The fundamental limit on the rate of quantum dynamics: the unified bound is tight

The question of how fast a quantum state can evolve has attracted a considerable attention in connection with quantum measurement, metrology, and information processing. Since only orthogonal states can be unambiguously distinguished, a transition from a state to an orthogonal one can be taken as the elementary step of a computational process. Therefore, such a transition can be interpreted as the operation of "flipping a qubit", and the number of orthogonal states visited by the system per unit time can be viewed as the maximum rate of operation. A lower bound on the orthogonalization time, based on the energy spread DeltaE, was found by Mandelstam and Tamm. Another bound, based on the average energy E, was established by Margolus and Levitin. The bounds coincide, and can be exactly attained by certain initial states if DeltaE=E; however, the problem remained open of what the situation is otherwise. Here we consider the unified bound that takes into account both DeltaE and E. We prove that there exist no initial states that saturate the bound if DeltaE is not equal to E. However, the bound remains tight: for any given values of DeltaE and E, there exists a one-parameter family of initial states that can approach the bound arbitrarily close when the parameter approaches its limit value. The relation between the largest energy level, the average energy, and the orthogonalization time is also discussed. These results establish the fundamental quantum limit on the rate of operation of any information-processing system.Comment: 4 pages 1 PS figure Late

Thermodynamic cost of reversible computing

Since reversible computing requires preservation of all information throughout the entire computational process, this implies that all errors that appear as a result of the interaction of the information-carrying system with uncontrolled degrees of freedom must be corrected. But this can only be done at the expense of an increase in the entropy of the environment corresponding to the dissipation, in the form of heat, of the ``noisy'' part of the system's energy. This paper gives an expression of that energy in terms of the effective noise temperature, and analyzes the relationship between the energy dissipation rate and the rate of computation. Finally, a generalized Clausius principle based on the concept of effective temperature is presented.Comment: 5 pages; added two paragraphs and fixed a number of typo

Why 'scaffolding' is the wrong metaphor : the cognitive usefulness of mathematical representations.

The metaphor of scaffolding has become current in discussions of the cognitive help we get from artefacts, environmental affordances and each other. Consideration of mathematical tools and representations indicates that in these cases at least (and plausibly for others), scaffolding is the wrong picture, because scaffolding in good order is immobile, temporary and crude. Mathematical representations can be manipulated, are not temporary structures to aid development, and are refined. Reflection on examples from elementary algebra indicates that Menary is on the right track with his ‘enculturation’ view of mathematical cognition. Moreover, these examples allow us to elaborate his remarks on the uniqueness of mathematical representations and their role in the emergence of new thoughts.Peer reviewe

Quantum lattice gases and their invariants

The one particle sector of the simplest one dimensional quantum lattice gas automaton has been observed to simulate both the (relativistic) Dirac and (nonrelativistic) Schroedinger equations, in different continuum limits. By analyzing the discrete analogues of plane waves in this sector we find conserved quantities corresponding to energy and momentum. We show that the Klein paradox obtains so that in some regimes the model must be considered to be relativistic and the negative energy modes interpreted as positive energy modes of antiparticles. With a formally similar approach--the Bethe ansatz--we find the evolution eigenfunctions in the two particle sector of the quantum lattice gas automaton and conclude by discussing consequences of these calculations and their extension to more particles, additional velocities, and higher dimensions.Comment: 19 pages, plain TeX, 11 PostScript figures included with epsf.tex (ignore the under/overfull \vbox error messages

Triggering rogue waves in opposing currents

We show that rogue waves can be triggered naturally when a stable wave train enters a region of an opposing current flow. We demonstrate that the maximum amplitude of the rogue wave depends on the ratio between the current velocity, $U_0$, and the wave group velocity, $c_g$. We also reveal that an opposing current can force the development of rogue waves in random wave fields, resulting in a substantial change of the statistical properties of the surface elevation. The present results can be directly adopted in any field of physics in which the focusing Nonlinear Schrodinger equation with non constant coefficient is applicable. In particular, nonlinear optics laboratory experiments are natural candidates for verifying experimentally our results.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure