Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-04T18:50:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 THESIS.pdf: 364289 bytes, checksum: f8df107da6c5e647683554fbbc63f7a5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-03-01 / Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / The use of quantum systems as part of the communication systems has been source of interesting problems many without solution. In the present work, we show the basic concepts of information theory and quantum mechanics necessary to understand the accessible information problem, whose solution maximizes the Shannon mutual information for a channel defined by an ensemble of quantum states given a priori. In order to estimate more precise bounds for accessible information, we propose the use of Branch and Bound method with interval arithmetic. Numerical experiments and related results are exhibited. / O uso de sistemas quâticos como parte de sistemas de comunicação tem sido fonte de interessantes problemas muitos ainda sem solução. No presente trabalho, apresentamos os conceitos básicos em teoria da informação e mecânica quântica necessários ao entendimento do problema do cálculo da informação acessível, cuja solução maximiza a informação mútua de Shannon para um canal definido por um ensemble de estados quâticos dados a priori. Propomos o uso do método de otimização global Branch and Bound aliado à aritmética intervalar para a estimação de limites mais precisos que os teóricos disponíveis para a informação acessível. Experimentos numéricos e resultados relacionados são apresentados.

As pesquisas sobre o Ensino de Física no Brasil, apoiadas nos documentos oficiais da Educação e na necessidade, cada vez mais perceptível, de atualização dos currículos, indicam e fomentam uma maior articulação de tópicos de Física Moderna e Contemporânea (FMC) nas aulas de Física do Ensino Médio. Baseado nesse panorama, este trabalho sugere uma proposta educacional alicerçada no referencial teórico da aprendizagem significativa de David Ausubel para apresentar uma abordagem qualitativa dos princípios fundamentais da Mecânica Quântica sob uma perspectiva histórica, amparada em fatos científicos que antecederam a interpretação de Erwin Schrödinger da teoria quântica. Os conceitos levados aos estudantes foram baseados nos seis postulados da Mecânica Quântica, e passaram por um processo de transposição didática segundo a teoria de Yves Chevallard, de forma a adaptar os conteúdos ao nível de conhecimento dos estudantes. Como, segundo Ausubel, o fator decisivo para a aprendizagem depende do que o estudante já conhece, os encontros foram pautados, sempre que possível, em analogias entre o quântico e o clássico. Para atingir os objetivos de aprendizagem, lançou-se mão de uma variada gama de experimentos reais e virtuais. O uso de simulações computacionais mostrou-se uma valiosa ferramenta de apoio ao ensino, bem como o experimento da borracha quântica, figura central desta proposta didática, que permitiu a demonstração e a discussão de todos os conceitos tratados. Os resultados obtidos pelos alunos mostraram que boa parte deles conseguiu assimilar aquilo que se pretendeu ensinar, havendo indícios de aprendizagem significativa. A aplicação do projeto se deu no Colégio Militar de Porto Alegre, a uma turma de 36 alunos, majoritariamente do 3º Ano do Ensino Médio, durante o segundo semestre de 2016. / Studies about Teaching Physics in Brazil, supported by official documents in Education and by the necessity, increasingly noticeable, of curriculum update, indicate and promote a greater articulation of topics of Modern and Contemporary Physics (MCP) in High School physics classes. Based on this overview, this work suggests an educational proposal underpinned by David Ausubel’s Meaningful Learning theoretical framework to present a qualitative approach of fundamental principles of Quantum Mechanics, from a historical perspective and supported by scientific facts that preceded Erwin Schrödinger's interpretation of quantum theory. The concepts delivered to the students were based on six postulates of Quantum Mechanics and went through a process of didactic transposition according to Yves Chevallard's theory, in a way to adapt the content to students level of knowledge. According to Ausubel’s theory, the decisive factor for learning depends on what the student already knows, and thus the meetings were based, whenever possible, on analogies between the quantum and the classical approach. To reach the learning objectives, we used a wide range of real and virtual experiments. The use of computational simulations proved to be a valuable tool to support teaching. The quantum eraser experiment, in particular, central figure of this didactic proposal, allowed the demonstration and discussion of all the addressed concepts. Results showed that most of students could assimilate what was intended to be taught, suggesting meaningful learning. The project was implemented in the Military College of Porto Alegre to a group of 36 students, mostly from the third year of high school, during the second semester of 2016.

Inicialmente, os conceitos fundamentais e a problemática básica subjacentes ao Controle de Sistemas Quânticos são apresentados, destacando-se, por exemplo, as questões físicas e dinâmicas envolvidas, os principais tipos e metodologias de controle no contexto quântico, bem como aplicações existentes e potenciais de Controle Quântico, muitas das quais situando-se na vanguarda da Ciência e da Tecnologia. Segue-se uma exposição do arcabouço teórico básico e do formalismo padrão da Mecânica Quântica, tendo em vista prover os elementos necessários à compreensão de sistemas quânticos, sua dinâmica e seu controle. O conceito de Controlabilidade é, então, apresentado no contexto de Sistemas Quânticos. Em seqüência, os fundamentos do Controle Quântico Ótimo são desenvolvidos como uma extensão da Teoria Clássica de Controle Ótimo, apresentando-se exemplos de aplicações. Ao problema da transferência de estados quânticos para um estado-alvo em tempo mínimo é devotada especial atenção, dada sua grande relevância em aplicações tecnológicas de ponta, como em Computação Quântica e Processamento de Informação Quântica. A partir de limitações físicas que são inerentes a qualquer sistema quântico, no tocante ao tempo mínimo necessário para que ocorra uma transição de estados, propõem-se Fatores de Mérito para quantificar a eficiência dos controles quânticos ótimos que minimizam o tempo de transferência de estados. Exemplos de aplicação, estudos teóricos e estudos de casos são levados a cabo para a definição dos Fatores de Mérito associados. Este trabalho termina com estudos relativos a uma possível formulação da Teoria de Controle Quântico Ótimo em termos de Integrais de Trajetória para o tratamento de sistemas quânticos contínuos, em especial, o controle espaço-temporal de partículas quânticas. Um possível emprego do Efeito Aharonov-Bohm é também discutido como estratégia de Controle Quântico. / Firstly, the fundamental concepts and the basic issues concerning the Control of Quantum Systems are presented, highlighting, for example, related physical and dynamical questions, the main control types and methodologies in the quantum context, as well as current and potential applications of Quantum Control, many of them situated on the avant-garde of Science and Technology. Then follows an exposition of the basic theoretical framework and the standard formalism of Quantum Mechanics, whose aim is to provide the necessary elements for understanding quantum systems, quantum dynamics and control. The concept of Controlability is then presented in the context of Quantum Systems. Subsequently, the fundamental concepts of Quantum Optimal Control are developed as an extension of the Classical Optimal Control Theory, featuring some examples of application. To the problem of transfering quantum states to a certain target state at minimal time a special attention is devoted, having in mind its great relevance in state-of-art technological applications, e.g., Quantum Computation and Quantum Information Processing. From physical limitations that are inherent to any quantum systems, regarding the minimal time necessary to perform a state transition, one proposes Figures of Merit in order to quantify the efficiency of optimal quantum controls which minimize the state transfer time. Examples of applications, theoretical studies and case studies are carried out in order to define the associated Figures of Merit. This work ends with studies concerning a possible formulation of Optimal Quantum Control Theory in terms of Path Integrals for handling continuous quantum systems, particularly, the space-time control of quantum particles. A possible use of the Aharonov-Bohm Effect is also discussed as a Quantum Control strategy.

Este trabalho destina-se ao estudo de modificações no espalhamento de Aharonov-Bohm para partículas relativísticas com spin 1/2, devido à não comutatividade do espaço, em 2+1 dimensões. As correções para o potencial de Aharonov-Bohm, sendo muito singulares, levam, em geral, ao aparecimento de divergências na expansão perturbativa em torno da teoria livre. Usando, então, como ponto de partida a solução exata da versão comutativa, determinamos, na aproximação de fluxo pequeno, a amplitude invariante, seção de choque diferencial e total, com as divergências eliminadas. / In this work we study modifications in the Aharonov-Bohm effect for relativistic spin 1/2 particles due the non-commutativity of space in 2+1 dimensions. The corrections for the Aharonov-Bohm potential originated from the non-commutativity of the underlying space are very singular, producing the appearance of divergences in the perturbative expansion around the free theory. Working with the pertubation around the exact solution of the commutative version of the problem, we determine then, in the small flux approximation, the invariant amplitude, and the corrections to the differential and total cross sections with all divergences eliminated.

In the present work we study different approaches for solving the nuclear dy- namics of resonant electron molecule collisions. Namely, we review two methods addressing this phenomenon which are a local complex potential (LCP) approxi- mation and a nonlocal resonance model (NRM). We briefly discuss a numerical implementation of these methods. We show how to derive model parameters for both of them from fixed-nuclei scattering calculations and we implement them in the time independent picture of quantum mechanics. We compare their vibrational excitation cross sections for the diatomic molecule CO. Then we generalize the non- local resonance model for systems with more nuclear degrees of freedom. Output of our work is a computer code producing the vibrational excitation cross sections for systems with two degrees of freedom. We aim to use this code for studying a threshold behavior of the low-energy electron collisions with the CO2 molecule and therefore we review a current state of understanding for this phenomenon. Mea- nwhile we test the functionality of the code by comparing results with those of the LCP approximation on a simple 2D model system.

O comportamento de personagens de games 3D em geral apresenta-se de modo repetitivo e previsível. No presente trabalho, avalia-se que o principal motivo para essa previsibilidade não está numa limitação intrínseca da programação desses comportamentos, mas, antes, no modelo matemático utilizado como base para a construção do programa. Através de estudos de caso, identifica-se o modelo mais comum empregado em games e mostra-se que esse modelo não precisa ser necessariamente respeitado. Exemplos de comportamentos de personagens de games e de outras criaturas virtuais são apresentados como demonstração de que é possível obter-se comportamentos não previsíveis e, ao mesmo tempo, não aleatórios, mas orientados a objetivos pré-estabelecidos, a partir de sequências de instruções programadas. Para avaliar um modelo matemático alternativo, apresentase primeiro uma breve descrição da mecânica quântica e das implicações que o desenvolvimento dessa teoria teve sobre a compreensão do real. O trabalho apresenta então propostas para a criação de um novo modelo matemático para games 3D, inspiradas na interpretação de Everett da mecânica quântica. Mostra-se a seguir como esse novo modelo poderia gerar games 3D que se adaptariam automaticamente às habilidades específicas do usuário, e como esse novo modelo poderia facilitar a criação de enredos realmente interativos. / The behavior of 3D game\'s characters is usually repetitive and predictable. In this work, it is estimated that the main reason for this predictability is not due to an intrinsic limitation of the programming of these behaviors, but rather to the mathematical model applied for building the program. Through case studies, the most common model used in games is identified, and it\'s shown that this model does not necessarily have to be followed. Examples of behaviors of game characters and other virtual creatures are presented as a demonstration that it is possible to create unpredictable and, at the same time, not random, but rather oriented to preestablished goals, behaviors merely from programmed instruction sequences. To evaluate an alternative mathematical model, a brief description of quantum mechanics is presented, as well as the implications that the development of this theory had on our understanding of the real. The work then presents proposals for the creation of a new mathematical model for 3D games, inspired by the Everett interpretation of quantum mechanics. Following, it\'s shown how this new model could generate 3D games that adapt automatically to user-specific skills, and how this new model could facilitate the creation of truly interactive storylines.

We study a quantum mechanical $\sigma$-model whose target space is a hyperKähler cone. As shown by Singleton, [184], such a theory has superconformal invariance under the algebra $\mathfrak{osp}(4^*|4)$. One can formally define a superconformal index that counts the short representations of the algebra. When the hyperKähler cone has a projective symplectic resolution, we define a regularised superconformal index. The index is defined as the equivariant Hirzebruch index of the Dolbeault cohomology of the resolution, hereafter referred to as the index. In many cases, the index can be explicitly calculated via localisation theorems. By limiting to zero the fugacities in the index corresponding to an isometry, one forms the index of the submanifold of the target space invariant under that isometry. There is a limit of the fugacities that gives the Hilbert series of the target space, and often there is another limit of the parameters that produces the Poincaré polynomial for $\mathbb C^\times$-equivariant Borel-Moore homology of the space. A natural class of hyperKähler cones are Nakajima quiver varieties. We compute the index of the $A$-type quiver varieties by making use of the fact that they are submanifolds of instanton moduli space invariant under an isometry. Every Nakajima quiver variety arises as the Higgs branch of a three dimensional $\mathcal N =4$ quiver gauge theory, or equivalently the Coulomb branch of the mirror dual theory. We show the equivalence between the descriptions of the Hilbert series of a line bundle on the ADHM quiver variety via localisation, and via Hanany's monopole formula. Finally, we study the action of the Poisson algebra of the coordinate ring on the Hilbert series of line bundles. We restrict to the case of looking at the Coulomb branch of balanced $ADE$-type quivers in a certain infinite rank limit. In this limit, the Poisson algebra is a semiclassical limit of the Yangian of $ADE$-type. The space of global sections of the line bundle is a graded representation of the Poisson algebra. We find that, as a representation, it is a tensor product of the space of holomorphic functions with a finite dimensional representation. This finite dimensional representation is a tensor product of two irreducible representations of the Yangian, defined by the choice of line bundle. We find a striking duality between the characters of these finite dimensional representations and the generating function for Poincaré polynomials.

Simetrias compõe parte integral da análise na Teoria das Matrizes Aleatórias (RMT). As simetrias de inversão temporal e rotacional são aspectos-chave do Ensemble Gaussiano Ortogonal (GOE), enquanto esta última é quebrada no Ensemble Gaussiano Simplético (GSE) e ambas são quebradas no Conjunto Unitário Gaussiano (GUE). Desde o final da década de 1990, o crescente interesse no campo dos sistemas quânticos PT-simétricos levou os pesquisadores a considerar o efeito, em matrizes aleatórias, dessa classe de simetrias, bem como simetrias pseudo-hermitianas. A principal questão a ser respondida pela pesquisa apresentada nesta tese é se a simetria PT ou, de forma mais geral, a pseudo-Hermiticidade implica alguma distribuição de probabilidade específica para os autovalores. Ou, em outras palavras, se há um aspecto comum transmitido por tal simetria que pode ser usada para modelar alguma classe particular de sistemas físicos. A abordagem inicial considerada consistiu na introdução de um conjunto pseudo-hermitiano, isospectral ao conjunto -Hermite, que apresentaria o tipo de quebra de realidade típico dos sistemas PT-simétricos. Nesse modelo, a primeira abordagem adotada foi a introdução de perturbações que quebraram a realidade dos espectros. Os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que a transformação em seu similar pseudo-hermitiano conduz a um sistema assintoticamente instável. Esse modelo foi extendido ao considerar um pseudo-hermitiano não positivo, que leva a uma quebra similar na realidade dos espectros. Este caso apresenta um comportamento mais próximo do típico dos sistemas PT-simétricos presentes na literatura. Um modelo denso geral baseado em projetores foi proposto, e duas realizações particulares deste modelo receberam atenção mais detalhada. O comportamento espectral também foi similar àquele típico da simetria PT para as duas realizações consideradas, e seus limites assintóticos foram conectados a conjuntos clássicos de teoria de matriz aleatória. Além disso, as propriedades de seus polinômios característicos médios foram obtidas e os limites assintóticos desses polinômios também foram considerados e relacionados a polinômios clássicos. O comportamento estatístico deste conjunto foi estudado e comparado com o destes polinômios. Impor a pseudo-Hermiticidade não parece implicar qualquer distribuição particular de autovalores, sendo a característica comum a quebra da realidade dos autovalores comumente encontrados na literatura de simetria PT. O resultado mais notável dos estudos apresentados nesta tese é o fato de que uma interação pseudo-hermitiana pode ser construída de tal forma que o comportamento espectral médio possa ser controlado calibrando-se o mecanismo de interação, bem como sua intensidade. / The role of symmetries is an integral part of the analysis in Random Matrix Theory (RMT). Time reversal and rotational symmetries are key aspects of the Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble (GOE), whereas the latter is broken in the Gaussian Sympletic Ensemble (GSE) and both are broken in the Gaussian Unitary Ensemble (GUE). Since the late 1990s, growing interest in the field of PT symmetric quantum systems has led researchers to consider the effect, in random matrices, of this class of symmetries, as well as that of pseudo-Hermitian symmetries. The primary question to be answered by the research presented in this thesis is whether PT-symmetry or, more generally, pseudo-Hermiticity implies some specific probability distribution for the eigenvalues. Or, in other words, whether there is a common aspect imparted by such a symmetry which may be used to model some particular class of physical systems. The initial approach considered consisted of introducing an pseudo-Hermitian ensemble, isospectral to the -Hermite ensemble, which would present the type of reality-breaking typical of PT-symmetrical systems. In this model, the first approach taken was to introduce perturbation which broke the reality of the spectra. The results obtained allow the conclusion that the transformation into its pseudo-Hermitian similar leads into a system which is asymptotically unstable. An extension of this model was to consider a non-positive pseudo-Hermitian , which lead to similar breaking in the reality of the spectra. This case displays behavior closer to that typical of the PT-symmetric systems present in the literature. A general dense projector model was proposed, and two particular realizations of this model were given more detailed attention. The spectral behavior was also similar to that typical of PT-symmetry for the two realizations considered, and their asymptotic limits were shown to connect to classical ensembles of random matrix theory. Furthermore, the properties of their average characteristic polynomials were obtained and the asymptotic limits of these polynomials were also considered and were related to classical polynomials. The statistical behavior of this ensemble was studied and compared to that of these polynomials. Imposing the pseudo-Hermitian does seem not imply any particular eigenvalue distribution, the common feature being the breaking of the reality of the eigenvalues commonly found in PT-symmetry literature. The most notable result of the studies presented herein is the fact that a pseudo-Hermitian interaction may be constructed such that the average spectral behavior may be controlled by calibrating the mechanism of interaction as well as its intensity.

The DMPO type spin trap 5,5-Dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) and the exceptionally similar spin trap 2-ethoxycarbonyl-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole-l-oxide (EMPO) are widely studied in computational and theoretical works. This particular study examines the addition reactions that both these molecules undergo with the carcinogenic hydroxyl radical. This work used a relatively new approximation method, called the correlation consistent composite approach or ccCA, for carrying out quantum mechanical calculations to give the free energies of the products and reactants of the reactions. The free energies are to be used to extrapolate the rate constants of the reactions from the Arrhenius equation. Though both the spin traps studied have been widely examined and assessed in both theoretical and experimental work, accurately calculated rate constants have not been previously obtained using computational methods. The results obtained here will help to assess the efficiency and the accuracy of the ccCA method, as well as lead to the design of better, more novel spin traps.

Entanglement is a key resource in many quantum information schemes and in the last years the research on multi-qubit entanglement has drawn lots of attention. In this thesis the experimental generation and characterisation of multi-qubit entanglement is presented. Specifically we have prepared entangled states of up to six qubits. The qubits were implemented in the polarisation degree of freedom of single photons. We emphasise that one type of states that we produce are rotationally invariant states, remaining unchanged under simultaneous identical unitary transformations of all their individual constituents. Such states can be applied to e.g. decoherence-free encoding, quantum communication without sharing a common reference frame, quantum telecloning, secret sharing and remote state preparation schemes. They also have properties which are interesting in studies of foundations of quantum mechanics. In the experimental implementation we use a single source of entangled photon pairs, based on parametric down-conversion, and extract the first, second and third order events. Our experimental setup is completely free from interferometric overlaps, making it robust and contributing to a high fidelity of the generated states. To our knowledge, the achieved fidelity is the highest that has been observed for six-qubit entangled states and our measurement results are in very good agreement with predictions of quantum theory. We have also performed another novel test of the foundations of quantum mechanics. It is based on an inequality that is fulfilled by any non-contextual hidden variable theory, but can be violated by quantum mechanics. This test is similar to Bell inequality tests, which rule out local hidden variable theories as possible completions of quantum mechanics. Here, however, we show that non-contextual hidden variable theories cannot explain certain experimental results, which are consistent with quantum mechanics. Hence, neither of these theories can be used to make quantum mechanics complete.