In this thesis we study periodic solutions of several N-body and N-centre systems with different potentials from a variational viewpoint. The underlying focus is on understanding the structure of various action functionals, and the relationship between this and the system's periodic orbits and their properties. In particular we: investigate the integrable central force problems with potentials Valpha(x) = - 1/|x|alpha for 1&le; alpha &le; 2. We show that for 1 < alpha < 2 there are only finitely many homotopy classes that do not contain a prime-period, but that this number diverges as alpha &rarr;1+ or alpha &rarr; 2--. Given any non-null homotopy class of loops and any period T > 0 we list the finitely many distinct critical manifolds of collisionless orbits in that class in order of their action, and label them with their Morse indices with respect to the action functional. We investigate the 2-body/1-centre problem with Lennard-Jones potential. We find the region of energy-momentum space that supports the existence of periodic or quasiperiodic motion. We also show there exists m &isin; N such that for all q &ge; m there are periodic orbits in Op= UT>0 OpT (p &isin; Z - {0}) with q 'radial oscillations' in one period. Obtain results on which homotopy and homology classes of loops contain periodic solutions of the symmetric planar Newtonian 2-centre problem, see theorem 4.4.1. In particular we find that the integrability of the system places strong constraints on which homology classes of loops contain periodic solutions and obtain some interesting results on prime-period solutions. We also order by action 'P1 orbits' in all homotopy classes of loops that contain them and label them by their Morse indices with respect to the action functional. We investigate the 7V-body problem with identical particles interacting through a potential of Lennard-Jones (LJ) type. We consider any subset of loop space that satisfies a few basic conditions, one of which corresponds to the notion of 'tiedness' introduced by Gordon in [41]. We show that this system admits periodic solutions in every homotopy class of this subset of loop space. More precisely we show that every homotopy class contains at least two periodic solutions for sufficiently large periods. One of these solutions is a local minimum and the other is a mountain-pass critical point of the action functional. We also prove that given a homotopy class of one of these subsets there do not exist any periodic solutions in it for sufficiently small periods. The results have wide applicability. For example, one can consider the space of choreographies and prove existence results for choreographical solutions. Our existence proof relies upon an assumption that global minimizers of standard strong force potentials on suitable spaces are nondegenerate up to some symmetries. We also find periodic solutions in some classes of loops that do not satisfy any tiedness condition. In particular we use a result in [27] to construct a periodic solution of the restricted spatial (2N + 2)-body problem. o present a note on McCord, Montaldi, Roberts and Sbano's paper on relative periodic orbits in symmetric Lagrangian systems, see [54]. For the N-centre problem with a strong force potential that is bounded above we find those homotopy classes of relative loops on which the action functional is coercive. We describe the homotopy types of the homotopy classes of relative loops. Under the assumption that the action functional is an S1-invariant Morse function we describe a set of homotopy classes that contain infinitely many periodic orbits. The work can be viewed as an expansion on an example presented at the end of [54] which had N = 2; in particular we correct and generalize some assertions made regarding coercivity of the action functional and the centralizers of the g-twisted action. Some of the results are subject to numerically motivated assumptions detailed in the thesis.

The unusual low temperature behaviour of metals and metal alloys, such as heavy fermion systems, Mott insulators and unconventional superconductors, has been a central topic of scientific investigation for over half a century. Due to strong correlations between the many particles, the solution to most theoretical models of these systems is difficult because standard perturbation methods break down. In certain cases, non-perturbative renormalization group approaches can be used to access the low energy behaviour and take into account the effects of strong correlations. However, these methods do not work for several important and interesting classes of model. These include lattice models with finite dimension, models with impurities of high degeneracy and steady state transport through quantum dots. The aim of this thesis is therefore to develop a new and general renormalization group approach that will lend itself to wide application in models where existing techniques fail. The method explored here utilises renormalized perturbation theory (RPT) in conjunction with scaling equations and collective excitations. It is tested on the single impurity Anderson model, the paradigmatic model used to understand magnetic impurities within a non-magnetic host metal. The Anderson model is simple yet exhibits interesting features due to strong correlation, such as a single renormalized low energy scale called the Kondo temperature. This model is also well understood as it has been solved using the numerical renormalization group (NRG), which provides ample numerical data against which this new technique is compared. Finally, a preliminary study is given for this method when it is applied to a wider class of models.

In this thesis, the first-order and higher-order interferences on the total (Coulomb+nuclear), Coulomb and nuclear breakup cross sections in the 15C+208Pb, 11Be+208Pb breakup reactions are first studied at 68 MeV/u incident energy. It is shown that the first-order interference reduces by more than 60% the total breakup cross sections, by less than 3% the Coulomb breakup cross sections and by more than 85% the nuclear breakup cross sections, for both reactions. On the other hand, the high-order interference is found to reduce by less than 9% the total breakup cross section, less than 1% the Coulomb breakup cross section and less than 7% the nuclear breakup cross section for the 15C+208Pb reaction. For the 11Be+208Pb reaction however, the high-order interference reduces by less than 7% the total breakup cross section, by less than 1% the Coulomb breakup cross section and by less than 4% the nuclear breakup cross section. It is finally shown that even at first-order, the incoherent sum of the nuclear breakup cross sections is more important than the incoherent sum of the Coulomb breakup cross sections for the two reactions. The role of the diagonal and off-diagonal continuum-continuum couplings on total, Coulomb and nuclear breakup cross sections is also investigated for the 8B+58Ni, 8B+208Pb and 19C+208Pb at 29.3, 170.3 MeV and 1273 MeV incident energies respectively. Qualitatively, we found that, the diagonal continuum-continuum couplings are responsible for the large reduction of the differential total and nuclear breakup cross sections at backward angles. At forward angles, this reduction is due to the off-diagonal continuum-continuum couplings. In the absence of these couplings, the nuclear breakup is the more dominant process, while when they are included, the Coulomb breakup becomes dominant. This shows that, the nuclear breakup is more affected by the continuum-continuum couplings than its Coulomb counterpart. Quantitatively, we found that, the off-diagonal countinuum-countinuum couplings reduce by 13.39%, 12.71% and 11.11% the total breakup cross sections for the 8B+58Ni, 8B+208Pb and 19C+208Pb reactions, respectively. / Physics / D. Phil. (Physics)

La simulation quantique consiste à réaliser expérimentalement des systèmes artificiels équivalent à des modèles proposés par les théoriciens. Pour réaliser ces systèmes, il est possible d'utiliser des atomes dont les états individuels et les interactions sont contrôlés par la lumière. En particulier, une fois excités dans un état de haute énergie (appelé état de Rydberg), les atomes peuvent être contrôlés individuellement et leurs interactions façonnées arbitrairement par des faisceaux laser. Cette thèse s'intéresse à deux types de simulateurs quantiques à base d'atomes de Rydberg, et en particulier à leurs potentielles limitations.Dans l'expérience du Joint Quantum Institute (USA), nous observons la décohérence dans une structure cubique contenant jusqu'à 40000 atomes. A partir d'atomes préparés dans un état de Rydberg bien défini, nous constatons l'apparition spontanée d'états de Rydberg voisins et le déclenchement d'un phénomène d'avalanche. Nous montrons que ce mécanisme émane de l'émission stimulée produite par le rayonnement du corps noir. Ce phénomène s'accompagne d'une diffusion induite par des interactions de type dipole-dipole résonant. Nous complétons ces observations avec un modèle de champ moyen en état stationnaire. Dans un second temps, l'étude de la dynamique du problème nous permet de mesurer les échelles de temps caractéristiques. La décohérence étant globalement néfaste pour la simulation quantique, nous proposons plusieurs solutions pour en atténuer les effets. Nous évaluons notamment la possibilité de travailler dans un environnement cryogénique, lequel permettrait de réduire le rayonnement du corps noir.Dans l'expérience du Laboratoire Charles Fabry à l'Institut d'Optique (France), nous analysons les limites d'un simulateur quantique générant des structures bi- et tridimensionnelles allant jusqu'à 70 atomes de Rydberg piégés individuellement dans des pinces optiques. Le système actuel étant limité par le temps de vie des structures, nous montrons que l'utilisation d'un cryostat permettrait d'atteindre des tailles de structures jusqu'à 300 atomes. Nous présentons les premiers pas d'une nouvelle expérience utilisant un cryostat à 4K, et en particulier les études amont pour le développement de composants optomécaniques placés sous vide et à froid. / Quantum simulation consists in engineering well-controlled artificial systems that are ruled by the idealized models proposed by the theorists. Such toy models can be produced with individual atoms, where laser beams control individual atomic states and interatomic interactions. In particular, exciting atoms into a highly excited state (called a Rydberg state) allows to control individual atoms and taylor interatomic interactions with light. In this thesis, we investigate experimentally two different types of Rydberg-based quantum simulators and identify some possible limitations.At the Joint Quantum Institute, we observe the decoherence of an ensemble of up to 40000 Rydberg atoms arranged in a cubic geometry. Starting from the atoms prepared in a well-defined Rydberg state, we show that the spontaneous apparition of population in nearby Rydberg states leads to an avalanche process. We identify the origin of the mechanism as stimulated emission induced by black-body radiation followed by a diffusion induced by the resonant dipole-dipole interaction. We describe our observations with a steady-state mean-field analysis. We then study the dynamics of the phenomenon and measure its typical timescales. Since decoherence is overall negative for quantum simulation, we propose several solutions to mitigate the effect. Among them, we discuss the possibility to work at cryogenic temperatures, thus suppressing the black-body induced avalanche.In the experiment at Laboratoire Charles Fabry (Institut d'Optique), we analyze the limitation of a quantum simulator based on 2 and 3 dimensional arrays of up to 70 atoms trapped in optical tweezers and excited to Rydberg states. The current system is limited by the lifetime of the atomic structure. We show that working at cryogenic temperatures could allow to increase the size of the system up to N=300 atoms. In this context, we start a new experiment based on a 4K cryostat. We present the early stage of the new apparatus and some study concerning the optomechanical components to be placed inside the cryostat.

Les travaux présentés dans ce manuscrit de thèse portent sur la construction d'une nouvelle expérience d'atomes froids de strontium 84, depuis ses balbutiements jusqu'à l'obtention des pièges magnéto-optiques sur la raie large à 461 nm, puis sur la raie étroite à 689 nm.Les études menées avec cette expérience porteront sur la dynamique de relaxation de gaz quantiques placés initialement en situation hors-équilibre. Pour réaliser de telles expériences, un microscope à atomes sera mis en place prochainement et permettra de mesurer des fonctions de corrélations spatiales à partir de la répartition des atomes dans le piège optique bidimensionnel. C'est pourquoi, en parallèle du montage, des travaux ont été réalisés pour mettre au point un algorithme de reconstruction, indispensable au traitement des futures images obtenues par ce microscope. Ce manuscrit de thèse a pour objectif de détailler et justifier aussi précisément que possible les choix expérimentaux qui ont été effectués et de présenter le stade actuel d'avancement de l'algorithme de reconstruction d'images. Il reste encore quelques étapes de construction avant que le dispositif expérimental soit achevé: ajouter une chambre dans laquelle les mesures auront lieu, mettre en place le système d'imagerie et monter le système optique qui permettra de transporter les atomes entre les chambres à vide, les confiner dans un plan, d'effectuer la transition vers un condensat de Bose-Einstein et enfin les soumettre à un réseau optique bidimensionnel. / This manuscript presents the first steps of a new ultracold atoms experiment using strontium 84. The aim of this experiment is to study the relaxation dynamics of quantum gases initially prepared in an out-of-equilibrium state. This experiment will include a quantum gas microscope, allowing us to measure spatial correlation functions in two-dimensionnal systems. The current state of the construction allows us to generate both magneto-optical trap of strontium: along its wide transition at 461 nm and its narrow transition at 689 nm. Concurrently with the experimental setup, we carried out works on a reconstruction algorithm required for the future data processing of the microscope images. This manuscript details experimental aspects, justifying their choices, and presents the current state of work on the reconstruction algorithm. There are still steps to complete the experimental setup: add a chamber where we will make the measurements to the vaccuum system, set up the quantum gaz microscope and all the required optics to transport the atomic clouds between two vaccuum chambers, to reach Bose-Einstein condensation and to confine the atoms in two-dimensionnal optical traps.

Des atomes individuels piégés dans des matrices de pinces optiques et excités vers des états de Rydberg forment une plateforme expérimentale prometteuse pour la simulation quantique de modèles de spins. Lors de cette thèse, nous avons d’abord résolu le problème du chargement aléatoire des pièges, seulement 50 % d’entre eux étant chargés avec un atome. Nous avons développé une technique pour préparer des matrices 2D, puis 3D, d’atomes de 87Rb en les déplaçant un par un avec une pince optique mobile contrôlée par ordinateur. Nous avons ensuite réalisé le modèle d’Ising en excitant de manière cohérente les atomes depuis leur état électronique fondamental vers un niveau de Rydberg. Après avoir trouvé un régime optimal où l’interaction dipolaire entre deux atomes de Rydberg se réduit à une énergie de van der Waals, nous avons tenté de préparer adiabatiquement l’état de Néel qui minimise l’énergie d’interaction. Nous avons montré que l’efficacité de préparation étaitlimitée par la décohérence induite par les lasers d’excitation. Nous avons ensuite utilisé un autre régime d’interaction, le couplage dipolaire résonant, pour étudier des modèles de spins de type XY, dont le modèle Su-Schrieffer-Heeger, connu pour sa phase fermionique topologique protégée par une symétrie chirale. Ici, nous avons remplacé les fermions par des particules effectives de type `boson de cœur dur’, ce qui modifie les propriétés de cette phase. Nous avons d’abord retrouvé les propriétés à une particule, comme l’existence d’états de bords à énergie nulle. Nous avons ensuite préparé l’état fondamental à N corps pour un remplissage moitié, et observé sa dégénérescence causée par les états de bords, même en présence d’une perturbation qui lèverait cette dégénérescence dans le cas fermionique. Nous avons expliqué ce résultat par l’existence d’une symétrie plus générale, qui protège la phase bosonique. / Single atoms trapped in arrays of optical tweezers and excited to Rydberg states are a promising experimental platform for the quantum simulation of spin models. In this thesis, we first solved a long-standing challenge to this approach caused by the random loading of the traps, with only 50% of them filled with single atoms. We have engineered a robust and easy-to-use method to assemble perfectly filled two-dimensional arrays of 87Rb atoms by moving them one by one with a moveable optical tweezers controlled by computer, a technique further enhanced to trap, image and assemble three-dimensional arrays. We then implemented the quantum Ising model by coherently coupling ground-state atoms to a Rydberg level. After finding experimental parameters where the dipole-dipole interaction takes the ideal form of a van der Waals shift, we performed adiabatic preparation of the Néel state. We showed that the coherence time of our excitation lasers limited the efficiency of this technique. We then used a different type of interaction, a resonant dipolar coupling, to implement XY spin models and notably the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, known for its fermionic topological phase protected by the chiral symmetry. Here, we used effective hard-core bosons, which modify the properties of the topological phase. We first recovered known properties at the single particle level, such as the existence of localized zero-energy edge-states. Then, preparing the many-body ground state at half-filling, we observed a surprising robustness of its four-fold degeneracy upon applying a perturbation. This result was explained by the existence of a more general symmetry protecting the bosonic phase.

Στην παρούσα διατριβή ασχολούμαστε με την μελέτη περιοδικών και ασυμπτωτικών λύσεων στο περιορισμένο πρόβλημα των τεσσάρων σωμάτων. Πιο συγκεκριμένα: Στο κεφάλαιο 1 περιγράφουμε το πρόβλημα των τριών και των τεσσάρων σωμάτων, κάνοντας μια ιστορική αναδρομή και παραθέτουμε τις αρχικές εξισώσεις της κίνησης. Στο κεφάλαιο 2 μελετάμε αριθμητικά το περιορισμένο πρόβλημα των τεσσάρων σωμάτων, στην Lagrangian διαμόρφωση. Υπολογίζουμε τα σημεία ισορροπίας, καθώς και τις επιτρεπτές περιοχές κίνησης του τέταρτου σώματος. Στο κεφάλαιο 3 μελετάμε την ευστάθεια των σημείων ισορροπίας. Επίσης υπολογίζουμε και παρουσιάζουμε τις περιοχές έλξης, για το δυναμικό σύστημα των τεσσάρων σωμάτων. Στο κεφάλαιο 4 μελετάμε οικογένειες απλών συμμετρικών και μη συμμετρικών περιοδικών τροχιών του περιορισμένου προβλήματος των τεσσάρων σωμάτων. Υπολογίζουμε για κάθε περίπτωση τιμών των μαζών, σειρές κρίσιμων περιοδικών τροχιών κάθε οικογένειας ξεχωριστά. Τέλος στο κεφάλαιο 5 μελετάμε αριθμητικά οικογένειες απλών ασύμμετρων περιοδικών τροχιών στο περιορισμένο πρόβλημα των τεσσάρων σωμάτων, έχοντας θέσει ως πρωτεύοντα σώματα τους ΄Ηλιο - Δία και έναν Τρωικό Αστεροειδή και θεωρώντας ως τέταρτο αμελητέας μάζας σώμα ένα διαστημόπλοιο. Τα πρωτεύοντα σώματα υπακούουν στην ευσταθή Lagrangian τριγωνική διαμόρφωση. Μελετήσαμε επίσης αναλυτικά και αριθμητικά τις λύσεις στην περιοχή των ευσταθών σημείων ισορροπίας του συστήματος, βρήκαmε οικογένειες περιοδικών λύσεων και μελετήσαμε την γραμμική ευστάθεια τους. Τα αποτελέσματα των κεφαλαίων 2,3,4 και 5 έχουν δημοσιευτεί σε τρία διεθνή περιοδικά και ένα κομμάτι του κεφαλαίου 5 παρουσιάστηκε σε διεθνές συνέδριο (με συγγραφείς τους Μπαλταγιάννη Α. και Παπαδάκη Κ.). Πιο συγκεκριμένα η μελέτη των κεφαλαίων 2 και 3 έχει δημοσιευτεί στο περιοδικό “International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos, 21, 2011, pp. 2179-2193” με τον τίτλο: “Equilibrium Points and their stability in the restricted four-body problem”. Τα αποτελέσματα του κεφαλαίου 4 δημοσιεύτηκαν mε τον τίτλο: “Families of periodic orbits in the restricted four-body problem” στο περιοδικό “Astrophysics and Space Science, 336, 2011, pp. 357-367”. Επίσης το κεφάλαιο 5 υπό τον τίτλο “Periodic solutions in the Sun - Jupiter - Trojan Asteroid - Spacecraft system”, δημοσιεύτηκε στο περιοδικό ”Planetary and Space Science, 75, 2013, pp. 148-157”. Το διεθνές συνέδριο στο οποίο παρουσιάστηκε τμήμα του κεφαλαίου 5 ήταν το : “10th Hellenic Astronomical Conference, Proceedings of the conference held at Ioannina, Greece, 5-8 September 2011, pp. 23-24” και η εργασία είχε τίτλο: “Families of periodic orbits in the Sun - Jupiter - Trojan Asteroid system”. Η παρούσα διατριβή εκπονήθηκε με την οικονομική υποστήριξη του ερευνητικού προγράμματος του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών: Κ. Καραθεοδωρή. / In this thesis we are concerned with the periodic and asymptotic solutions of the restricted four - body problem. In chapter 1 we describe the three - body and four - body problem, starting with historical information. We also present the needed equations of motion and integrals of the problem. In chapter 2 we study numerically the problem of four - bodies, according to the Lagrangian equilateral triangle configuration. We find the equilibrium points and the allowed regions of motion. In chapter 3 we study the stability of the relative equibrium solutions. We also illustrate the regions of the basins of attraction for the equilibrium points of the present dynamical model. In chapter 4 we present families of simple symmetric and non-symmetric periodic orbits in the restricted four-body problem. Series of critical periodic orbits of each family and in any case of the mass parameters are also calculated. In chapter 5 we study, numerically, families of simple non-symmetric periodic orbits of the restricted four-body problem, where we consider the three primary bodies as Sun, Jupiter and a Trojan Asteroid and as a massless fourth body, a spacecraft. The primary bodies are set in the stable Lagrangian equilateral triangle configuration. We also study analytically the solutions in the neighborhood of the stable equilibrium points and the linear stability of each periodic solution. The results of the chapters 2,3,4 and 5 have been published in three journals and a part of chapter 5 has been presented in an international conference. Chapters 2 and 3 have been published in “International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos, 21, 2011, pp. 2179-2193” under the title of “Equilibrium Points and their stability in the restricted four-body problem”. Chapter 4 has been titled “Families of periodic orbits in the restricted four- body problem” and published in “Astrophysics and Space Science, 336, 2011, pp. 357-367”. Chapter 5 has been titled “Periodic solutions in the Sun - Jupiter - Trojan Asteroid - Spacecraft system,” and published in “Planetary and Space Science, 75, 2013, pp. 148-157”. The conference was the “10th Hellenic Astronomical Conference, Proceedings of the conference held at Ioannina, Greece, 5-8 September 2011, pp. 23-24” and part of the chapter 5 was presented under the title of “Families of periodic orbits in the Sun - Jupiter - Trojan Asteroid system”. This thesis was compiled while the author was in receipt of “K.Karatheodory” research grant.