Scientists are now able to probe the elusive mesoscopic realm between the microscopic and macroscopic worlds, thanks to a new method for expanding graphs in light-matter systems developed by Andreas Schellenberger and Kai P Schmidt, both from the Department of Physics at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)! Their research, utilising the linked-cluster theorem, allows exploration of corrections beyond the standard thermodynamic limit, revealing previously hidden features like vanishing light-matter entanglement! By applying this technique to the Dicke-Ising chain and benchmarking against established methods such as exact diagonalization and perturbation theory, the team demonstrates a smooth transition between regimes and accurately determines critical points and exponents , paving the way for a deeper understanding of complex quantum phenomena.
Mesoscopic Light-Matter Systems via Graph Expansion offer novel
Scientists have demonstrated a novel method for exploring the mesoscopic regime of light-matter systems, utilising a full graph expansion based on the linked-cluster theorem! This breakthrough enables investigation of corrections to the thermodynamic limit, accessing a largely unexplored area where intriguing phenomena like light-matter entanglement, vanishing in the thermodynamic limit, emerge. The research team achieved this by developing a technique to systematically account for finite-size effects in systems with a large, but not infinite, number of particles. This approach circumvents the limitations of both microscopic and macroscopic modelling techniques, offering a pathway to understand the behaviour of complex light-matter interactions in intermediate regimes.
The study unveils a powerful computational framework built upon linked-cluster expansions, traditionally employed in condensed matter physics, but extended to encompass both matter and light degrees of freedom. Researchers meticulously decomposed complex interactions into a series of graphs, each representing a specific contribution to the system’s overall behaviour. These graphs were then solved using both exact diagonalization (NLCE) and perturbation theory (pcst++), allowing for rigorous benchmarking against established techniques and validation of the method’s accuracy. The team’s innovative approach incorporates a novel graph type specifically designed to represent the interplay between light and matter, extending the applicability of graph expansions to a broader class of physical systems.
Experiments show that the method accurately calculates key physical quantities, such as ground-state energy density and photon density, revealing a smooth transition from microscopic to macroscopic behaviour as the system size increases. Around the critical point, the research establishes that corrections to the ground-state energy density can be extracted, enabling precise determination of the critical point and the associated critical exponent using extrapolation techniques. This precise characterisation of critical behaviour is a significant advancement, offering insights into the fundamental properties of quantum phase transitions in light-matter systems! The work opens exciting possibilities for modelling a wide range of physical phenomena, including cavity quantum electrodynamics and the design of novel quantum devices. By providing a means to accurately describe the mesoscopic regime, this research paves the way for a deeper understanding of collective light-matter interactions and the development of new technologies exploiting these effects. The ability to explore 1/N corrections to the thermodynamic limit is particularly significant, as it allows scientists to predict and control the behaviour of systems with a finite number of particles, bridging the gap between theoretical models and real-world applications.
Graph Expansion for Mesoscopic Light-Matter Systems offers new
Scientists pioneered a novel method for exploring the mesoscopic regime in light-matter systems by performing full graph expansions utilising the linked-cluster theorem! This technique allows investigation of 1/N corrections to the thermodynamic limit, accessing a largely unexplored area where entanglement between light and matter exhibits unique behaviour. The research team specifically addressed the challenges of studying systems with a finite, yet substantial, number of particles, bridging the gap between microscopic and macroscopic approximations. To implement this approach, researchers decomposed complex many-body interactions into graphical representations, enabling systematic calculations beyond the limitations of traditional methods.
The study engineered a unique graph type tailored for light-matter interactions, carefully accounting for disconnected matter clusters which often pose difficulties in standard expansions. This involved developing a non-perturbative graph solver, crucial for accurately capturing the system’s behaviour without relying on small perturbation expansions. The team harnessed exact diagonalization (NLCE) and perturbation theory (\pcst++) alongside the graph expansion, providing a robust benchmarking process against established techniques. Experiments employed the Dicke-Ising chain as a paradigmatic model, calculating the ground-state energy density and photon density to demonstrate a smooth transition from microscopic to macroscopic regimes.
Around the critical point, the team extracted 1/N corrections to the ground-state energy density, employing extrapolation techniques to precisely determine the critical point and critical exponent. A generalized perturbative continuous similarity transformation was developed for calculations on the graphs, enhancing the accuracy of the perturbative calculations. This innovative method achieves a detailed understanding of the system’s behaviour, revealing subtle effects that vanish in the thermodynamic limit and offering insights into altered scaling relations at critical points. Furthermore, the study details limitations of the non-perturbative graph expansion method, acknowledging potential areas for future refinement and improvement.
The approach enables a systematic exploration of finite-size effects, providing a pathway to unravel the intriguing physics of the mesoscopic regime and its impact on light-matter interactions, a realm previously inaccessible to conventional theoretical tools. Mesoscopic. The. The authors acknowledge that their non-perturbative graph expansion method faces limitations when dealing with highly disconnected matter clusters, potentially affecting the accuracy of calculations in certain scenarios! Future research could focus on refining the treatment of these disconnected clusters and extending the method to more complex light-matter systems! This work establishes a valuable tool for investigating the mesoscopic realm of light-matter interactions, potentially revealing new insights into quantum phenomena and paving the way for advanced quantum technologies.
👉 More information
🗞 To infinity and back — graph expansions of light-matter systems
🧠 ArXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.13860
