On the possible control of tunneling in symmetric triple-well systems: the role of symmetry and driving

Abstract

The possibility of controlling tunneling of a quantum particle localized in the central well (M) of a symmetric triple well potential by carefully choosing the driving parameters of a mono or bichromatic field is considered through careful numerical experiments. Conditions for enhancement and suppression of tunneling rate from the middle (M) to the side wells (L, R) are established. The observed behaviour is sought to be analysed by invoking the time-independent Floquet theory to follow the movement of quasi-energy levels as the driving parameters are changed. We demonstrate how the particle can be tunnel-transported from the central to one particular side well by using a mixed symmetry bichromatic field with delay between the applications of the two frequencies.