6,861 research outputs found
The geometric role of symmetry breaking in gravity
In gravity, breaking symmetry from a group G to a group H plays the role of
describing geometry in relation to the geometry the homogeneous space G/H. The
deep reason for this is Cartan's "method of equivalence," giving, in
particular, an exact correspondence between metrics and Cartan connections. I
argue that broken symmetry is thus implicit in any gravity theory, for purely
geometric reasons. As an application, I explain how this kind of thinking gives
a new approach to Hamiltonian gravity in which an observer field spontaneously
breaks Lorentz symmetry and gives a Cartan connection on space.Comment: 4 pages. Contribution written for proceedings of the conference
"Loops 11" (Madrid, May 2011
The Immirzi Parameter as an Instanton Angle
The Barbero-Immirzi parameter is a one parameter quantization ambiguity
underpinning the loop approach to quantum gravity that bears tantalizing
similarities to the theta parameter of gauge theories such as Yang-Mills and
QCD. Despite the apparent semblance, the Barbero-Immirzi field has resisted a
direct topological interpretation along the same lines as the theta-parameter.
Here we offer such an interpretation. Our approach begins from the perspective
of Einstein-Cartan gravity as the symmetry broken phase of a de Sitter gauge
theory. From this angle, just as in ordinary gauge theories, a theta-term
emerges from the requirement that the vacuum is stable against quantum
mechanical tunneling. The Immirzi parameter is then identified as a combination
of Newton's constant, the cosmological constant, and the theta-parameter.Comment: 24 page
Gravity from a fermionic condensate of a gauge theory
The most prominent realization of gravity as a gauge theory similar to the
gauge theories of the standard model comes from enlarging the gauge group from
the Lorentz group to the de Sitter group. To regain ordinary Einstein-Cartan
gravity the symmetry must be broken, which can be accomplished by known
quasi-dynamic mechanisms. Motivated by symmetry breaking models in particle
physics and condensed matter systems, we propose that the symmetry can
naturally be broken by a homogenous and isotropic fermionic condensate of
ordinary spinors. We demonstrate that the condensate is compatible with the
Einstein-Cartan equations and can be imposed in a fully de Sitter invariant
manner. This lends support, and provides a physically realistic mechanism for
understanding gravity as a gauge theory with a spontaneously broken local de
Sitter symmetry.Comment: 16 page
Comparison of CFD and DSMC Using Calibrated Transport Parameters
Hypersonic re-entry flows span a wide range of length scales where regions of both rarefied and continuum flow exist. Traditional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques do not provide an accurate solution for the rarefied regions of such mixed flow fields. Although direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) can be used to accurately capture both the continuum and rarefied features of mixed flow fields, they are computationally expensive when employed to simulate the low Knudsen number continuum regimes. Thus, a hybrid framework for seamlessly combining the two methodologies, CFD and DSMC, continues to be a topic of significant research effort. Ensuring consistency in the reaction kinetics and transport models employed within CFD and DSMC is a crucial requirement for obtaining a reliable solution from a hybrid framework for combined continuum/rarefied high speed flows. This paper represents one of the first studies to utilize the calibrated transport parameters developed to ensure consistency between CFD and DSMC solvers. The new variable soft sphere (VSS) parameters are compared to both previous standard variable hard sphere (VHS) parameters and also to solutions from the CFD transport properties that the new parameters were developed to reproduce
In-situ plasma chamber monitoring for feedforward process control
This paper examines the effects of polymer buildup in plasma etching systems and describes a micromachined sensor for in-situ polymer thickness measurement. Using gas flows of 45 sccm CHF3CHF3 and 15 sccm CF4CF4 at 50 mTorr and 1000 W, the oxide:polysilicon selectivity ranges from 2.6 to 8.5 as the polymer thickness on the tool walls varies from 0 to 240 nm. The polymer sensor is based on an electrothermal oscillator that measures the thermal mass change as polymer builds up on a stress-compensated dielectric window. The change in the thermal mass of the window can be detected as a variation in the pulse width (cooling time) of the oscillation. The device operates with a typical cooling time of 2.7 msec and has a measurement resolution of better than 1 nm. The device is flush-mounted in the chamber wall with the exposed window area protected by a thin film of iridium against damage by the plasma. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87553/2/427_1.pd
A new chiral electro-optic effect: Sum-frequency generation from optically active liquids in the presence of a dc electric field
We report the observation of sum-frequency signals that depend linearly on an
applied electrostatic field and that change sign with the handedness of an
optically active solution. This recently predicted chiral electro-optic effect
exists in the electric-dipole approximation. The static electric field gives
rise to an electric-field-induced sum-frequency signal (an achiral third-order
process) that interferes with the chirality-specific sum-frequency at
second-order. The cross-terms linear in the electrostatic field constitute the
effect and may be used to determine the absolute sign of second- and
third-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities in isotropic media.Comment: Submitted to Physical Revie
A self-controlled microcontrolled microvalve
Integrated microvalves are needed for a broad range of semiconductor-processing-related applications. These include precision mass microflow controllers (μFCs) for dry etch systems, miniature gas chromatography systems for real-time monitoring, point-of-use semiconductor process reactant generators, and compact control systems for mini-environments. This paper reports a pneumatically actuated, integrated silicon microvalve, which was developed as a forerunner to an 8b μFC intended for the precision control of semiconductor process gases in the range from 0.1 to 10 sccm. The structure was designed to be batch-fabricated and compatible with on-chip thermopneumatic actuation. Assembled single-bit μFC devices achieve the targeted flow rate of 5 sccm (determined by an in-line flow channel) at 20 psid (1034 torr). The valve alone may achieve significantly higher flow rates. The leak rate is 0.08 sccm under 26.1 psig actuation pressure, and the valve can seal against pressures greater than 29 psid (1500 torr). © 1998 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87556/2/937_1.pd
MacDowell-Mansouri gravity and Cartan geometry
The geometric content of the MacDowell-Mansouri formulation of general
relativity is best understood in terms of Cartan geometry. In particular,
Cartan geometry gives clear geometric meaning to the MacDowell-Mansouri trick
of combining the Levi-Civita connection and coframe field, or soldering form,
into a single physical field. The Cartan perspective allows us to view physical
spacetime as tangentially approximated by an arbitrary homogeneous "model
spacetime", including not only the flat Minkowski model, as is implicitly used
in standard general relativity, but also de Sitter, anti de Sitter, or other
models. A "Cartan connection" gives a prescription for parallel transport from
one "tangent model spacetime" to another, along any path, giving a natural
interpretation of the MacDowell-Mansouri connection as "rolling" the model
spacetime along physical spacetime. I explain Cartan geometry, and "Cartan
gauge theory", in which the gauge field is replaced by a Cartan connection. In
particular, I discuss MacDowell-Mansouri gravity, as well as its more recent
reformulation in terms of BF theory, in the context of Cartan geometry.Comment: 34 pages, 5 figures. v2: many clarifications, typos correcte
Electronic states and optical properties of PbSe nanorods and nanowires
A theory of the electronic structure and excitonic absorption spectra of PbS
and PbSe nanowires and nanorods in the framework of a four-band effective mass
model is presented. Calculations conducted for PbSe show that dielectric
contrast dramatically strengthens the exciton binding in narrow nanowires and
nanorods. However, the self-interaction energies of the electron and hole
nearly cancel the Coulomb binding, and as a result the optical absorption
spectra are practically unaffected by the strong dielectric contrast between
PbSe and the surrounding medium. Measurements of the size-dependent absorption
spectra of colloidal PbSe nanorods are also presented. Using room-temperature
energy-band parameters extracted from the optical spectra of spherical PbSe
nanocrystals, the theory provides good quantitative agreement with the measured
spectra.Comment: 35 pages, 12 figure
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