Past exam of the theoretical physics II course of the University of Cambridge 2019 1 d Solution 2026-10-18
Put and . The Pauli matrix multiplication law gives the pulse-and-precession spin one-half mapBecause , a suitable angle and unit vector for the rotation areIf the denominator vanishes, and the axis is arbitrary. The Bloch vector rotates through about per period; after periods the angle is . The eigenphases equivalently give quasienergies modulo .
In the two-orbital subspace the position operator is . The Heisenberg equation of motion between pulses gives , henceThus two components of the Bloch vector directly describe the mean position and momentum; its third gives the orbital population imbalance. The electric kick rotates about the position axis, leaving unchanged at the kick, while free evolution mixes the position and momentum components. Starting in , one complete period giveswhich exhibits the induced motion explicitly. These are projected two-orbital observables.
Pulse-and-precession spin one-half map 2026-10-18
Multiplying the two matrix exponentials with the Pauli matrix multiplication law givesOne has . If , put and . The exponential of a Pauli vector gives . Its action on a Bloch vector is a rotation through about , and its quasienergies are modulo . When , its axis is arbitrary and the Bloch vector is unchanged.
Quasienergy 2026-10-18
A quasienergy is defined by an eigenvalue of the Floquet operator. It is determined modulo , because adding an integer multiple of that quantity leaves the complex exponential unchanged. A time-independent effective Hamiltonian can be defined by a branch of the matrix logarithm; its eigenvalues are the corresponding chosen quasienergies.