475 research outputs found
Weak measurement and rapid state reduction in bipartite quantum systems
In this paper we consider feedback control algorithms for the rapid
purification of a bipartite state consisting of two qubits, when the observer
has access to only one of the qubits. We show 1) that the algorithm that
maximizes the average purification rate is not the same as that that for a
single qubit, and 2) that it is always possible to construct an algorithm that
generates a deterministic rate of purification for {\em both} qubits. We also
reveal a key difference between projective and continuous measurements with
regard to state-purification.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Bellman equations for optimal feedback control of qubit states
Using results from quantum filtering theory and methods from classical
control theory, we derive an optimal control strategy for an open two-level
system (a qubit in interaction with the electromagnetic field) controlled by a
laser. The aim is to optimally choose the laser's amplitude and phase in order
to drive the system into a desired state. The Bellman equations are obtained
for the case of diffusive and counting measurements for vacuum field states. A
full exact solution of the optimal control problem is given for a system with
simpler, linear, dynamics. These linear dynamics can be obtained physically by
considering a two-level atom in a strongly driven, heavily damped, optical
cavity.Comment: 10 pages, no figures, replaced the simpler model in section
Optimal Pointers for Joint Measurement of sigma-x and sigma-z via Homodyne Detection
We study a model of a two-level system (i.e. a qubit) in interaction with the
electromagnetic field. By means of homodyne detection, one field-quadrature is
observed continuously in time. Due to the interaction, information about the
initial state of the qubit is transferred into the field, thus influencing the
homodyne measurement results. We construct random variables (pointers) on the
probability space of homodyne measurement outcomes having distributions close
to the initial distributions of sigma-x and sigma-z. Using variational
calculus, we find the pointers that are optimal. These optimal pointers are
very close to hitting the bound imposed by Heisenberg's uncertainty relation on
joint measurement of two non-commuting observables. We close the paper by
giving the probability densities of the pointers.Comment: 20 pages, 13 figures, typos corrected, reference adde
Adaptive drift and barrier-avoidance by a fly-forage migrant along a climate-driven flyway
BACKGROUND: Route choice and travel performance of fly-forage migrants are partly driven by large-scale habitat availability, but it remains unclear to what extent wind support through large-scale wind regimes moulds their migratory behaviour. We aimed to determine to what extent a trans-equatorial fly-forage migrant engages in adaptive drift through distinct wind regimes and biomes across Africa. The Inter-tropical Front (ITF) marks a strong and seasonally shifting climatic boundary at the thermal equator, and we assessed whether migratory detours were associated with this climatic feature. Furthermore, we sought to disentangle the influence of wind and biome on daily, regional and seasonal travel performance. METHODS: We GPS-tracked 19 adult Eleonoraâs falcons Falco eleonorae from the westernmost population on the Canary Islands across 39 autumn and 36 spring migrations to and from Madagascar. Tracks were annotated with wind data to assess the falconsâ orientation behaviour and the wind support they achieved in each season and distinct biomes. We further tested whether falcon routes across the Sahel were correlated with the ITF position, and how realized wind support and biome affect daily travel times, distances and speeds. RESULTS: Changes in orientation behaviour across Africaâs biomes were associated with changes in prevailing wind fields. Falcons realized higher wind support along their detours than was available along the shortest possible route by drifting through adverse autumn wind fields, but compromised wind support while detouring through supportive spring wind fields. Movements across the Sahel-Sudan zone were strongly associated to the ITF position in autumn, but were more individually variable in spring. Realized wind support was an important driver of daily travel speeds and distances, in conjunction with regional wind-independent variation in daily travel time budgets. CONCLUSIONS: Although daily travel time budgets of falcons vary independently from wind, their daily travel performance is strongly affected by orientation-dependent wind support. Falcons thereby tend to drift to minimize or avoid headwinds through opposing wind fields and over ecological barriers, while compensating through weak or supportive wind fields and over hospitable biomes. The ITF may offer a climatic leading line to fly-forage migrants in terms of both flight and foraging conditions. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40462-021-00272-8
Correlated patterns in non-monotonic graded-response perceptrons
The optimal capacity of graded-response perceptrons storing biased and
spatially correlated patterns with non-monotonic input-output relations is
studied. It is shown that only the structure of the output patterns is
important for the overall performance of the perceptrons.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Non Markovian Quantum Repeated Interactions and Measurements
A non-Markovian model of quantum repeated interactions between a small
quantum system and an infinite chain of quantum systems is presented. By
adapting and applying usual pro jection operator techniques in this context,
discrete versions of the integro-differential and time-convolutioness Master
equations for the reduced system are derived. Next, an intuitive and rigorous
description of the indirect quantum measurement principle is developed and a
discrete non Markovian stochastic Master equation for the open system is
obtained. Finally, the question of unravelling in a particular model of
non-Markovian quantum interactions is discussed.Comment: 22 page
How Smart are Smart Materials?:A Conceptual and Ethical Analysis of Smart Lifelike Materials for the Design of Regenerative Valve Implants
It may soon become possible not just to replace, but to re-grow healthy tissues after injury or disease, because of innovations in the field of Regenerative Medicine. One particularly promising innovation is a regenerative valve implant to treat people with heart valve disease. These implants are fabricated from so-called 'smart', 'lifelike' materials. Implanted inside a heart, these implants stimulate re-growth of a healthy, living heart valve. While the technological development advances, the ethical implications of this new technology are still unclear and a clear conceptual understanding of the notions 'smart' and 'lifelike' is currently lacking. In this paper, we explore the conceptual and ethical implications of the development of smart lifelike materials for the design of regenerative implants, by analysing heart valve implants as a showcase. In our conceptual analysis, we show that the materials are considered 'smart' because they can communicate with human tissues, and 'lifelike' because they are structurally similar to these tissues. This shows that regenerative valve implants become intimately integrated in the living tissues of the human body. As such, they manifest the ontological entanglement of body and technology. In our ethical analysis, we argue this is ethically significant in at least two ways: It exacerbates the irreversibility of the implantation procedure, and it might affect the embodied experience of the implant recipient. With our conceptual and ethical analysis, we aim to contribute to responsible development of smart lifelike materials and regenerative implants.</p
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