Transmission lines and resonators based on quantum Hall plasmonics: electromagnetic field, attenuation and coupling to qubits

Quantum Hall edge states have some characteristic features that can prove useful to measure and control solid state qubits. For example, their high voltage to current ratio and their dissipationless nature can be exploited to manufacture low-loss microwave transmission lines and resonators with a characteristic impedance of the order of the quantum of resistance $h/e^2\sim 25\mathrm{k\Omega}$. The high value of the impedance guarantees that the voltage per photon is high and for this reason high impedance resonators can be exploited to obtain larger values of coupling to systems with a small charge dipole, e.g. spin qubits. In this paper, we provide a microscopic analysis of the physics of quantum Hall effect devices capacitively coupled to external electrodes. The electrical current in these devices is carried by edge magnetoplasmonic excitations and by using a semiclassical model, valid for a wide range of quantum Hall materials, we discuss the spatial profile of the electromagnetic field in a variety of situations of interest. Also, we perform a numerical analysis to estimate the lifetime of these excitations and, from the numerics, we extrapolate a simple fitting formula which quantifies the $Q$ factor in quantum Hall resonators. We then explore the possibility of reaching the strong photon-qubit coupling regime, where the strength of the interaction is higher than the losses in the system. We compute the Coulomb coupling strength between the edge magnetoplasmons and singlet-triplet qubits, and we obtain values of the coupling parameter of the order $100\mathrm{MHz}$; comparing these values to the estimated attenuation in the resonator, we find that for realistic qubit designs the coupling can indeed be strong

Transmission Lines and Meta-Materials based on Quantum Hall Plasmonics

The characteristic impedance of a microwave transmission line is typically constrained to a value $Z_0$ = 50 $\Omega$, in-part because of the low impedance of free space and the limited range of permittivity and permeability realizable with conventional materials. Here we suggest the possibility of constructing high-impedance transmission lines by exploiting the plasmonic response of edge states associated with the quantum Hall effect in gated devices. We analyze various implementations of quantum Hall transmission lines based on distributed networks and lumped-element circuits, including a detailed account of parasitic capacitance and Coulomb drag effects, which can modify device performance. We additionally conceive of a meta-material structure comprising arrays of quantum Hall droplets and analyze its unusual properties. The realization of such structures holds promise for efficiently wiring-up quantum circuits on chip, as well as engineering strong coupling between semiconductor qubits and microwave photons

Achieving High Organization Performance through Servant Leadership

This empirical paper investigates whether a servant leader can develop a corporate culture that attracts or develops other servant leaders. Using the survey developed by Barbuto and Wheeler (2006), servant leader characteristics in managers were measured at three high-performing organizations. Results indicate that servant leaders can develop a culture of followers who are servant leaders themselves. This is one of the few studies to empirically test the model of servant leadership in an organizational environment. The success these servant leaders have achieved in a for-profit, demanding environment suggests this leadership style is viable for adoption by other firms

Self impedance matched Hall-effect gyrators and circulators

We present a model study of an alternative implementation of a two-port Hall-effect microwave gyrator. Our set-up involves three electrodes, one of which acts as a common ground for the others. Based on the capacitive-coupling model of Viola and DiVincenzo, we analyze the performance of the device and we predict that ideal gyration can be achieved at specific frequencies. Interestingly, the impedance of the three-terminal gyrator can be made arbitrarily small for certain coupling strengths, so that no auxiliary impedance matching is required. Although the bandwidth of the device shrinks as the impedance decreases, it can be improved by reducing the magnetic field; it can be realistically increased up to $150 \mathrm{MHz}$ at $50\mathrm{\Omega}$ by working at filling factor $\nu=10$. We examine also the effects of the parasitic capacitive coupling between electrodes and we find that, although in general they strongly influence the response of device, their effect is negligible at low impedance. Finally, we analyze an interferometric implementation of a circulator, which incorporates the gyrator in a Mach-Zender-like construction. Perfect circulation in both directions can be achieved, depending on frequency and on the details of the interferometer

A model study of present-day Hall-effect circulators

Stimulated by the recent implementation of a three-port Hall-effect microwave circulator of Mahoney et al. (MEA), we present model studies of the performance of this device. Our calculations are based on the capacitive-coupling model of Viola and DiVincenzo (VD). Based on conductance data from a typical Hall-bar device obtained from a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in a magnetic field, we numerically solve the coupled field-circuit equations to calculate the expected performance of the circulator, as determined by the $S$ parameters of the device when coupled to 50$\Omega$ ports, as a function of frequency and magnetic field. Above magnetic fields of 1.5T, for which a typical 2DEG enters the quantum Hall regime (corresponding to a Landau-level filling fraction $\nu$ of 20), the Hall angle $\theta_H=\tan^{-1}\sigma_{xy}/\sigma_{xx}$ always remains close to $90^\circ$, and the $S$ parameters are close to the analytic predictions of VD for $\theta_H=\pi/2$. As anticipated by VD, MEA find the device to have rather high (k$\Omega$) impedance, and thus to be extremely mismatched to $50\Omega$, requiring the use of impedance matching. We incorporate the lumped matching circuits of MEA in our modeling and confirm that they can produce excellent circulation, although confined to a very small bandwidth. We predict that this bandwidth is significantly improved by working at lower magnetic field when the Landau index is high, e.g. $\nu=20$, and the impedance mismatch is correspondingly less extreme. Our modeling also confirms the observation of MEA that parasitic port-to-port capacitance can produce very interesting countercirculation effects

Unfolding simulations reveal the mechanism of extreme unfolding cooperativity in the kinetically stable alpha-lytic protease.

Kinetically stable proteins, those whose stability is derived from their slow unfolding kinetics and not thermodynamics, are examples of evolution's best attempts at suppressing unfolding. Especially in highly proteolytic environments, both partially and fully unfolded proteins face potential inactivation through degradation and/or aggregation, hence, slowing unfolding can greatly extend a protein's functional lifetime. The prokaryotic serine protease alpha-lytic protease (alphaLP) has done just that, as its unfolding is both very slow (t(1/2) approximately 1 year) and so cooperative that partial unfolding is negligible, providing a functional advantage over its thermodynamically stable homologs, such as trypsin. Previous studies have identified regions of the domain interface as critical to alphaLP unfolding, though a complete description of the unfolding pathway is missing. In order to identify the alphaLP unfolding pathway and the mechanism for its extreme cooperativity, we performed high temperature molecular dynamics unfolding simulations of both alphaLP and trypsin. The simulated alphaLP unfolding pathway produces a robust transition state ensemble consistent with prior biochemical experiments and clearly shows that unfolding proceeds through a preferential disruption of the domain interface. Through a novel method of calculating unfolding cooperativity, we show that alphaLP unfolds extremely cooperatively while trypsin unfolds gradually. Finally, by examining the behavior of both domain interfaces, we propose a model for the differential unfolding cooperativity of alphaLP and trypsin involving three key regions that differ between the kinetically stable and thermodynamically stable classes of serine proteases

Identification of new, well-populated amino-acid sidechain rotamers involving hydroxyl-hydrogen atoms and sulfhydryl-hydrogen atoms

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An important element in homology modeling is the use of rotamers to parameterize the sidechain conformation. Despite the many libraries of sidechain rotamers that have been developed, a number of rotamers have been overlooked, due to the fact that they involve hydrogen atoms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We identify new, well-populated rotamers that involve the hydroxyl-hydrogen atoms of Ser, Thr and Tyr, and the sulfhydryl-hydrogen atom of Cys, using high-resolution crystal structures (<1.2 Å). Although there were refinement artifacts in these structures, comparison with the electron-density maps allowed the placement of hydrogen atoms involved in hydrogen bonds. The χ2 rotamers in Ser, Thr and Cys are consistent with tetrahedral bonding, while the χ3 rotamers in Tyr are consistent with trigonal-planar bonding. Similar rotamers are found in hydrogen atoms that were computationally placed with the Reduce program from the Richardson lab.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Knowledge of these new rotamers will improve the evaluation of hydrogen-bonding networks in protein structures.</p

The International Criminal Court and Crime Prevention: Byproduct or Conscious Goal?

Article published in the Michigan State International Law Review

Detection of Plasmodium falciparum male and female gametocytes and determination of parasite sex ratio in human endemic populations by novel, cheap and robust RTqPCR assays

The presence of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes in peripheral blood is essential for human to mosquito parasite transmission. The detection of submicroscopic infections with gametocytes and the estimation of the gametocyte sex ratio are crucial to assess the human host potential ability to infect mosquitoes and transmit malaria parasites

Minerals in the Foods Eaten by Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei)

Minerals are critical to an individual’s health and fitness, and yet little is known about mineral nutrition and requirements in free-ranging primates. We estimated the mineral content of foods consumed by mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Mountain gorillas acquire the majority of their minerals from herbaceous leaves, which constitute the bulk of their diet. However, less commonly eaten foods were sometimes found to be higher in specific minerals, suggesting their potential importance. A principal component analysis demonstrated little correlation among minerals in food items, which further suggests that mountain gorillas might increase dietary diversity to obtain a full complement of minerals in their diet. Future work is needed to examine the bioavailability of minerals to mountain gorillas in order to better understand their intake in relation to estimated needs and the consequences of suboptimal mineral balance in gorilla foods