Interferometric probe for the zeros of the many-body wavefunction
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866911321895731200 |
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| author | Chetcuti, Wayne J. Minguzzi, Anna Polo, Juan Amico, Luigi |
| author_facet | Chetcuti, Wayne J. Minguzzi, Anna Polo, Juan Amico, Luigi |
| contents | The nodal surfaces of the many-body wavefunction are fundamental geometric features that encode critical information regarding particle statistics and their interaction. Directly probing these structures, particularly in correlated quantum systems, remains a significant experimental challenge. Here, we provide rigorous results on the structure of the many-body wavefunction and propose to use an interferometric technique to probe its zeros in ultra-cold atomic systems. Specifically, we refer to the so-called heterodyne interferometric reconstruction of the phase of the many-body wavefunction. We prove that the sought nodal surfaces show up as specific discontinuities in the interference fringes. Following Leggett, both `symmetry-dictated' nodal surfaces, due to particle statistics, and `non-symmetry dictated' nodal surfaces emerging from interaction effects, can be probed. We demonstrate how the spin degrees of freedom, effectively modifying the structure of the nodal surfaces of the many-body wavefunction, leave distinct fingerprints in the resulting interference pattern. Our work addresses important features of the structure of the many-body wavefunction that are broadly relevant for quantum science ranging from conceptual aspects to computational questions of extended systems and quantum simulation. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_13795 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Interferometric probe for the zeros of the many-body wavefunction Chetcuti, Wayne J. Minguzzi, Anna Polo, Juan Amico, Luigi Quantum Gases Quantum Physics The nodal surfaces of the many-body wavefunction are fundamental geometric features that encode critical information regarding particle statistics and their interaction. Directly probing these structures, particularly in correlated quantum systems, remains a significant experimental challenge. Here, we provide rigorous results on the structure of the many-body wavefunction and propose to use an interferometric technique to probe its zeros in ultra-cold atomic systems. Specifically, we refer to the so-called heterodyne interferometric reconstruction of the phase of the many-body wavefunction. We prove that the sought nodal surfaces show up as specific discontinuities in the interference fringes. Following Leggett, both `symmetry-dictated' nodal surfaces, due to particle statistics, and `non-symmetry dictated' nodal surfaces emerging from interaction effects, can be probed. We demonstrate how the spin degrees of freedom, effectively modifying the structure of the nodal surfaces of the many-body wavefunction, leave distinct fingerprints in the resulting interference pattern. Our work addresses important features of the structure of the many-body wavefunction that are broadly relevant for quantum science ranging from conceptual aspects to computational questions of extended systems and quantum simulation. |
| title | Interferometric probe for the zeros of the many-body wavefunction |
| topic | Quantum Gases Quantum Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.13795 |