Sensing of single nuclear spins in random thermal motion with proximate nitrogen-vacancy centers

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond have emerged as valuable tools for sensing and polarizing spins. Motivated by potential applications in chemistry, biology, and medicine, we show that NV-based sensors are capable of detecting single spin targets even if they undergo diffusive motion in an ambient thermal environment. Focusing on experimentally relevant diffusion regimes, we derive an effective model for the NV-target interaction, where parameters entering the model are obtained from numerical simulations of the target motion. The practicality of our approach is demonstrated by analyzing two realistic experimental scenarios: (i) time-resolved sensing of a fluorine nuclear spin bound to an N-heterocyclic carbene-ruthenium (NHC-Ru) catalyst that is immobilized on the diamond surface and (ii) detection of an electron spin label by an NV center in a nanodiamond, both attached to a vibrating chemokine receptor in thermal motion. We find in particular that the detachment of a fluorine target from the NHC-Ru carrier molecule can be monitored with a time resolution of a few seconds.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, supplemental materia

Dephasing-assisted transport in linear triple quantum dots

Environmental noise usually hinders the efficiency of charge transport through coherent quantum systems; an exception is dephasing-assisted transport (DAT). We show that linear triple quantum dots in a transport configuration and subjected to pure dephasing exhibit DAT if the coupling to the drain reservoir exceeds a threshold. DAT occurs for arbitrarily weak dephasing and the enhancement can be directly controlled by the coupling to the drain. Moreover, for specific settings, the enhanced current is accompanied by a reduction in relative shot noise. We identify the quantum Zeno effect and long-distance tunnelling as underlying dynamical processes involved in dephasing-assisted and -suppressed transport. Our analytical results are obtained by using the density matrix formalism and the characteristic polynomial approach to full counting statistics.Comment: To appear in New Journal of Physics, 20 pages, 5 figure

Depletion of molecular gas by an accretion outburst in a protoplanetary disk

We investigate new and archival 3-5 $\mu$m high resolution ($\sim3$ km s$^{-1}$) spectroscopy of molecular gas in the inner disk of the young solar-mass star EX Lupi, taken during and after the strong accretion outburst of 2008. The data were obtained using the CRIRES spectrometer at the ESO Very Large Telescope in 2008 and 2014. In 2008, emission lines from CO, H$_{2}$O, and OH were detected with broad profiles tracing gas near and within the corotation radius (0.02-0.3 AU). In 2014, the spectra display marked differences. The CO lines, while still detected, are much weaker, and the H$_{2}$O and OH lines have disappeared altogether. At 3 $\mu$m a veiled stellar photospheric spectrum is observed. Our analysis finds that the molecular gas mass in the inner disk has decreased by an order of magnitude since the outburst, matching a similar decrease in the accretion rate onto the star. We discuss these findings in the context of a rapid depletion of material accumulated beyond the disk corotation radius during quiescent periods, as proposed by models of episodic accretion in EXor type young stars.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letter

Probing the radial temperature structure of protoplanetary disks with Herschel/HIFI

Herschel/HIFI spectroscopic observations of CO J=10-9, CO J=16-15 and [CII] towards HD 100546 are presented. The objective is to resolve the velocity profile of the lines to address the emitting region of the transitions and directly probe the distribution of warm gas in the disk. The spectra reveal double-peaked CO line profiles centered on the systemic velocity, consistent with a disk origin. The J=16-15 line profile is broader than that of the J=10-9 line, which in turn is broader than those of lower J transitions (6-5, 3-2, observed with APEX), thus showing a clear temperature gradient of the gas with radius. A power-law flat disk model is used to fit the CO line profiles and the CO rotational ladder simultaneously, yielding a temperature of T_0=1100 \pm 350 K (at r_0 = 13 AU) and an index of q=0.85 \pm 0.1 for the temperature radial gradient. This indicates that the gas has a steeper radial temperature gradient than the dust (mean q_{dust} ~ 0.5), providing further proof of the thermal decoupling of gas and dust at the disk heights where the CO lines form. The [CII] line profile shows a strong single-peaked profile red-shifted by 0.5 km s-1 compared to the systemic velocity. We conclude that the bulk of the [CII] emission has a non-disk origin (e.g., remnant envelope or diffuse cloud).Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

Exploiting boundary states of imperfect spin chains for high-fidelity state transfer

We study transfer of a quantum state through XX spin chains with static imperfections. We combine the two standard approaches for state transfer based on (i) modulated couplings between neighboring spins throughout the spin chain and (ii) weak coupling of the outermost spins to an unmodulated spin chain. The combined approach allows us to design spin chains with modulated couplings and localized boundary states, permitting high-fidelity state transfer in the presence of random static imperfections of the couplings. The modulated couplings are explicitly obtained from an exact algorithm using the close relation between tridiagonal matrices and orthogonal polynomials [Linear Algebr. Appl. 21, 245 (1978)]. The implemented algorithm and a graphical user interface for constructing spin chains with boundary states (spinGUIn) are provided as Supplemental Material.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures + spinGUIn description and Matlab files iepsolve.m, spinGUIn.fig, spinGUIn.

Resolved gas cavities in transitional disks inferred from CO isotopologues with ALMA

Transitional disks around young stars are promising candidates to look for recently formed, embedded planets. Planet-disk interaction models predict that planets clear a gap in the gas while trapping dust at larger radii. Other physical mechanisms could be responsible for cavities as well. Previous observations have revealed that gas is still present inside these cavities, but the spatial distribution of this gas remains uncertain. We present high spatial resolution observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) of 13CO and C18O lines of four well-studied transitional disks. The observations are used to set constraints on the gas surface density, specifically cavity size and density drop inside the cavity. The physical-chemical model DALI is used to analyze the gas images of SR21, HD135344B, DoAr44 and IRS48. The main parameters of interest are the size, depth and shape of the gas cavity. CO isotope-selective photodissociation is included to properly constrain the surface density in the outer disk from C18O emission. The gas cavities are up to 3 times smaller than those of the dust in all four disks. Model fits indicate that the surface density inside the gas cavities decreases by a factor of 100-10000 compared with the surface density profile derived from the outer disk. A comparison with an analytical model of gap depths by planet-disk interaction shows that the disk viscosities are likely low, with a<1E-3 for planet masses <10 MJup. The resolved measurements of the gas and dust in transition disk cavities support the predictions of models that describe how planet-disk interactions sculpt gas disk structures and influence the evolution of dust grains. These observed structures strongly suggest the presence of giant planetary companions in transition disk cavities, although at smaller orbital radii than is typically indicated from the dust cavity radii alone.Comment: Accepted by A&A; version after language-editin

Disentangling the jet emission from protostellar systems. The ALMA view of VLA1623

Context: High-resolution studies of class 0 protostars represent the key to constraining protostar formation models. VLA16234-2417 represents the prototype of class 0 protostars, and it has been recently identified as a triple non-coeval system. Aim: We aim at deriving the physical properties of the jets in VLA16234-2417 using tracers of shocked gas. Methods: ALMA Cycle 0 Early Science observations of CO(2-1) in the extended configuration are presented in comparison with previous SMA CO(3-2) and Herschel-PACS [OI}] 63 micron observations. Gas morphology and kinematics were analysed to constrain the physical structure and origin of the protostellar outflows. Results: We reveal a collimated jet component associated with the [OI] 63 micron emission at about 8'' (about 960 AU) from source B. This newly detected jet component is inversely oriented with respect to the large-scale outflow driven by source A, and it is aligned with compact and fast jet emission very close to source B (about 0.3'') rather than with the direction perpendicular to the A disk. We also detect a cavity-like structure at low projected velocities, which surrounds the [OI] 63 micron emission and is possibly associated with the outflow driven by source A. Finally, no compact outflow emission is associated with source W. Conclusions: Our high-resolution ALMA observations seem to suggest there is a fast and collimated jet component associated with source B. This scenario would confirm that source B is younger than A, that it is in a very early stage of evolution, and that it drives a faster, more collimated, and more compact jet with respect to the large-scale slower outflow driven by A. However, a different scenario of a precessing jet driven by A cannot be firmly excluded from the present observations.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Matter sound waves in two-component Bose-Einstein condensates

The creation and propagation of sound waves in two-component Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) are investigated and a new method of wave generation in binary BEC mixtures is proposed. The method is based on a fast change of the inter-species interaction constant and is illustrated for two experimental settings: a drop-like condensate immersed into a second large repulsive condensate, and a binary mixture of two homogeneous repulsive BEC's. A mathematical model based on the linearized coupled Gross-Pitaevskii equations is developed and explicit formulae for the space and time dependence of sound waves are provided. Comparison of the analytical and numerical results shows excellent agreement, confirming the validity of the proposed approach.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figure

Probing planet formation and disk substructures in the inner disk of Herbig Ae stars with CO rovibrational emission

Context. CO rovibrational lines are efficient probes of warm molecular gas and can give unique insights into the inner 10 AU of proto-planetary disks, effectively complementing ALMA observations. Recent studies find a relation between the ratio of lines originating from the second and first vibrationally excited state, denoted as v2∕v1, and the Keplerian velocity or emitting radius of CO. Counterintuitively, in disks around Herbig Ae stars the vibrational excitation is low when CO lines come from close to the star, and high when lines only probe gas at large radii (more than 5 AU). The v2∕v1 ratio is also counterintuitively anti-correlated with the near-infrared (NIR) excess, which probes hot and warm dust in the inner disk. Aims. We aim to find explanations for the observed trends between CO vibrational ratio, emitting radii and NIR excess, and to identify their implications in terms of the physical and chemical structure of inner disks around Herbig stars. Methods. First, slab model explorations in local thermal equilibrium (LTE) and non-LTE are used to identify the essential parameter space regions that can produce the observed CO emission. Second, we explore a grid of thermo-chemical models using the DALI code, varying gas-to-dust ratio and inner disk radius. Line flux, line ratios, and emitting radii are extracted from the simulated lines in the same way as the observations and directly compared to the data. Results. Broad CO lines with low vibrational ratios are best explained by a warm (400–1300 K) inner disk surface with gas-to-dust ratios below 1000 (N_(CO) 10¹⁸ cm⁻²) at the cavity wall. In all cases, the CO gas must be close to thermalization with the dust (T_(gas) ~ T_(dust)). Conclusions. The high gas-to-dust ratios needed to explain high v2∕v1 in narrow CO lines for a subset of group I disks can be naturally interpreted as due to the dust traps that are proposed to explain millimeter dust cavities. The dust trap and the low gas surface density inside the cavity are consistent with the presence of one or more massive planets. The difference between group I disks with low and high NIR excess can be explained by gap opening mechanisms that do or do not create an efficient dust trap, respectively. The broad lines seen in most group II objects indicate a very flat disk in addition to inner disk substructures within 10 AU that can be related to the substructures recently observed with ALMA. We provide simulated ELT-METIS images to directly test these scenarios in the future