Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SUPERDYN (Extreme nonlinear dynamics of driven superconductors)
Período documentado: 2020-12-15 hasta 2022-12-14
Superconductivity is a fascinating state of matter in which the electrons flow without any resistance inside a material. This phenomenon occurs at very low temperatures and constitutes an unique manifestation of quantum physics at macroscopic scale in which electrons form Copper pairs (bosons) that can condensate. Superconductors (the materials in which the superconductivity phenomenon takes place) are being used nowadays to build several quantum technologies and one of the reasons is the rather long time during which they can maintain their quantum mechanical properties (coherence time). This particular property also opens the door to explore new nonequilibrium phenomena occurring at short times before the environment effect and/or residual interactions make the system thermalise. One of the main goals of SUPERDYN was to study and manipulate new non equilibrium and transient responses of superconductors when they are excited by light pulses or other periodic drives.
W noe obtained a complete and very rich phase diagram for periodically driven superconductors which demonstrated the possibility to design and engineer new phases of matter in the time domain in this kind of materials. We identified four different dynamical behaviours including time crystals, synchronized Higgs modes, Rabi-Higgs oscillations and very ordered gapless phases depending on the drive parameters. We also significantly advanced in understanding the origin of these phases and the emergence of parametric resonances that we found, which could have potential application in parametric amplification, frequency converters and improved quantum sensing.
We also have shed light on the origin of different Higgs amplitude modes in superconductors not necessarily associated with spontaneous symmetry breaking but with singularities in the spectrum of the system. In this case we demonstrated that by engineering the lattice in which the electrons can move and the type of excitation acting on the system it is possible to stabilise new Higgs oscillations on demand constituting an example of control and manipulation of superconducting properties.
W noe obtained a complete and very rich phase diagram for periodically driven superconductors which demonstrated the possibility to design and engineer new phases of matter in the time domain in this kind of materials. We identified four different dynamical behaviours including time crystals, synchronized Higgs modes, Rabi-Higgs oscillations and very ordered gapless phases depending on the drive parameters. We also significantly advanced in understanding the origin of these phases and the emergence of parametric resonances that we found, which could have potential application in parametric amplification, frequency converters and improved quantum sensing.
We also have shed light on the origin of different Higgs amplitude modes in superconductors not necessarily associated with spontaneous symmetry breaking but with singularities in the spectrum of the system. In this case we demonstrated that by engineering the lattice in which the electrons can move and the type of excitation acting on the system it is possible to stabilise new Higgs oscillations on demand constituting an example of control and manipulation of superconducting properties.
We studied in detail the problem of periodically driven Bardeen-Cooper-Shrieffer (BCS) systems for a large range of parameters and different driving mechanisms. We found robust and intriguing dynamical phases including time crystals, synchronised oscillations, Rabi type modes and highly symmetric gapless responses. On top of that we demonstrated the emergence of parametric resonances in the phase diagram and identified the key ingredients giving rise to this phenomenon, nonlinearities and many body interactions. This work gave rise to 2 publications in Physical Review Research, one paper as a Letter and another one as a regular article.
We revisited the problem of sudden quench in the pairing interaction of BCS systems and extended the analysis to include critical excitations and different density of states (which is also a key parameter modulating the superconducting properties). We realised that synchronized Higgs oscillations can be generated on demand by engineering the spectral singularities of the system. In this way we have significantly advanced in the understanding of Higgs dynamics and its stabilisation in these superconducting systems.
In the last stage of the Action we explored echo phenomenon and quantum control of fermionics superfluids. We have started a collaboration with an experimental group of the University of Hamburg to test our predictions.
The main results have been presented in several international conferences and different groups.
In addition, in collaboration with plastic artist Herman Normoid we realized five artworks using a graffiti technique which were inspired by the results of the project. The artwork together with a video and didactic explanations of the science involved were presented in an art exhibition patronised by Rome city in Cassina delle Civette, a city museum in Villa Torlonia, Rome.
We revisited the problem of sudden quench in the pairing interaction of BCS systems and extended the analysis to include critical excitations and different density of states (which is also a key parameter modulating the superconducting properties). We realised that synchronized Higgs oscillations can be generated on demand by engineering the spectral singularities of the system. In this way we have significantly advanced in the understanding of Higgs dynamics and its stabilisation in these superconducting systems.
In the last stage of the Action we explored echo phenomenon and quantum control of fermionics superfluids. We have started a collaboration with an experimental group of the University of Hamburg to test our predictions.
The main results have been presented in several international conferences and different groups.
In addition, in collaboration with plastic artist Herman Normoid we realized five artworks using a graffiti technique which were inspired by the results of the project. The artwork together with a video and didactic explanations of the science involved were presented in an art exhibition patronised by Rome city in Cassina delle Civette, a city museum in Villa Torlonia, Rome.
Considering the full nonlinearities and exact dynamics of periodically driven BCS systems we demonstrated the stabilisation of new out-of-equilibrium phenomena. These new transient dynamics are examples of manipulation and quantum control in materials with long coherence time (superconductors) by using periodic drives. Our work constitutes a stimulus towards the experimental verification of all our results using different platforms ranging from ultra cold atomic systems, cavity QED simulators, superconducting devices to solid state superconductors. In particular the parametric resonances and the first order dynamical phase transitions that we obtained could be relevant for potential applications in quantum technologies like parametric amplifiers, frequency converters, and improved quantum sensors.
The possibility to generate different Higgs dynamics on demand by engineering the density of states and excitations could also find some future applications on quantum control and manipulation of superfluids and/or superconducting systems. At the same time our work provides new insight on fundamental physics. An experimental demonstration of several of our predictions seems accessible with current technologies, for example, using cold atoms in optical lattices.
The last work on quantum control in fermionic superfluids considers echo phenomena. We expect this to find application in the detection of new dynamical phases or give information on coherence properties of superfluids in real time.
The possibility to generate different Higgs dynamics on demand by engineering the density of states and excitations could also find some future applications on quantum control and manipulation of superfluids and/or superconducting systems. At the same time our work provides new insight on fundamental physics. An experimental demonstration of several of our predictions seems accessible with current technologies, for example, using cold atoms in optical lattices.
The last work on quantum control in fermionic superfluids considers echo phenomena. We expect this to find application in the detection of new dynamical phases or give information on coherence properties of superfluids in real time.