Probe-Configuration-Dependent Decoherence in an Aharonov-Bohm Ring

We have measured transport through mesoscopic Aharonov-Bohm (AB) rings with two different four-terminal configurations. While the amplitude and the phase of the AB oscillations are well explained within the framework of the Landaur-B\"uttiker formalism, it is found that the probe configuration strongly affects the coherence time of the electrons, i.e., the decoherence is much reduced in the configuration of so-called nonlocal resistance. This result should provide an important clue in clarifying the mechanism of quantum decoherence in solids.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, RevTe

Temperature and magnetic-field dependence of the quantum corrections to the conductance of a network of quantum dots

We calculate the magnetic-field and temperature dependence of all quantum corrections to the ensemble-averaged conductance of a network of quantum dots. We consider the limit that the dimensionless conductance of the network is large, so that the quantum corrections are small in comparison to the leading, classical contribution to the conductance. For a quantum dot network the conductance and its quantum corrections can be expressed solely in terms of the conductances and form factors of the contacts and the capacitances of the quantum dots. In particular, we calculate the temperature dependence of the weak localization correction and show that it is described by an effective dephasing rate proportional to temperature.Comment: 24 pages, 14 figure

Current-voltage correlations in interferometers

We investigate correlations of current at contacts and voltage fluctuations at voltage probes coupled to interferometers. The results are compared with correlations of current and occupation number fluctuations at dephasing probes. We use a quantum Langevin approach for the average quantities and their fluctuations. For higher order correlations we develop a stochastic path integral approach and find the generating functions of voltage or occupation number fluctuations. We also derive a generating function for the joint distribution of voltage or occupation number at the probe and current fluctuations at a terminal of a conductor. For energy independent scattering we found earlier that the generating function of current cumulants in interferometers with a one-channel dephasing or voltage probe are identical. Nevertheless, the distribution function for voltage and the distribution function for occupation number fluctuations differ, the latter being broader than that of former in all examples considered here.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures, minor changes, additional appendix, added reference

Transient electric current through an Aharonov-Bohm ring after switching of a Two-Level-System

Response of the electronic current through an Aharonov-Bohm ring after a two-level-system is switched on is calculated perturbatively by use of non-equilibrium Green function. In the ballistic case the amplitude of the Aharonov-Bohm oscillation is shown to decay to a new equilibrium value due to scattering into other electronic states. Relaxation of Altshuler-Aronov-Spivak oscillation in diffusive case due to dephasing effect is also calculated. The time scale of the relaxation is determined by characteristic relaxation times of the system and the splitting of two-level-system. Oscillation phases are not affected. Future experimental studies of current response may give us direct information on characteristic times of mesoscopic systems

Intramolecular and Lattice Melting in n-Alkane Monolayers: An Analog of Melting in Lipid Bilayers

URL:http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.83.2362 DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.83.2362Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and neutron diffraction experiments have been performed on n-dotriacontane ( n-C32D66) monolayers adsorbed on a graphite basal- plane surface. The diffraction experiments show little change in the crystalline monolayer structure up to a temperature of ~350K above which a large thermal expansion and decrease in coherence length occurs. The MD simulations provide evidence that this behavior is due to a phase transition in the monolayer in which intramolecular and translational order are lost simultaneously. This melting transition is qualitatively similar to the gel-to-fluid transition found in bilayer lipid membranes.Acknowledgment is made to the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grants No. DMR-9314235 and No. DMR-9802476, the Missouri University Research Reactor, and to the donors of The Petroleum Research Fund, administered by the ACS, for partial support of this research. We thank L. Criswell for assistance with the figures

QED theory of the nuclear recoil effect on the atomic g factor

The quantum electrodynamic theory of the nuclear recoil effect on the atomic g factor to all orders in \alpha Z and to first order in m/M is formulated. The complete \alpha Z-dependence formula for the recoil correction to the bound-electron g factor in a hydrogenlike atom is derived. This formula is used to calculate the recoil correction to the bound-electron g factor in the order (\alpha Z)^2 m/M for an arbitrary state of a hydrogenlike atom.Comment: 17 page

Intervention effects and long-term changes in physical activity and cardiometabolic outcomes among children at risk of noncommunicable diseases in South Africa: a cluster-randomized controlled trial and follow-up analysis

INTRODUCTION: Risk factors for noncommunicable diseases such as insufficient physical activity (PA), overweight or hypertension are becoming increasingly predominant among children globally. While school-based interventions are promising preventive strategies, evidence of their long-term effectiveness, especially among vulnerable populations, is scarce. We aim to assess the short-term effects of the physical and health KaziKidz intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors and the long-term, pre-and post-COVID-19 pandemic changes thereof in high-risk children from marginalized communities. METHODS: The intervention was tested in a cluster-randomized controlled trial between January and October 2019 in eight primary schools near Gqeberha, South Africa. Children with overweight, elevated blood pressure, pre-diabetes, and/or borderline dyslipidemia were identified and re-assessed 2 years post-intervention. Study outcomes included accelerometry-measured PA (MVPA), body mass index (BMI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), glucose (HbA1c), and lipid levels (TC to HDL ratio). We conducted mixed regression analyses to assess intervention effects by cardiometabolic risk profile, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests to evaluate longitudinal changes in the high-risk subpopulation. RESULTS: We found a significant intervention effect on MVPA during school hours for physically inactive children, and among active as well as inactive girls. In contrast, the intervention lowered HbA1c and TC to HDL ratio only in children with glucose or lipid values within the norm, respectively. At follow-up, the intervention effects were not maintained in at-risk children, who showed a decline in MVPA, and an increase in BMI-for-age, MAP, HbA1c and TC to HDL ratio. CONCLUSION: We conclude that schools are key settings in which to promote PA and improve health; however, structural changes are necessary to ensure that effective interventions reach marginalized school populations and achieve sustainable impact

Mesoscopic Fano Effect in a Quantum Dot Embedded in an Aharonov-Bohm Ring

The Fano effect, which occurs through the quantum-mechanical cooperation between resonance and interference, can be observed in electron transport through a hybrid system of a quantum dot and an Aharonov-Bohm ring. While a clear correlation appears between the height of the Coulomb peak and the real asymmetric parameter $q$ for the corresponding Fano lineshape, we need to introduce a complex $q$ to describe the variation of the lineshape by the magnetic and electrostatic fields. The present analysis demonstrates that the Fano effect with complex asymmetric parameters provides a good probe to detect a quantum-mechanical phase of traversing electrons.Comment: REVTEX, 9 pages including 8 figure

Cluster Transformation Coefficients for Structure and Dynamics Calculations in n-Particle Systems: Atoms, Nuclei, and Quarks

The structure and dynamics of an n-particle system are described with coupled nonlinear Heisenberg's commutator equations where the nonlinear terms are generated by the two-body interaction that excites the reference vacuum via particle-particle and particle-hole excitations. Nonperturbative solutions of the system are obtained with the use of dynamic linearization approximation and cluster transformation coefficients. The dynamic linearization approximation converts the commutator chain into an eigenvalue problem. The cluster coefficients factorize the matrix elements of the (n)-particles or particle-hole systems in terms of the matrix elements of the (n-1)-systems coupled to a particle-particle, particle-hole, and hole-hole boson. Group properties of the particle-particle, particle-hole, and hole-hole permutation groups simplify the calculation of these coefficients. The particle-particle vacuum-excitations generate superconductive diagrams in the dynamics of 3-quarks systems. Applications of the model to fermionic and bosonic systems are discussed.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, Wigner Proceedings for Conference Wigner Centenial Pecs, July 8-12, 200

Controlled Dephasing of Electrons by Non-Gaussian Shot Noise

In a 'controlled dephasing' experiment [1-3], an interferometer loses its coherence due to entanglement with a controlled quantum system ('which path' detector). In experiments that were conducted thus far in mesoscopic systems only partial dephasing was achieved. This was due to weak interactions between many detector electrons and the interfering electron, resulting in a Gaussian phase randomizing process [4-10]. Here, we report the opposite extreme: a complete destruction of the interference via strong phase randomization only by a few electrons in the detector. The realization was based on interfering edge channels (in the integer quantum Hall effect regime, filling factor 2) in a Mach-Zehnder electronic interferometer, with an inner edge channel serving as a detector. Unexpectedly, the visibility quenched in a periodic lobe-type form as the detector current increased; namely, it periodically decreased as the detector current, and thus the detector's efficiency, increased. Moreover, the visibility had a V-shape dependence on the partitioning of the detector current, and not the expected dependence on the second moment of the shot noise, T(1-T), with T the partitioning. We ascribe these unexpected features to the strong detector-interferometer coupling, allowing only 1-3 electrons in the detector to fully dephase the interfering electron. Consequently, in this work we explored the non-Gaussian nature of noise [11], namely, the direct effect of the shot noise full counting statistics [12-15].Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure