Dynamic localization in Glauber-Fock lattices

Glauber-Fock lattices refer to a special class of semi-infinite tight-binding lattices with inhomogeneous hopping rates which are found in certain simple solid-state, quantum optics and quantum field theoretical models. Here it is shown that dynamic localization, i.e. suppression of quantum diffusion and periodic quantum self-imaging by an external sinusoidal force [D.H. Dunlap and V.M. Kenkre, Phys. Rev. B {\bf 34}, 3625 (1986)], can be exactly realized in Glauber-Fock lattices, in spite of inhomogeneity of hopping rates and lattice truncation.Comment: 3 figure

PT-symmetric laser-absorber

In a recent work, Y.D. Chong et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 105}, 053901 (2010)] proposed the idea of a coherent perfect absorber (CPA) as the time-reversed counterpart of a laser, in which a purely incoming radiation pattern is completely absorbed by a lossy medium. The optical medium that realizes CPA is obtained by reversing the gain with absorption, and thus it generally differs from the lasing medium. Here it is shown that a laser with an optical medium that satisfies the parity-time $(\mathcal{PT})$ symmetry condition $\epsilon(-\mathbf{r})=\epsilon^*(\mathbf{r})$ for the dielectric constant behaves simultaneously as a laser oscillator (i.e. it can emit outgoing coherent waves) and as a CPA (i.e. it can fully absorb incoming coherent waves with appropriate amplitudes and phases). Such a device can be thus referred to as a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric CPA-laser. The general amplification/absorption features of the $\mathcal{PT}$ CPA-laser below lasing threshold driven by two fields are determined.Comment: 5 pages; to be published in Phys. Rev. A (Rapid Communications

Spoken Thesaurus: Sorrow

The Hindi Thesaurus addresses such questions in a series of lively, unscripted Hindi-medium conversations about groups of words of related meaning. Concentrating on selected mainstream words and phrases, we help you to broaden your active vocabulary by encountering styles of language appropriate for everyday speech. The conversations are between Rupert Snell (Hindi teacher and perpetual Hindi learner) and Neha Ladha (mother-tongue speaker of Hindi). Glossaries for each podcast can be read online or downloaded in PDF format. (Length: 7:49)Asian Studie

Optical realization of relativistic non-Hermitian quantum mechanics

Light propagation in distributed feedback optical structures with gain/loss regions is shown to provide an accessible laboratory tool to visualize in optics the spectral properties of the one-dimensional Dirac equation with non-Hermitian interactions. Spectral singularities and PT symmetry breaking of the Dirac Hamiltonian are shown to correspond to simple observable physical quantities and related to well-known physical phenomena like resonance narrowing and laser oscillation.Comment: 4 page

Optical Zener-Bloch oscillations in binary waveguide arrays

Zener tunneling in a binary array of coupled optical waveguides with transverse index gradient is shown to produce a sequence of regular or irregular beam splitting and beam recombination events superimposed to Bloch oscillations. These periodic or aperiodic Zener-Bloch oscillations provide a clear and visualizable signature in an optical system of coherent multiband dynamics encountered in solid-state or matter-wave system

Non-exponential decay via tunneling in tight-binding lattices and the optical Zeno effect

An exactly-solvable model for the decay of a metastable state coupled to a semi-infinite tight-binding lattice, showing large deviations from exponential decay in the strong coupling regime, is presented. An optical realization of the lattice model, based on discrete diffraction in a semi-infinite array of tunneling-coupled optical waveguides, is proposed to test non-exponential decay and for the observation of an optical analog of the quantum Zeno effect

Dirac Fields on Spacelike Hypersurfaces, Their Rest-Frame Description and Dirac Observables

Grassmann-valued Dirac fields together with the electromagnetic field (the pseudoclassical basis of QED) are reformulated on spacelike hypersurfaces in Minkowski spacetime and then restricted to Wigner hyperplanes to get their description in the rest-frame Wigner-covariant instant form of dynamics. The canonical reduction to the Wigner-covariant Coulomb gauge is done in the rest frame. It is shown, on the basis of a geometric incosistency, that the description of fermions is incomplete, because there is no bosonic carrier of the spin structure describing the trajectory of the electric current in Minkowski spacetime, as it was already emphasized in connection with the first quantization of spinning particles in a previous paper.Comment: 44 pages, revte

InSiDDe: A server for designing artificial disordered proteins

InSiDDe (In Silico Disorder Design) is a program for the in silico design of intrinsically disordered proteins of desired length and disorder probability. The latter is assessed using IUPred and spans values ranging from 0.55 to 0.95 with 0.05 increments. One to ten artificial sequences per query, each made of 50 to 200 residues, can be generated by InSiDDe. We describe the rationale used to set up InSiDDe and show that an artificial sequence of 100 residues with an IUPred score of 0.6 designed by InSiDDe could be recombinantly expressed in E. coli at high levels without degradation when fused to a natural molecular recognition element (MoRE). In addition, the artificial fusion protein exhibited the expected behavior in terms of binding modulation of the specific partner recognized by the MoRE. To the best of our knowledge, InSiDDe is the first publicly available software for the design of intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) sequences. InSiDDE is publicly available online

Scattering of accelerated wave packets

Wave-packet scattering from a stationary potential is significantly modified when the wave-packet is subject to an external time-dependent force during the interaction. In the semiclassical limit, wave--packet motion is simply described by Newtonian equations and the external force can, for example, cancel the potential force making a potential barrier transparent. Here we consider wave-packet scattering from reflectionless potentials, where in general the potential becomes reflective when probed by an accelerated wave-packet. In the particular case of the recently-introduced class of complex Kramers-Kronig potentials we show that a broad class of time dependent forces can be applied without inducing any scattering, while there is a breakdown of the reflectionless property when there is a broadband distribution of initial particle momentum, involving both positive and negative components.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Church building beyond church architecture: evangelization and architecture / Construir iglesias más allá de la arquitectura religiosa: evangelización y arquitectura

En la historia de la cultura occidental, la Sagrada Escritura es una fuente arquetípica no sólo para el diseño de edificios de culto, sino también para la práctica de la construcción en general. El Antiguo Testamento ofrece un amplio repertorio de espacios y edificios que han nutrido el imaginario arquitectónico colectivo, tanto en el área del Mediterráneo como en la Europa continental. Cuando consideramos el Nuevo Testamento, las referencias a las formas arquitectónicas se hacen mas evanescentes. Diversos pasajes evangélicos parecen sugerir que el cristianismo no tiene necesidad de espacios sagrados específicos. De hecho, en los momentos de reforma del pensamiento eclesiológico, estos pasajes se han utilizado para argumentar una concepción atópica del culto cristiano. La Buena Nueva parece anunciar no solo el fin del Templo de Jerusalén, sino también de toda arquitectura sagrada en favor de una arquitectura santa, hecha de cristianos santos, templos vivos de Dios. El impulso para superar la arquitectura para el culto es corroborado por la visión escatológica en el último libro de la Escritura. El Apocalipsis considera la Nueva Jerusalén como un modelo integral, donde las mediaciones materiales para la relación con Dios ya no existirán. Toda la ciudad será el lugar de la Presencia Divina. Sin embargo, sabemos que estas hipótesis, recurrentes en la historia del cristianismo y de la arquitectura, no han sido nunca expresamente utilizadas por ninguna comunidad organizada. El tema atraviesa el Renacimiento, con el auge del llamado culto interior, y retorna con fuerza tras el Concilio Vaticano II, que pone en el centro la formación de la asamblea celebrante, más que de la construcción de la casa de la asamblea. Si el vínculo entre la arquitectura cristiana y Evangelio resulta tenue y no inmediato, algo parecido ocurre con la relación entre arquitectura y la actividad evangelizadora, que es el tema. -------- In the history of architectural culture, the Scripture is the archetypical source not only for designing worship buildings but also for the construction practice in general. The Old Testament offers a repertoire of spaces and buildings that has nurtured the architectural imaginary both in the area of the Mediterranean and in Europe. When we consider the New Testament, the references to the architectural forms become more elusive. In fact, some episodes have suggested that Christianity has no need for specific sacred spaces; that is to say, these passages have been used in support of an atopic conception of the Christian cult. Not only had the Temple in Jerusalem to end, but also the sacred architecture should give way to a saint architecture, made of saint Christians as living temples of God. The impulse to surpass worship architecture is corroborated by the eschatological vision in the last book of the Scripture: the apocalyptic vision of the New Jerusalem is considered in its entirety a model, but in the city of the end times the material mediations of the relationship with God will no longer exist. The whole city will be the place of the Presence. The hypothesis that material Christian temples are not necessary represents a recurrent aspiration in the history of Christianity and in architecture, despite the fact that no organized community has ever tried to realize it. This topic is again at the center of the debate over architecture in the post-conciliar epoch, which focuses on the construction of the celebrating assembly