Subharmonic Generation in Quantum Systems

TL;DR

This paper explores how quantum systems driven periodically can exhibit long-lived subharmonic motion, with deviations explained by tunneling effects, bridging classical and quantum dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a mechanism for sustained subharmonic motion in quantum systems via classical-quantum correspondence and tunneling effects.

Findings

Long-lived subharmonic motion observed in quantum systems.

Deviations from perfect subharmonicity are exponentially small.

Coherent tunneling explains the deviations from classical behavior.

Abstract

We show how the classical-quantum correspondence permits long-lived subharmonic motion in a quantum system driven by a periodic force. Exponentially small deviations from exact subharmonicity are due to coherent tunneling between quantized vortex tubes which surround classical elliptic periodic orbits.