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arXiv:2411.11897

Formations of generalized Wannier-Stark ladders: Theorem and applications

Hepeng Zhang, Zhigang Song

Published Nov 10, 2024• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The Wannier-Stark ladder (WSL) is a basic concept, supporting periodic oscillation, widely used in many areas of physics. In this paper, we investigate the formations of WSL in generalized systems, including strongly correlated and non-Hermitian systems. We present a theorem on the existence of WSL for a set of general systems that are translationally symmetric before the addition of a linear potential. For a non-Hermitian system, the WSL becomes complex but maintains a real energy level spacing. We illustrate the theorem using 1D extended Bose-Hubbard models with both real and imaginary hopping strengths. It is shown that the Bloch-Zener oscillations of correlated bosons are particularly remarkable under resonant conditions. Numerical simulations for cases with boson numbers $n=2$, $3$, and $4$ are presented. Analytical and numerical results for the time evolution of the $n$-boson-occupied initial state indicate that all evolved states exhibit quasi periodic oscillations, but with different profiles, depending on the Hermiticity and interaction strength.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2411.11897

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The Wannier-Stark ladder (WSL) is a basic concept, supporting periodic oscillation, widely used in many areas of physics. In this paper, we investigate the formations of WSL in generalized systems, including strongly correlated and non-Hermitian systems. We present a theorem on the existence of WSL for a set of general systems that are translationally symmetric before the addition of a linear potential. For a non-Hermitian system, the WSL becomes complex but maintains a real energy level spacing. We illustrate the theorem using 1D extended Bose-Hubbard models with both real and imaginary hopping strengths. It is shown that the Bloch-Zener oscillations of correlated bosons are particularly remarkable under resonant conditions. Numerical simulations for cases with boson numbers n=2n=2n=2, 333, and 444 are presented. Analytical and numerical results for the time evolution of the nnn-boson-occupied initial state indicate that all evolved states exhibit quasi periodic oscillations, but with different profiles, depending on the Hermiticity and interaction strength.
According to Faraday's law in classical physics, a varying magnetic field stimulates an electric eddy field. Intuitively, when a classical field is constant and imposed on a lattice, the Wannier-Stark ladders (WSL) can be established, resulting in Bloch oscillations. In this work, we investigate the dynamics of an interacting system on a (generalized) ring lattice threaded by a varying magnetic flux. Based on the rigorious results, we demonstrate that there exist many invariant subspaces in which the dynamics is periodic when the flux varies linearly over time. Nevertheless, for a given initial state, the evolved state differs from that driven by a linear field. However, the probability distributions of the two states are identical, referred to as the quantum analogue of Faraday's law. Our results are ubiquitous for a wide variety of interacting systems. We demonstrate these results through numerical simulations in an extended fermi-Hubbard model.
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Periodic Wannier–Stark ladder structures of the energy resonances associated with Bloch oscillations can be readily modified into quasi-periodic ones that exhibit peculiar self-similar effects. A compact theoretical description of the dynamics of driven Bloch oscillations is developed here within the quasi-momentum representation. We identify a rather viable scheme based on ultracold atomic wavepackets subject to gravity in a driven optical lattice potential where a self-similar scaling could be observed. Its feasibility in terms of realistic experimental parameters is also discussed.
We consider a Schroedinger operator on the axis with a bipartite potential consisting of two compactly supported complex-valued functions, whose supports are separated by a large distance. We show that this operator possesses a sequence of approximately equidistant complex wavenumbers corresponding to resonances or eigenvalues situated near the real axis. This phenomenon can be considered as a counterpart and a non-hermitian generalization of the well-known Wannier-Stark ladder of resonances; for real potentials the phenomenon holds as well. The result has potential applications in standard and non-hermitian quantum mechanics, physics of waveguides, photonics, and in other areas where the Schroedinger operator emerges as an effective Hamiltonian.
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