Fiber-optical analogue of the event horizon

The physics at the event horizon resembles the behavior of waves in moving media. Horizons are formed where the local speed of the medium exceeds the wave velocity. We use ultrashort pulses in microstructured optical fibers to demonstrate the formation of an artificial event horizon in optics. We observed a classical optical effect, the blue-shifting of light at a white-hole horizon. We also show by theoretical calculations that such a system is capable of probing the quantum effects of horizons, in particular Hawking radiation.Comment: MEDIA EMBARGO. This paper is subject to the media embargo of Scienc

A symmetrization technique for continuous-variable quantum key distribution

We introduce a symmetrization technique which can be used as an extra step in some continuous-variable quantum key distribution protocols. By randomizing the data in phase space, one can dramatically simplify the security analysis of the protocols, in particular in the case of collective attacks. The main application of this procedure concerns protocols with postselection, for which security was established only against Gaussian attacks until now. Here, we prove that under some experimentally verifiable conditions, Gaussian attacks are optimal among all collective attacks.Comment: 7 page

Reinforced concrete two-span continuous deep beams

Ye

On the derivation of the spacetime metric from linear electrodynamics

In the framework of metric-free electrodynamics, we start with a {\em linear} spacetime relation between the excitation 2-form $H = ({\cal D}, {\cal H})$ and the field strength 2-form $F = ({E,B})$. This linear relation is constrained by the so-called closure relation. We solve this system algebraically and extend a previous analysis such as to include also singular solutions. Using the recently derived fourth order {\em Fresnel} equation describing the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a general {\em linear} medium, we find that for all solutions the fourth order surface reduces to a light cone. Therefrom we derive the corresponding metric up to a conformal factor.Comment: 11 Pages, LaTeX, some typos corrected, one reference added. Version published in Physics Letters

Non-destructive measurement of the transition probability in a Sr optical lattice clock

We present the experimental demonstration of non-destructive probing of the 1S0-3P0 clock transition probability in an optical lattice clock with 87Sr atoms. It is based on the phase shift induced by the atoms on a weak off-resonant laser beam. The method we propose is a differential measurement of this phase shift on two modulation sidebands with opposite detuning with respect to the 1S0-1P1 transition, allowing a detection limited by the photon shot noise. We have measured an atomic population of 10^4 atoms with a signal to noise ratio of 100 per cycle, while keeping more than 95% of the atoms in the optical lattice with a depth of 0.1 mK. The method proves simple and robust enough to be operated as part of the whole clock setup. This detection scheme enables us to reuse atoms for subsequent clock state interrogations, dramatically reducing the loading time and thereby improving the clock frequency stability.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Transfer of coherence from atoms to mixed field states in a two-photon lossless micromaser

We propose a two-photon micromaser-based scheme for the generation of a nonclassical state from a mixed state. We conclude that a faster, as well as a higher degree of field purity is achieved in comparison to one-photon processes. We investigate the statistical properties of the resulting field states, for initial thermal and (phase-diffused) coherent states. Quasiprobabilities are employed to characterize the state of the generated fields.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Journal of Modern Optic

Optimal cloning of mixed Gaussian states

We construct the optimal 1 to 2 cloning transformation for the family of displaced thermal equilibrium states of a harmonic oscillator, with a fixed and known temperature. The transformation is Gaussian and it is optimal with respect to the figure of merit based on the joint output state and norm distance. The proof of the result is based on the equivalence between the optimal cloning problem and that of optimal amplification of Gaussian states which is then reduced to an optimization problem for diagonal states of a quantum oscillator. A key concept in finding the optimum is that of stochastic ordering which plays a similar role in the purely classical problem of Gaussian cloning. The result is then extended to the case of n to m cloning of mixed Gaussian states.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure; proof of general form of covariant amplifiers adde

Experimental Verification of 3D Plasmonic Cloaking in Free-Space

We report the experimental verification of metamaterial cloaking for a 3D object in free space. We apply the plasmonic cloaking technique, based on scattering cancellation, to suppress microwave scattering from a finite-length dielectric cylinder. We verify that scattering suppression is obtained all around the object in the near- and far-field and for different incidence angles, validating our measurements with analytical results and full-wave simulations. Our near-field and far-field measurements confirm that realistic and robust plasmonic metamaterial cloaks may be realized for elongated 3D objects with moderate transverse cross-section at microwave frequencies.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, published in NJ

Topological classification of vortex-core structures of spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensates

We classify vortex-core structures according to the topology of the order parameter space. By developing a method to characterize how the order parameter changes inside the vortex core. We apply this method to the spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensates and show that the vortex-core structures are classified by winding numbers that are locally defined in the core region. We also show that a vortex-core structure with a nontrivial winding number can be stabilized under a negative quadratic Zeeman effect.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure

General Relativistic Contributions in Transformation Optics

One potentially realistic specification for devices designed with transformation optics is that they operate with high precision in curved space-time, such as Earth orbit. This raises the question of what, if any, role does space-time curvature play in determining transformation media? Transformation optics has been based on a three-vector representation of Maxwell's equations in flat Minkowski space-time. I discuss a completely covariant, manifestly four-dimensional approach that enables transformations in arbitrary space-times, and demonstrate this approach for stable circular orbits in the spherically symmetric Schwarzschild geometry. Finally, I estimate the magnitude of curvature induced contributions to satellite-borne transformation media in Earth orbit and comment on the level of precision required for metamaterial fabrication before such contributions become important.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures. Latest version has expanded analysis, corresponds to published versio