We show that an ansatz based on independent composite bosons [Phys. Rep. 463, 215 (2008)] accurately describes the condensate fraction of molecular Bose-Einstein condensates in ultracold Fermi gases. The entanglement between the fermionic constituents of a single Feshbach molecule then governs the many-particle statistics of the condensate, from the limit of strong interaction to close to unitarity. This result strengthens the role of entanglement as the indispensable driver of composite-boson behavior. The condensate fraction of fermion pairs at zero temperature that we compute matches excellently previous results obtained by means of fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo methods and the Bogoliubov depletion approximation. This paves the way towards the exploration of the BEC-BCS crossover physics in mixtures of cold Fermi gases with an arbitrary number of fermion pairs as well as the implementation of Hong-Ou-Mandel–like interference experiments proposed within coboson theory.

The quantum-mechanical calculations of the differential and integrated cross sections of the elastic scattering, Stark transitions, and Coulomb deexcitation at collisions of excited ${\mu }^{-}p$ and ${\mu }^{-}d$ atoms with hydrogen isotope atoms in the ground state are performed. The scattering processes are treated in a unified manner in the framework of the close-coupling approach. The basis used includes both open and closed channels corresponding to all exotic-atom states with principal quantum numbers from $n=1$ up to $n_{\max }=20$. The energy shifts of $ns$ states due to electron vacuum polarization and finite nuclear size are taken into account. The kinetics of the atomic cascade of ${\mu }^{-}p$ and ${\mu }^{-}d$ atoms are studied in a wide range of relative target densities ($\phi ={10}^{-8}–1$) within the improved version of the extended cascade model, in which the results of the numerical quantum-mechanical calculations of the cross sections for quantum numbers and kinetic energies of muonic atoms that are of interest for the detailed cascade calculations, are used as input data. Initial $(n,l,E)$ distributions of muonic atoms at the instant of their formation and the target motion are taken into account explicitly in present cascade calculations. The comparison of the calculated cross sections, the kinetic-energy distributions of muonic atoms at the instant of their $np\to 1s$ radiative transitions, as well as the absolute and relative x-ray yields for both muonic hydrogen and muonic deuterium reveals the isotopic effects, which, in principal, may be observed experimentally. The present results are mainly in very good agreement with experimental data available in the literature.

Fr atom can be successively used to search for the atomic permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) [Hyperfine Interact. 236, 53 (2015); J. Phys.: Conference Series 691, 012017 (2016)]. It can be induced by the permanent electron EDM predicted by modern extensions of the standard model to be nonzero at the level accessible by the new generation of EDM experiments. We consider another mechanism of the atomic EDM generation in Fr. This is caused by the scalar-pseudoscalar nucleus-electron neutral current interaction with the dimensionless strength constant $k_{T,P}$. Similar to the electron EDM this interaction violates both spatial parity and time-reversal symmetries and can also induce permanent atomic EDM. It was shown in [Phys. Rev. D 89, 056006 (2014)] that the scalar-pseudoscalar contribution to the atomic EDM can dominate over the direct contribution from the electron EDM within the standard model. We report high-accuracy combined all-electron and two-step relativistic coupled cluster treatment of the effect from the scalar-pseudoscalar interaction in the Fr atom. Up to the quadruple cluster amplitudes within the coupled cluster method with single, double, triple, and noniterative quadruple amplitudes, CCSDT(Q), were included in correlation treatment. This calculation is required for the interpretation of the experimental data in terms of $k_{T,P}$. The resulted EDM of the Fr atom expressed in terms of $k_{T,P}$ is $d_{\mathrm{Fr}}=k_{T,P}4.50\times {10}^{-18}e\mathrm{cm}$, where $e$ is the (negative) charge of the electron. The value of the ionization potential of the ${}^2{S}_{1/2}$ ground state of Fr calculated within the same methods is in very good agreement with the experimental datum.

In this article we provide a general analysis of canonical quantization for polaritons in dispersive and dissipative electromagnetic inhomogeneous media. We compare several approaches based either on the Huttner-Barnett model [B. Huttner and S. M. Barnett, Phys. Rev. A 46, 4306 (1992)] or the Green function, Langevin-noise method [T. Gruner and D.-G. Welsch, Phys. Rev. A 53, 1818 (1996)] which includes only material oscillators as fundamental variables. We show that in order to preserve unitarity, causality, and time symmetry, one must necessarily include with an equal footing both electromagnetic modes and material fluctuations in the evolution equations. This becomes particularly relevant for all nanophotonics and plasmonics problems involving spatially localized antennas or devices.

Entanglement-assisted classical communication and transmission of a quantum system are the two quantum resources for information processing. Many information tasks can be performed using either quantum resource. However, this equivalence is not always present since entanglement-assisted classical communication is sometimes known to be the better performing resource. Here, we show not only the opposite phenomenon, that there exist tasks for which transmission of a quantum system is a more powerful resource than entanglement-assisted classical communication, but also that such phenomena can have a surprisingly strong dependence on the dimension of Hilbert space. We introduce a family of communication complexity problems parametrized by the dimension of Hilbert space and study the performance of each quantum resource. Under an additional assumption of a linear strategy for the receiving party, we find that for low dimensions the two resources perform equally well, whereas for dimension seven and above the equivalence is suddenly broken and transmission of a quantum system becomes more powerful than entanglement-assisted classical communication. Moreover, we find that transmission of a quantum system may even outperform classical communication assisted by the stronger-than-quantum correlations obtained from the principle of macroscopic locality.

In classical computational chemistry, the coupled-cluster ansatz is one of the most commonly used ab initio methods, which is critically limited by its nonunitary nature. The unitary modification as an ideal solution to the problem is, however, extremely inefficient in classical conventional computation. Here, we provide experimental evidence that indeed the unitary version of the coupled-cluster ansatz can be reliably performed in a physical quantum system, a trapped-ion system. We perform a simulation on the electronic structure of a molecular ion (${\mathrm{HeH}}^{+}$), where the ground-state energy surface curve is probed, the energies of the excited states are studied, and bond dissociation is simulated nonperturbatively. Our simulation takes advantages from quantum computation to overcome the intrinsic limitations in classical computation, and our experimental results indicate that the method is promising for preparing molecular ground states for quantum simulations.

We consider electron impact-driven single and double ionization of magnesium in the energy range of 10 to 100 eV. Our classical Hamiltonian model of these $(e,2e)$ and $(e,3e)$ processes sheds light on their total cross sections and reveals the underlying ionization mechanisms. Two pathways are at play in single ionization: delayed and direct. In contrast, only the direct process is observed in double ionization, ruling out the excitation-autoionization channel. We also provide evidence that the so-called Two-Step 2 mechanism predominates over the Two-Step 1 mechanism, in agreement with experiments.

We consider a quantum system periodically driven with a strength which varies slowly on the scale of the driving period. The analysis is based on a general formulation of the Floquet theory relying on the extended Hilbert space. It is shown that the dynamics of the system can be described in terms of a slowly varying effective Floquet Hamiltonian that captures the long-term evolution, as well as rapidly oscillating micromotion operators. We obtain a systematic high-frequency expansion of all these operators. Generalizing the previous studies, the expanded effective Hamiltonian is now time dependent and contains extra terms appearing due to changes in the periodic driving. The same applies to the micromotion operators which exhibit a slow temporal dependence in addition to the rapid oscillations. As an illustration, we consider a quantum-mechanical spin in an oscillating magnetic field with a slowly changing direction. The effective evolution of the spin is then associated with non-Abelian geometric phases reflecting the geometry of the extended Floquet space. The developed formalism is general and also applies to other periodically driven systems, such as shaken optical lattices with a time-dependent shaking strength, a situation relevant to the cold-atom experiments.

Slow-light media are of interest in the context of quantum computing and enhanced measurement of quantum effects, with particular emphasis on using slow light with single photons. We use light-in-flight imaging with a single-photon avalanche diode camera array to image in situ pulse propagation through a slow-light medium consisting of heated rubidium vapor. Light-in-flight imaging of slow-light propagation enables direct visualization of a series of physical effects, including simultaneous observation of spatial pulse compression and temporal pulse dispersion. Additionally, the single-photon nature of the camera allows for observation of the group velocity of single photons with measured single-photon fractional delays greater than 1 over 1 cm of propagation.

In this paper, we introduce an alternative quantum fidelity for quantum states which perfectly satisfies all of Jozsa's axioms and is zero for orthogonal states. By employing this fidelity, we derive an improved bound for quantum-speed-limit time in open quantum systems in which the initial states can be chosen as either pure or mixed. This bound leads to the well-known Mandelstamm-Tamm–type bound for nonunitary dynamics in the case of initial pure states. However, in the case of initial mixed states, the bound provided by the introduced fidelity is tighter and sharper than the obtained bounds in the previous works.

Nonlocality is one of the main characteristic features of quantum systems involving more than one spatially separated subsystem. It is manifested theoretically as well as experimentally through violation of some local realistic inequality. On the other hand, classical behavior of all physical phenomena in the macroscopic limit gives a general intuition that any physical theory for describing microscopic phenomena should resemble classical physics in the macroscopic regime, the so-called macrorealism. In the 2-2-2 scenario (two parties, with each performing two measurements and each measurement having two outcomes), contemplating all the no-signaling correlations, we characterize which of them would exhibit classical (local realistic) behavior in the macroscopic limit. Interestingly, we find correlations which at the single-copy level violate the Bell-Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality by an amount less than the optimal quantum violation (i.e., Cirel'son bound $2\sqrt{2}$), but in the macroscopic limit gives rise to a value which is higher than $2\sqrt{2}$. Such correlations are therefore not considered physical. Our study thus provides a sufficient criterion to identify some of unphysical correlations.

The Hamilton operator of an open quantum system is non-Hermitian. Its eigenvalues are generally complex and provide not only the energies but also the lifetimes of the states of the system. The states may couple via the common environment of scattering wave functions into which the system is embedded. This causes an external mixing (EM) of the states. Mathematically, EM is related to the existence of singular (the so-called exceptional) points. The eigenfunctions of a non-Hermitian operator are biorthogonal, in contrast to the orthogonal eigenfunctions of a Hermitian operator. A quantitative measure for the ratio between biorthogonality and orthogonality is the phase rigidity of the wave functions. At and near an exceptional point (EP), the phase rigidity takes its minimum value. The lifetimes of two nearby eigenstates of a quantum system bifurcate under the influence of an EP. At the parameter value of maximum width bifurcation, the phase rigidity approaches the value one, meaning that the two eigenfunctions become orthogonal. However, the eigenfunctions are externally mixed at this parameter value. The $S$ matrix and therewith the cross section do contain, in the one-channel case, almost no information on the EM of the states. The situation is completely different in the case with two (or more) channels where the resonance structure is strongly influenced by the EM of the states and interesting features of non-Hermitian quantum physics are revealed. We provide numerical results for two and three nearby eigenstates of a non-Hermitian Hamilton operator that are embedded in one common continuum and are influenced by two adjoining EPs. The results are discussed. They are of interest for an experimental test of the non-Hermitian quantum physics as well as for applications.

We discuss the possibility of protecting the state of a quantum system that goes through noise by measurements and operations before and after the noise process. The aim is to seek the optimal protocol that makes the input and output states as close as possible and to clarify the role of the measurements therein. We consider two cases: one can perform quantum measurements and operations (i) only after the noise process and (ii) both before and after. We prove in a two-dimensional Hilbert space that, in case (i), the noise suppression is essentially impossible for all types of noise and, in case (ii), the optimal protocol for the depolarizing noise is either the “do nothing” protocol or the “discriminate and reprepare” protocol. These protocols are not “truly quantum” and can be considered as classical. They involve no measurement or only use the measurement outcomes. These results describe the fundamental limitations in quantum mechanics from the viewpoint of control theory. Finally, we conjecture that a statement similar to case (ii) holds for higher-dimensional Hilbert spaces and present some numerical evidence.

Mechanical resonators represent one of the most promising candidates to mediate the interaction between different quantum technologies, bridging the gap between efficient quantum computation and long-distance quantum communication. Here, we introduce an interferometric scheme where the interaction of a mechanical resonator with input-output quantum pulses is controlled by an independent classical drive. We design protocols for state teleportation and direct quantum state transfer, between distant mechanical resonators. The proposed device, feasible with state-of-the-art technology, can serve as a building block for the implementation of long-distance quantum networks of mechanical resonators.

We have measured the yield for the photoproduction of singly and doubly charged parent ions of the inorganic molecule tribromoborazine [(BrBNH)${}_3]$, a molecule in which three bromine atoms replace three hydrogen atoms in borazine [(BH)${}_3$(NH)${}_3]$. Borazine is isoelectronic and isostructural to benzene. We compare the ratio of doubly to singly charged parent ions as a function of the photon energy to the ratio for benzene. We find similarities but also marked differences between the two molecules. The first double-ionization threshold was found to be at 28.5(4) eV.

We present a study of high-order-harmonic generation (HHG) assisted by extreme ultraviolet (XUV) attosecond pulses, which can lead to the excitation of inner-shell electrons and the generation of a second HHG plateau. With the treatment of a one-dimensional model of krypton, based on time-dependent configuration interaction singles (TDCIS) of an effective two-electron system, we show that the XUV-assisted HHG spectrum reveals the duration of the semiclassical electron trajectories. The results are interpreted by the strong-field approximation (SFA) and the importance of the hole transfer during the tunneling process is emphasized. Finally, coherent population transfer between the inner and outer holes with attosecond pulse trains is discussed.

When atomic gases are laser driven to Rydberg states in an off-resonant way, a single Rydberg atom may enhance the excitation rate of surrounding atoms. This leads to a facilitated excitation referred to as Rydberg antiblockade. In the usual facilitation scenario, the detuning of the laser from resonance compensates the interaction shift. Here, we discuss a different excitation mechanism, which we call anomalous facilitation. This occurs on the “wrong side” of the resonance and originates from inhomogeneous broadening. The anomalous facilitation may be seen in experiments of attractively interacting atoms on the blue detuned side, where facilitation is not expected to appear.

We investigate sequential double ionization of helium by intense near-circularly polarized few-cycle laser pulses using a semiclassical ionization model with two independent electrons. Simulated ${\mathrm{He}}^{2+}$ ion momentum distributions are compared to those obtained in recent benchmark experiments [M. S. Schöffler, X. Xie, P. Wustelt, M. Möller, S. Roither, D. Kartashov, A. M. Sayler, A. Baltuska, G. G. Paulus, and M. Kitzler, Phys. Rev. A 93, 063421 (2016)]. We study the influence of a number of pulse parameters such as peak intensity, carrier-envelope phase, pulse duration, and second- and third-order spectral phase on the shape of the ion momentum distributions. Good agreement is found in the main features of these distributions and of their dependence on the laser pulse duration, peak intensity, and carrier-envelope phase. Furthermore, we find that for explaining certain fine-scale features observed in the experiments, it becomes important to consider subtle timing variations in the two-electron emissions introduced by small values of chirp. This result highlights the possibility of measuring and controlling multielectron dynamics on the attosecond time scale by fine tuning the field evolution of intense close-to-single-cycle laser pulses.