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In this Bachelor’s thesis the following question is answered: Does the inequality posed in the article Klyachko et al [2008] cover the real part of the Bloch surface of a 3D quantum system when used as in Kochen and Specker [1967]? The Klyachko inequality relies on using five measurements to show contextuality of a subset of states on the real part of the Bloch surface. These can now be used in several configurations as present in the Kochen-Specker contextuality proof, by simply rotating the measurements. We show here that these new inequalities will have subsets of violation that eventually cover the entire real part of the Bloch surface. This can be extended to show that all states of a spin 1 system are non-contextual, so that we have recovered a state-independent contextuality proof by using the Klyachko inequality several times. In the final part, an interpretation of this is given and also some recommendations for further research that should be done in the field.

Neste trabalho, estudamos alguns aspectos da física de neutrinos, usando os formalismos de vetores de estado e de matriz densidade, com o objetivo de entender a evolução dos neutrinos no universo primordial. No primeiro formalismo, analisamos o fenômeno de oscilação de neutrinos no vácuo, o potencial induzido pela matéria e sua expressão como um índice de refração, e a influência de efeitos de temperatura finita em tal índice. Iniciamos o segundo formalismo com o estudo de sistemas oscilantes de dois níveis sujeitos à colisões com o meio. Deduzimos uma equação de evolução da matriz densidade que descreve um sistema de neutrinos no universo primordial. Para tanto, usamos uma abordagem simplificada e outra baseada em primeiros princípios. / In this work, we studied some aspects of neutrino physics, using the state vector and density matrix formalisms, with the goal of understanding the neutrino evolution in the primordial universe. In the rst approach, we analysed the phenomenum of neutrino oscillation in vacuum, the induced matter potential and its expression as a refraction index, and the influence of finite temperature efects in such index. We began the second formalism with the study of oscillating two levels systems subject to collisions with media. We derived an evolution equation for the density matrix that describes a neutrino system in the primordial universe. To that end, we used one simplified approach and another based on first principles.

The dispersion relation between frequency and wavevector of atomic vibrations, or phonons, can be succinctly described by the adiabatic bond charge model, first developed by Weber. The model employs as few as four parameters to fit experiment. We investigated this model in order to better unify the description of the technologically relevant group IV elemental semiconductors (e.g. diamond, silicon, germanium, and gray tin) by replacing an ad hoc parameter introduced by Weber with one arising from quadrupolar interactions between the bond charges, and by fitting the parameters to density functional theory calculations. We also illustrate constant frequency surfaces embedded in wavevector space for the various modes of vibration for the first time. The bond charge model allows for rapid calculation of various quantities related to the interaction of phonons with electrons and photons as compared to density functional theory, especially in structures with little symmetry and for macroscopic structures, thus enabling the design of complicated electronic and photonic devices much more accurately.

The renormalisation group is a crucial tool for understanding scale-dependent quantum field theories. Renormalisation group fixed points correspond to theories where scale invariance is restored at the quantum level, and may provide high- or low-energy limits for more general quantum field theories. In particular, those reached in the ultraviolet allow theories to be defined microscopically, a scenario known as asymptotic safety. In this work I investigate fixed points of conventional four-dimensional, at-space, perturbatively renormalisable, local quantum field theories. Focusing on weakly interacting fixed points the problem becomes amenable to perturbation theory. The approach is twofold: on the one hand to understand general conditions for the existence of such fixed points, and on the other to construct theories which introduce new features compared to previous examples. To understand perturbative fixed points, general calculations for theories of this type are exploited. It is established, for gauge theories, interacting fixed points may be nonzero in gauge couplings alone, or in gauge and Yukawa couplings. Deriving novel group theory bounds it is established that only the latter may possibly be ultraviolet. Additionally it is shown that theories without gauge interactions cannot possess weakly coupled fixed points, and the connexion between this fact and the impossibility of such theories being asymptotically free is highlighted. Two explicit families of examples are presented: a theory with semisimple gauge group is analysed in detail, containing many new fixed points, a rich phase structure, and asymptotically safe regions of parameter space, and a separate supersymmetric model with an ultraviolet fixed point, providing the first known explicit example of an asymptotically safe supersymmetric gauge theory.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, much time and effort has been invested in the search for a theory of quantum gravity. While this provided a myriad of possibilities, it has so far failed to find a definitive answer. Here we take an alternative approach: instead of constructing a theory of quantum gravity and examining its low energy limit, we start with the conventional theory and ask what are the first deviations induced by a possible quantization of gravity. It is proposed that in this limit quantum gravity, whatever the ultimate theory might be, manifests itself as non-locality. In this thesis are explored two different approaches to effective theories. In the first, it is demonstrated how combining quantum field theory with general relativity naturally gives rise to non-locality. This is explored in the context of inflation, a natural place to look for high energy phenomena. By considering a simple scalar field theory, it is shown how non-locality results in higher dimensional operators and what the effects are on inflationary models. The second approach looks at a theory which naturally incorporates a minimal scale. Noncommutative geometry parallels the phase space or deformation quantization approach of quantum mechanics. It supposes that at short scales, the structure of spacetime is algebraic rather than geometric. In the first instance, we follow the first section and look at cosmological implications by replacing normal scalar theory with its noncommutative counterpart. In the second, we take a step back and examine the implications of quantization on the differential geometry. The formalism is developed and applied to generic spherically symmetric spacetimes where it is shown that to first order in deformation, the quantization is unique.

Decoherence and errors appear among the main challenges to implement successful quantum technologies. In this thesis I discuss the application of some general tools and principles that may be valuable resources to develop robust technologies, with applications in quantum sensing and quantum simulation. Firstly, we employ suitable periodically driving fields acting on the Ising model in order to tailor spin-spin interactions depending on the spatial direction of the bonds. In this way, we are able to simulate the quantum compass model on a square lattice. This system exhibits topological order and a doubly degenerate ground state protected against local noise. A possible implementation of this proposal is outlined for atomic quantum simulators. Secondly, we exploit two general working principles based on spontaneous symmetry breaking and criticality that may be beneficial to achieve robust quantum sensors, particularly appropriate for quantum optical dissipative systems. A concrete application is given for a minimal model: a single qubit laser. It is shown how the precision in parameter estimation is enhanced as the incoherent pumping acting on the qubit increases, and also when the system is close to the lasing critical point. Finally, classical long-range correlations in lattice systems are shown to provide us with an additional resource to be used in robust sensing schemes. The previous setup is extended to a lattice of single qubit lasers where interactions are incoherent. Under the right conditions, we show that a Heisenberg scaling with the number of probes can be accomplished.

No presente trabalho usamos técnicas de física de muitos corpos não relativísticas para generalizar o limite clássico de sistemas quânticos de forma a incorporar misturas estatísticas. Efeitos de temperatura finita são estudados em detalhe no contexto das versões integrável e não integrável do modelo de Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick. Os dois aspectos mais notáveis de nossa análise são: o surgimento de um novo grau de liberdade essencialmente conectado a efeitos térmicos, ocorrendo a temperaturas suficientemente altas e uma caracterização quantitativa do efeito da temperatura no volume caótico do sistema. Mostra-se que os efeitos térmicos sistematicamente compensam a parte de interação da dinâmica. Este é o caso tanto no contexto da termodinâmica quanto da dinâmica a temperatura finita e acreditamos que seja verdadeiro em geral. / In the present work we use techniques of nonrelativistic many body physics to generalize the classic limit of quantum systems in such a way as to incorporate statistical mixtures. Finite temperature effects are studied in detail in the context of the integrable and nonintegrable versions of the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick Model. The most remarkable features of our analysis is twofold: the appearance of a new degree of freedom essentially connected to thermal effects i.e., for high enough temperatures and a quantitative characterization of the temperature on the chaotic volume of the system. Thermal effects can be shown to consistently counterbalance the interaction part of the dynamics. This is the case both in the context of thermodynamics and of the thermal dynamics of the system and we believe it to be true in general.

It has been almost eighty years since quantum mechanics emerged as a complete theory, yet debates about how should quantum mechanics be interpreted still occur. Interpretations are many and varied, some taking us as fundamental in determining reality (orthodox interpretation), while others proposing that reality exists outside of us, but it is a lot more complicated than that implied by classical mechanics. In this thesis I am going to try to provide new light on this debate by investigating dynamics under both the orthodox and modal interpretation. In particular I will answer the question what is the interpretation of non-Markovian stochastic Schrodinger equations? I conclude that under the orthodox view these equations have only a numerical interpretation. They provide a rule for calculating the state of the system at time t if we made a measurement on the bath (a collection of oscillators {ak}) at that time, yielding results {zk}. However in the modal view they have a meaning: non-Markovian stochastic Schrodinger equations represent the evolution of the system part of the property state of the universe (bath + system).