Paper detail

Quantum dynamics of magnetically controlled network for Bloch electrons

We study quantum dynamics of wave packet motion of Bloch electrons in quantum networks with the tight-binding approach for different types of nearest-neighbor interactions. For various geometrical configurations, these networks can function as some optical devices, such as beam splitters and interferometers. When the Bloch electrons with the Gaussian wave packets input these devices, various quantum coherence phenomena can be observed, e.g., the perfect quantum state transfer without reflection in a Y-shaped beam, the multi- mode entanglers of electron wave by star shaped network and Bloch electron interferometer with the lattice Aharonov-Bohm effects. Behind these conceptual quantum devices are the physical mechanism that, for hopping parameters with some specific values, a connected quantum networks can be reduced into a virtual network, which is a direct sum of some irreducible subnetworks. Thus, the perfect quantum state transfer in each subnetwork in this virtual network can be regarded as a coherent beam splitting process. Analytical and numerical investigations show the controllability of wave packet motion in these quantum networks by the magnetic flux through some loops of these networks, or by adjusting the couplings on nodes. We find the essential differences in these quantum coherence effects when the different wave packets enter these quantum networks initially. With these quantum coherent features, they are expected to be used as quantum information processors for the fermion system based on the possible engineered solid state systems, such as the array of quantum dots that can be implemented experimentally.