Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 3, 2025
11:30
Recombination Dynamics in Thin-film Photovoltaic Materials via Time-resolved Microwave Conductivity
Published on: March 6, 2017
11.8K
Non-reciprocal population dynamics in a quantum trimer
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK.
Proceedings. Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences
|February 14, 2022
Summary
This study explores quantum trimers with complex coupling phases, revealing how accumulated phase controls non-reciprocal population dynamics and chiral currents in open quantum systems for nanoscale applications.
Area of Science:
- Quantum physics
- Condensed matter physics
- Open quantum systems
Background:
- Quantum trimers are systems of three coupled quantum entities.
- Complex phases in coupling constants introduce non-trivial quantum effects.
- Open quantum systems account for environmental interactions like loss and gain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of complex phases in quantum trimer dynamics.
- To analyze population dynamics and steady states in the presence of gain and loss.
- To explore the emergence and control of chiral currents in such systems.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of a quantum trimer with complex coupling constants.
- Application of open quantum systems formalism to include dissipation and driving.
- Analysis of population dynamics and steady-state properties.
Main Results:
- Mean populations critically depend on the accumulated complex phase.
- Non-reciprocal behavior observed in population dynamics and steady states for non-trivial phases.
- Chiral current directionality is primarily governed by the accumulated phase, with potential sign reversals based on gain and coupling strength.
Conclusions:
- Complex phases in quantum trimers enable controllable non-reciprocal phenomena.
- The findings pave the way for nanoscale chiral current generation and manipulation.
- Modulation of phases via magnetic or synthetic fields offers experimental pathways.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Atomic Nuclei: Types of Nuclear Relaxation
430
Nuclear relaxation restores the equilibrium population imbalance and can occur via spin–lattice or spin–spin mechanisms, which are first-order exponential decay processes.
In spin–lattice or longitudinal relaxation, the excited spins exchange energy with the surrounding lattice as they return to the lower energy level. Among several mechanisms that contribute to spin–lattice relaxation, magnetic dipolar interactions are significant. Here, the excited nucleus transfers...
In spin–lattice or longitudinal relaxation, the excited spins exchange energy with the surrounding lattice as they return to the lower energy level. Among several mechanisms that contribute to spin–lattice relaxation, magnetic dipolar interactions are significant. Here, the excited nucleus transfers...
430
01:14Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Population Distribution
1.3K
Near absolute zero temperatures, in the presence of a magnetic field, the majority of nuclei prefer the lower energy spin-up state to the higher energy spin-down state. As temperatures increase, the energy from thermal collisions distributes the spins more equally between the two states. The Boltzmann distribution equation gives the ratio of the number of spins predicted in the spin −½ (N−) and spin +½ (N+) states.
1.3K
01:23Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes
751
In the absence of an external magnetic field, nuclear spin states are degenerate and randomly oriented. When a magnetic field is applied, the spins begin to precess and orient themselves along (lower energy) or against (higher energy) the direction of the field. At equilibrium, a slight excess population of spins exists in the lower energy state. Because the direction of the magnetic field is fixed as the z-axis, the precessing magnetic moments are randomly oriented around the z-axis.
751
01:10Interpreting ¹H NMR Signal Splitting: The (n + 1) Rule
1.5K
In the AX proton spin system, proton A can sense the two spin states of a coupled proton X, resulting in a doublet NMR signal with two peaks of equal (1:1) intensity. When proton A is coupled to two equivalent protons (AX2 spin system), the spin states of each X can be aligned with or against the external field, creating three possible scenarios. This results in a 1:2:1 triplet signal, where the central peak corresponds to the chemical shift of A and is twice as large or intense as the...
1.5K
01:25Deactivation Processes: Jablonski Diagram
980
Luminescence, the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed energy, is a process that involves the interaction of molecules with light. The energy-level diagram, or Jablonski diagram, is a graphical representation of these interactions, illustrating the various states and transitions a molecule can undergo. In a typical Jablonski diagram, the lowest horizontal line represents the ground-state energy of the molecule, which is usually a singlet state. This state represents the energies...
980
03:06The Pauli Exclusion Principle
53.2K
The arrangement of electrons in the orbitals of an atom is called its electron configuration. We describe an electron configuration with a symbol that contains three pieces of information:
53.2K