Asymmetry of the excess finite-frequency noise

We consider finite frequency noise in a mesoscopic system with arbitrary interactions, connected to many terminals kept at finite electrochemical potentials. We show that the excess noise, obtained by subtracting the noise at zero voltage from that at finite voltage, can be asymmetric with respect to positive/negative frequencies if the system is non-linear. This explains a recent experimental observation in Josephson junctions as well as strong asymmetry obtained in typical non-linear and strongly correlated systems described by the Luttinger liquid (LL): edge states in the fractional quantum Hall effect, quantum wires and carbon nanotubes. Another important problem where the LL model applies is that of a coherent conductor embedded in an ohmic environment.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Poor qubits make for rich physics: noise-induced quantum Zeno effects and noise-induced Berry phases

We briefly review three ways that environmental noise can slow-down (or speed-up) quantum transitions; (i) Lamb shifts, (ii) over-damping and (iii) orthogonality catastrophe. We compare them with the quantum Zeno effect induced by observing the system. These effects are relevant to poor qubits (those strongly coupled to noise). We discuss Berry phases generated by the orthogonality catastrophe, and argue that noise may make it easier to observe Berry phases.Comment: 6 pages - Proceedings of International Conference on Noise and Fluctuations (Pisa, 14-19 June 2009) - Improved with respect to version in Conf. Pro

The pure B−LB-L model and future linear colliders: the Higgs sector

We summarise the phenomenology of the Higgs sector of the minimal $B-L$ extension of the Standard Model at an $e^+e^-$ Linear Collider. Within such a scenario, we show that (in comparison with the Large Hadron Collider) several novel production and decay channels involving the two physical Higgs states could experimentally be accessed at such a machine. In particular, we present the scope of the $Z'$ strahlung process for single and double Higgs production, the only suitable mechanism for accessing an almost decoupled heavy scalar state.Comment: This proceeding of the 2011 International Workshop on Future Linear Colliders (LCWS11) is published through the SLAC Electronic Conference Proceedings Archiv

Charged-Higgs production in the Two-Higgs-Doublet Model --- the \tau\nu channel

We update the allowed parameter space of the CP-violating 2HDM with Type II Yukawa couplings, that survives the current experimental and theoretical constraints on the model. For a representative set of allowed parameter points, we study the production of charged Higgs bosons, both at the LHC at 14 TeV and at a possible future hadronic collider at 30 TeV. Two classes of production mechanisms are considered, "bosonic" (pp\to H^\pm W^\mp X) and "fermionic" (pp \to H^+ \bar t (b) X). After commenting on our previous H^\pm\to W^\pm H_1 investigation, we focus on the tauonic decay mode, H^\pm \to \tau\nu, performing a detailed signal-over-background analysis at the parton level. The increased features provided when considering CP violation, i.e., the extension of the parameter space and the mixing of the would-be CP-odd scalar boson, only marginally increase the discovery prospects, which remain very challenging both when increased luminosities and higher energies are considered.Comment: 26 pages, 13 figures. v2 Version published in JHE

Fluctuation relations without micro-reversibility for two-terminal conductors

In linear transport, the fluctuation-dissipation theorem relates equilibrium current correlations to the linear conductance coefficient. Theory and experiment have shown that in small electrical conductors the non-linear I-V-characteristic of two-terminal conductor exhibits terms which are asymmetric in magnetic field and thus micro-reversibility is manifestly broken. We discuss a non-equilibrium fluctuation dissipation theorem which is not based on micro-reversibility. It connects the antisymmetric nonlinear conductance with the third cumulant of equilibrium current fluctuations and a noise term that is proportional to temperature, magnetic field and voltage.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, corrected typo

Effect of potential fluctuations on shot noise suppression in mesoscopic cavities

We perform a numerical investigation of the effect of the disorder associated with randomly located impurities on shot noise in mesoscopic cavities. We show that such a disorder becomes dominant in determining the noise behavior when the amplitude of the potential fluctuations is comparable to the value of the Fermi energy and for a large enough density of impurities. In contrast to existing conjectures, random potential fluctuations are shown not to contribute to achieving the chaotic regime whose signature is a Fano factor of 1/4, but, rather, to the diffusive behavior typical of disordered conductors. In particular, the 1/4 suppression factor expected for a symmetric cavity can be achieved only in high-quality material, with a very low density of impurities. As the disorder strength is increased, a relatively rapid transition of the suppression factor from 1/4 to values typical of diffusive or quasi-diffusive transport is observed. Finally, on the basis of a comparison between a hard-wall and a realistic model of the cavity, we conclude that the specific details of the confinement potential have a minor influence on noise.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures. This is the final version published in AIP Advances. With respect to the previous arXiv version, there are some changes in the text (mainly in the introduction and in the references); the numerical results are unchange

RECONSTRUCTION OF A LOST CARBONATE FACTORY BASED ON ITS BIOGENIC DETRITUS (TERNATE-TRAVEDONA FORMATION AND GONFOLITE LOMBARDA GROUP - NORTHERN ITALY)

This work reconstructs a now completely eroded late Eocene to earliest Oligocene carbonate factory of Northern Italy, through the analysis of a carbonate deep-water-fan sequence (Ternate-Travedona Formation) and the limestone detritus dispersed into the late Oligocene clastic-wedge of the Gonfolite Lombarda Group. Textural characteristics and skeletal assemblages of the Gonfolite pebbles were studied and compared to those of the Ternate-Travedona Formation. The same skeletal assemblage and the same taxa were found in samples from both areas, suggesting their common origin. Whereas the Ternate-Travedona Formation skeletal grains were reworked during transport, the Gonfolite Lombarda Group pure-limestone pebbles are pristine fragments of the carbonate platform, that was uplifted and eroded from the late Eocene to the early Oligocene. Using both these sources of information it was possible to reconstruct the late Eocene environment and its facies distribution. The areas undergoing high hydrodynamic energy were dominated by free-living coralline-algal branches, rhodoliths and larger thick-tested benthic foraminifera. A coralline framework, associated with thin-tested benthic foraminifera and boxwork rhodoliths, was present in slightly deeper and sheltered environments. Episodic debris flows, mainly triggered by river floods, supplied the sub-marine fan of the Ternate-Travedona Formation. These events were able to down-cut through the narrow platform and rip off large fragments of the substrate. River runoff probably also supplied large quantities of organic matter, leading to local oxygen-depletion and preservation of organic matter. The combined stressful effects of bottom instability and riverine discharge probably excluded corals from the association. The integrated study of the Ternate-Travedona Formation, and of the limestone pebbles in the Gonfolite Group, have enabled the reconstruction of this otherwise lost Eocene carbonate factory

Innovative, green, floating radiosondes to track small-scale fluctuations along isopycnic surfaces in and around warm clouds

Clouds are an important source of uncertainty in climate modelling and weather prediction models. Warm clouds have a cloud top that doesn’t contain any ice forms and are found to be responsible for 31% of the world’s rainfall. Hence, innovative, green, ultralight radiosondes are being conceived within the context of the H2020 MSCA ITN ClOud-MicroPhysics-turbuLEnce-Telemetry (COMPLETE) network, which aims to characterise the cloud boundary, and develop the current understanding of cloud physics and related turbulent dynamics. The radiosondes conceived within this network will contribute to the current understanding of microphysical processes in clouds in a range of a few 100m