Graded-index optical fiber emulator of an interacting three-atom system: illumination control of particle statistics and classical non-separability

We show that a system of three trapped ultracold and strongly interacting atoms in one-dimension can be emulated using an optical fiber with a graded-index profile and thin metallic slabs. While the wave-nature of single quantum particles leads to direct and well known analogies with classical optics, for interacting many-particle systems with unrestricted statistics such analoga are not straightforward. Here we study the symmetries present in the fiber eigenstates by using discrete group theory and show that, by spatially modulating the incident field, one can select the atomic statistics, i.e., emulate a system of three bosons, fermions or two bosons or fermions plus an additional distinguishable particle. We also show that the optical system is able to produce classical non-separability resembling that found in the analogous atomic system.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

Electromagnetism in terms of quantum measurements

We consider the question whether electromagnetism can be derived from quantum physics of measurements. It turns out that this is possible, both for quantum and classical electromagnetism, if we use more recent innovations such as smearing of observables and simultaneous measurability. In this way we justify the use of von Neumann-type measurement models for physical processes. We apply operational quantum measurement theory to gain insight in fundamental aspects of quantum physics. Interactions of von Neumann type make the Heisenberg evolution of observables describable using explicit operator deformations. In this way one can obtain quantized electromagnetism as a measurement of a system by another. The relevant deformations (Rieffel deformations) have a mathematically well-defined "classical" limit which is indeed classical electromagnetism for our choice of interaction

Time-Dependent Variational Analysis of Josephson Oscillations in a Two-component Bose-Einstein Condensate

The dynamics of Josephson-like oscillations between two coupled Bose-Einstein condensates is studied using the time-dependent variational method. We suppose that the quantum state of the condensates is a gaussian wave-packet which can translate and perform breathing shape oscillations. Under this hypotheses we study the influence of these degrees of freedom on the tunneling dynamics by comparing the full-model with one where these degrees of freedom are ``frozen'' at its equilibrium values. The result of our calculation shows that when the traps are not displaced the two models agree, whereas when they are, the models differ considerably, the former being now closer to its linear approximation.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

O potencial do DNA barcode para a taxonomia de minhocas: identificação e conservação de espécies brasileiras.

Resumo. FERTBIO 2014

Uso de DNA barcode para a identificação de minhocas encontradas num gradiente altitudinal na Floresta Atlântica - Paraná.

Resumo. FERTBIO 2014

Liquid-infiltrated photonic crystals - enhanced light-matter interactions for lab-on-a-chip applications

Optical techniques are finding widespread use in analytical chemistry for chemical and bio-chemical analysis. During the past decade, there has been an increasing emphasis on miniaturization of chemical analysis systems and naturally this has stimulated a large effort in integrating microfluidics and optics in lab-on-a-chip microsystems. This development is partly defining the emerging field of optofluidics. Scaling analysis and experiments have demonstrated the advantage of micro-scale devices over their macroscopic counterparts for a number of chemical applications. However, from an optical point of view, miniaturized devices suffer dramatically from the reduced optical path compared to macroscale experiments, e.g. in a cuvette. Obviously, the reduced optical path complicates the application of optical techniques in lab-on-a-chip systems. In this paper we theoretically discuss how a strongly dispersive photonic crystal environment may be used to enhance the light-matter interactions, thus potentially compensating for the reduced optical path in lab-on-a-chip systems. Combining electromagnetic perturbation theory with full-wave electromagnetic simulations we address the prospects for achieving slow-light enhancement of Beer-Lambert-Bouguer absorption, photonic band-gap based refractometry, and high-Q cavity sensing.Comment: Invited paper accepted for the "Optofluidics" special issue to appear in Microfluidics and Nanofluidics (ed. Prof. David Erickson). 11 pages including 8 figure

Effective interactions and operators in no-core shell model

Solutions to the nuclear many-body problem rely on effective interactions, and in general effective operators, to take into account effects not included in calculations. These include effects due to the truncation to finite model spaces where a numerical calculation is tractable, as well as physical terms not included in the description in the first place. In the no-core shell model (NCSM) framework, we discuss two approaches to the effective interactions based on (i) unitary transformations and (ii) effective field theory (EFT) principles. Starting from a given Hamiltonian, the unitary transformation approach is designed to take into account effects induced by the truncation to finite model spaces in which a numerical calculation is performed. This approach was widely applied to the description of nuclear properties of light nuclei; we review the theory and present representative results. In the EFT approach, a Hamiltonian is always constructed in a truncated model space according to the symmetries of the underlying theory, making use of power counting to limit the number of interactions included in the calculations. Hence, physical terms not explicitly included in the calculation are treated on the same footing with the truncation to a finite model space. In this approach, we review results for both nuclear and trapped atomic systems, for which the effective theories are formally similar, albeit describing different underlying physics. Finally, the application of the EFT method of constructing effective interactions to Gamow shell model is briefly discussed.Comment: 56 pages, 26 figure

Multiplicity dependence of jet-like two-particle correlations in p-Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02 TeV

Two-particle angular correlations between unidentified charged trigger and associated particles are measured by the ALICE detector in p-Pb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV. The transverse-momentum range 0.7 $< p_{\rm{T}, assoc} < p_{\rm{T}, trig} <$ 5.0 GeV/$c$ is examined, to include correlations induced by jets originating from low momen\-tum-transfer scatterings (minijets). The correlations expressed as associated yield per trigger particle are obtained in the pseudorapidity range $|\eta|<0.9$. The near-side long-range pseudorapidity correlations observed in high-multiplicity p-Pb collisions are subtracted from both near-side short-range and away-side correlations in order to remove the non-jet-like components. The yields in the jet-like peaks are found to be invariant with event multiplicity with the exception of events with low multiplicity. This invariance is consistent with the particles being produced via the incoherent fragmentation of multiple parton--parton scatterings, while the yield related to the previously observed ridge structures is not jet-related. The number of uncorrelated sources of particle production is found to increase linearly with multiplicity, suggesting no saturation of the number of multi-parton interactions even in the highest multiplicity p-Pb collisions. Further, the number scales in the intermediate multiplicity region with the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions estimated with a Glauber Monte-Carlo simulation.Comment: 23 pages, 6 captioned figures, 1 table, authors from page 17, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/161

Programmed emulsions for sodium reduction in emulsion based foods

In this research a microstructure approach to reduce sodium levels in emulsion based foods is presented. If successful, this strategy will enable reduction of sodium without affecting consumer satisfaction with regard to salty taste. The microstructure approach comprised of entrapment of sodium in the internal aqueous phase of water-in-oil-in-water emulsions. These were designed to destabilise during oral processing when in contact with the salivary enzyme amylase in combination with the mechanical manipulation of the emulsion between the tongue and palate. Oral destabilisation was achieved through breakdown of the emulsion that was stabilised with a commercially modified octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-starch. Microstructure breakdown and salt release was evaluated utilising in vitro, in vivo and sensory methods. For control emulsions, stabilised with orally inert proteins, no loss of structure and no release of sodium from the internal aqueous phase was found. The OSA-starch microstructure breakdown took the initial form of oil droplet coalescence. It is hypothesised that during this coalescence process sodium from the internalised aqueous phase is partially released and is therefore available for perception. Indeed, programmed emulsions showed an enhancement in saltiness perception; a 23.7% reduction in sodium could be achieved without compromise in salty taste (p < 0.05; 120 consumers). This study shows a promising new approach for sodium reduction in liquid and semi-liquid emulsion based foods