3,402 research outputs found
Signatures of vacuum birefringence in low-power flying focus pulses
Vacuum birefringence produces a differential phase between orthogonally
polarized components of a weak electromagnetic probe in the presence of a
strong electromagnetic field. Despite representing a hallmark prediction of
quantum electrodynamics, vacuum birefringence remains untested in pure light
configurations due to the extremely large electromagnetic fields required for a
detectable phase difference. Here, we exploit the programmable focal velocity
and extended focal range of a flying focus laser pulse to substantially lower
the laser power required for detection of vacuum birefringence. In the proposed
scheme, a linearly polarized x-ray probe pulse counter-propagates with respect
to a flying focus pulse, whose focus moves at the speed of light in the same
direction as the x-ray probe. The peak intensity of the flying focus pulse
overlaps the probe over millimeter-scale distances and induces a polarization
ellipticity on the order of , which lies within the detection
sensitivity of existing x-ray polarimeters.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure
Putting a cap on causality violations in CDT
The formalism of causal dynamical triangulations (CDT) provides us with a
non-perturbatively defined model of quantum gravity, where the sum over
histories includes only causal space-time histories. Path integrals of CDT and
their continuum limits have been studied in two, three and four dimensions.
Here we investigate a generalization of the two-dimensional CDT model, where
the causality constraint is partially lifted by introducing weighted branching
points, and demonstrate that the system can be solved analytically in the
genus-zero sector.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure
Quantum jumps of light recording the birth and death of a photon in a cavity
A microscopic system under continuous observation exhibits at random times
sudden jumps between its states. The detection of this essential quantum
feature requires a quantum non-demolition (QND) measurement repeated many times
during the system evolution. Quantum jumps of trapped massive particles
(electrons, ions or molecules) have been observed, which is not the case of the
jumps of light quanta. Usual photodetectors absorb light and are thus unable to
detect the same photon twice. They must be replaced by a transparent counter
'seeing' photons without destroying them3. Moreover, the light has to be stored
over a duration much longer than the QND detection time. We have fulfilled
these challenging conditions and observed photon number quantum jumps.
Microwave photons are stored in a superconducting cavity for times in the
second range. They are repeatedly probed by a stream of non-absorbing atoms. An
atom interferometer measures the atomic dipole phase shift induced by the
non-resonant cavity field, so that the final atom state reveals directly the
presence of a single photon in the cavity. Sequences of hundreds of atoms
highly correlated in the same state, are interrupted by sudden
state-switchings. These telegraphic signals record, for the first time, the
birth, life and death of individual photons. Applying a similar QND procedure
to mesoscopic fields with tens of photons opens new perspectives for the
exploration of the quantum to classical boundary
Reduction of ST-elevation myocardial infarction in Canton Ticino (Switzerland) after smoking bans in enclosed public places—No Smoke Pub Study
Background: Second-hand smoke increases the risk of acute myocardial infarction. Canton Ticino (CT) first introduced a smoking ban in public places in 2007. This offered the opportunity to assess the long-term impact of a smoking ban on the incidence of ST-elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMI) compared with a population where the law was not yet implemented. Methods: We assessed the incidence of STEMI hospitalizations per 100 000 inhabitants both during 3 years before and after the ban application in CT and in Canton Basel City (CBC), where this law was not yet applied. Data were obtained from the codified hospital registry (ICD-10 codes). Results: In CT, the mean incidence of STEMI admissions during the 3 pre-ban years (123.7) was significantly higher than the incidence of admissions in each of the 3 post-ban years (92.9, 101.6 and 89.6 respectively; P <.024). Analysing population subsets, a post-ban reduction was observed among ≥65-year-old people of both sexes in each of the 3 post-ban years and in the <65-year age group during the first post-ban year (P = 0.02). Conversely, the mean incidence of STEMI hospitalizations in CBC (92.4) didn't change significantly in each of the 3 post-ban years (83.9, 83.3 and 79.5, P = NS) during the same period. However, a significant long-term reduction in STEMI admissions was observed in CBC among the male group with ≥65 years (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Our work suggests a significant impact of the smoke-free policy on the number of annual STEMI. Specific population subsets (i.e. ≥65-year-old females) were particularly affected by the smoking ban, showing a significant reduction in STEMI hospitalization
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Polarity Control in Group-III Nitrides beyond Pragmatism
Controlling the polarity of polar semiconductors on nonpolar substrates offers a wealth of device concepts in the form of heteropolar junctions. A key to realize such structures is an appropriate buffer-layer design that, in the past, has been developed by empiricism. GaN or ZnO on sapphire are prominent examples for that. Understanding the basic processes that mediate polarity, however, is still an unsolved problem. In this work, we study the structure of buffer layers for group-III nitrides on sapphire by transmission electron microscopy as an example. We show that it is the conversion of the sapphire surface into a rhombohedral aluminum-oxynitride layer that converts the initial N-polar surface to Al polarity. With the various AlxOyNz phases of the pseudobinary Al2O3-AlN system and their tolerance against intrinsic defects, typical for oxides, a smooth transition between the octahedrally coordinated Al in the sapphire and the tetrahedrally coordinated Al in AlN becomes feasible. Based on these results, we discuss the consequences for achieving either polarity and shed light on widely applied concepts in the field of group-III nitrides like nitridation and low-temperature buffer layers
On the Quantum Geometry of Multi-critical CDT
We discuss extensions of a recently introduced model of multi-critical CDT to
higher multi-critical points. As in the case of pure CDT the continuum limit
can be taken on the level of the action and the resulting continuum surface
model is again described by a matrix model. The resolvent, a simple observable
of the quantum geometry which is accessible from the matrix model is calculated
for arbitrary multi-critical points. We go beyond the matrix model by
determining the propagator using the peeling procedure which is used to extract
the effective quantum Hamiltonian and the fractal dimension in agreement with
earlier results by Ambjorn et al. With this at hand a string field theory
formalism for multi-critical CDT is introduced and it is shown that the
Dyson-Schwinger equations match the loop equations of the matrix model. We
conclude by commenting on how to formally obtain the sum over topologies and a
relation to stochastic quantisation.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, improved discussion, some new results regarding
Hausdorff dimension, as publishe
The geometry of the limit of N=2 minimal models
We consider the limit of two-dimensional N=(2,2) superconformal minimal
models when the central charge approaches c=3. Starting from a geometric
description as non-linear sigma models, we show that one can obtain two
different limit theories. One is the free theory of two bosons and two
fermions, the other one is a continuous orbifold thereof. We substantiate this
claim by detailed conformal field theory computations.Comment: 35 pages, 3 figures; v2 minor corrections, version to be published in
J. Phys.
Dissociable effects of 5-HT2C receptor antagonism and genetic inactivation on perseverance and learned non-reward in an egocentric spatial reversal task
Cognitive flexibility can be assessed in reversal learning tests, which are sensitive to modulation of 5-HT2C receptor (5-HT2CR) function. Successful performance in these tests depends on at least two dissociable cognitive mechanisms which may separately dissipate associations of previous positive and negative valence. The first is opposed by perseverance and the second by learned non-reward. The current experiments explored the effect of reducing function of the 5-HT2CR on the cognitive mechanisms underlying egocentric reversal learning in the mouse. Experiment 1 used the 5-HT2CR antagonist SB242084 (0.5 mg/kg) in a between-groups serial design and Experiment 2 used 5-HT2CR KO mice in a repeated measures design. Animals initially learned to discriminate between two egocentric turning directions, only one of which was food rewarded (denoted CS+, CS−), in a T- or Y-maze configuration. This was followed by three conditions; (1) Full reversal, where contingencies reversed; (2) Perseverance, where the previous CS+ became CS− and the previous CS− was replaced by a novel CS+; (3) Learned non-reward, where the previous CS− became CS+ and the previous CS+ was replaced by a novel CS-. SB242084 reduced perseverance, observed as a decrease in trials and incorrect responses to criterion, but increased learned non-reward, observed as an increase in trials to criterion. In contrast, 5-HT2CR KO mice showed increased perseverance. 5-HT2CR KO mice also showed retarded egocentric discrimination learning. Neither manipulation of 5-HT2CR function affected performance in the full reversal test. These results are unlikely to be accounted for by increased novelty attraction, as SB242084 failed to affect performance in an unrewarded novelty task. In conclusion, acute 5-HT2CR antagonism and constitutive loss of the 5-HT2CR have opposing effects on perseverance in egocentric reversal learning in mice. It is likely that this difference reflects the broader impact of 5HT2CR loss on the development and maintenance of cognitive function
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