Quantum evolution in disordered transport

Clemens Gneiting, Franco Nori

Published 2017-02-07Version 1

We analyze the propagation of quantum states in the presence of weak disorder. In particular, we investigate the reliable transmittance of quantum states, as potential carriers of quantum information, through disorder-perturbed waveguides. We quantify wave-packet distortion, backscattering, and disorder-induced dephasing, which all act detrimentally on transport, and identify the conditions for reliable transmission. Our analysis relies on a novel method to treat the nonequilibrium dynamics of ensemble-averaged quantum states, introducing coupled disorder channels.