Microwave fidelity studies by varying antenna coupling

Implementing nonuniversal features with a random matrix theory approach: Application to space-to-configuration multiplexing

We consider the efficiency of multiplexing spatially encoded information across random configurations of a metasurface-programmable chaotic cavity in the microwave domain. The distribution of the effective rank of the channel matrix is studied to quantify the channel diversity and to assess a specific system's performance. System-specific features such as unstirred field components give rise to nontrivial interchannel correlations and need to be properly accounted for in modeling based on random matrix theory. To address this challenge, we propose a two-step hybrid approach. Based on an ensemble of experimentally measured scattering matrices for different random metasurface configurations, we first learn a system-specific pair of coupling matrix and unstirred contribution to the Hamiltonian, and then add an appropriately weighted stirred contribution. We verify that our method is capable of reproducing the experimentally found distribution of the effective rank with good accuracy. The approach can also be applied to other wave phenomena in complex media.

Envelope and phase distribution of a resonance transmission through a complex environment

A transmission amplitude is considered for quantum or wave transport mediated by a single resonance coupled to the background of many chaotic states. Such a model provides a useful approach to quantify fluctuations in an established signal induced by a complex environment. Applying random matrix theory to the problem, we derive an exact result for the joint distribution of the transmission intensity (envelope) and the transmission phase at arbitrary coupling to the background with finite absorption. The intensity and phase are distributed within a certain region, revealing essential correlations even at strong absorption. In the latter limit, we obtain a simple asymptotic expression that provides a uniformly good approximation of the exact distribution within its whole support, thus going beyond the Rician distribution often used for such purposes. Exact results are also derived for the marginal distribution of the phase, including its limiting forms at weak and strong absorption.

Microwave experiments in the realm of fidelity

In this review article, we will demonstrate the power of microwave experiments in the realm of fidelity also known as Loschmidt echoes. As the determination of the fidelity itself is experimentally tedious and error prone, we will introduce the scattering fidelity which under the conditions of chaotic systems and weak coupling approaches the fidelity itself. The main ingredient in fidelity investigations is the type and strength of a perturbation. The perturbations presented here will be both global and local boundary perturbations, as well as local perturber movements but also the change of coupling to the environment. All these perturbations will produce their own fidelity decay as a function of the perturbation strength, which will be discussed in this article.

Lossy chaotic electromagnetic reverberation chambers: Universal statistical behavior of the vectorial field

The effective Hamiltonian formalism is extended to vectorial electromagnetic waves in order to describe statistical properties of the field in reverberation chambers. The latter are commonly used in electromagnetic compatibility tests. As a first step, the distribution of wave intensities in chaotic systems with varying opening in the weak coupling limit for scalar quantum waves is derived by means of random matrix theory. In this limit the only parameters are the modal overlap and the number of open channels. Using the extended effective Hamiltonian, we describe the intensity statistics of the vectorial electromagnetic eigenmodes of lossy reverberation chambers. Finally, the typical quantity of interest in such chambers, namely, the distribution of the electromagnetic response, is discussed. By determining the distribution of the phase rigidity, describing the coupling to the environment, using random matrix numerical data, we find good agreement between the theoretical prediction and numerical calculations of the response.

Parametric number covariance in quantum chaotic spectra

We study spectral parametric correlations in quantum chaotic systems and introduce the number covariance as a measure of such correlations. We derive analytic results for the classical random matrix ensembles using the binary correlation method and obtain compact expressions for the covariance. We illustrate the universality of this measure by presenting the spectral analysis of the quantum kicked rotors for the time-reversal invariant and time-reversal noninvariant cases. A local version of the parametric number variance introduced earlier is also investigated.

Experimental Width Shift Distribution: A Test of Nonorthogonality for Local and Global Perturbations

The change of resonance widths in an open system under a perturbation of its interior has been recently introduced by Fyodorov and Savin [Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 184101 (2012)] as a sensitive indicator of the nonorthogonality of resonance states. We experimentally study universal statistics of this quantity in weakly open two-dimensional microwave cavities and reverberation chambers realizing scalar and electromagnetic vector fields, respectively. We consider global as well as local perturbations, and also extend the theory to treat the latter case. The influence of the perturbation type on the width shift distribution is more pronounced for many-channel systems. We compare the theory to experimental results for one and two attached antennas and to numerical simulations with higher channel numbers, observing a good agreement in all cases.

Resonances and poles in isoscattering microwave networks and graphs

Can one hear the shape of a graph? This is a modification of the famous question of Mark Kac "Can one hear the shape of a drum?" which can be asked in the case of scattering systems such as quantum graphs and microwave networks. It addresses an important mathematical problem whether scattering properties of such systems are uniquely connected to their shapes? Recent experimental results based on a characteristics of graphs such as the cumulative phase of the determinant of the scattering matrices indicate a negative answer to this question [O. Hul, M. Ławniczak, S. Bauch, A. Sawicki, M. Kuś, and L. Sirko, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 040402 (2012)]. In this paper we consider important local characteristics of graphs such as structures of resonances and poles of the determinant of the scattering matrices. Using these characteristics we study experimentally and theoretically properties of graphs and directly confirm that the pair of graphs considered in the cited paper is isoscattering. The experimental results are compared to the theoretical ones for a broad frequency range from 0.01 to 3 GHz. In the numerical calculations of the resonances of the graphs absorption present in the experimental networks is taken into account.

Spectral properties of microwave graphs with local absorption

The influence of absorption on the spectra of microwave graphs has been studied experimentally. The microwave networks were made up of coaxial cables and T junctions. First, absorption was introduced by attaching a 50Ω load to an additional vertex for graphs with and without time-reversal symmetry. The resulting level-spacing distributions were compared with a generalization of the Wigner surmise in the presence of open channels proposed recently by Poli et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 174101 (2012)]. Good agreement was found using an effective coupling parameter. Second, absorption was introduced along one individual bond via a variable microwave attenuator, and the influence of absorption on the length spectrum was studied. The peak heights in the length spectra corresponding to orbits avoiding the absorber were found to be independent of the attenuation, whereas, the heights of the peaks belonging to orbits passing the absorber once or twice showed the expected decrease with increasing attenuation.

Scattering approach to fidelity decay in closed systems and parametric level correlations

Based on an exact analytical approach to describe scattering fidelity experiments [Köber et al., Phys. Rev. E 82, 036207 (2010)], we obtain an expression for the fidelity amplitude decay of quantum chaotic or diffusive systems under arbitrary Hermitian perturbations. This allows us to rederive previous separately obtained results in a simpler and unified manner, as is shown explicitly for the case of a global perturbation. The general expression is also used to derive a so far unpublished exact analytical formula for the case of a moving S-wave scatterer. In the second part of the paper, we extend a relation between fidelity decay and parametric level correlations from the universal case of global perturbations to an arbitrary combination of global and local perturbations. Thereby, the relation becomes a versatile tool for the analysis of unknown perturbations.

Wave systems with direct processes and localized losses or gains: the nonunitary Poisson kernel

We study the scattering of waves in systems with losses or gains simulated by imaginary potentials. This is done for a complex delta potential that corresponds to a spatially localized absorption or amplification. In the Argand plane the scattering matrix moves on a circle C centered on the real axis, but not at the origin, that is tangent to the unit circle. From the numerical simulations it is concluded that the distribution of the scattering matrix, when measured from the center of the circle C, agrees with the nonunitary Poisson kernel. This result is also obtained analytically by extending the analyticity condition, of unitary scattering matrices, to the no-unitary ones. We use this nonunitary Poisson kernel to obtain the distribution of nonunitary scattering matrices when measured from the origin of the Argand plane. The obtained marginal distributions have excellent agreement with the numerical results.

Statistics of resonance width shifts as a signature of eigenfunction nonorthogonality

We consider an open (scattering) quantum system under the action of a perturbation of its closed counterpart. It is demonstrated that the resulting shift of resonance widths is a sensitive indicator of the nonorthogonality of resonance wave functions, being zero only if those were orthogonal. Focusing further on chaotic systems, we employ random matrix theory to introduce a new type of parametric statistics in open systems and derive the distribution of the resonance width shifts in the regime of weak coupling to the continuum.

PT symmetry and spontaneous symmetry breaking in a microwave billiard

We demonstrate the presence of parity-time (PT) symmetry for the non-Hermitian two-state Hamiltonian of a dissipative microwave billiard in the vicinity of an exceptional point (EP). The shape of the billiard depends on two parameters. The Hamiltonian is determined from the measured resonance spectrum on a fine grid in the parameter plane. After applying a purely imaginary diagonal shift to the Hamiltonian, its eigenvalues are either real or complex conjugate on a curve, which passes through the EP. An appropriate basis choice reveals its PT symmetry. Spontaneous symmetry breaking occurs at the EP.

Nonmonotonic short-time decay of the Loschmidt echo in quasi-one-dimensional systems

We study the short-time stability of quantum dynamics in quasi-one-dimensional systems with respect to small localized perturbations of the potential. To this end, we analytically and numerically address the decay of the Loschmidt echo (LE) during times that are short compared to the Ehrenfest time. We find that the LE is generally a nonmonotonic function of time and exhibits strongly pronounced minima and maxima at the instants when the corresponding classical particle traverses the perturbation region. We also show that, under general conditions, the envelope decay of the LE is well approximated by a Gaussian, and we derive explicit analytical formulas for the corresponding decay time. Finally, we demonstrate that the observed nonmonotonic nature of the LE decay is only pertinent to one-dimensional (and, more generally, quasi-one-dimensional) systems, and that the short-time decay of the LE can be monotonic in a higher number of dimensions.

Fidelity decay for local perturbations: microwave evidence for oscillating decay exponents

We study fidelity decay in classically chaotic microwave billiards for a local, pistonlike boundary perturbation. We experimentally verify a predicted nonmonotonic crossover from the Fermi golden rule to the escape-rate regime of the Loschmidt echo decay with increasing local boundary perturbation. In particular, we observe pronounced oscillations of the decay rate as a function of the piston position which quantitatively agree with corresponding theoretical results based on a refined semiclassical approach for local boundary perturbations.