Quantum fidelity approach to the ground state properties of the 1D ANNNI model in a transverse field

In this work we analyze the ground-state properties of the $s=1/2$ one-dimensional ANNNI model in a transverse field using the quantum fidelity approach. We numerically determined the fidelity susceptibility as a function of the transverse field $B_x$ and the strength of the next-nearest-neighbor interaction $J_2$, for systems of up to 24 spins. We also examine the ground-state vector with respect to the spatial ordering of the spins. The ground-state phase diagram shows ferromagnetic, paramagnetic, floating, $\Braket{2,2}$ phases, and we predict an infinite number of modulated phases in the thermodynamic limit ($L \rightarrow \infty$). The transition lines separating the modulated phases seem to be of second-order, whereas the line between the floating and the $\Braket{2,2}$ phases is possibly of first-order.Comment: 10 pages, 20 figure

Griffiths phases in the strongly disordered Kondo necklace model

The effect of strong disorder on the one-dimensional Kondo necklace model is studied using a perturbative real-space renormalization group approach which becomes asymptotically exact in the low energy limit. The phase diagram of the model presents a random quantum critical point separating two phases; the {\em random singlet phase} of a quantum disordered XY chain and the random Kondo phase. We also consider an anisotropic version of the model and show that it maps on the strongly disordered transverse Ising model. The present results provide a rigorous microscopic basis for non-Fermi liquid behavior in disordered heavy fermions due to Griffiths phases.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Phase transitions in the two-dimensional super-antiferromagnetic Ising model with next-nearest-neighbor interactions

We use Monte Carlo and Transfer Matrix methods in combination with extrapolation schemes to determine the phase diagram of the 2D super-antiferromagnetic (SAF) Ising model with next-nearest-neighbor (nnn) interactions in a magnetic field. The interactions between nearest-neighbor (nn) spins are ferromagnetic along x, and antiferromagnetic along y. We find that for sufficiently low temperatures and fields, there exists a region limited by a critical line of 2nd-order transitions separating a SAF phase from a magnetically induced paramagnetic phase. We did not find any region with either first-order transition or with re-entrant behavior. The nnn couplings produce either an expansion or a contraction of the SAF phase. Expansion occurs when the interactions are antiferromagnetic, and contraction when they are ferromagnetic. There is a critical ratio R_c = 1/2 between nnn- and nn-couplings, beyond which the SAF phase no longer exists.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure

Quantum first order phase transitions

The scaling theory of critical phenomena has been successfully extended for classical first order transitions even though the correlation length does not diverge in these transitions. In this paper we apply the scaling ideas to quantum first order transitions. The usefulness of this approach is illustrated treating the problems of a superconductor coupled to a gauge field and of a biquadratic Heisenberg chain, at zero temperature. In both cases there is a latent energy associated with their discontinuous quantum transitions. We discuss the effects of disorder and give a general criterion for it's relevance in these transitions.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, misprints corrected and a reference added. Version published in PHYSICA

Single and Double Photoionization and Photodissociation of Toluene by Soft X-rays in Circumstellar Environment

The formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their methyl derivatives occurs mainly in the dust shells of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. The bands at 3.3 and 3.4 $\mu$m, observed in infrared emission spectra of several objects, are attributed C-H vibrational modes in aromatic and aliphatic structures, respectively. In general, the feature at 3.3 $\mu$m is more intense than the 3.4 $\mu$m. Photoionization and photodissociation processes of toluene, the precursor of methylated PAHs, were studied using synchrotron radiation at soft X-ray energies around the carbon K edge with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Partial ion yields of a large number of ionic fragments were extracted from single and 2D-spectra, where electron-ion coincidences have revealed the doubly charged parent-molecule and several doubly charged fragments containing seven carbon atoms with considerable abundance. \textit{Ab initio} calculations based on density functional theory were performed to elucidate the chemical structure of these stable dicationic species. The survival of the dications subjected to hard inner shell ionization suggests that they could be observed in the interstellar medium, especially in regions where PAHs are detected. The ionization and destruction of toluene induced by X-rays were examined in the T Dra conditions, a carbon-rich AGB star. In this context, a minimum photodissociation radius and the half-life of toluene subjected to the incidence of the soft X-ray flux emitted from a companion white dwarf star were determined.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, accept for publication in Ap

Large-Scale Detection of Non-Technical Losses in Imbalanced Data Sets

Non-technical losses (NTL) such as electricity theft cause significant harm to our economies, as in some countries they may range up to 40% of the total electricity distributed. Detecting NTLs requires costly on-site inspections. Accurate prediction of NTLs for customers using machine learning is therefore crucial. To date, related research largely ignore that the two classes of regular and non-regular customers are highly imbalanced, that NTL proportions may change and mostly consider small data sets, often not allowing to deploy the results in production. In this paper, we present a comprehensive approach to assess three NTL detection models for different NTL proportions in large real world data sets of 100Ks of customers: Boolean rules, fuzzy logic and Support Vector Machine. This work has resulted in appreciable results that are about to be deployed in a leading industry solution. We believe that the considerations and observations made in this contribution are necessary for future smart meter research in order to report their effectiveness on imbalanced and large real world data sets.Comment: Proceedings of the Seventh IEEE Conference on Innovative Smart Grid Technologies (ISGT 2016

Breakdown of the perturbative renormalization group for S >= 1 random antiferromagnetic spin chains

We investigate the application of a perturbative renormalization group (RG) method to random antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chains with arbitrary spin size. At zero temperature we observe that initial arbitrary probability distributions develop a singularity at J=0, for all values of spin S. When the RG method is extended to finite temperatures, without any additional assumptions, we find anomalous results for S >= 1. These results lead us to conclude that the perturbative scheme is not adequate to study random chains with S >= 1. Therefore a random singlet phase in its more restrictive definition is only assured for spin-1/2 chains.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. To appear in Physical Review