Spectroscopy of quadrupole and octupole states in rare-earth nuclei from a Gogny force

Collective quadrupole and octupole states are described in a series of Sm and Gd isotopes within the framework of the interacting boson model (IBM), whose Hamiltonian parameters are deduced from mean field calculations with the Gogny energy density functional. The link between both frameworks is the ($\beta_2\beta_3$) potential energy surface computed within the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov framework in the case of the Gogny force. The diagonalization of the IBM Hamiltonian provides excitation energies and transition strengths of an assorted set of states including both positive and negative parity states. The resultant spectroscopic properties are compared with the available experimental data and also with the results of the configuration mixing calculations with the Gogny force within the generator coordinate method (GCM). The structure of excited $0^{+}$ states and its connection with double octupole phonons is also addressed. The model is shown to describe the empirical trend of the low-energy quadrupole and octupole collective structure fairly well, and turns out to be consistent with GCM results obtained with the Gogny force.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures, 4 table

Effective 4D propagation of a charged scalar particle in Visser brane world

In this work we extend an analysis due to Visser of the effective propagation of a neutral scalar particle on a brane world scenario which is a particular solution of the five dimensional Einstein-Maxwell equations with cosmological constant having an electric field pointing in the extra spatial dimension. We determine the dispersion relations of a charged scalar particle to first order in a perturbative analysis around those of the neutral particle. Since depending on whether the particle is charged or not the dispersion relations change, we could collect bulk information, namely the presence of the electric field, by studying the 4D dynamics of the particles.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Structural evolution in germanium and selenium nuclei within the mapped interacting boson model based on the Gogny energy density functional

The shape transitions and shape coexistence in the Ge and Se isotopes are studied within the interacting boson model (IBM) with the microscopic input from the self-consistent mean-field calculation based on the Gogny-D1M energy density functional. The mean-field energy surface as a function of the quadrupole shape variables $\beta$ and $\gamma$, obtained from the constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov method, is mapped onto the expectation value of the IBM Hamiltonian with configuration mixing in the boson condensate state. The resultant Hamiltonian is used to compute excitation energies and electromagnetic properties of the selected nuclei $^{66-94}$Ge and $^{68-96}$Se. Our calculation suggests that many nuclei exhibit $\gamma$ softness. Coexistence between prolate and oblate, as well as between spherical and $\gamma$-soft, shapes is also observed. The method provides a reasonable description of the observed systematics of the excitation energy of the low-lying energy levels and transition strengths for nuclei below the neutron shell closure $N=50$, and provides predictions on the spectroscopy of neutron-rich Ge and Se isotopes with $52\leq N\leq 62$, where data are scarce or not available.Comment: 16 pages, 20 figure

Unveiling the origin of shape coexistence in lead isotopes

The shape coexistence in the nuclei $^{182-192}$Pb is analyzed within the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approach with the effective Gogny force. A good agreement with the experimental energies is found for the coexisting spherical, oblate and prolate states. Contrary to the established interpretation, it is found that the low-lying prolate and oblate $0^+$ states observed in this mass region are predominantly characterized by neutron correlations whereas the protons behave as spectators rather than playing an active role.Comment: 5 pages, 6 postscript figure

Field squeeze operators in optical cavities with atomic ensembles

We propose a method of generating unitarily single and two-mode field squeezing in an optical cavity with an atomic cloud. Through a suitable laser system, we are able to engineer a squeeze field operator decoupled from the atomic degrees of freedom, yielding a large squeeze parameter that is scaled up by the number of atoms, and realizing degenerate and non-degenerate parametric amplification. By means of the input-output theory we show that ideal squeezed states and perfect squeezing could be approached at the output. The scheme is robust to decoherence processes.Comment: Four pages and one figure. Accepted in Physical Review Letter

Polyradical character and spin frustration in fullerene molecules: An ab initio non-collinear Hartree--Fock study

Most {\em ab initio} calculations on fullerene molecules have been carried out based on the paradigm of the H\"uckel model. This is consistent with the restricted nature of the independent-particle model underlying such calculations, even in single-reference-based correlated approaches. On the other hand, previous works on some of these molecules using model Hamiltonians have clearly indicated the importance of short-range inter-atomic spin-spin correlations. In this work, we consider {\em ab initio} non-collinear Hartree--Fock (HF) solutions for representative fullerene systems: the bowl, cage, ring, and pentagon isomers of C$_{20}$, and the larger C$_{30}$, C$_{36}$, C$_{60}$, C$_{70}$, and C$_{84}$ fullerene cages. In all cases but the ring we find that the HF minimum corresponds to a truly non-collinear solution with a torsional spin density wave. Optimized geometries at the generalized HF (GHF) level lead to fully symmetric structures, even in those cases where Jahn-Teller distortions have been previously considered. The nature of the GHF solutions is consistent with the $\pi$-electron space becoming polyradical in nature: each $p$-orbital remains effectively singly occupied. The spin frustration, induced by the pentagon rings in an otherwise anti-ferromagnetic background, is minimized at the HF level by aligning the spins in non-collinear arrangements. The long-range magnetic ordering observed is reminiscent of the character of broken symmetry HF solutions in polyacene systems.Comment: 16 figure