized laser pulses for transitions in a model for atomic Helium. From the numerically exact correlated wavefunction we extract the exact time evolution of natural orbitals and occupation numbers for (i) laser-driven Helium and (ii) electron-ion scattering. Part III of this work considers time-dependent quantum transport within TDDFT. We present an algorithm for the calculation of extended eigenstates of single- particle Hamiltonians which is especially tailored to a finite-difference discretization of the Schrödinger equation. We consider the propagation of finite mesoscopic systems and demonstrate the limitations of such an approach. To overcome the shortcomings of a description of quantum transport in terms of finite systems we develop a time-propagation scheme for extended states which utilizes a mixed basis representation. Our discretization scheme allows to treat central device and lead regions on the same footing thus preventing artificial reflections at grid boundaries.
Methods for obtaining exact and approximate solutions of the evolution of quantum-mechanical problems are discussed. The cyclic evolution of quantum systems described by time-periodic Hamiltonians is analyzed. A class of time-periodic Hamiltonians is constructed in the close analytical form. The corresponding cyclic solutions are calculated. Time-dependent Hamiltonians are generated whose expectation values calculated with cyclic solutions are time independent. It is shown that the expectation values of the spin projection calculated with the same cyclic solutions, as well as the probability density of finding a particle at a given space-time point, are also time independent. Therefore, the approach can be used to simulate quantum dynamic potential wells with the particle localization effect. Nonadiabatic geometric phases are expressed in terms of the cyclic solutions. Exactly solvable time-dependent problems are used to construct a universal set of gates for quantum computers. A method for obtaining entanglement operators is discussed.