Dmitry O. Krimer

Universal Spreading of Wave Packets in Disordered Nonlinear Systems

In the absence of nonlinearity all eigenmodes of a chain with disorder are spatially localized (Anderson localization). The width of the eigenvalue spectrum and the average eigenvalue spacing inside the localization volume set two frequency scales. An initially localized wave packet spreads in the presence of nonlinearity. Nonlinearity introduces frequency shifts, which define three different evolution outcomes: (i) localization as a transient, with subsequent subdiffusion; (ii) the absence of the transient and immediate subdiffusion; (iii) self-trapping of a part of the packet and subdiffusion of the remainder. The subdiffusive spreading is due to a finite number of packet modes being resonant. This number does not change on average and depends only on the disorder strength. Spreading is due to corresponding weak chaos inside the packet, which slowly heats the cold exterior. The second moment of the packet grows as t;{alpha}. We find alpha=1/3.

Delocalization of wave packets in disordered nonlinear chains

We consider the spatiotemporal evolution of a wave packet in disordered nonlinear Schrödinger and anharmonic oscillator chains. In the absence of nonlinearity all eigenstates are spatially localized with an upper bound on the localization length (Anderson localization). Nonlinear terms in the equations of motion destroy the Anderson localization due to nonintegrability and deterministic chaos. At least a finite part of an initially localized wave packet will subdiffusively spread without limits. We analyze the details of this spreading process. We compare the evolution of single-site, single-mode, and general finite-size excitations and study the statistics of detrapping times. We investigate the properties of mode-mode resonances, which are responsible for the incoherent delocalization process.

The crossover from strong to weak chaos for nonlinear waves in disordered systems

We observe a crossover from strong to weak chaos in the spatiotemporal evolution of multiple-site excitations within disordered chains with cubic nonlinearity. Recent studies have shown that Anderson localization is destroyed, and the wave packet spreading is characterized by an asymptotic divergence of the second moment m2 in time (as t 1/3 ), due to weak chaos. In the present paper, we observe the existence of a qualitatively new dynamical regime of strong chaos, in which the second moment spreads even faster (as t 1/2 ), with a crossover to the asymptotic law of weak chaos at larger times. We analyze the pecularities of these spreading regimes and perform extensive numerical simulations over large times with ensemble averaging. A technique of local derivatives on logarithmic scales is developed in order to quantitatively visualize the slow crossover processes. Copyright c EPLA, 2010

Nonlinear waves in disordered chains: Probing the limits of chaos and spreading

We probe the limits of nonlinear wave spreading in disordered chains which are known to localize linear waves. We particularly extend recent studies on the regimes of strong and weak chaos during subdiffusive spreading of wave packets [Europhys. Lett. 91, 30001 (2010)] and consider strong disorder, which favors Anderson localization. We probe the limit of infinite disorder strength and study Fröhlich-Spencer-Wayne models. We find that the assumption of chaotic wave packet dynamics and its impact on spreading is in accord with all studied cases. Spreading appears to be asymptotic, without any observable slowing down. We also consider chains with spatially inhomogeneous nonlinearity, which give further support to our findings and conclusions.

Statistics of wave interactions in nonlinear disordered systems

We study the properties of mode-mode interactions for waves propagating in nonlinear disordered one-dimensional systems. We focus on (i) the localization volume of a mode which defines the number of interacting partner modes, (ii) the overlap integrals which determine the interaction strength, (iii) the average spacing between eigenvalues of interacting modes, which sets a scale for the nonlinearity strength, and (iv) resonance probabilities of interacting modes. Our results are discussed in the light of recent studies on spreading of wave packets in disordered nonlinear systems and are related to the quantum many-body problem in a random chain.

WAVE INTERACTIONS IN LOCALIZING MEDIA — A COIN WITH MANY FACES

A variety of heterogeneous potentials are capable of localizing linear noninteracting waves. In this work, we review different examples of heterogeneous localizing potentials which were realized in experiments. We then discuss the impact of nonlinearity induced by wave interactions, in particular, its destructive effect on the localizing properties of the heterogeneous potentials.

Delocalization and spreading in a nonlinear Stark ladder

We study the evolution of a wave packet in a nonlinear Stark ladder. In the absence of nonlinearity all normal modes are spatially localized giving rise to an equidistant eigenvalue spectrum and Bloch oscillations. Nonlinearity induces frequency shifts and mode-mode interactions and destroys localization. For large strength of nonlinearity we observe single-site trapping as a transient, with subsequent explosive spreading, followed by subdiffusion. For moderate nonlinearities an immediate subdiffusion takes place. Finally, for small nonlinearities we find linear Stark localization as a transient, with subsequent subdiffusion. For single-mode excitations and weak nonlinearities, stability intervals are predicted and observed upon variation in the dc bias strength, which affects the short- and the long-time dynamics.

Non-Markovian dynamics of a single-mode cavity strongly coupled to an inhomogeneously broadened spin ensemble

We study the dynamics of a spin ensemble strongly coupled to a single-mode resonator driven by external pulses. When the mean frequency of the spin ensemble is in resonance with the cavity mode, damped Rabi oscillations are found between the spin ensemble and the cavity mode which we describe very accurately, including the dephasing effect of the inhomogeneous spin broadening. We demonstrate that a precise knowledge of this broadening is crucial both for a qualitative and a quantitative understanding of the temporal spin-cavity dynamics. On this basis we show that coherent oscillations between the spin ensemble and the cavity can be enhanced by a few orders of magnitude, when driving the system with pulses that match special resonance conditions. Our theoretical approach is tested successfully with an experiment based on an ensemble of negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond strongly coupled to a superconducting coplanar single-mode waveguide resonator.

Route from spontaneous decay to complex multimode dynamics in cavity QED

We study the non-Markovian quantum dynamics of an emitter inside an open multimode cavity, focusing on the case where the emitter is resonant with high-frequency cavity modes. Based on a Greens-function technique suited for open photonic structures, we study the crossovers between three distinct regimes as the coupling strength is gradually increased: (i) overdamped decay with a time scale given by the Purcell modified decay rate, (ii) underdamped oscillations with a time scale given by the effective vacuum Rabi frequency, and (iii) pulsed revivals. The final multimode strong-coupling regime (iii) gives rise to quantum revivals of the atomic inversion on a time scale associated with the cavity round-trip time. We show that the crucial parameter to capture the crossovers between these regimes is the nonlinear Lamb shift, accounted for exactly in our formalism.

Two interacting particles in a random potential

We study the scaling of the localization length of two interacting bosons in a one-dimensional random lattice with the single particle localization length. We consider the short-range interaction assuming that the particles interact when located both on the same site. We discuss several regimes, among them one interesting weak Fock space disorder regime. In this regime we obtain a weak logarithmic scaling law. Numerical benchmark data support the absence of any strong enhancement of the two particle localization length.