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Author: van den Brink, Jeroen × End date: 2023 × Start date: 2021 × Version: publishedVersion × Subject: Quantum optics ×

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    Thermalization by a synthetic horizon
    (College Park, MD : APS, 2022) Mertens, Lotte; Moghaddam, Ali G.; Chernyavsky, Dmitry; Morice, Corentin; van den Brink, Jeroen; van Wezel, Jasper
    Synthetic horizons in models for quantum matter provide an alternative route to explore fundamental questions of modern gravitational theory. Here we apply these concepts to the problem of emergence of thermal quantum states in the presence of a horizon, by studying ground-state thermalization due to instantaneous horizon creation in a gravitational setting and its condensed matter analog. By a sudden quench to position-dependent hopping amplitudes in a one-dimensional lattice model, we establish the emergence of a thermal state accompanying the formation of a synthetic horizon. The resulting temperature for long chains is shown to be identical to the corresponding Unruh temperature, provided that the postquench Hamiltonian matches the entanglement Hamiltonian of the prequench system. Based on detailed analysis of the outgoing radiation we formulate the conditions required for the synthetic horizon to behave as a purely thermal source, paving a way to explore this interplay of quantum-mechanical and gravitational aspects experimentally.
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    Extended high-harmonic spectra through a cascade resonance in confined quantum systems
    (College Park, MD : APS, 2022) Zhang, Xiao; Zhu, Tao; Du, Hongchuan; Luo, Hong-Gang; van den Brink, Jeroen; Ray, Rajyavardhan
    The study of high-harmonic generation in confined quantum systems is vital to establishing a complete physical picture of harmonic generation from atoms and molecules to bulk solids. Based on a multilevel approach, we demonstrate how intraband resonances significantly influence the harmonic spectra via charge pumping to the higher subbands and thus redefine the cutoff laws. As a proof of principle, we consider the interaction of graphene nanoribbons, with zigzag as well as armchair terminations, and resonant fields polarized along the cross-ribbon direction. Here, this effect is particularly prominent due to many nearly equiseparated energy levels. In such a scenario, a cascade resonance effect can take place in high-harmonic generation when the field strength is above a critical threshold, which is completely different from the harmonic generation mechanism of atoms, molecules, and bulk solids. We further discuss the implications not only for other systems in a nanoribbon geometry, but also systems where only a few subbands (energy levels) meet this frequency-matching condition by considering a generalized multilevel Hamiltonian. Our study highlights that cascade resonance has a fundamentally distinct influence on the laws of harmonic generation, specifically the cutoff laws based on laser duration, field strength, and wavelength, thus unraveling additional insights in solid-state high-harmonic generation.