Screening of pair fluctuations in superconductors with coupled shallow and deep bands: a route to higher temperature superconductivity

A combination of strong Cooper pairing and weak superconducting fluctuations is crucial to achieve and stabilize high-Tc superconductivity. We demonstrate that a coexistence of a shallow carrier band with strong pairing and a deep band with weak pairing, together with the Josephson-like pair transfer between the bands to couple the two condensates, realizes an optimal multicomponent superconductivity regime: it preserves strong pairing to generate large gaps and a very high critical temperature but screens the detrimental superconducting fluctuations, thereby suppressing the pseudogap state. Surprisingly, we find that the screening is very efficient even when the inter-band coupling is very small. Thus, a multi-band superconductor with a coherent mixture of condensates in the BCS regime (deep band) and in the BCS-BEC crossover regime (shallow band) offers a promising route to higher critical temperatures.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, including supplemental material

Quantum Key Distribution using Continuous-variable non-Gaussian States

In this work we present a quantum key distribution protocol using continuous-variable non-Gaussian states, homodyne detection and post-selection. The employed signal states are the Photon Added then Subtracted Coherent States (PASCS) in which one photon is added and subsequently one photon is subtracted. We analyze the performance of our protocol, compared to a coherent state based protocol, for two different attacks that could be carried out by the eavesdropper (Eve). We calculate the secret key rate transmission in a lossy line for a superior channel (beam-splitter) attack, and we show that we may increase the secret key generation rate by using the non-Gaussian PASCS rather than coherent states. We also consider the simultaneous quadrature measurement (intercept-resend) attack and we show that the efficiency of Eve's attack is substantially reduced if PASCS are used as signal states.Comment: We have included an analysis of the simultaneous quadrature measurement attack plus 2 figures; we have also clarified some point

Semiclassical Tunneling of Wavepackets with Real Trajectories

Semiclassical approximations for tunneling processes usually involve complex trajectories or complex times. In this paper we use a previously derived approximation involving only real trajectories propagating in real time to describe the scattering of a Gaussian wavepacket by a finite square potential barrier. We show that the approximation describes both tunneling and interferences very accurately in the limit of small Plank's constant. We use these results to estimate the tunneling time of the wavepacket and find that, for high energies, the barrier slows down the wavepacket but that it speeds it up at energies comparable to the barrier height.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures Revised text and figure

Geometric combinatorial algebras: cyclohedron and simplex

In this paper we report on results of our investigation into the algebraic structure supported by the combinatorial geometry of the cyclohedron. Our new graded algebra structures lie between two well known Hopf algebras: the Malvenuto-Reutenauer algebra of permutations and the Loday-Ronco algebra of binary trees. Connecting algebra maps arise from a new generalization of the Tonks projection from the permutohedron to the associahedron, which we discover via the viewpoint of the graph associahedra of Carr and Devadoss. At the same time that viewpoint allows exciting geometrical insights into the multiplicative structure of the algebras involved. Extending the Tonks projection also reveals a new graded algebra structure on the simplices. Finally this latter is extended to a new graded Hopf algebra (one-sided) with basis all the faces of the simplices.Comment: 23 figures, new expanded section about Hopf algebra of simplices, with journal correction

Penetrability of chloride ions in concrete protected by an acrylic painting

In order do decrease the penetrability of chloride ions in concrete the use of paintings based on polymers can be a good solution. The use of acrylic paintings is recommended because they have good resistance to ultraviolet radiation. It is important to quantify the decrease of chloride ions penetrability obtained by the use of this kind of paintings. The durability of the polymeric paintings is another aspect that needs to be analysed. In this study an acrylic painting was used to protect the concrete and decrease the penetrability of chloride ions. The concrete used was a C12/15, with a cement content of 280 kg/m3 and a water-cement ratio of 0.60. The acrylic painting was applied in concrete specimens 28 days after casting. In order to have a better protection we applied two coats separated by 5 hours. The penetrability of chloride ions was measured following the ASTM standard C 1202 – 94. Before the penetrability tests, some specimens were exposed to UV radiation. The exposition to the light occurred by cycles consisting of alternating periods of 8 hours of UV radiation at 60 ºC and 16 hours without UV radiation at 50 ºC. Three kinds of exposition were made consisting on 5, 10 and 15 cycles. The results showed always a high penetrability of chloride ions. This occurred because a poor concrete was used. The protection by an acrylic painting decreases the penetrability of chloride ions. The charge passed decreased about 32 %. However, is not possible to achieve low chloride ions penetrability only with the use of acrylic paintings. It is necessary also the use of a good concrete with low porosity. After the exposition to the UV radiation the penetrability of chlorides ions did not increase. It seems that the UV radiation does not affect the properties of the acrylic painting

Turing Patterns And Apparent Competition In Predator-prey Food Webs On Networks.

Reaction-diffusion systems may lead to the formation of steady-state heterogeneous spatial patterns, known as Turing patterns. Their mathematical formulation is important for the study of pattern formation in general and plays central roles in many fields of biology, such as ecology and morphogenesis. Here we show that Turing patterns may have a decisive role in shaping the abundance distribution of predators and prey living in patchy landscapes. We extend the original model proposed by Nakao and Mikhailov [Nat. Phys. 6, 544 (2010)] by considering food chains with several interacting pairs of prey and predators distributed on a scale-free network of patches. We identify patterns of species distribution displaying high degrees of apparent competition driven by Turing instabilities. Our results provide further indication that differences in abundance distribution among patches can be generated dynamically by self organized Turing patterns and not only by intrinsic environmental heterogeneity.8605620