Steering Zitterbewegung in driven Dirac systems -- from persistent modes to echoes

TL;DR

This paper explores controlling and reviving zitterbewegung in driven Dirac systems using time-dependent potentials, demonstrating persistent modes and echo-based revival techniques in scattering-free conditions.

Contribution

It introduces methods to manipulate zitterbewegung in Dirac systems, including persistent modes and a time-reversal protocol for revival.

Findings

Persistent zitterbewegung modes in scattering-free systems

Effective time-reversal protocol retrieves zitterbewegung as echoes

Potential to control relativistic wave packet dynamics

Abstract

Although zitterbewegung -- the jittery motion of relativistic particles -- is known since 1930 and was predicted in solid state systems long ago, it has been directly measured so far only in so-called quantum simulators, i.e. quantum systems under strong control such as trapped ions and Bose-Einstein condensates. A reason for the lack of further experimental evidence is the transient nature of wave packet zitterbewegung. Here we study how the jittery motion can be manipulated in Dirac systems via time-dependent potentials, with the goal of slowing down/preventing its decay, or of generating its revival. For the harmonic driving of a mass term, we find persistent zitterbewegung modes in pristine, i.e. scattering free, systems. Furthermore, an effective time-reversal protocol -- the "Dirac quantum time mirror" -- is shown to retrieve zitterbewegung through echoes.