Quantum integrability and chaos in a periodic Toda lattice with balanced loss–gain

Abstract

We consider an equal-mass quantum Toda lattice with balanced loss–gain for two and three particles. The two-particle Toda lattice is integrable, and two integrals of motion that are in involution have been found. The bound-state energy and the corresponding eigenfunctions have been obtained numerically for a few low-lying states. The three-particle quantum Toda lattice with balanced loss–gain and velocity-mediated coupling admits mixed phases of integrability and chaos depending on the value of the loss–gain parameter. We have obtained analytic expressions for two integrals of motion that are in involution. Although an analytic expression for the third integral has not been found, the numerical investigation suggests integrability below a critical value of the loss–gain strength and chaos above this critical value. The level spacing distribution changes from the Wigner–Dyson to the Poisson distribution as the loss–gain parameter passes through this critical value and approaches zero. An identical behavior is seen in terms of the gap-ratio distribution of the energy levels. The existence of mixed phases of quantum integrability and chaos in the specified ranges of the loss–gain parameter has also been confirmed independently via the study of level repulsion and complexity in higher order excited states.