15,034 research outputs found
Hidden unity in the quantum description of matter
We introduce an algebraic framework for interacting quantum systems that
enables studying complex phenomena, characterized by the coexistence and
competition of various broken symmetry states of matter. The approach unveils
the hidden unity behind seemingly unrelated physical phenomena, thus
establishing exact connections between them. This leads to the fundamental
concept of {\it universality} of physical phenomena, a general concept not
restricted to the domain of critical behavior. Key to our framework is the
concept of {\it languages} and the construction of {\it dictionaries} relating
them.Comment: 10 pages 2 psfigures. Appeared in Recent Progress in Many-Body
Theorie
Space based microlensing planet searches
The discovery of extra-solar planets is arguably the most exciting
development in astrophysics during the past 15 years, rivalled only by the
detection of dark energy. Two projects unite the communities of exoplanet
scientists and cosmologists: the proposed ESA M class mission EUCLID and the
large space mission WFIRST, top ranked by the Astronomy 2010 Decadal Survey
report. The later states that: "Space-based microlensing is the optimal
approach to providing a true statistical census of planetary systems in the
Galaxy, over a range of likely semi-major axes". They also add: "This census,
combined with that made by the Kepler mission, will determine how common
Earth-like planets are over a wide range of orbital parameters". We will
present a status report of the results obtained by microlensing on exoplanets
and the new objectives of the next generation of ground based wide field imager
networks. We will finally discuss the fantastic prospect offered by space based
microlensing at the horizon 2020-2025.Comment: 8 pages, Proceedings to the ROPACS meeting "Hot Planets and Cool
Stars" (Nov. 2012, Garching), invited contributio
Stripes, topological order, and deconfinement in a planar t-Jz model
We determine the quantum phase diagram of a two-dimensional bosonic t-Jz
model as a function of the lattice anisotropy gamma, using a quantum Monte
Carlo loop algorithm. We show analytically that the low-energy sectors of the
bosonic and the fermionic t-Jz models become equivalent in the limit of small
gamma. In this limit, the ground state represents a static stripe phase
characterized by a non-zero value of a topological order parameter. This phase
remains up to intermediate values of gamma, where there is a quantum phase
transition to a phase-segregated state or a homogeneous superfluid with dynamic
stripe fluctuations depending on the ratio Jz/t.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures (2 in color). Final versio
Heating and thermal squeezing in parametrically-driven oscillators with added noise
In this paper we report a theoretical model based on Green functions, Floquet
theory and averaging techniques up to second order that describes the dynamics
of parametrically-driven oscillators with added thermal noise. Quantitative
estimates for heating and quadrature thermal noise squeezing near and below the
transition line of the first parametric instability zone of the oscillator are
given. Furthermore, we give an intuitive explanation as to why heating and
thermal squeezing occur. For small amplitudes of the parametric pump the
Floquet multipliers are complex conjugate of each other with a constant
magnitude. As the pump amplitude is increased past a threshold value in the
stable zone near the first parametric instability, the two Floquet multipliers
become real and have different magnitudes. This creates two different effective
dissipation rates (one smaller and the other larger than the real dissipation
rate) along the stable manifolds of the first-return Poincare map. We also show
that the statistical average of the input power due to thermal noise is
constant and independent of the pump amplitude and frequency. The combination
of these effects cause most of heating and thermal squeezing. Very good
agreement between analytical and numerical estimates of the thermal
fluctuations is achieved.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. E, 29 pages, 12 figures. arXiv admin note:
substantial text overlap with arXiv:1108.484
Superconductivity and incommensurate spin fluctuations in a generalized t-J model for the cuprates
We consider the slave-fermion Schwinger-boson decomposition of an effective
model obtained through a systematic low-energy reduction of the three-band
Hubbard Hamiltonian. The model includes a three-site term t'' similar to that
obtained in the large-U limit of the Hubbard model but of opposite sign for
realistic or large O-O hopping. For parameters close to the most realistic ones
for the cuprates, the mean-field solution exhibits d+s superconductivity
(predominantly d_{x^2-y^2}) with a dependence on doping x very similar to the
experimentally observed. We also obtained incommensurate peaks at wave vectors
near in the spin structure factor, which also agree with
experiment.Comment: 9 pages, latex, 2 figures, to appear in Europhys. Let
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