Jack Kuipers

Moments of the Wigner delay times

The Wigner time delay is a measure of the time spent by a particle inside the scattering region of an open system. For chaotic systems, the statistics of the individual delay times (whose average is the Wigner time delay) are thought to be well described by random matrix theory. Here we present a semiclassical derivation showing the validity of random matrix results. In order to simplify the semiclassical treatment, we express the moments of the delay times in terms of correlation functions of scattering matrices at different energies. In the semiclassical approximation, the elements of the scattering matrix are given in terms of the classical scattering trajectories, requiring one to study correlations between sets of such trajectories. We describe the structure of correlated sets of trajectories and formulate the rules for their evaluation to the leading order in inverse channel number. This allows us to derive a polynomial equation satisfied by the generating function of the moments. Along with showing the agreement of our semiclassical results with the moments predicted by random matrix theory, we infer that the scattering matrix is unitary to all orders in the semiclassical approximation.

Transport moments beyond the leading order

For chaotic cavities with scattering leads attached, transport properties can be approximated in terms of the classical trajectories that enter and exit the system. With a semiclassical treatment involving fine correlations between such trajectories, we develop a diagrammatic technique to calculate the moments of various transport quantities. Namely, we find the moments of the transmission and reflection eigenvalues for systems with and without time-reversal symmetry. We also derive related quantities involving an energy dependence: the moments of the Wigner delay times and the density of states of chaotic Andreev billiards, where we find that the gap in the density persists when subleading corrections are included. Finally, we show how to adapt our techniques to nonlinear statistics by calculating the correlation between transport moments. In each setting, the answer for the nth moment is obtained for arbitrary n (in the form of a moment generating function) and for up to three leading orders in terms of the inverse channel number. Our results suggest patterns that should hold for further corrections, and by matching with the lower-order moments available from random matrix theory, we derive the likely higher-order generating functions.

Advances in understanding tumour evolution through single-cell sequencing

The mutational heterogeneity observed within tumours poses additional challenges to the development of effective cancer treatments. A thorough understanding of a tumours subclonal composition and its mutational history is essential to open up the design of treatments tailored to individual patients. Comparative studies on a large number of tumours permit the identification of mutational patterns which may refine forecasts of cancer progression, response to treatment and metastatic potential. The composition of tumours is shaped by evolutionary processes. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing offer the possibility to analyse the evolutionary history and accompanying heterogeneity of tumours at an unprecedented resolution, by sequencing single cells. New computational challenges arise when moving from bulk to single-cell sequencing data, leading to the development of novel modelling frameworks. In this review, we present the state of the art methods for understanding the phylogeny encoded in bulk or single-cell sequencing data, and highlight future directions for developing more comprehensive and informative pictures of tumour evolution. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Evolutionary principles - heterogeneity in cancer?, edited by Dr. Robert A. Gatenby.

Statistical benchmark for BosonSampling

Boson samplers-set-ups that generate complex many-particle output states through the transmission of elementary many-particle input states across a multitude of mutually coupled modes-promise the efficient quantum simulation of a classically intractable computational task, and challenge the extended Church-Turing thesis, one of the fundamental dogmas of computer science. However, as in all experimental quantum simulations of truly complex systems, one crucial problem remains: how to certify that a given experimental measurement record unambiguously results from enforcing the claimed dynamics, on bosons, fermions or distinguishable particles? Here we offer a statistical solution to the certification problem, identifying an unambiguous statistical signature of many-body quantum interference upon transmission across a multimode, random scattering device. We show that statistical analysis of only partial information on the output state allows to characterise the imparted dynamics through particle type-specific features of the emerging interference patterns. The relevant statistical quantifiers are classically computable, define a falsifiable benchmark for BosonSampling, and reveal distinctive features of many-particle quantum dynamics, which go much beyond mere bunching or anti-bunching effects.

Efficient semiclassical approach for time delays

The Wigner time delay, defined by the energy derivative of the total scattering phase shift, is an important spectral measure of an open quantum system characterising the duration of the scattering event. It is related to the trace of the Wigner-Smith matrix Q that also encodes other time-delay characteristics. For chaotic cavities, these exhibit universal fluctuations that are commonly described within random matrix theory. Here, we develop a new semiclassical approach to the time-delay matrix which is formulated in terms of the classical trajectories that connect the exterior and interior regions of the system. This approach is superior to previous treatments because it avoids the energy derivative. We demonstrate the methods efficiency by going beyond previous work in studying the time-delay statistics for chaotic cavities with perfectly connected leads. In particular, the universality for moment generating functions of the proper time-delays (eigenvalues of Q) is established up to third order in the inverse number of scattering channels for systems with and without time-reversal symmetry. Semiclassical results are then obtained for a further two orders. We also show the equivalence of random matrix and semiclassical results for the second moments and for the variance of the Wigner time delay at any channel number.

Combinatorial theory of the semiclassical evaluation of transport moments. I. Equivalence with the random matrix approach

To study electronic transport through chaotic quantum dots, there are two main theoretical approachs. One involves substituting the quantum system with a random scattering matrix and performing appropriate ensemble averaging. The other treats the transport in the semiclassical approximation and studies correlations among sets of classical trajectories. There are established evaluation procedures within the semiclassical evaluation that, for several linear and non-linear transport moments to which they were applied, have always resulted in the agreement with random matrix predictions. We prove that this agreement is universal: any semiclassical evaluation within the accepted procedures is equivalent to the evaluation within random matrix theory. The equivalence is shown by developing a combinatorial interpretation of the trajectory sets as ribbon graphs (maps) with certain properties and exhibiting systematic cancellations among their contributions. Remaining trajectory sets can be identified with primitive (palindromic) factorisations whose number gives the coefficients in the corresponding expansion of the moments of random matrices. The equivalence is proved for systems with and without time reversal symmetry.

Combinatorial theory of the semiclassical evaluation of transport moments II: Algorithmic approach for moment generating functions

Electronic transport through chaotic quantum dots exhibits universal behaviour which can be understood through the semiclassical approximation. Within the approximation, calculation of transport moments reduces to codifying classical correlations between scattering trajectories. These can be represented as ribbon graphs and we develop an algorithmic combinatorial method to generate all such graphs with a given genus. This provides an expansion of the linear transport moments for systems both with and without time reversal symmetry. The computational implementation is then able to progress several orders further than previous semiclassical formulae as well as those derived from an asymptotic expansion of random matrix results. The patterns observed also suggest a general form for the higher orders.

Semiclassical Gaps in the Density of States of Chaotic Andreev Billiards

The connection of a superconductor to a chaotic ballistic quantum dot leads to interesting phenomena, most notably the appearance of a hard gap in its excitation spectrum. Here we treat such an Andreev billiard semiclassically where the density of states is expressed in terms of the classical trajectories of electrons (and holes) that leave and return to the superconductor. We show how classical orbit correlations lead to the formation of the hard gap, as predicted by random matrix theory in the limit of negligible Ehrenfest time tau{E}, and how the influence of a finite tau{E} causes the gap to shrink. Furthermore, for intermediate tau{E} we predict a second gap below E=pi variant Plancks/2pi/2tau{E} which would presumably be the clearest signature yet of tau{E} effects.

Universality in chaotic quantum transport: The concordance between random matrix and semiclassical theories

Electronic transport through chaotic quantum dots exhibits universal, system-independent properties, consistent with random-matrix theory. The quantum transport can also be rooted, via the semiclassical approximation, in sums over the classical scattering trajectories. Correlations between such trajectories can be organized diagrammatically and have been shown to yield universal answers for some observables. Here, we develop the general combinatorial treatment of the semiclassical diagrams, through a connection to factorizations of permutations. We show agreement between the semiclassical and random matrix approaches to the moments of the transmission eigenvalues. The result is valid for all moments to all orders of the expansion in inverse channel number for all three main symmetry classes (with and without time-reversal symmetry and spin-orbit interaction) and extends to nonlinear statistics. This finally explains the applicability of random-matrix theory to chaotic quantum transport in terms of the underlying dynamics as well as providing semiclassical access to the probability density of the transmission eigenvalues.

Semiclassical relation between open trajectories and periodic orbits for the Wigner time delay

The Wigner time delay of a classically chaotic quantum system can be expressed semiclassically either in terms of pairs of scattering trajectories that enter and leave the system or in terms of the periodic orbits trapped inside the system. We show how these two pictures are related on the semiclassical level. We start from the semiclassical formula with the scattering trajectories and derive from it all terms in the periodic orbit formula for the time delay. The main ingredient in this calculation are correlations between scattering trajectories which are due to trajectories that approach the trapped periodic orbits closely. The equivalence between the two pictures is also demonstrated by considering correlation functions of the time delay. A corresponding calculation for the conductance gives no periodic orbit contributions in leading order.