Open call for a postdoc position in Theoretical Quantum Information

A postdoctoral research position in the Mathematical Physics Group at the University of Burgos (Spain) is open. We welcome all qualified candidates with a strong research record in the field of Theoretical Quantum Information, including applications in quantum communication, quantum computation, quantum foundations, quantum aspects of the gravitational field and information geometry.The contract should start on September 1st at the latest, and would end in August 2025. The salary will be set based on the experience and research record of the selected candidate. Applicants are requested to send a complete CV, a short research statement and at least one reference letter to Prof. Angel Ballesteros (angelb@ubu.es) by March 19th.

Gaussian curvature effects on graphene quantum dots

In the last few years, much attention has been paid to the exotic properties that graphene nanostructures exhibit, especially those emerging upon deforming the material. In this new paper we present a study of the mechanical and electronic properties of bent hexagonal graphene quantum dots employing density functional theory. We explore three different kinds of surfaces with Gaussian curvature exhibiting different shapes—spherical, cylindrical, and one-sheet hyperboloid—used to bend the material, and several boundary conditions regarding what atoms are forced to lay on the chosen surface. In each case, we study the curvature energy and two quantum regeneration times (classic and revival) for different values of the curvature radius. A strong correlation between Gaussian curvature and these regeneration times is found, and a special divergence is observed for the revival time for the hyperboloid case, probably related to the pseudo-magnetic field generated by this curvature being capable of causing a phase transition.

The Dunkl oscillator on a space of nonconstant curvature: an exactly solvable quantum model with reflections

In this paper (arXiv:2212.13575) we introduce the Dunkl-Darboux III oscillator Hamiltonian in N dimensions, defined as a λ−deformation of the N-dimensional Dunkl oscillator. This deformation can be interpreted either as the introduction of a non-constant curvature related to λ on the underlying space or, equivalently, as a Dunkl oscillator with a position-dependent mass function. This new quantum model is shown to be exactly solvable in arbitrary dimension N, and its eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are explicitly presented. Moreover, it is shown that in the two-dimensional case both the Darboux III and the Dunkl oscillators can be separately coupled with a constant magnetic field, thus giving rise to two new exactly solvable quantum systems in which the effect of a position-dependent mass and the Dunkl derivatives on the structure of the Landau levels can be explicitly studied. Finally, the whole 2D Dunkl-Darboux III oscillator is coupled with the magnetic field and shown to define an exactly solvable Hamiltonian, where the interplay between the λ-deformation and the magnetic field is explicitly illustrated.

A general approach to noncommutative spaces from Poisson homogeneous spaces: Applications to (A)dS and Poincaré

In this contribution (arXiv:2212.11750) we present a general procedure that allows the construction of noncommutative spaces with quantum group invariance as the quantization of their associated coisotropic Poisson homogeneous spaces coming from a coboundary Lie bialgebra structure. The approach is illustrated by obtaining in an explicit form several noncommutative spaces from (3+1)D (A)dS and Poincaré coisotropic Lie bialgebras. In particular, we review the construction of the κ-Minkowski and κ-(A)dS spacetimes in terms of the cosmological constant Λ. Furthermore, we present all noncommutative Minkowski and (A)dS spacetimes that preserved a quantum Lorentz subgroup. Finally, it is also shown that the same setting can be used to construct the three possible 6D κ-Poincaré spaces of time-like. Some open problems are also addressed.

κ-Galilean and κ-Carrollian noncommutative spaces of worldlines

The noncommutative spacetimes associated to the κ-Poincaré relativistic symmetries and their “non-relativistic” (Galilei) and “ultra-relativistic” (Carroll) limits are indistinguishable, since their coordinates satisfy the same algebra. In this work (arXiv:2212.01125), we show that the three quantum kinematical models can be differentiated when looking at the associated spaces of time-like worldlines. Specifically, we construct the noncommutative spaces of time-like geodesics with κ-Galilei and κ-Carroll symmetries as contractions of the corresponding κ-Poincaré space and we show that these three spaces are defined by different algebras. In particular, the κ-Galilei space of worldlines resembles the so-called Euclidean Snyder model, while the κ-Carroll space turns out to be commutative. Furthermore, we identify the map between quantum spaces of geodesics and the corresponding noncommutative spacetimes, which requires to extend the space of geodesics by adding the noncommutative time coordinate.

Deformed relativistic symmetry principles

We review (arXiv:2211.11684) the main features of models where relativistic symmetries are deformed at the Planck scale. We cover the motivations and links to other quantum gravity approaches. We describe in some detail the most studied theoretical frameworks, including Hopf algebras, relative locality, and other scenarios with deformed momentum space geometry. We discuss possible phenomenological consequences, and point out current open questions.

New class of plane waves for κ-noncommutative Quantum Field Theory

In this work (arXiv:2211.11627) we discuss the construction of a free scalar quantum field theory on κ-Minkowski noncommutative spacetime. We do so in terms of κ-Poincaré-invariant N-point functions, i.e. multilocal functions which respect the deformed symmetries of the spacetime. As shown in a previous paper by some of us, this is only possible for a lightlike version of the commutation relations, which allow the construction of a covariant algebra of N points that generalizes the κ-Minkowski commutation relations. We solve the main shortcoming of our previous approach, which prevented the development of a fully covariant quantum field theory: the emergence of a non-Lorentz-invariant boundary of momentum space. To solve this issue, we propose to “extend” momentum space by introducing a class of new Fourier modes and we prove that this approach leads to a consistent definition of the Pauli-Jordan function, which turns out to be undeformed with respect to the commutative case. We finally address the quantization of our scalar field and obtain a deformed, κ-Poincaré-invariant, version of the bosonic oscillator algebra.

Quantum Euler angles and agency-dependent spacetime

Quantum gravity is expected to introduce quantum aspects into the description of reference frames. In this paper (arXiv:2211.11347) we set the stage for exploring how quantum gravity induced deformations of classical symmetries could modify the transformation laws among reference frames in an effective regime. We invoke the quantum group SUq(2) as a description of deformed spatial rotations and interpret states of a representation of its algebra as describing the relative orientation between two reference frames. This leads to a quantization of one of the Euler angles and to the new paradigm of agency-dependence: space is reconstructed as a collection of fuzzy points, exclusive to each agent, which depends on their choice of reference frame. Each agent can choose only one direction in which points can be sharp, while points in all other directions become fuzzy in a way that depends on this choice. Two agents making different choices will thus observe the same points with different degrees of fuzziness.

Effects of new physics in neutrino propagation

In this work (arXiv:2210.10111) we consider the effects of Lorentz Invariance Violation over the observed flux of very high-energy neutrinos. For that, we study the neutrino propagation in a Modified Dispersion Relation scenario with a superluminal velocity. This makes the neutrino unstable and causes a cut-off in the flux of detected neutrinos. Using simple models, one can approximate the location of the cut-off as function of the parameters of new physics and the closest source.

Open call for two research positions

Two three-year research positions starting on November, 2022, are available in our group within the framework of the Project “Quantum reference frames, quantum groups, quantum information, entanglement and decoherence: applications in quantum communications“. The deadline for applications is October 25th. The call for applications can be found here, and interested candidates should contact us urgently at angelb@ubu.es.