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arXiv:2310.12366 · Physical Review Research

Analytic evolution for complex coupled tight-binding models: Applications to quantum light manipulation

Santiago Rojas-Rojas, Camila Muñoz, Edgar Barriga, Pablo Solano, A. Delgado, Carla Hermann-Avigliano

Published Aug 27, 2024• 3 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We present analytic solutions to the evolution in generalized tight-binding models, which consider complex first-neighbor couplings with equal amplitude and arbitrary phases. Our findings provide a powerful tool to efficiently calculate expectation values and correlations within the system, which are otherwise difficult to compute numerically. We apply our results to relevant examples in quantum light manipulation using -port linear couplers, describing the evolution of single (multi)-mode squeezing, single-photon added (subtracted) Gaussian states, and second-order site-to-site photon correlations. Significantly, our analytic results outperform standard numerical calculations. Our study paves the way for a comprehensive mathematical framework describing the spatial evolution of quantum states across a wide range of physical systems governed by the tight-binding model. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

DOI
10.1103/physrevresearch.6.033224

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Exact versus tight-binding models in longitudinally modulated PT\mathcal{PT}PT-symmetric coupled waveguides
The tight-binding (TB) model is a widely adopted approximation scheme for describing light propagation in waveguide arrays. Despite its success, its validity in PT\mathcal{PT}PT-symmetric systems characterized by strong longitudinal modulation has not been rigorously benchmarked against exact analytical solutions. In this work, we address this gap by performing a comparative analysis between exact continuous solutions derived from zzz-dependent supersymmetric (SUSY) transformations and their corresponding discrete TB approximations. To achieve this, we develop a theoretical model for two PT-symmetric coupled waveguides subject to longitudinal modulation. We then evaluate the performance of the TB framework against the exact SUSY benchmark. Our results delineate the specific validity range of the TB approximation, demonstrating its proficiency in reproducing spatial intensity distributions. However, we also identify its limitations in accurately capturing the complex oscillatory phase dynamics inherent to this non-Hermitian evolution.
Many advancements in optics have relied on the tight-binding approximation, which simplifies the description and prediction of complex system behaviors. This approximation describes the dynamics of the total light field by examining the coupling between the guided modes of individual single-mode substructures -- also known as coupled mode theory. However, the underlying assumption, that the guided modes of individual waveguides form an orthogonal basis, breaks down when waveguides are brought into close proximity or when larger arrays are considered. In this work, we systematically analyze the consequences of this non-orthogonality and show that it leads to a generalized eigenvalue problem involving an overlap matrix, causing a fundamental mismatch between the standard TB model and solutions of the paraxial wave equation. To resolve this issue, we introduce a modified TB framework based on the Löwdin orthogonalization, which constructs an orthonormal basis from the non-orthogonal guided modes while minimally altering their physical shape and preserving their symmetry properties. The resulting Löwdin-TB method restores the standard eigenvalue problem and yields excellent agreement with exact beam propagation simulations across a wide range of system sizes and waveguide separations. Furthermore, it captures important physical effects, such as enhanced long-range coupling and nontrivial hopping phases, that are absent in the standard approach.