Bifurcations in the non-dissipative dynamics of ultra cold atoms

We present the first experimental observation of several bifurcations in a controllable non-linear Hamiltonian system. Dynamics of cold atoms are used to test predictions of non-linear, non-dissipative Hamiltonian dynamics.

Simulating Hamiltonian dynamics using many-qudit Hamiltonians and local unitary control

When can a quantum system of finite dimension be used to simulate another quantum system of finite dimension? What restricts the capacity of one system to simulate another? In this paper we complete the program of studying what simulations can be done with entangling many-qudit Hamiltonians and local unitary control. By entangling we mean that every qudit is coupled to every other qudit, at least indirectly. We demonstrate that the only class of finite-dimensional entangling Hamiltonians that are not universal for simulation is the class of entangling Hamiltonians on qubits whose Pauli operator expansion contains only terms coupling an odd number of systems, as identified by Bremner [Phys. Rev. A 69, 012313 (2004)]. We show that in all other cases entangling many-qudit Hamiltonians are universal for simulation.

Spin-detection in a quantum electromechanical shuttle system

We study the electrical transport of a harmonically bound, single-molecule C-60 shuttle operating in the Coulomb blockade regime, i.e. single electron shuttling. In particular, we examine the dependance of the tunnel current on an ultra-small stationary force exerted on the shuttle. As an example, we consider the force exerted on an endohedral N@C-60 by the magnetic field gradient generated by a nearby nanomagnet. We derive a Hamiltonian for the full shuttle system which includes the metallic contacts, the spatially dependent tunnel couplings to the shuttle, the electronic and motional degrees of freedom of the shuttle itself and a coupling of the shuttle's motion to a phonon bath. We analyse the resulting quantum master equation and find that, due to the exponential dependence of the tunnel probability on the shuttle-contact separation, the current is highly sensitive to very small forces. In particular, we predict that the spin state of the endohedral electrons of N@C-60 in a large magnetic gradient field can be distinguished from the resulting current signals within a few tens of nanoseconds. This effect could prove useful for the detection of the endohedral spin-state of individual paramagnetic molecules such as N@C-60 and P@C-60, or the detection of very small static forces acting on a C-60 shuttle.