No Arabic abstract
We investigate the effect of decoherence on Fano resonances in wave transmission through resonant scattering structures. We show that the Fano asymmetry parameter q follows, as a function of the strength of decoherence, trajectories in the complex plane that reveal detailed information on the underlying decoherence process. Dissipation and unitary dephasing give rise to manifestly different trajectories. Our predictions are successfully tested against microwave experiments using metal cavities with different absorption coefficients and against previously published data on transport through quantum dots. These results open up new possibilities for studying the effect of decoherence in a wide array of physical systems where Fano resonances are present.
We study Andreev reflection in a normal conductor-molecule-superconductor junction using a first principles approach. In particular, we focus on a family of molecules consisting of a molecular backbone and a weakly coupled side group. We show that the presence of the side group can lead to a Fano resonance in the Andreev reflection. We use a simple theoretical model to explain the results of the numerical calculations and to make predictions about the possible sub-gap resonance structures in the Andreev reflection coefficient.
We demonstrate a fully-tunable multi-state Fano system in which remotely-implemented quantum states interfere with each other through their coupling to a mutual continuum. On tuning these resonances near coincidence a robust avoided crossing is observed, with a distinctive character that confirms the continuum as the source of the coupling. While the continuum often serves as a source of decoherence, our work therefore shows how its presence can instead also be essential to mediate the interaction of quantum states, a result that could allow new approaches to engineer the collective states of nanostructures.
We have observed asymmetric Fano resonances in the conductance of a single electron transistor resulting from interference between a resonant and a nonresonant path through the system. The resonant component shows all the features typical of quantum dots, but the origin of the non-resonant path is unclear. A unique feature of this experimental system, compared to others that show Fano line shapes, is that changing the voltages on various gates allows one to alter the interference between the two paths.
Decay of bound states due to coupling with free particle states is a general phenomenon occurring at energy scales from MeV in nuclear physics to peV in ultracold atomic gases. Such a coupling gives rise to Fano-Feshbach resonances (FFR) that have become key to understanding and controlling interactions - in ultracold atomic gases, but also between quasiparticles such as microcavity polaritons. The energy positions of FFR were shown to follow quantum chaotic statistics. In contrast, lifetimes which are the fundamental property of a decaying state, have so far escaped a similarly comprehensive understanding. Here we show that a bound state, despite being resonantly coupled to a scattering state, becomes protected from decay whenever the relative phase is a multiple of $pi$. We observe this phenomenon by measuring lifetimes spanning four orders of magnitude for FFR of spin-orbit excited molecular ions with merged beam and electrostatic trap experiments. Our results provide a blueprint for identifying naturally long-lived states in a decaying quantum system.
Through a combination of experiment and theory we establish the possibility of achieving strong tuning of Fano resonances (FRs), by allowing their usual two-path geometry to interfere with an additional, intruder, continuum. As the coupling strength to this intruder is varied, we predict strong modulations of the resonance line shape that, in principle at least, may exceed the amplitude of the original FR itself. For a proof-of-concept demonstration of this phenomenon, we construct a nanoscale interferometer from nonlocally coupled quantum point contacts and utilize the unique features of their density of states to realize the intruder. External control of the intruder coupling is enabled by means of an applied magnetic field, in the presence of which we demonstrate the predicted distortions of the FR. This general scheme for resonant control should be broadly applicable to a variety of wave-based systems, opening up the possibility of new applications in areas such as chemical and biological sensing and secure communications.