7,460 research outputs found
Nonlinear switching and solitons in PT-symmetric photonic systems
One of the challenges of the modern photonics is to develop all-optical
devices enabling increased speed and energy efficiency for transmitting and
processing information on an optical chip. It is believed that the recently
suggested Parity-Time (PT) symmetric photonic systems with alternating regions
of gain and loss can bring novel functionalities. In such systems, losses are
as important as gain and, depending on the structural parameters, gain
compensates losses. Generally, PT systems demonstrate nontrivial
non-conservative wave interactions and phase transitions, which can be employed
for signal filtering and switching, opening new prospects for active control of
light. In this review, we discuss a broad range of problems involving nonlinear
PT-symmetric photonic systems with an intensity-dependent refractive index.
Nonlinearity in such PT symmetric systems provides a basis for many effects
such as the formation of localized modes, nonlinearly-induced PT-symmetry
breaking, and all-optical switching. Nonlinear PT-symmetric systems can serve
as powerful building blocks for the development of novel photonic devices
targeting an active light control.Comment: 33 pages, 33 figure
Optimising the multiplex factor of the frequency domain multiplexed readout of the TES-based microcalorimeter imaging array for the X-IFU instrument on the Athena Xray observatory
Athena is a space-based X-ray observatory intended for exploration of the hot
and energetic universe. One of the science instruments on Athena will be the
X-ray Integrated Field Unit (X-IFU), which is a cryogenic X-ray spectrometer,
based on a large cryogenic imaging array of Transition Edge Sensors (TES) based
microcalorimeters operating at a temperature of 100mK. The imaging array
consists of 3800 pixels providing 2.5 eV spectral resolution, and covers a
field of view with a diameter of of 5 arc minutes. Multiplexed readout of the
cryogenic microcalorimeter array is essential to comply with the cooling power
and complexity constraints on a space craft. Frequency domain multiplexing has
been under development for the readout of TES-based detectors for this purpose,
not only for the X-IFU detector arrays but also for TES-based bolometer arrays
for the Safari instrument of the Japanese SPICA observatory. This paper
discusses the design considerations which are applicable to optimise the
multiplex factor within the boundary conditions as set by the space craft. More
specifically, the interplay between the science requirements such as pixel
dynamic range, pixel speed, and cross talk, and the space craft requirements
such as the power dissipation budget, available bandwidth, and electromagnetic
compatibility will be discussed
Global topological control for synchronized dynamics on networks
A general scheme is proposed and tested to control the symmetry breaking
instability of a homogeneous solution of a spatially extended multispecies
model, defined on a network. The inherent discreteness of the space makes it
possible to act on the topology of the inter-nodes contacts to achieve the
desired degree of stabilization, without altering the dynamical parameters of
the model. Both symmetric and asymmetric couplings are considered. In this
latter setting the web of contacts is assumed to be balanced, for the
homogeneous equilibrium to exist. The performance of the proposed method are
assessed, assuming the Complex Ginzburg-Landau equation as a reference model.
In this case, the implemented control allows one to stabilize the synchronous
limit cycle, hence time-dependent, uniform solution. A system of coupled real
Ginzburg-Landau equations is also investigated to obtain the topological
stabilization of a homogeneous and constant fixed point
Quantum Fluctuations of a Single Trapped Atom: Transient Rabi Oscillations and Magnetic Bistability
Isolation of a single atomic particle and monitoring its resonance
fluorescence is a powerful tool for studies of quantum effects in
radiation-matter interaction. Here we present observations of quantum dynamics
of an isolated neutral atom stored in a magneto-optical trap. By means of
photon correlations in the atom's resonance fluorescence we demonstrate the
well-known phenomenon of photon antibunching which corresponds to transient
Rabi oscillations in the atom. Through polarization-sensitive photon
correlations we show a novel example of resolved quantum fluctuations:
spontaneous magnetic orientation of an atom. These effects can only be observed
with a single atom.Comment: LaTeX 2e, 14 pages, 7 Postscript figure
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