Phase Diagram of the Half-Filled Ionic Hubbard Model

We study the phase diagram of the ionic Hubbard model (IHM) at half-filling using dynamical mean field theory (DMFT), with two impurity solvers, namely, iterated perturbation theory (IPT) and continuous time quantum Monte Carlo (CTQMC). The physics of the IHM is governed by the competition between the staggered potential $\Delta$ and the on-site Hubbard U. In both the methods we find that for a finite $\Delta$ and at zero temperature, anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) order sets in beyond a threshold $U=U_{AF}$ via a first order phase transition below which the system is a paramagnetic band insulator. Both the methods show a clear evidence for a transition to a half-metal phase just after the AFM order is turned on, followed by the formation of an AFM insulator on further increasing U. We show that the results obtained within both the methods have good qualitative and quantitative consistency in the intermediate to strong coupling regime. On increasing the temperature, the AFM order is lost via a first order phase transition at a transition temperature $T_{AF}(U, \Delta)$ within both the methods, for weak to intermediate values of U/t. But in the strongly correlated regime, where the effective low energy Hamiltonian is the Heisenberg model, IPT is unable to capture the thermal (Neel) transition from the AFM phase to the paramagnetic phase, but the CTQMC does. As a result, at any finite temperature T, DMFT+CTQMC shows a second phase transition (not seen within DMFT+IPT) on increasing U beyond $U_{AF}$. At $U_N > U_{AF}$, when the Neel temperature $T_N$ for the effective Heisenberg model becomes lower than T, the AFM order is lost via a second order transition. In the 3-dimensonal parameter space of $(U/t,T/t,\Delta/t)$, there is a line of tricritical points that separates the surfaces of first and second order phase transitions.Comment: Revised versio

The noise properties of stochastic processes and entropy production

Based on a Fokker-Planck description of external Ornstein-Uhlenbeck noise and cross-correlated noise processes driving a dynamical system we examine the interplay of the properties of noise processes and the dissipative characteristic of the dynamical system in the steady state entropy production and flux. Our analysis is illustrated with appropriate examples.Comment: RevTex, 1 figure, To appear in Phys. Rev.

Arbitrary l-state solutions of the rotating Morse potential by the asymptotic iteration method

For non-zero $\ell$ values, we present an analytical solution of the radial Schr\"{o}dinger equation for the rotating Morse potential using the Pekeris approximation within the framework of the Asymptotic Iteration Method. The bound state energy eigenvalues and corresponding wave functions are obtained for a number of diatomic molecules and the results are compared with the findings of the super-symmetry, the hypervirial perturbation, the Nikiforov-Uvarov, the variational, the shifted 1/N and the modified shifted 1/N expansion methods.Comment: 15 pages with 1 eps figure. accepted for publication in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Genera

Notes on the lens integral pentagon identity

We obtain the lens integral pentagon identity for three-dimensional mirror dual theories in terms of hyperbolic hypergeometric functions via reduction of equality for $\mathcal N=2$ lens supersymmetric partition functions of a certain supersymmetric IR duality.Comment: 9 page

The second-price auction solves King Solomon's dilemma

The planner wants to give k identical, indivisible objects to the top k valuation agents at zero costs. Each agent knows her own valuation of the object and whether it is among the top k. Modify the (k+1)st-price sealed-bid auction by introducing a small participation fee and the option not to participate in it. This simple mechanism implements the desired outcome in iteratively undominated strategies. Moreover, no pair of agents can profitably deviate from the equilibrium by coordinating their strategies or bribing each other.Comment: 12 pages;To appear in Japanese Economic Revie

Effect of time delay on the onset of synchronization of the stochastic Kuramoto model

We consider the Kuramoto model of globally coupled phase oscillators with time-delayed interactions, that is subject to the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (Gaussian) colored or the non-Gaussian colored noise. We investigate numerically the interplay between the influences of the finite correlation time of noise $\tau$ and the time delay $\tau_{d}$ on the onset of the synchronization process. Both cases for identical and nonidentical oscillators had been considered. Among the obtained results for identical oscillators is a large increase of the synchronization threshold as a function of time delay for the colored non-Gaussian noise compared to the case of the colored Gaussian noise at low noise correlation time $\tau$. However, the difference reduces remarkably for large noise correlation times. For the case of nonidentical oscillators, the incoherent state may become unstable around the maximum value of the threshold (as a function of time delay) even at lower coupling strength values in the presence of colored noise as compared to the noiseless case. We had studied the dependence of the critical value of the coupling strength (the threshold of synchronization) on given parameters of the stochastic Kuramoto model in great details and presented results for possible cases of colored Gaussian and non-Gaussian noises.Comment: 19 pages with 7 figure

Awareness of vaccination status and its predictors among working people in Switzerland

BACKGROUND: Adult vaccination status may be difficult to obtain, often requiring providers to rely on individual patient recall. To determine vaccination status awareness and the sociodemographic predictors of awareness for tetanus, hepatitis A and B, tick born encephalitis (TBE) and influenza vaccination. METHODS: Multivariate analyses were used to evaluate a questionnaire survey of 10 321 employees (4070 women and 6251 men aged 15–72 years) of two companies in Switzerland. RESULTS: Among 10 321 respondents, 75.5% reported knowing their tetanus vaccination status, 64.1% hepatitis A, 61.1% hepatitis B, 64.3% TBE and 71.9% influenza. Between 1 in 4 and 1 in 3 employees were not aware of their vaccination status. Differences in awareness for the five vaccinations considered correlated with gender and language. These differences persisted in multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION: Women employees, German-speaking employees and employees who paid more attention to their diet were more often aware of their vaccination status. A more reliable and readily accessible data source for vaccination status is needed in order to capitalize on opportunities to update vaccinations among Swiss employees

Generalized quantum Fokker-Planck, diffusion and Smoluchowski equations with true probability distribution functions

Traditionally, the quantum Brownian motion is described by Fokker-Planck or diffusion equations in terms of quasi-probability distribution functions, e.g., Wigner functions. These often become singular or negative in the full quantum regime. In this paper a simple approach to non-Markovian theory of quantum Brownian motion using {\it true probability distribution functions} is presented. Based on an initial coherent state representation of the bath oscillators and an equilibrium canonical distribution of the quantum mechanical mean values of their co-ordinates and momenta we derive a generalized quantum Langevin equation in $c$-numbers and show that the latter is amenable to a theoretical analysis in terms of the classical theory of non-Markovian dynamics. The corresponding Fokker-Planck, diffusion and the Smoluchowski equations are the {\it exact} quantum analogues of their classical counterparts. The present work is {\it independent} of path integral techniques. The theory as developed here is a natural extension of its classical version and is valid for arbitrary temperature and friction (Smoluchowski equation being considered in the overdamped limit).Comment: RevTex, 16 pages, 7 figures, To appear in Physical Review E (minor revision