Optimizing Replica Exchange Moves For Molecular Dynamics

In this short note we sketch the statistical physics framework of the replica exchange technique when applied to molecular dynamics simulations. In particular, we draw attention to generalized move sets that allow a variety of optimizations as well as new applications of the method.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; revised version (1 figure added), PRE in pres

Effect of interactions on vortices in a nonequilibrium polariton condensate

We demonstrate the creation of vortices in a macroscopically occupied polariton state formed in a semiconductor microcavity. A weak external laser beam carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) is used to imprint a vortex on the condensate arising from the polariton optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The vortex core radius is found to decrease with increasing pump power, and is determined by polariton-polariton interactions. As a result of OAM conservation in the parametric scattering process, the excitation consists of a vortex in the signal and a corresponding antivortex in the idler of the OPO. The experimental results are in good agreement with a theoretical model of a vortex in the polariton OPO

Uncoupled excitons in semiconductor microcavities detected in resonant Raman scattering

We present an outgoing resonant Raman-scattering study of a GaAs/AlGaAs based microcavity embedded in a p-i-n junction. The p-i-n junction allows the vertical electric field to be varied, permitting control of exciton-photon detuning and quenching of photoluminescence which otherwise obscures the inelastic light scattering signals. Peaks corresponding to the upper and lower polariton branches are observed in the resonant Raman cross sections, along with a third peak at the energy of uncoupled excitons. This third peak, attributed to disorder activated Raman scattering, provides clear evidence for the existence of uncoupled exciton reservoir states in microcavities in the strong-coupling regime

Polarization bistability and resultant spin rings in semiconductor microcavities

The transmission of a pump laser resonant with the lower polariton branch of a semiconductor microcavity is shown to be highly dependent on the degree of circular polarization of the pump. Spin dependent anisotropy of polariton-polariton interactions allows the internal polarization to be controlled by varying the pump power. The formation of spatial patterns, spin rings with high degree of circular polarization, arising as a result of polarization bistability, is observed. A phenomenological model based on spin dependent Gross-Pitaevskii equations provides a good description of the experimental results. Inclusion of interactions with the incoherent exciton reservoir, which provides spin-independent blueshifts of the polariton modes, is found to be essential.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Barbiturate and picrotoxin-sensitive chloride efflux in rat cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes

AbstractThe effects of various barbiturates and picrotoxin in modifying the efflux of chloride (36Cl−) was studied in a novel subcellular preparation from rat cerebral cortex, the ‘synaptoneurosome’. Dilution of synaptoneurosomes pre-loaded with 36Cl− resulted in rapid efflux of 36Cl− that could be measured as early as 10 s following dilution. In the presence of barbiturates such as pentobarbital and hexobarbital there was a significant increase in 36Cl− efflux which was not observed with the pharmacologically-inactive barbiturate, barbital. The effect of barbiturates in enhancing 36Cl− efflux was also stereospecific [(−)-DMBB > (+)-DMBB] and reversed by picrotoxin. By contrast, picrotoxin alone significantly inhibited 36Cl− efflux. These data demonstrate pharmacologically relevant Cl− transport for the first time in a subcellular brain preparation

Control of polarization and mode mapping of small volume high Q micropillars

We show that the polarization of the emission of a single quantum dot embedded within a microcavity pillar of elliptical cross section can be completely controlled and even switched between two orthogonal linear polarizations by changing the coupling of the dot emission with the polarized photonic modes. We also measure the spatial profle of the emission of a series of pillars with different ellipticities and show that the results can be well described by simple theoretical modeling of the modes of an infinite length elliptical cylinder

Energy levels and magneto-optical transitions in parabolic quantum dots with spin-orbit coupling

We report on the electronic properties of few interacting electrons confined in a parabolic quantum dot based on a theoretical approach developed to investigate the influence of Bychkov-Rashba spin-orbit (SO) interaction on such a system. We note that the spin-orbit coupling profoundly influences the energy spectrum of interacting electrons in a quantum dot. Here we present accurate results for the energy levels and optical-absorption spectra for parabolic quantum dots containing upto four interacting electrons, in the presence of spin-orbit coupling and under the influence of an externally applied, perpendicular magnetic field. We have described in detail about a very accurate numerical scheme to evaluate these quantities. We have evaluated the effects of SO coupling on the Fock-Darwin spectra for quantum dots made out of three different semiconductor systems, InAs, InSb, and GaAs.Comment: expanded version of cond-mat/0501642 to be published in Phys. Rev. Let

Vortices in resonant polariton condensates in semiconductor microcavities

Covering general theoretical concepts and the research to date, this book demonstrates that Bose-Einstein condensation is a truly universal phenomenon

Fermi-Edge Singularities in AlxGa1-xAs Quantum Wells : Extrinsic Versus Many-Body Scattering Processes

A Fano resonance mechanism is evidenced to control the formation of optical Fermi-edge singularities in multi-subband systems such as remotely doped AlxGa1-xAs heterostructures. Using Fano parameters, we probe the physical nature of the interaction between Fermi-sea electrons and empty conduction subbands. We show that processes of extrinsic origin like alloy-disorder prevail easily at 2D over multiple diffusions from charged valence holes expected by many-body scenarios.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter