Directed transport in quantum star graphs

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how to control the direction and transmission of Gaussian wave packets on quantum star graphs with periodic potentials and external fields, enabling targeted manipulation of quantum transport in network-like structures.

Contribution

It introduces a method to steer quantum wave packets in star graphs using external fields, a novel approach for quantum control in networked quantum systems.

Findings

Achieved nearly 70% transmission into desired arm.

Controlled wave packet direction via external field parameters.

Maintained wave packet shape during manipulation.

Abstract

We study the quantum dynamics of Gaussian wave packets on star graphs whose arms feature each a periodic potential and an external time-dependent field. Assuming that the potentials and the field can be manipulated separately for each arm of the star, we show that it is possible to manipulate the direction of the motion of a Gaussian wave packet through the bifurcation point by a suitable choice of the parameters of the external fields. In doing so, one can achieve a transmission of the wave packet into the desired arm with nearly 70\% while also keeping the shape of the wave packet approximately intact. Since a star graph is the simplest element of many other complex graphs, the obtained results can be considered as the first step to wave packet manipulations on complex networks.