The influence of the elementary charge on the canonical quantization of LC -circuits

TL;DR

This paper investigates the quantum behavior of mesoscopic LC circuits influenced by time-dependent voltages, focusing on charge discretization, non-Hermitian flux operators, and their implications for persistent currents and dynamic localization.

Contribution

It introduces a novel quantization approach accounting for charge discretization and non-Hermitian flux operators, extending to next-nearest neighbor interactions and dynamic effects.

Findings

Eigenvalues characterized by twisted boundary conditions.

Derived nontrivial next-nearest neighbor Hamiltonian.

Identified dynamic localization effects in L-ring configurations.

Abstract

In this paper one deals with the quantization of mesoscopic LC-circuits under the influence of an external time dependent voltage. The canonically conjugated variables, such as given by the electric charge and the magnetic flux, get established by resorting to the hamiltonian equations of motion provided by both Faraday and Kirchhoff laws . This time the discretization of the electric charge is accounted for, so that magnetic flux operators one looks for should proceed in terms of discrete derivatives. However, the flux operators one deals witg are not Hermitian, which means that subsequent symmetrizations are in order. The eigenvalues characterizing such operators cab be readily established in terms of twisted boundary conditions. Besides the discrete Schrodinger equation with nearest-neighbor hoppings, a nontrivial next nearest neighbor generalization has also been established. Such issues open the way to the derivation of persistent currents in terms of effective k-dependent Hamiltonians. Handling the time dependent voltage within the nearest neighbor description leadsto the derivation of dynamic localization effects in L-ring configurations, such as discussed before by Dunlap and Kenkre The onset of the magnetic flux quantum has also been discussed in some more detail.