Critical Quantum Metrology in the Non-Linear Quantum Rabi Model.

The quantum Rabi model (QRM) with linear coupling between light mode and qubit exhibits the analog of a second-order phase transition for vanishing mode frequency which allows for criticality-enhanced quantum metrology in a few-body system. We show that the QRM including a nonlinear coupling term exhibits much higher measurement precisions due to its first-order-like phase transition at finite frequency, avoiding the detrimental slowing-down effect close to the critical point of the linear QRM. When a bias term is added to the Hamiltonian, the system can be used as a fluxmeter or magnetometer if implemented in circuit QED platforms.

Seeking Maxwell's Demon in a non-reciprocal quantum ring.

A non-reciprocal quantum ring, where one arm of the ring contains the Rashba spin-orbit interaction but not in the other arm, is found to posses very unique electronic properties. In this ring the Aharonov-Bohm oscillations are totally absent. That is because in a magnetic field the electron stays in the non-Rashba arm, while it resides in the Rashba arm for zero (or negative) magnetic field. The average kinetic energy in the two arms of the ring are found to be very different. It also reveals different "spin temperature" in the two arms of the non-reciprocal ring. The electrons are sorted according to their spins in different regions of the ring by switching on and off (or reverse) the magnetic field, thereby creating order without doing work on the system. This resembles the action of a demon in the spirit of Maxwell's original proposal, exploiting a non-classical internal degree of freedom. Our demon clearly demonstrates some of the required features on the nanoscale.

Bound states in the continuum realized in the one-dimensional two-particle Hubbard model with an impurity.

We report a bound state of the one-dimensional two-particle (bosonic or fermionic) Hubbard model with an impurity potential. This state has the Bethe-ansatz form, although the model is nonintegrable. Moreover, for a wide region in parameter space, its energy is located in the continuum band. A remarkable advantage of this state with respect to similar states in other systems is the simple analytical form of the wave function and eigenvalue. This state can be tuned in and out of the continuum continuously.