Design of quantum backflow in the complex plane

Abstract

Abstract A way is presented to design quantum wave functions that exhibit backflow, namely negative probability current despite having a strictly positive spectrum of momentum. These wave functions are derived from rational complex functions which are analytic in the upper half-plane and have zeros in the lower half-plane through which the backflowing behavior is controlled. In analogy, backflowing periodic wave functions are derived from rational complex functions which are analytic in the interior and have appropriately placed zeros or poles in the exterior of the unit circle. The concept is combined with a Padé-type procedure to design wave functions of this type that approximate a desired profile along the interval of backflow. It is finally shown that the time evolution of these wave packets is elegantly expressed in terms of the well-known Fresnel integrals.