Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:2606.24190

Dynamical low-rank methods for the Wigner equation I: separable difference potential

Sihong Shao, Yuehan Shao

math.NAphysics.comp-phquant-phSubmitted Jun 23, 2026• Announced Jun 24, 2026
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Recent advances in dynamical low-rank approximation (DLRA) have demonstrated its effectiveness in high-dimensional simulations. However, existing DLRA algorithms still face significant challenges when handling systems that involve complex collision terms, including the pseudo-differential operator (${\rm Ψ}$) in the Wigner equation, a representative operator characterized by nonlocality. It is deserving to carry out a series of works to develop the DLRA algorithms for solving the Wigner equation. As the first step in this series of works, we propose an efficient DLRA algorithm for the Wigner equation, using a separable decomposition of the difference potential. We combine this separable assumption with two often-used truncations of ${\rm Ψ}$, namely $\mathcal{K}$-truncation and $\mathcal{Y}$-truncation, to obtain a kind of separated representation of ${\rm Ψ}$. Complexity analysis and several challenging experiments, including harmonic oscillators, Gaussian barrier scattering, electron-electron scattering, and a Helium-like system, all of which satisfy the separable assumption, confirm that the proposed DLRA algorithm has significant advantages, achieving a reduction in computational effort by one to two orders of magnitude in both runtime and memory requirements compared to the full-grid approach. It is worth noting that, even in the absence of a predetermined low-rank structure for the solution, DLRA can still serve as a numerical scheme that balances efficiency and accuracy.

Comments
23 pages, 7 figures

Related papers

Dynamical Tensor Train Approximation for Wigner--Fokker--Planck Equation with Applications to Open Quantum Systems

Geshuo Wang, Jingwei Hu

We develop a dynamical tensor-train method for the Wigner--Fokker--Planck equation arising in continuous-variable open quantum systems. The Wigner function is evolved directly in tensor-train form using a projector-splitting integrator, while the nonlocal Wigner pseudo-differential operator is treated through low-rank representations of the potential difference and matrix-free exponential actions. The resulting method avoids full tensor-product computations in high-dimensional phase space. Numerical experiments in one, two, and three spatial dimensions demonstrate the accuracy and scalability of the method, including simulations in a six-dimensional phase space.

math.NACross-listedarXiv:2610.36257•Oct 28, 2026•0 citations

A computable branching process for the Wigner quantum dynamics

Sihong Shao, Yunfeng Xiong

A branching process treatment for the nonlocal Wigner pseudo-differential operator and its numerical applications in quantum dynamics is proposed and analyzed. We start from the discussion on two typical truncations of the nonlocal term, i.e., the k-truncated and y-truncated models. After introducing an auxiliary function γ(x), the (truncated) Wigner equation is reformulated into the integral formulation as well as its adjoint correspondence, both of which can be regarded as the renewal-type equations and have transparent stochastic interpretation. We prove that the moment of a branching process happens to be the solution for the adjoint equation, which connects rigorously the Wigner quantum dynamics to the stochastic branching process, and thus a sound mathematical framework for the Wigner Monte Carlo methods is established. Within the framework, the branching process for the y-truncated model recovers the popular signed particle Monte Carlo method which needs a discretization of the momentum space beforehand, whereas the k-truncated branching method allows a continuous momentum sampling. More interestingly, with the help of the rigorous connection, we find that a constant auxiliary function γ(x) ≡ γ0 performs better from the point of view of both theoretical and numerical aspects. In theory, we obtain a simple but analytical calculation formula for the growth rate of particle number, i.e., e2γ0t with t being the time. In numerics, the constant auxiliary function may facilitate the random sampling from the exponential distribution and improve the accuracy. Typical numerical experiments on the Gaussian barrier scattering validate our theoretical findings, as well as demonstrate the accuracy, the efficiency and thus the computability of the Wigner branching process.

•Mar 1, 2016•0 citations

A Branching Random Walk Method for Many-Body Wigner Quantum Dynamics

Sihong Shao, Yunfeng Xiong

A branching random walk algorithm for many-body Wigner equations and its numerical applications for quantum dynamics in phase space are proposed and analyzed in this paper. Using an auxiliary function, the truncated Wigner equation and its adjoint form are cast into integral formulations, which can be then reformulated into renewal-type equations with probabilistic interpretations. We prove that the first moment of a branching random walk is the solution for the adjoint equation. With the help of the additional degree of freedom offered by the auxiliary function, we are able to produce a weighted-particle implementation of the branching random walk. In contrast to existing signed-particle implementations, this weighted-particle one shows a key capacity of variance reduction by increasing the constant auxiliary function and has no time discretization errors. Several canonical numerical experiments on the 2D Gaussian barrier scattering and a 4D Helium-like system validate our theoretical findings, and demonstrate the accuracy, the efficiency, and thus the computability of the proposed weighted-particle Wigner branching random walk algorithm.

arXiv:1603.00159•Numerical Mathematics Theory Methods and Applications•Sep 18, 2018•10 citations

Nonlocalization of singular potentials in quantum dynamics

Sihong Shao, Lili Su

Abstract Nonlocal modeling has drawn more and more attention and becomes steadily more powerful in scientific computing. In this paper, we demonstrate the superiority of a first-principle nonlocal model — Wigner function — in treating singular potentials which are often used to model the interaction between point charges in quantum science. The nonlocal nature of the Wigner equation is fully exploited to convert the singular potential into the Wigner kernel with weak or even no singularity, and thus highly accurate numerical approximations are achievable, which are hardly designed when the singular potential is taken into account in the local Schrödinger equation. The Dirac delta function, the logarithmic, and the inverse power potentials are considered. Numerically converged Wigner functions under all these singular potentials are obtained with an operator splitting spectral method, and display many interesting quantum behaviors as well. 2020 Mathematics Subject Classification: 81S30; 45K05; 35Q40; 65M70; 35S05

arXiv:2301.07298•Journal of Computational Electronics•May 7, 2023•1 citation

A Parallel Basis Update and Galerkin Integrator for Tree Tensor Networks

Gianluca Ceruti, Jonas Kusch, Christian Lubich +1 more

Abstract. Computing the numerical solution to high-dimensional tensor differential equations can lead to prohibitive computational costs and memory requirements. To reduce the memory and computational footprint, dynamical low-rank approximation (DLRA) has proven to be a promising approach. DLRA represents the solution as a low-rank tensor factorization and evolves the resulting low-rank factors in time. A central challenge in DLRA is to find time integration schemes that are robust to the arising small singular values. A robust parallel basis update and Galerkin integrator, which simultaneously evolves all low-rank factors, has recently been derived for matrix differential equations. This work extends the parallel low-rank matrix integrator to Tucker tensors and general tree tensor networks, yielding an algorithm in which all bases and connecting tensors are evolved in parallel over a time step. We formulate the algorithm, provide a robust error bound, and demonstrate the efficiency of the new integrators for problems in quantum many-body physics, uncertainty quantification, and radiative transfer. Reproducibility of computational results. This paper has been awarded the “SIAM Reproducibility Badge: Code and data available” as a recognition that the authors have followed reproducibility principles valued by SISC and the scientific computing community. Code and data that allow readers to reproduce the results in this paper are available at https://github.com/JonasKu/Publication-Parallel-BUG-for-TTNs and in the supplementary materials ( Publication-Parallel-BUG-for-TTNs-main.zip [112 KB]). [Formula: see text]

arXiv:2412.00858•SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing•Jan 2, 2026•1 citation

Novel Phase-Space Methods to Simulate Strongly-Interacting Many-Body Quantum Dynamics

Shainen M. Davidson

Understanding the collective behaviour of many-body quantum systems is an important subject in many areas of physics. With advances in ultra-cold gas experiments, the dynamics of strongly-interacting systems can now be studied in the lab. However, there is a paucity of theoretical techniques available to simulate such systems. One technique is phase-space methods, often known as the Truncated Wigner Approximation; however, its applicability in its naive form is limited. In this work, we expound on techniques to expand the regimes in which it can be effective. This involves creating a novel phase-space that is tailored to the problem at hand, and associated classical equations of motion. We show techniques for lattice systems with local finite Hilbert spaces, for fermionic systems, and for many-body localized systems. In all cases, we benchmark the accuracy of the approximation against exact results.

•Jan 1, 2017•2 citations
Recent advances in dynamical low-rank approximation (DLRA) have demonstrated its effectiveness in high-dimensional simulations. However, existing DLRA algorithms still face significant challenges when handling systems that involve complex collision terms, including the pseudo-differential operator (Ψ{\rm Ψ}Ψ) in the Wigner equation, a representative operator characterized by nonlocality. It is deserving to carry out a series of works to develop the DLRA algorithms for solving the Wigner equation. As the first step in this series of works, we propose an efficient DLRA algorithm for the Wigner equation, using a separable decomposition of the difference potential. We combine this separable assumption with two often-used truncations of Ψ{\rm Ψ}Ψ, namely K\mathcal{K}K-truncation and Y\mathcal{Y}Y-truncation, to obtain a kind of separated representation of Ψ{\rm Ψ}Ψ. Complexity analysis and several challenging experiments, including harmonic oscillators, Gaussian barrier scattering, electron-electron scattering, and a Helium-like system, all of which satisfy the separable assumption, confirm that the proposed DLRA algorithm has significant advantages, achieving a reduction in computational effort by one to two orders of magnitude in both runtime and memory requirements compared to the full-grid approach. It is worth noting that, even in the absence of a predetermined low-rank structure for the solution, DLRA can still serve as a numerical scheme that balances efficiency and accuracy.
We develop a dynamical tensor-train method for the Wigner--Fokker--Planck equation arising in continuous-variable open quantum systems. The Wigner function is evolved directly in tensor-train form using a projector-splitting integrator, while the nonlocal Wigner pseudo-differential operator is treated through low-rank representations of the potential difference and matrix-free exponential actions. The resulting method avoids full tensor-product computations in high-dimensional phase space. Numerical experiments in one, two, and three spatial dimensions demonstrate the accuracy and scalability of the method, including simulations in a six-dimensional phase space.
A branching process treatment for the nonlocal Wigner pseudo-differential operator and its numerical applications in quantum dynamics is proposed and analyzed. We start from the discussion on two typical truncations of the nonlocal term, i.e., the k-truncated and y-truncated models. After introducing an auxiliary function γ(x), the (truncated) Wigner equation is reformulated into the integral formulation as well as its adjoint correspondence, both of which can be regarded as the renewal-type equations and have transparent stochastic interpretation. We prove that the moment of a branching process happens to be the solution for the adjoint equation, which connects rigorously the Wigner quantum dynamics to the stochastic branching process, and thus a sound mathematical framework for the Wigner Monte Carlo methods is established. Within the framework, the branching process for the y-truncated model recovers the popular signed particle Monte Carlo method which needs a discretization of the momentum space beforehand, whereas the k-truncated branching method allows a continuous momentum sampling. More interestingly, with the help of the rigorous connection, we find that a constant auxiliary function γ(x) ≡ γ0 performs better from the point of view of both theoretical and numerical aspects. In theory, we obtain a simple but analytical calculation formula for the growth rate of particle number, i.e., e2γ0t with t being the time. In numerics, the constant auxiliary function may facilitate the random sampling from the exponential distribution and improve the accuracy. Typical numerical experiments on the Gaussian barrier scattering validate our theoretical findings, as well as demonstrate the accuracy, the efficiency and thus the computability of the Wigner branching process.
A branching random walk algorithm for many-body Wigner equations and its numerical applications for quantum dynamics in phase space are proposed and analyzed in this paper. Using an auxiliary function, the truncated Wigner equation and its adjoint form are cast into integral formulations, which can be then reformulated into renewal-type equations with probabilistic interpretations. We prove that the first moment of a branching random walk is the solution for the adjoint equation. With the help of the additional degree of freedom offered by the auxiliary function, we are able to produce a weighted-particle implementation of the branching random walk. In contrast to existing signed-particle implementations, this weighted-particle one shows a key capacity of variance reduction by increasing the constant auxiliary function and has no time discretization errors. Several canonical numerical experiments on the 2D Gaussian barrier scattering and a 4D Helium-like system validate our theoretical findings, and demonstrate the accuracy, the efficiency, and thus the computability of the proposed weighted-particle Wigner branching random walk algorithm.
Abstract Nonlocal modeling has drawn more and more attention and becomes steadily more powerful in scientific computing. In this paper, we demonstrate the superiority of a first-principle nonlocal model — Wigner function — in treating singular potentials which are often used to model the interaction between point charges in quantum science. The nonlocal nature of the Wigner equation is fully exploited to convert the singular potential into the Wigner kernel with weak or even no singularity, and thus highly accurate numerical approximations are achievable, which are hardly designed when the singular potential is taken into account in the local Schrödinger equation. The Dirac delta function, the logarithmic, and the inverse power potentials are considered. Numerically converged Wigner functions under all these singular potentials are obtained with an operator splitting spectral method, and display many interesting quantum behaviors as well. 2020 Mathematics Subject Classification: 81S30; 45K05; 35Q40; 65M70; 35S05
Abstract. Computing the numerical solution to high-dimensional tensor differential equations can lead to prohibitive computational costs and memory requirements. To reduce the memory and computational footprint, dynamical low-rank approximation (DLRA) has proven to be a promising approach. DLRA represents the solution as a low-rank tensor factorization and evolves the resulting low-rank factors in time. A central challenge in DLRA is to find time integration schemes that are robust to the arising small singular values. A robust parallel basis update and Galerkin integrator, which simultaneously evolves all low-rank factors, has recently been derived for matrix differential equations. This work extends the parallel low-rank matrix integrator to Tucker tensors and general tree tensor networks, yielding an algorithm in which all bases and connecting tensors are evolved in parallel over a time step. We formulate the algorithm, provide a robust error bound, and demonstrate the efficiency of the new integrators for problems in quantum many-body physics, uncertainty quantification, and radiative transfer. Reproducibility of computational results. This paper has been awarded the “SIAM Reproducibility Badge: Code and data available” as a recognition that the authors have followed reproducibility principles valued by SISC and the scientific computing community. Code and data that allow readers to reproduce the results in this paper are available at https://github.com/JonasKu/Publication-Parallel-BUG-for-TTNs and in the supplementary materials ( Publication-Parallel-BUG-for-TTNs-main.zip [112 KB]). [Formula: see text]
Understanding the collective behaviour of many-body quantum systems is an important subject in many areas of physics. With advances in ultra-cold gas experiments, the dynamics of strongly-interacting systems can now be studied in the lab. However, there is a paucity of theoretical techniques available to simulate such systems. One technique is phase-space methods, often known as the Truncated Wigner Approximation; however, its applicability in its naive form is limited. In this work, we expound on techniques to expand the regimes in which it can be effective. This involves creating a novel phase-space that is tailored to the problem at hand, and associated classical equations of motion. We show techniques for lattice systems with local finite Hilbert spaces, for fermionic systems, and for many-body localized systems. In all cases, we benchmark the accuracy of the approximation against exact results.