30,812 research outputs found
Criteria for generalized macroscopic and mesoscopic quantum coherence
We consider macroscopic, mesoscopic and "S-scopic" quantum superpositions of
eigenstates of an observable, and develop some signatures for their existence.
We define the extent, or size of a superposition, with respect to an
observable \hat{x}, as being the range of outcomes of \hat{x} predicted by that
superposition. Such superpositions are referred to as generalized -scopic
superpositions to distinguish them from the extreme superpositions that
superpose only the two states that have a difference in their prediction
for the observable. We also consider generalized -scopic superpositions of
coherent states. We explore the constraints that are placed on the statistics
if we suppose a system to be described by mixtures of superpositions that are
restricted in size. In this way we arrive at experimental criteria that are
sufficient to deduce the existence of a generalized -scopic superposition.
The signatures developed are useful where one is able to demonstrate a degree
of squeezing. We also discuss how the signatures enable a new type of
Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen gedanken experiment.Comment: 15 pages, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Tantalum-based diffusion barriers in Si/Cu VLSI metallizations
We have studied sputter-deposited Ta, Ta36Si14, and Ta36Si14N50 thin films as diffusion barriers between Cu overlayers and Si substrates. Electrical measurements on Si n + p shallow junction diodes demonstrate that a 180-nm-thick Ta film is not an effective diffusion barrier. For the standard test of 30-min annealing in vacuum applied in the present study, the Ta barrier fails after annealing at 500 °C. An amorphous Ta74Si26 thin film improves the performance by raising the failure temperature of a /Ta74Si26(100 nm)/Cu(500 nm) metallization to 650 °C. Unparalled results are obtained with an amorphous ternary Ta36Si14N50 thin film in the Si/Ta36Si14N50 (120 nm)/Cu(500 nm) and in the Si/TiSi2(30 nm)/Ta36SiN50 (80 nm)/Cu(500 nm) metallization that break down only after annealing at 900 °C. The failure is induced by a premature crystallization of the Ta36Si14N50 alloy (whose crystallization temperature exceeds 1000 °C) when in contact with copper
The spectral content of SDO/AIA 1600 and 1700 \AA\ filters from flare and plage observations
The strong enhancement of the ultraviolet emission during solar flares is
usually taken as an indication of plasma heating in the lower solar atmosphere
caused by the deposition of the energy released during these events. Images
taken with broadband ultraviolet filters by the {\em Transition Region and
Coronal Explorer} (TRACE) and {\em Atmospheric Imaging Assembly} (AIA 1600 and
1700~\AA) have revealed the morphology and evolution of flare ribbons in great
detail. However, the spectral content of these images is still largely unknown.
Without the knowledge of the spectral contribution to these UV filters, the use
of these rich imaging datasets is severely limited. Aiming to solve this issue,
we estimate the spectral contributions of the AIA UV flare and plage images
using high-resolution spectra in the range 1300 to 1900~\AA\ from the Skylab
NRL SO82B spectrograph. We find that the flare excess emission in AIA 1600~\AA\
is { dominated by} the \ion{C}{4} 1550~\AA\ doublet (26\%), \ion{Si}{1}
continua (20\%), with smaller contributions from many other chromospheric lines
such as \ion{C}{1} 1561 and 1656~\AA\ multiplets, \ion{He}{2} 1640~\AA,
\ion{Si}{2} 1526 and 1533~\AA. For the AIA 1700~\AA\ band, \ion{C}{1} 1656~\AA\
multiplet is the main contributor (38\%), followed by \ion{He}{2} 1640 (17\%),
and accompanied by a multitude of other, { weaker} chromospheric lines, with
minimal contribution from the continuum. Our results can be generalized to
state that the AIA UV flare excess emission is of chromospheric origin, while
plage emission is dominated by photospheric continuum emission in both
channels.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Skylab NRL SO82B data used in this
work available at http://dx.doi.org/10.5525/gla.researchdata.68
Preparation and characterization of electrodes for the NASA Redox storage system
Electrodes for the Redox energy storage system based on iron and chromium chloride reactants is discussed. The physical properties of several lots of felt were determined. Procedures were developed for evaluating electrode performance in lab scale cells. Experimental procedures for evaluating electrodes by cyclic voltammetry are described which minimize the IR losses due to the high internal resistance in the felt (distributed resistance). Methods to prepare electrodes which reduced the coevolution of hydrogen at the chromium electrode and eleminate the drop in voltage on discharge occasionally seen with previous electrodes were discussed. Single cells of 0.3329 ft area with improved membranes and electrodes are operating at over 80% voltage efficiency and coulombic efficiencies of over 98% at current densities of 16 to 20 amp % ft
Feeding interventions for growth and development in infants with cleft lip, cleft palate or cleft lip and palate.
BACKGROUND: Cleft lip and cleft palate are common birth defects, affecting about one baby of every 700 born. Feeding these babies is an immediate concern and there is evidence of delay in growth of children with a cleft as compared to those without clefting. In an effort to combat reduced weight for height, a variety of advice and devices are recommended to aid feeding of babies with clefts. OBJECTIVES: This review aims to assess the effects of these feeding interventions in babies with cleft lip and/or palate on growth, development and parental satisfaction. SEARCH STRATEGY: The following electronic databases were searched: the Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register (to 27 October 2010), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2010, Issue 4), MEDLINE via OVID (1950 to 27 October 2010), EMBASE via OVID (1980 to 27 October 2010), PsycINFO via OVID (1950 to 27 October 2010) and CINAHL via EBSCO (1980 to 27 October 2010). Attempts were made to identify both unpublished and ongoing studies. There was no restriction with regard to language of publication. SELECTION CRITERIA: Studies were included if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of feeding interventions for babies born with cleft lip, cleft palate or cleft lip and palate up to the age of 6 months (from term). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Studies were assessed for relevance independently and in duplicate. All studies meeting the inclusion criteria were data extracted and assessed for validity independently by each member of the review team. Authors were contacted for clarification or missing information whenever possible. MAIN RESULTS: Five RCTs with a total of 292 babies, were included in the review. Comparisons made within the RCTs were squeezable versus rigid feeding bottles (two studies), breastfeeding versus spoon-feeding (one study) and maxillary plate versus no plate (two studies). No statistically significant differences were shown for any of the primary outcomes when comparing bottle types, although squeezable bottles were less likely to require modification. No difference was shown for infants fitted with a maxillary plate compared to no plate. However, there was some evidence of an effect on weight at 6 weeks post-surgery in favour of breastfeeding when compared to spoon-feeding (mean difference 0.47; 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.74). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Squeezable bottles appear easier to use than rigid feeding bottles for babies born with clefts of the lip and/or palate, however, there is no evidence of a difference in growth outcomes between the bottle types. There is weak evidence that breastfeeding is better than spoon-feeding following surgery for cleft. There was no evidence to suggest that maxillary plates assist growth in babies with clefts of the palate. No evidence was found to assess the use of any types of maternal advice and/or support for these babies
Viscous dark fluid Universe: a unified model of the dark sector?
The Universe is modeled as consisting of pressureless baryonic matter and a
bulk viscous fluid which is supposed to represent a unified description of the
dark sector. In the homogeneous and isotropic background the \textit{total}
energy density of this mixture behaves as a generalized Chaplygin gas. The
perturbations of this energy density are intrinsically nonadiabatic and source
relative entropy perturbations. The resulting baryonic matter power spectrum is
shown to be compatible with the 2dFGRS and SDSS (DR7) data. A joint statistical
analysis, using also Hubble-function and supernovae Ia data, shows that,
different from other studies, there exists a maximum in the probability
distribution for a negative present value of the deceleration parameter.
Moreover, the unified model presented here favors a matter content that is of
the order of the baryonic matter abundance suggested by big-bang
nucleosynthesis. A problem of simple bulk viscous models, however, is the
behavior of the gravitational potential and the reproduction of the CMB power
spectrum.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, contributed paper to 8th Friedmann Seminar, 30
May to 3 June 2011, Rio de Janeiro, Brazi
Flux calibration of the AAO/UKST SuperCOSMOS H-alpha Survey
The AAO/UKST SuperCOSMOS H Survey (SHS) was, when completed in 2003,
a powerful addition to extant wide-field surveys. The combination of areal
coverage, spatial resolution and sensitivity in a narrow imaging band, still
marks it out today as an excellent resource for the astronomical community. The
233 separate fields are available online in digital form, with each field
covering 25 square degrees. The SHS has been the motivation for equivalent
surveys in the north, and new digital H surveys now beginning in the
south such as VPHAS+. It has been the foundation of many important discovery
projects with the Macquarie/AAO/Strasbourg H planetary nebula project
being a particularly successful example. However, the full potential of the SHS
has been hampered by lack of a clear route to acceptable flux calibration from
the base photographic data. We have determined the calibration factors for 170
individual SHS fields, and present a direct pathway to the measurement of
integrated H fluxes and surface brightnesses for resolved nebulae
detected in the SHS. We also include a catalogue of integrated H fluxes
for 100 planetary and other nebulae measured from the SHS, and use these
data to show that fluxes, accurate to 0.10 - 0.14 dex (25-35 per
cent), can be obtained from these fields. For the remaining 63 fields, a mean
calibration factor of 12.0 counts pix R can be used, allowing the
determination of reasonable integrated fluxes accurate to better than 0.2
dex (50 per cent). We outline the procedures involved and the caveats
that need to be appreciated in achieving such flux measurements. This paper
forms a handy reference source that will significantly increase the scientific
utility of the SHS.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables (plus 7 pp. of supplementary online
information). Version to appear in MNRA
On the Computation of Power in Volume Integral Equation Formulations
We present simple and stable formulas for computing power (including
absorbed/radiated, scattered and extinction power) in current-based volume
integral equation formulations. The proposed formulas are given in terms of
vector-matrix-vector products of quantities found solely in the associated
linear system. In addition to their efficiency, the derived expressions can
guarantee the positivity of the computed power. We also discuss the application
of Poynting's theorem for the case of sources immersed in dissipative
materials. The formulas are validated against results obtained both with
analytical and numerical methods for scattering and radiation benchmark cases
A relation between moduli space of D-branes on orbifolds and Ising model
We study D-branes transverse to an abelian orbifold C^3/Z_n Z_n. The moduli
space of the gauge theory on the D-branes is analyzed by combinatorial
calculation based on toric geometry. It is shown that the calculation is
related to a problemto count the number of ground states of an
antiferromagnetic Ising model. The lattice on which the Ising model is defined
is a triangular one defined on the McKay quiver of the orbifold.Comment: 20 pages, 13 figure
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