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Analytical Approximations to the Dynamics of Superparabolic Level Crossing Models

Chon Fai Kam, Yang Chen

Published Aug 17, 2020• 0 citations
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Abstract

We study the dynamics of a two-level crossing model with a cubic modification of the linear Landau-Zener tunneling, and express the non-adiabatic transition amplitudes in terms of the bi-confluent Heun functions which are generalizations of the confluent hypergeometric functions. We find a closed-form series expression of the transition probability at the long time limit, and derive tractable approximate formulas to the state populations by use of simple functions in a large part of the parameter space. The analytical approximations are validated by comparison with numerical results.

DOI
10.22541/au.159767461.19177111

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Physical Review A•Jun 1, 1996•256 citations
We study the dynamics of a two-level crossing model with a cubic modification of the linear Landau-Zener tunneling, and express the non-adiabatic transition amplitudes in terms of the bi-confluent Heun functions which are generalizations of the confluent hypergeometric functions. We find a closed-form series expression of the transition probability at the long time limit, and derive tractable approximate formulas to the state populations by use of simple functions in a large part of the parameter space. The analytical approximations are validated by comparison with numerical results.
We study the dynamics of a nonlinear two-level crossing model with a cubic modification of the linear Landau-Zener diabatic energies. The solutions are expressed in terms of the bi-confluent Heun functions --- the generalization of the confluent hypergeometric functions. We express the finial transition probability as a convergent series of the parameters of the nonlinear laser detuning, and derive analytical approximations for the state populations in terms of parabolic cylinder and Whittaker functions. Tractable closed-form expressions are derived for a large part of the parameter space. We also provide simple method to determine the transition point which connects local solutions in different physical limits. The validity of the analytical approximations is shown by comparison with numerical results of simulations.
Abstract We study the dynamics of a two-level crossing model with a parabolic separation of the diabatic energies. The solutions are expressed in terms of the tri-confluent Heun equations—the generalization of the confluent hypergeometric equations. We obtain analytical approximations for the state populations in terms of Airy and Bessel functions. Applicable expressions are derived for a large part of the parameter space. We also provide simple formulas which connect local solution in different time regimes. The validity of the analytical approximations is shown by comparing them to numerical simulations.
We study the dynamics of non-adiabatic transitions in non-Hermitian multi-level parabolic models where the separations of the diabatic energies are quadratic function of time. The model Hamiltonian has been used to describe the non-Hermitian dynamics of two pairs of coupled cavities. In the absence of the coupling between any two pairs of cavities, the wave amplitudes within each subsystem are described by the tri-confluent Heun functions. When all the couplings between the cavities are present, we reduce the dynamics into a set of two coupled tri-confluent Heun equations, from which we derive analytical approximations for the wave amplitudes at different physical limits.
The control of nonadiabatic quantum transitions is a requirement for the development of modern quantum technologies. The paradigm to understand these dynamics is the Landau-Zener model. However, for nearly a century, the exact transition probability of this model has been derived using special functions or semiclassical approximations. These conventional methods obscure the underlying physical mechanisms and transition dynamics near the avoided crossing. This cumulative thesis, resulting from the author's research activities at the Intitute of Quantum Physics at Ulm University under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Wolfgang P. Schleich, establishes an analytical framework to study the underlying structure of two-level crossing dynamics. In contrast to the standard techniques, the framework developed in this thesis is based on elementary concepts combined with complex analysis. First, we map the Landau-Zener equations onto an integro-differential equation to decouple them and formulate the Markov approximation which reduces the complicated integrals to the evaluation of Fresnel integrals. This technique reproduces in the asymptotic limit the exact probability amplitude of the Landau-Zener model. Next, to uncover the origin behind the success of the Markov approximation, we analyze the Landau-Zener equations in terms of their underlying nonlinear dynamics. First, we introduce an amplitude-and-phase approach, which explains in a clear way the emergence of the Stueckelberg oscillations through the dynamics of the phase velocity. Second, we map the two-level dynamics onto a nonlinear Riccati differential equation and show that the Markov approximation is equivalent to a linearization of the derived Riccati equation. Moreover, our approach helps to identify the nonlinear term as the reason for the breakdown of the Markov approximation close to the avoided crossing. Finally, we derive exact asymptotic expressions for the transition amplitudes using elementary functions for both negative and positive times. Connecting these two regimes via the analytical continuation of the logarithmic phase reveals that the Landau-Zener transition is mainly governed by a logarithmic phase singularity. Based on this logarithmic phase singularity, we introduce a new time scale to map the system dynamics as a path via a logarithmic phase ansatz in the complex plane. Evaluating this path via the Cauchy’s integral formula yields the exact transition probability which demonstrates that the exact solution emerges from the underlying phase singularity rather than properties of special functions.
Based on the achievements of the previous three papers of this series, the best working formulas for scattering matrix are obtained for both the Landau–Zener (LZ) and the nonadiabatic tunneling (NT) case: two formulas valid at b2≥0 and b2≤0 in the LZ case, and three formulas valid atb2≤−1, −1≤b2≤1 and b2≥1 in the NT case, where b2 represents the effective energy. Simple and compact formulas which work far better than the LZ formula are proposed for nonadiabatic transition probability by one passage of crossing point for both the LZ and NT cases. Furthermore, compact expressions are derived, for the first time, for the nonadiabatic tunneling probability at b2≤1, i.e., at energies lower than the bottom of the upper adiabatic potential. All the formulas proposed here can be usefully utilized at any coupling strength, namely the validity range has been very much expanded compared to the previous formulas by employing certain empirical corrections. Besides, these formulas have convenience to enable an extension to general curved potentials.
We present the generalization of the Landau-Zener model for a constant coupling of a finite duration. The exact evolution matrix is expressed in terms of sums of by-products of parabolic cylinder functions estimated at the turn-on time and at the turn-off time of the coupling. Various approximations in terms of simpler functions are derived and applied to several physically distinct cases. They allow us to study the dependence of the transition probability on the interaction parameters: coupling strength, coupling duration, and detuning slope. Furthermore, the analytic approximations reveal the effects of the finite coupling duration as well as those caused by adding a constant detuning shift, absence of a level crossing, turn-on time or turn-off time near the crossing (``half crossing''), turn-on time and turn-off time near the crossing (``nonsubstantial crossing''). The results are used to obtain analytic approximations to the time evolution in the original Landau-Zener model. Furthermore, following related studies on other models, we define the Landau-Zener class of models that, along with the finite Landau-Zener model presented in this work, contains an infinite number of members that give the same transition probability. Comparison of this class to the Allen-Eberly class shows that the two classes contain members with the same coupling but different detuning chirps as well as members with the same chirp but different couplings. The former case reveals chirp effects while the latter demonstrates shape effects. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.