Quantum Lyapunov exponent in dissipative systems.

The out-of-time order correlator (OTOC) has been widely studied in closed quantum systems. However, there are very few studies for open systems and they are mainly focused on isolating the effects of scrambling from those of decoherence. Adopting a different point of view, we study the interplay between these two processes. This proves crucial in order to explain the OTOC behavior when a phase space contracting dissipation is present, ubiquitous not only in real life quantum devices but in the dynamical systems area. The OTOC decay rate is closely related to the classical Lyapunov exponent-with some differences-and more sensitive in order to distinguish the chaotic from the regular behavior than other measures. On the other hand, it is revealed as a generally simple function of the longest lived eigenvalues of the quantum evolution operator. We find no simple connection with the Ruelle-Pollicott resonances, but by adding Gaussian noise of ℏ_{eff} size to the classical system we recover the OTOC decay rate, which is a consequence of the correspondence principle put forward in Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 210605 (2012)10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.210605 and Phys. Rev. E 99, 042214 (2019)10.1103/PhysRevE.99.042214.

Lagrangian descriptors for the Bunimovich stadium billiard.

We apply the concept of Lagrangian descriptors to the dynamics on the Bunimovich stadium billiard, a two-dimensional ergodic system with singular families of trajectories, namely, the bouncing ball and the whispering gallery orbits. They play a central role in structuring the phase space, which is unveiled here by means of the Lagrangian descriptors applied to the associated map on the boundary. More interestingly, we also consider the open stadium, which in the optical case (Fresnel's laws) can be directly related to recent microlaser experiments. We find that the structure of the emission profile of these systems can be easily described thanks to the open version of the Lagrangian descriptors.

Relevant out-of-time-order correlator operators: Footprints of the classical dynamics.

The out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) has recently become relevant in different areas where it has been linked to scrambling of quantum information and entanglement. It has also been proposed as a good indicator of quantum complexity. In this sense, the OTOC-RE theorem relates the OTOCs summed over a complete basis of operators to the second Renyi entropy. Here we have studied the OTOC-RE correspondence on physically meaningful bases like the ones constructed with the Pauli, reflection, and translation operators. The evolution is given by a paradigmatic bi-partite system consisting of two perturbed and coupled Arnold cat maps with different dynamics. We show that the sum over a small set of relevant operators is enough in order to obtain a very good approximation for the entropy and, hence, to reveal the character of the dynamics. In turn, this provides us with an alternative natural indicator of complexity, i.e., the scaling of the number of relevant operators with time. When represented in phase space, each one of these sets reveals the classical dynamical footprints with different depth according to the chosen basis.

Lagrangian descriptors for open maps.

We adapt the concept of Lagrangian descriptors, which have been recently introduced as efficient indicators of phase space structures in chaotic systems, to unveil the key features of open maps. We apply them to the open tribaker map, a paradigmatic example not only in classical but also in quantum chaos. Our definition allows us to identify in a very simple way the inner structure of the chaotic repeller, which is the fundamental invariant set that governs the dynamics of this system. The homoclinic tangles of periodic orbits (POs) that belong to this set are clearly found. This could also have important consequences for chaotic scattering and in the development of the semiclassical theory of short POs for open systems.

Effects of chaotic dynamics on quantum friction.

By means of studying the evolution equation for the Wigner distributions of quantum dissipative systems we derive the quantum corrections to the classical Liouville dynamics, taking into account the standard quantum friction model. The resulting evolution turns out to be the classical one plus fluctuations that depend not only on the ℏ size but also on the momentum and the dissipation parameter (i.e., the coupling with the environment). On the other hand, we extend our studies of a paradigmatic system based on the kicked rotator, and we confirm that by adding fluctuations only depending on the size of the Planck constant we essentially recover the quantum behavior. This is systematically measured in the parameter space with the overlaps and differences in the dispersion of the marginal distributions corresponding to the Wigner functions. Taking into account these results and analyzing the Wigner evolution equation we conjecture that the chaotic nature of our system is responsible for the independence on the momentum, while the dependence on the dissipation is provided implicitly by the dynamics.

Three-dimensional classical and quantum stable structures of dissipative systems.

We study the properties of classical and quantum stable structures in a three-dimensional (3D) parameter space corresponding to the dissipative kicked top. This is a model system in quantum and classical chaos that gives a starting point for many body examples. We are able to identify the influence of these structures in the spectra and eigenstates of the corresponding (super)operators. This provides a complementary view with respect to the typical two-dimensional parameter space systems found in the literature. Many properties of the eigenstates, like its localization behavior, can be generalized to this higher-dimensional parameter space and spherical phase space topology. Moreover, we find a 3D phenomenon-generalizable to more dimensions-that we call the coalescence-separation of (q)ISSs, whose main consequence is a marked enhancement of quantum localization. This could be of relevance for systems that have attracted a lot of attention very recently.

Role of short periodic orbits in quantum maps with continuous openings.

We apply a recently developed semiclassical theory of short periodic orbits to the continuously open quantum tribaker map. In this paradigmatic system the trajectories are partially bounced back according to continuous reflectivity functions. This is relevant in many situations that include optical microresonators and more complicated boundary conditions. In a perturbative regime, the shortest periodic orbits belonging to the classical repeller of the open map-a cantor set given by a region of exactly zero reflectivity-prove to be extremely robust in supporting a set of long-lived resonances of the continuously open quantum maps. Moreover, for steplike functions a significant reduction in the number needed is obtained, similarly to the completely open situation. This happens despite a strong change in the spectral properties when compared to the discontinuous reflectivity case. In order to give a more realistic interpretation of these results we compare with a Fresnel-type reflectivity function.

Classical counterparts of quantum attractors in generic dissipative systems.

In the context of dissipative systems, we show that for any quantum chaotic attractor a corresponding classical chaotic attractor can always be found. We provide a general way to locate them, rooted in the structure of the parameter space (which is typically bidimensional, accounting for the forcing strength and dissipation parameters). In cases where an approximate pointlike quantum distribution is found, it can be associated with exceptionally large regular structures. Moreover, supposedly anomalous quantum chaotic behavior can be very well reproduced by the classical dynamics plus Gaussian noise of the size of an effective Planck constant ℏ_{eff}. We give support to our conjectures by means of two paradigmatic examples of quantum chaos and transport theory. In particular, a dissipative driven system becomes fundamental in order to extend their validity to generic cases.

Signatures of classical structures in the leading eigenstates of quantum dissipative systems.

By analyzing a paradigmatic example of the theory of dissipative systems-the classical and quantum dissipative standard map-we are able to explain the main features of the decay to the quantum equilibrium state. The classical isoperiodic stable structures typically present in the parameter space of these kinds of systems play a fundamental role. In fact, we have found that the period of stable structures that are near in this space determines the phase of the leading eigenstates of the corresponding quantum superoperator. Moreover, the eigenvectors show a strong localization on the corresponding periodic orbits (limit cycles). We show that this sort of scarring phenomenon (an established property of Hamiltonian and projectively open systems) is present in the dissipative case and it is of extreme simplicity.

Quantum and classical complexity in coupled maps.

We study a generic and paradigmatic two-degrees-of-freedom system consisting of two coupled perturbed cat maps with different types of dynamics. The Wigner separability entropy (WSE)-equivalent to the operator space entanglement entropy-and the classical separability entropy (CSE) are used as measures of complexity. For the case where both degrees of freedom are hyperbolic, the maps are classically ergodic and the WSE and the CSE behave similarly, growing to higher values than in the doubly elliptic case. However, when one map is elliptic and the other hyperbolic, the WSE reaches the same asymptotic value than that of the doubly hyperbolic case but at a much slower rate. The CSE only follows the WSE for a few map steps, revealing that classical dynamical features are not enough to explain complexity growth.

Theory of short periodic orbits for partially open quantum maps.

We extend the semiclassical theory of short periodic orbits [M. Novaes et al., Phys. Rev. E 80, 035202(R) (2009)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.80.035202] to partially open quantum maps, which correspond to classical maps where the trajectories are partially bounced back due to a finite reflectivity R. These maps are representative of a class that has many experimental applications. The open scar functions are conveniently redefined, providing a suitable tool for the investigation of this kind of system. Our theory is applied to the paradigmatic partially open tribaker map. We find that the set of periodic orbits that belongs to the classical repeller of the open map (R=0) is able to support the set of long-lived resonances of the partially open quantum map in a perturbative regime. By including the most relevant trajectories outside of this set, the validity of the approximation is extended to a broad range of R values. Finally, we identify the details of the transition from qualitatively open to qualitatively closed behavior, providing an explanation in terms of short periodic orbits.

Correspondence behavior of classical and quantum dissipative directed transport via thermal noise.

We systematically study several classical-quantum correspondence properties of the dissipative modified kicked rotator, a paradigmatic ratchet model. We explore the behavior of the asymptotic currents for finite ℏ_{eff} values in a wide range of the parameter space. We find that the correspondence between the classical currents with thermal noise providing fluctuations of size ℏ_{eff} and the quantum ones without it is very good in general with the exception of specific regions. We systematically consider the spectra of the corresponding classical Perron-Frobenius operators and quantum superoperators. By means of an average distance between the classical and quantum sets of eigenvalues we find that the correspondence is unexpectedly quite uniform. This apparent contradiction is solved with the help of the Weyl-Wigner distributions of the equilibrium eigenvectors, which reveal the key role of quantum effects by showing surviving coherences in the asymptotic states.

Classical to quantum correspondence in dissipative directed transport.

We compare the quantum and classical properties of the (quantum) isoperiodic stable structures [(Q)ISSs], which organize the parameter space of a paradigmatic dissipative ratchet model, i.e., the dissipative modified kicked rotator. We study the spectral behavior of the corresponding classical Perron-Frobenius operators with thermal noise and the quantum superoperators without it for small ℏ(eff) values. We find a remarkable similarity between the classical and quantum spectra. This finding significantly extends previous results-obtained for the mean currents and asymptotic distributions only-and, on the other hand, unveils a classical to quantum correspondence mechanism where the classical noise is qualitatively different from the quantum one. This is crucial not only for simple attractors but also for chaotic ones, where just analyzing the asymptotic distribution is revealed as insufficient. Moreover, we provide with a detailed characterization of relevant eigenvectors by means of the corresponding Weyl-Wigner distributions, in order to better identify similarities and differences. Finally, this model being generic, it allows us to conjecture that this classical to quantum correspondence mechanism is a universal feature of dissipative systems.

Quantum parameter space of dissipative directed transport.

Quantum manifestations of isoperiodic stable structures (QISSs) have a crucial role in the current behavior of quantum dissipative ratchets. In this context, the simple shape of the ISSs has been conjectured to be an almost exclusive feature of the classical system. This has drastic consequences for many properties of the directed currents, the most important one being that it imposes a significant reduction in their maximum values, thus affecting the attainable efficiency at the quantum level. In this work we prove this conjecture by means of comprehensive numerical explorations and statistical analysis of the quantum states. We are able to describe the quantum parameter space of a paradigmatic system for different values of ℏ(eff) in great detail. Moreover, thanks to this we provide evidence on a mechanism that we call parametric tunneling by which the sharp classical borders of the regions in parameter space become blurred in the quantum counterpart. We expect this to be a common property of generic dissipative quantum systems.

Classical transients and the support of open quantum maps.

The basic ingredients in a semiclassical theory are the classical invariant objects serving as a support for quantization. Recent studies, mainly obtained on quantum maps, have led to the commonly accepted belief that the classical repeller-the set of nonescaping orbits in the future and past evolution-is the object that suitably plays this role in open scattering systems. In this paper we present numerical evidence warning that this may not always be the case. For this purpose we study recently introduced families of tribaker maps [L. Ermann, G. G. Carlo, J. M. Pedrosa, and M. Saraceno, Phys. Rev. E 85, 066204 (2012)], which share the same asymptotic properties but differ in their short-time behavior. We have found that although the eigenvalue distribution of the evolution operator of these maps follows the fractal Weyl law prediction, the theory of short periodic orbits for open maps fails to describe the resonance eigenfunctions of some of them. This is a strong indication that new elements must be included in the semiclassical description of open quantum systems. We provide an interpretation of the results in order to have hints about them.

Quantum isoperiodic stable structures and directed transport.

It has been recently found that the so-called isoperiodic stable structures (ISSs) have a fundamental role in the classical current behavior of dissipative ratchets [Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 234101 (2011).]. Here I analyze their quantum counterparts, the quantum ISSs (QISSs), which have a fundamental role in the quantum current behavior. QISSs have the simple attractor shape of those ISSs which settle down in short times. However, in the majority of the cases they are strongly different from the ISSs, looking approximately the same as the quantum chaotic attractors that are at their vicinity in parameter space. By adding thermal fluctuations of the size of h(eff) to the ISSs I am able to obtain very good approximations to the QISSs. I conjecture that in general, quantum chaotic attractors could be well approximated by means of just the classical information of a neighboring ISS plus thermal fluctuations. I expect to find this behavior in quantum dissipative systems in general.

Transient features of quantum open maps.

We study families of open chaotic maps that classically share the same asymptotic properties--forward and backward trapped sets, repeller dimensions, and escape rate--but differ in their short time behavior. When these maps are quantized we find that the fine details of the distribution of resonances and the corresponding eigenfunctions are sensitive to the initial shape and size of the openings. We study phase space localization of the resonances with respect to the repeller and find strong delocalization effects when the area of the openings is smaller than ℏ.

Environmental stability of quantum chaotic ratchets.

The transitory and stationary behavior of a quantum chaotic ratchet consisting of a biharmonic potential under the effect of different drivings in contact with a thermal environment is studied. For weak forcing and finite ℏ, we identify a strong dependence of the current on the structure of the chaotic region. Moreover, we have determined the robustness of the current against thermal fluctuations in the very weak coupling regime. In the case of strong forcing, the current is determined by the shape of a chaotic attractor. In both cases the temperature quickly stabilizes the ratchet, but in the latter it also destroys the asymmetry responsible for the current generation. Finally, applications to isomerization reactions are discussed.

Spectral behavior of contractive noise.

We study the behavior of the spectra corresponding to quantum systems subjected to a contractive noise, i.e., the environment reduces the accessible phase space of the system, but the total probability is conserved. We find that the number of long-lived resonances grows as a power law in h, but surprisingly there is no relationship between the exponent of this power law and the fractal dimension of the corresponding classical attractor. This is in disagreement with the predictions of the fractal Weyl law which has been established for open systems, where the probability is lost under the effect of a projective opening.

Relatively robust classical structures in dissipative quantum chaotic systems.

We study the stability of classical structures in chaotic systems when a dissipative quantum evolution takes place. We consider a paradigmatic model, the quantum baker map in contact with a heat bath at finite temperature. We analyze the behavior of the purity, fidelity and Husimi distributions corresponding to initial states localized on short periodic orbits (scar functions) and map eigenstates. Scar functions, that have a fundamental role in the semiclassical description of chaotic systems, emerge as robust relative to other states (which are localized on classical structures) against environmental perturbations. Also, purity and fidelity show a complementary behavior as decoherence measures.