q-Symmetries in DNLS-AL chains and exact solutions of quantum dimers

Abstract

Dynamical symmetries of Hamiltonians quantized models of discrete non-linear Schroedinger chain (DNLS) and of Ablowitz-Ladik chain (AL) are studied. It is shown that for $n$-sites the dynamical algebra of DNLS Hamilton operator is given by the $su(n)$ algebra, while the respective symmetry for the AL case is the quantum algebra su_q(n). The q-deformation of the dynamical symmetry in the AL model is due to the non-canonical oscillator-like structure of the raising and lowering operators at each site. Invariants of motions are found in terms of Casimir central elements of su(n) and su_q(n) algebra generators, for the DNLS and QAL cases respectively. Utilizing the representation theory of the symmetry algebras we specialize to the $n=2$ quantum dimer case and formulate the eigenvalue problem of each dimer as a non-linear (q)-spin model. Analytic investigations of the ensuing three-term non-linear recurrence relations are carried out and the respective orthonormal and complete eigenvector bases are determined. The quantum manifestation of the classical self-trapping in the QDNLS-dimer and its absence in the QAL-dimer, is analysed by studying the asymptotic attraction and repulsion respectively, of the energy levels versus the strength of non-linearity. Our treatment predicts for the QDNLS-dimer, a phase-transition like behaviour in the rate of change of the logarithm of eigenenergy differences, for values of the non-linearity parameter near the classical bifurcation point.