Strong-coupling branching of FQHL edges

We have developed a theory of quasiparticle backscattering in a system of point contacts formed between single-mode edges of several Fractional Quantum Hall Liquids (FQHLs) with in general different filling factors $\nu_j$ and one common single-mode edge $\nu_0$ of another FQHL. In the strong-tunneling limit, the model of quasiparticle backscattering is obtained by the duality transformation of the electron tunneling model. The new physics introduced by the multi-point-contact geometry of the system is coherent splitting of backscattered quasiparticles at the point contacts in the course of propagation along the common edge $\nu_0$. The ``branching ratios'' characterizing the splitting determine the charge and exchange statistics of the edge quasiparticles that can be different from those of Laughlin's quasiparticles in the bulk of FQHLs. Accounting for the edge statistics is essential for the system of more than one point contact and requires the proper description of the flux attachement to tunneling electrons.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

Bloch inductance in small-capacitance Josephson junctions

We show that the electrical impedance of a small-capacitance Josephson junction includes besides the capacitive term $-i/\omega C_B$ also an inductive term $i\omega L_B$. Similar to the known Bloch capacitance $C_B(q)$, the Bloch inductance $L_B(q)$ also depends periodically on the quasicharge $q$, and its maximum value achieved at $q=e (\textrm{mod} 2e)$ always exceeds the value of the Josephson inductance of this junction $L_J(\phi)$ at fixed $\phi=0$. The effect of the Bloch inductance on the dynamics of a single junction and a one-dimensional array is described.Comment: 5 pages incl. 3 fig

Continuous measurements of two qubits

We develop a theory of coherent quantum oscillations in two, in general interacting, qubits measured continuously by a mesoscopic detector with arbitrary non-linearity and discuss an example of SQUID magnetometer that can operate as such a detector. Calculated spectra of the detector output show that the detector non-linearity should lead to mixing of the oscillations of the two qubits. For non-interacting qubits oscillating with frequencies $\Omega_1$ and $\Omega_2$, the mixing manifests itself as spectral peaks at the combination frequencies $\Omega_1\pm \Omega_2$. Additional nonlinearity introduced by the qubit-qubit interaction shifts all the frequencies. In particular, for identical qubits, the interaction splits coherent superposition of the single-qubit peaks at $\Omega_1=\Omega_2$. Quantum mechanics of the measurement imposes limitations on the height of the spectral peaks.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure

Quadratic Quantum Measurements

We develop a theory of quadratic quantum measurements by a mesoscopic detector. It is shown that quadratic measurements should have non-trivial quantum information properties, providing, for instance, a simple way of entangling two non-interacting qubits. We also calculate output spectrum of a quantum detector with both linear and quadratic response continuously monitoring coherent oscillations in two qubits.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Continuous weak measurement of the macroscopic quantum coherent oscillations

The problem of continuous quantum measurement of coherent oscillations in an individual quantum two-state system is studied for a generic model of the measuring device. It is shown that for a symmetric detector, the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement, defined as the ratio of the amplitude of the oscillation line in the output spectrum to background noise, is independent of the coupling strength between oscillations and the detector, and is equal to $(\hbar/\epsilon)^2$, where $\epsilon$ is the detector energy sensitivity. The fundamental quantum limit of 4 imposed by this result on the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement with an ``ideal'' quantum-limited detector reflects the general tendency of a quantum measurement to localize the system in one of the eigenstates of the measured observable. These results are applied to specific measurements of the quantum oscillations of magnetic flux with a dc SQUID, and oscillations of charge measured with a Cooper-pair electrometer. They are also used to calculate the energy sensitivity of a quantum point contact as detector.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures; contribution to ``Exploring the Quantum-Classical Frontier: Recent Advances in Macroscopic and Mesoscopic Quantum Phenomena'', Eds. J.R. Friedman and S. Ha

Resistively-shunted superconducting quantum point contacts

We have studied the Josephson dynamics of resistively-shunted ballistic superconducting quantum point contacts at finite temperatures and arbitrary number of conducting modes. Compared to the classical Josephson dynamics of tunnel junctions, dynamics of quantum point contacts exhibits several new features associated with temporal fluctuations of the Josephson potential caused by fluctuations in the occupation of the current-carrying Andreev levels.Comment: 5 pages, RevTex, 3 postscript figures include

Nonequilibrium and Parity Effects in the Tunneling Conductance of Ultrasmall Superconducting Grains

Recent experiment on the tunneling spectra of ultrasmall superconducting grains revealed an unusual structure of the lowest differential conductance peak for grains in the odd charging states. We explain this behavior by nonequilibrium ``gapless'' excitations associated with different energy levels occupied by the unpaired electron. These excitations are generated by inelastic cotunneling.Comment: 4 pages, 2 .eps figures include