Generalized Forward-Backward Splitting with Penalization for Monotone Inclusion Problems

We introduce a generalized forward-backward splitting method with penalty term for solving monotone inclusion problems involving the sum of a finite number of maximally monotone operators and the normal cone to the nonempty set of zeros of another maximal monotone operator. We show weak ergodic convergence of the generated sequence of iterates to a solution of the considered monotone inclusion problem, provided the condition corresponded to the Fitzpatrick function of the operator describing the set of the normal cone is fulfilled. Under strong monotonicity of an operator, we show strong convergence of the iterates. Furthermore, we utilize the proposed method for minimizing a large-scale hierarchical minimization problem concerning the sum of differentiable and nondifferentiable convex functions subject to the set of minima of another differentiable convex function. We illustrate the functionality of the method through numerical experiments addressing constrained elastic net and generalized Heron location problems

Positrons from Primordial Black Hole Microquasars and Gamma-ray Bursts

We propose several novel scenarios how capture of small sublunar-mass primordial black holes (PBHs) by compact stars, white dwarfs or neutron stars, can lead to distinct short gamma-ray bursts (sGRBs) as well as microquasars (MQs). In addition to providing new signatures, relativistic jets from these systems will accelerate positrons to high energies. We find that if PBHs constitute a sizable fraction of DM, they can significantly contribute to the excess observed in the positron flux by the Pamela, the AMS-02 and the Fermi-LAT experiments. Our proposal combines the beneficial features of astrophysical sources and dark matter.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures, v2: significant revisions, published version, Physics Letters B (2018

Possible zero-magnetic field fractional quantization in In0.75Ga0.25As heterostructures

In this Letter, we report a systematic study of a structure found in zero magnetic field at or near 0.2 ×(e2/h) in In0.75Ga0.25As heterostructures, where e is the fundamental unit of charge and h is Planck's constant. This structure has been observed in many samples and stays at near constant conductance despite a large range of external potential changes, the stability indicating a quantum state. We have also studied the structure in the presence of high in-plane magnetic fields and find an anisotropy which can be related to the Rashba spin–orbit interaction and agrees with a recent theory based on the formation of coherent back-scattering. A possible state with conductance at 0.25 ×(e2/h) has also been found. The quantum states described here will help with the fundamental understanding of low-dimensional electronic systems with strong spin–orbit coupling and may offer new perspectives for future applications in quantum information schemes

Soil Microbial Networks Shift Across a High-Elevation Successional Gradient.

While it is well established that microbial composition and diversity shift along environmental gradients, how interactions among microbes change is poorly understood. Here, we tested how community structure and species interactions among diverse groups of soil microbes (bacteria, fungi, non-fungal eukaryotes) change across a fundamental ecological gradient, succession. Our study system is a high-elevation alpine ecosystem that exhibits variability in successional stage due to topography and harsh environmental conditions. We used hierarchical Bayesian joint distribution modeling to remove the influence of environmental covariates on species distributions and generated interaction networks using the residual species-to-species variance-covariance matrix. We hypothesized that as ecological succession proceeds, diversity will increase, species composition will change, and soil microbial networks will become more complex. As expected, we found that diversity of most taxonomic groups increased over succession, and species composition changed considerably. Interestingly, and contrary to our hypothesis, interaction networks became less complex over succession (fewer interactions per taxon). Interactions between photosynthetic microbes and any other organism became less frequent over the gradient, whereas interactions between plants or soil microfauna and any other organism were more abundant in late succession. Results demonstrate that patterns in diversity and composition do not necessarily relate to patterns in network complexity and suggest that network analyses provide new insight into the ecology of highly diverse, microscopic communities

Studying alumina boundary migration using combined microscopy techniques

Thermal grooving and migration of grain boundaries in alumina have been investigated using a variety of microscopy techniques. Using two different methods, polycrystalline alumina was used to investigate wet, (implying the presence of a glassy phase), and dry grain boundaries. In the first, single-crystal Al2O3 was hot-pressed via liquid phase sintering (LPS) to polycrystalline alumina with an anorthite glass film at the interface. Pulsed laser deposition was used to deposit approximately 100-nm thick glass films. Specimens were annealed in air at 1650°C for 20 h to induce boundary migration. Boundary characterization was carried out using visible light (VLM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopies. Effects on migration due to surface orientation of grains were investigated using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The second method dealt with heat treating dry boundaries in polycrystalline alumina to monitor boundary migration behavior via remnant thermal grooves. Heat treatments were conducted at 1650°C for 30 min. The same region of the sample was mapped using VLM and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and followed over a series of 30 min heat treatments. Boundary migration through a pore trapped inside the grain matrix was of particular interest

Unusual conductance collapse in one-dimensional quantum structures

We report an unusual insulating state in one-dimensional quantum wires with a non-uniform confinement potential. The wires consist of a series of closely spaced split gates in high mobility GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures. At certain combinations of wire widths, the conductance abruptly drops over three orders of magnitude, to zero on a linear scale. Two types of collapse are observed, one occurring in multi-subband wires in zero magnetic field and one in single subband wires in an in-plane field. The conductance of the wire in the collapse region is thermally activated with an energy of the order of 1 K. At low temperatures, the conductance shows a steep rise beyond a threshold DC source-drain voltage of order 1 mV, indicative of a gap in the density of states. Magnetic depopulation measurements show a decrease in the carrier density with lowering temperature. We discuss these results in the context of many-body effects such as charge density waves and Wigner crystallization in quantum wires.Comment: 5 pages, 5 eps figures, revte

Probing the Sensitivity of Electron Wave Interference to Disorder-Induced Scattering in Solid-State Devices

The study of electron motion in semiconductor billiards has elucidated our understanding of quantum interference and quantum chaos. The central assumption is that ionized donors generate only minor perturbations to the electron trajectories, which are determined by scattering from billiard walls. We use magnetoconductance fluctuations as a probe of the quantum interference and show that these fluctuations change radically when the scattering landscape is modified by thermally-induced charge displacement between donor sites. Our results challenge the accepted understanding of quantum interference effects in nanostructures.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, Submitted to Physical Review

Indistinguishable entangled photons generated by a light-emitting diode

A linear optical quantum computer relies on interference between photonic qubits for logic, and entanglement for near-deterministic operation. Here we measure the interference and entanglement properties of photons emitted by a quantum dot embedded within a light-emitting diode. We show that pairs of simultaneously generated photons are entangled, and indistinguishable from subsequently generated photons. We measure entanglement fidelity of 0.87 and two-photon-interference visibility of 0.60 ± 0.05. The visibility, limited by detector jitter, could be improved by optical cavity designs