525 research outputs found
A high-performance integrated single-photon detector for telecom wavelengths
We have integrated a commercial avalanche photodiode (APD) and the circuitry
needed to operate it as a single-photon detector (SPD) onto a single PC-board.
At temperatures accessible with Peltier coolers (~200-240K), the PCB-SPD
achieves high detection efficiency (DE) at 1308 and 1545 nm with low dark count
probability (e.g. ~10-6/bias pulse at DE=20%, 220 K), making it useful for
quantum key distribution (QKD). The board generates fast bias pulses, cancels
noise transients, amplifies the signals, and sends them to an on-board
discriminator. A digital blanking circuit suppresses afterpulsing.Comment: (10 pages, 6 figures
Practical quantum key distribution: On the security evaluation with inefficient single-photon detectors
Quantum Key Distribution with the BB84 protocol has been shown to be
unconditionally secure even using weak coherent pulses instead of single-photon
signals. The distances that can be covered by these methods are limited due to
the loss in the quantum channel (e.g. loss in the optical fiber) and in the
single-photon counters of the receivers. One can argue that the loss in the
detectors cannot be changed by an eavesdropper in order to increase the covered
distance. Here we show that the security analysis of this scenario is not as
easy as is commonly assumed, since already two-photon processes allow
eavesdropping strategies that outperform the known photon-number splitting
attack. For this reason there is, so far, no satisfactory security analysis
available in the framework of individual attacks.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures; Abstract and introduction extended, Appendix
added, references update
Theory of Spontaneous Polarization of Endohedral Fullerenes
A pseudo-Jahn-Teller model describing central atom distortions is proposed
for endohedral fullerenes of the form A@C where A is either a rare gas
or a metal atom. A critical (dimensionless) coupling is found, below
which the symmetric configuration is stable and above which inversion symmetry
is broken. Vibronic parameters are given for selected endohedral fullerenes.Comment: 4 pages, REVTEX, 1 Postscript figure. [Phys. Rev. Lett. (in press)
Comparison of Bond Character in Hydrocarbons and Fullerenes
We present a comparison of the bond polarizabilities for carbon-carbon bonds
in hydrocarbons and fullerenes, using two different models for the fullerene
Raman spectrum and the results of Raman measurements on ethane and ethylene. We
find that the polarizabilities for single bonds in fullerenes and hydrocarbons
compare well, while the double bonds in fullerenes have greater polarizability
than in ethylene.Comment: 7 pages, no figures, uses RevTeX. (To appear in Phys. Rev. B.
Domain-swapped T cell receptors improve the safety of TCR gene therapy
T cells engineered to express a tumor-specific {alpha}{beta} T cell receptor (TCR) mediate anti-tumor immunity. However, mispairing of the therapeutic {alpha}{beta} chains with endogenous {alpha}{beta} chains reduces therapeutic TCR surface expression and generates self-reactive TCRs. We report a general strategy to prevent TCR mispairing: swapping constant domains between the {alpha} and {beta} chains of a therapeutic TCR. When paired, domain-swapped (ds)TCRs assemble with CD3, express on the cell surface, and mediate antigen-specific T cell responses. By contrast, dsTCR chains mispaired with endogenous chains cannot properly assemble with CD3 or signal, preventing autoimmunity. We validate this approach in cell-based assays and in a mouse model of TCR gene transfer-induced graft-versus-host disease. We also validate a related approach whereby replacement of {alpha}{beta} TCR domains with corresponding {gamma}{delta} TCR domains yields a functional TCR that does not mispair. This work enables the design of safer TCR gene therapies for cancer immunotherapy
Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Partially-Open Carbon Nanotubes
On the basis of the spin-polarized density functional theory calculations, we
demonstrate that partially-open carbon nanotubes (CNTs) observed in recent
experiments have rich electronic and magnetic properties which depend on the
degree of the opening. A partially-open armchair CNT is converted from a metal
to a semiconductor, and then to a spin-polarized semiconductor by increasing
the length of the opening on the wall. Spin-polarized states become
increasingly more stable than nonmagnetic states as the length of the opening
is further increased. In addition, external electric fields or chemical
modifications are usable to control the electronic and magnetic properties of
the system. We show that half-metallicity may be achieved and the spin current
may be controlled by external electric fields or by asymmetric
functionalization of the edges of the opening. Our findings suggest that
partially-open CNTs may offer unique opportunities for the future development
of nanoscale electronics and spintronics.Comment: 6 figures, to appear in J. Am. Chem. So
Size Effects in Carbon Nanotubes
The inter-shell spacing of multi-walled carbon nanotubes was determined by
analyzing the high resolution transmission electron microscopy images of these
nanotubes. For the nanotubes that were studied, the inter-shell spacing
is found to range from 0.34 to 0.39 nm, increasing with
decreasing tube diameter. A model based on the results from real space image
analysis is used to explain the variation in inter-shell spacings obtained from
reciprocal space periodicity analysis. The increase in inter-shell spacing with
decreased nanotube diameter is attributed to the high curvature, resulting in
an increased repulsive force, associated with the decreased diameter of the
nanotube shells.Comment: 4 pages. RevTeX. 4 figure
Vibrational spectra of C60C8H8 and C70C8H8 in the rotor-stator and polymer phases
C60-C8H8 and C70-C8H8 are prototypes of rotor-stator cocrystals. We present
infrared and Raman spectra of these materials and show how the rotor-stator
nature is reflected in their vibrational properties. We measured the
vibrational spectra of the polymer phases poly(C60C8H8) and poly(C70C8H8)
resulting from a solid state reaction occurring on heating. Based on the
spectra we propose a connection pattern for the fullerene in poly(C60C8H8),
where the symmetry of the C60 is D2h. On illuminating the C60-C8H8 cocrystal
with green or blue light a photochemical reaction was observed leading to a
similar product to that of the thermal polymerization.Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Journal of Physical Chemistry B 2nd
version: minor changes in wording, accepted version by journa
Raman scattering in C_{60} and C_{48}N_{12} aza-fullerene: First-principles study
We carry out large scale {\sl ab initio} calculations of Raman scattering
activities and Raman-active frequencies (RAFs) in
aza-fullerene. The results are compared with those of .
Twenty-nine non-degenerate polarized and 29 doubly-degenerate unpolarized RAFs
are predicted for . The RAF of the strongest Raman
signal in the low- and high-frequency regions and the lowest and highest RAFs
for are almost the same as those of .
The study of reveals the importance of electron correlations and
the choice of basis sets in the {\sl ab initio} calculations. Our best
calculated results for with the B3LYP hybrid density functional
theory are in excellent agreement with experiment and demonstrate the desirable
efficiency and accuracy of this theory for obtaining quantitative information
on the vibrational properties of these molecules.Comment: submitted to Phys.Rev.
Bundling up carbon nanotubes through Wigner defects
We show, using ab initio total energy density functional theory, that the
so-called Wigner defects, an interstitial carbon atom right besides a vacancy,
which are present in irradiated graphite can also exist in bundles of carbon
nanotubes. Due to the geometrical structure of a nanotube, however, this defect
has a rather low formation energy, lower than the vacancy itself, suggesting
that it may be one of the most important defects that are created after
electron or ion irradiation. Moreover, they form a strong link between the
nanotubes in bundles, increasing their shear modulus by a sizeable amount,
clearly indicating its importance for the mechanical properties of nanotube
bundles.Comment: 5 pages and 4 figure
- …