Abstract Interpretation with Unfoldings

We present and evaluate a technique for computing path-sensitive interference conditions during abstract interpretation of concurrent programs. In lieu of fixed point computation, we use prime event structures to compactly represent causal dependence and interference between sequences of transformers. Our main contribution is an unfolding algorithm that uses a new notion of independence to avoid redundant transformer application, thread-local fixed points to reduce the size of the unfolding, and a novel cutoff criterion based on subsumption to guarantee termination of the analysis. Our experiments show that the abstract unfolding produces an order of magnitude fewer false alarms than a mature abstract interpreter, while being several orders of magnitude faster than solver-based tools that have the same precision.Comment: Extended version of the paper (with the same title and authors) to appear at CAV 201

Strain, size and composition of InAs Quantum Sticks, embedded in InP, by means of Grazing Incidence X-ray Anomalous Diffraction

We have used x-ray anomalous diffraction to extract the x-ray structure factor of InAs quantum stick-like islands, embedded in InP. The average height of the quantum sticks (QSs), as deduced from the width of the structure factor profile is 2.54nm. The InAs out of plane deformation, relative to InP, is equal to 6.1%. Diffraction Anomalous Fine Structure provides a clear evidence of pure InAs QSs. Finite Difference Method calculations reproduce well the diffraction data, and give the strain along the growth direction. Chemical mixing at interfaces is at most of 1MLComment: 9 pages, 7 figures, submitte

Field test of quantum key distribution in the Tokyo QKD Network

A novel secure communication network with quantum key distribution in a metropolitan area is reported. Different QKD schemes are integrated to demonstrate secure TV conferencing over a distance of 45km, stable long-term operation, and application to secure mobile phones.Comment: 21 pages, 19 figure

Dynamics on Multiple Potential Energy Surfaces: Quantitative Studies of Elementary Processes Relevant to Hypersonics

The determination of thermal and vibrational relaxation rates of triatomic systems suitable for application in hypersonic model calculations is discussed. For this, potential energy surfaces for ground and electronically excited state species need to be computed and represented with high accuracy and quasiclassical or quantum nuclear dynamics simulations provide the basis for determining the relevant rates. These include thermal reaction rates, state-to-state cross-sections, or vibrational relaxation rates. For exemplary systems - [NNO], [NOO], and [CNO] - all individual steps are described and a literature overview for them is provided. Finally, as some of these quantities involve considerable computational expense, for the example of state-to-state cross sections the construction of an efficient model based on neural networks is discussed. All such data is required and being used in more coarse-grained computational fluid dynamics simulations.Comment: Review article, 46 pages, 8 figure

Liquid-infiltrated photonic crystals - enhanced light-matter interactions for lab-on-a-chip applications

Optical techniques are finding widespread use in analytical chemistry for chemical and bio-chemical analysis. During the past decade, there has been an increasing emphasis on miniaturization of chemical analysis systems and naturally this has stimulated a large effort in integrating microfluidics and optics in lab-on-a-chip microsystems. This development is partly defining the emerging field of optofluidics. Scaling analysis and experiments have demonstrated the advantage of micro-scale devices over their macroscopic counterparts for a number of chemical applications. However, from an optical point of view, miniaturized devices suffer dramatically from the reduced optical path compared to macroscale experiments, e.g. in a cuvette. Obviously, the reduced optical path complicates the application of optical techniques in lab-on-a-chip systems. In this paper we theoretically discuss how a strongly dispersive photonic crystal environment may be used to enhance the light-matter interactions, thus potentially compensating for the reduced optical path in lab-on-a-chip systems. Combining electromagnetic perturbation theory with full-wave electromagnetic simulations we address the prospects for achieving slow-light enhancement of Beer-Lambert-Bouguer absorption, photonic band-gap based refractometry, and high-Q cavity sensing.Comment: Invited paper accepted for the "Optofluidics" special issue to appear in Microfluidics and Nanofluidics (ed. Prof. David Erickson). 11 pages including 8 figure

Near-field mapping of quantum dot emission from single-photonic crystal cavity modes

We directly investigate, by means of near-field spectroscopy, the spatial distribution of the optical cavity modes of 2D photonic crystal microcavities. Numerical simulations confirm that the photoluminescence maps of quantum dots embedded in the photonic structure qualitatively match the spatial modulation of the electric field intensity. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Moving liquids with light: Photoelectrowetting on semiconductors

Liquid transport in microchip-based systems is important in many areas such as Laboratory-on-a-chip, Microfluidics and Optofluidics. Actuation of liquids in such systems is usually achieved using either mechanical displacement11 or via energy conversion e.g. electrowetting which modifies wetting. However, at the moment there is no clear way of actuating a liquid using light. Here, by linking semiconductor physics and wetting phenomenon a brand new effect "photoelectrowetting" is demonstrated for a droplet of conducting liquid resting on an insulator-semiconductor stack. Optical generation of carriers in the space-charge region of the underlying semiconductor alters the capacitance of the insulator-semiconductor stack; the result of this is a modification of the wetting contact angle of the droplet upon illumination. The effect is demonstrated using commercial silicon wafers, both n- and p-type having a doping range spanning four orders of magnitude (6\times1014-8\times1018 cm-3), coated with a commercial fluoropolymer insulating film (Teflon\textregistered). Impedance measurements confirm that the observations are semiconductor space-charge related effects. The impact of the work could lead to new silicon-based technologies in the above mentioned areas

Observation of soliton pulse compression in photonic crystal waveguides

We demonstrate soliton-effect pulse compression in mm-long photonic crystal waveguides resulting from strong anomalous dispersion and self-phase modulation. Compression from 3ps to 580fs, at low pulse energies(~10pJ), is measured via autocorrelation