Swanson hamiltonian: non-PT-symmetry phase

In this work, we study the non-hermitian Swanson hamiltonian, particularly the non-PT symmetry phase. We use the formalism of Gel’fand triplet to construct the generalized eigenfunctions and the corresponding spectrum. Depending on the region of the parameter model space, we show that the Swanson hamiltonian represents different physical systems, i.e. parabolic barrier, negative mass oscillators. We also discussed the presence of Exceptional Points of infinite order.

Quantum Zeno effects across a parity-time symmetry breaking transition in atomic momentum space

We experimentally study quantum Zeno effects in a parity-time (PT) symmetric cold atom gas periodically coupled to a reservoir. Based on the state-of-the-art control of inter-site couplings of atoms in a momentum lattice, we implement a synthetic two-level system with passive PT symmetry over two lattice sites, where an effective dissipation is introduced through repeated couplings to the rest of the lattice. Quantum Zeno (anti-Zeno) effects manifest in our experiment as the overall dissipation of the two-level system becoming suppressed (enhanced) with increasing coupling intensity or frequency. We demonstrate that quantum Zeno regimes exist in the broken PT symmetry phase, and are bounded by exceptional points separating the PT symmetric and PT broken phases, as well as by a discrete set of critical coupling frequencies. Our experiment establishes the connection between PT-symmetry-breaking transitions and quantum Zeno effects, and is extendable to higher dimensions or to interacting regimes, thanks to the flexible control with atoms in a momentum lattice.

The unique evolution of transport bands and thermoelectric performance enhancement by extending low-symmetry phase to high temperature in tin selenide

The unique evolution of transport bands with the occurrence of two bands above 600 K and the extending low-symmetry phase regime synergistically enhance thermoelectric performance in SnSe based single crystals.

Superfluids, Fluctuations and Disorder

We present a field-theory description of ultracold bosonic atoms in the presence of a disordered external potential. By means of functional integration techniques, we aim to investigate and review the interplay between disordered energy landscapes and fluctuations, both thermal and quantum ones. Within the broken-symmetry phase, up to the Gaussian level of approximation, the disorder contribution crucially modifies both the condensate depletion and the superfluid response. Remarkably, it is found that the ordered (i.e., superfluid) phase can be destroyed also in regimes where the random external potential is suitable for a perturbative analysis. We analyze the simplest case of quenched disorder and then we move to present the implementation of the replica trick for ultracold bosonic systems. In both cases, we discuss strengths and limitations of the reviewed approach, paying specific attention to possible extensions and the most recent experimental outputs.