Construction of spin models displaying quantum criticality from quantum field theory

We provide a method for constructing finite temperature states of one-dimensional spin chains displaying quantum criticality. These models are constructed using correlators of products of quantum fields and have an analytical purification. Their properties can be investigated by Monte-Carlo simulations, which enable us to study the low-temperature phase diagram and to show that it displays a region of quantum criticality. The mixed states obtained are shown to be close to the thermal state of a simple nearest neighbour Hamiltonian.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Lattice effects on Laughlin wave functions and parent Hamiltonians

We investigate lattice effects on wave functions that are lattice analogues of bosonic and fermionic Laughlin wave functions with number of particles per flux $\nu=1/q$ in the Landau levels. These wave functions are defined analytically on lattices with $\mu$ particles per lattice site, where $\mu$ may be different than $\nu$. We give numerical evidence that these states have the same topological properties as the corresponding continuum Laughlin states for different values of $q$ and for different fillings $\mu$. These states define, in particular, particle-hole symmetric lattice Fractional Quantum Hall states when the lattice is half-filled. On the square lattice it is observed that for $q\leq 4$ this particle-hole symmetric state displays the topological properties of the continuum Laughlin state at filling fraction $\nu=1/q$, while for larger $q$ there is a transition towards long-range ordered anti-ferromagnets. This effect does not persist if the lattice is deformed from a square to a triangular lattice, or on the Kagome lattice, in which case the topological properties of the state are recovered. We then show that changing the number of particles while keeping the expression of these wave functions identical gives rise to edge states that have the same correlations in the bulk as the reference lattice Laughlin states but a different density at the edge. We derive an exact parent Hamiltonian for which all these edge states are ground states with different number of particles. In addition this Hamiltonian admits the reference lattice Laughlin state as its unique ground state of filling factor $1/q$. Parent Hamiltonians are also derived for the lattice Laughlin states at other fillings of the lattice, when $\mu\leq 1/q$ or $\mu\geq 1-1/q$ and when $q=4$ also at half-filling.Comment: 18 pages, 15 figure

Quantum mutual information of an entangled state propagating through a fast-light medium

Although it is widely accepted that classical information cannot travel faster than the speed of light in vacuum, the behavior of quantum correlations and quantum information propagating through actively-pumped fast-light media has not been studied in detail. To investigate this behavior, we send one half of an entangled state of light through a gain-assisted fast-light medium and detect the remaining quantum correlations. We show that the quantum correlations can be advanced by a small fraction of the correlation time while the entanglement is preserved even in the presence of noise added by phase-insensitive gain. Additionally, although we observe an advance of the peak of the quantum mutual information between the modes, we find that the degradation of the mutual information due to the added noise appears to prevent an advancement of the leading edge. In contrast, we show that both the leading and trailing edges of the mutual information in a slow-light system can be significantly delayed

Soft Lenses

A series of cases fitted with Bionite soft lenses is described. Good results were obtained in bullous keratopathy, dry eyes, early and moderately advanced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and pemphigoid, and some cases of indolent corneal ulcers. The lenses appear to be a most effective replacement for tarsorrhaphy, haptic lenses and epikeratoprostheses.S. Afr. Med. J, 47, 148 (1973