149 research outputs found
The Effect of Weak Interactions on the Ultra-Relativistic Bose-Einstein Condensation Temperature
We calculate the ultra-relativistic Bose-Einstein condensation temperature of
a complex scalar field with weak lambda Phi^4 interaction. We show that at high
temperature and finite density we can use dimensional reduction to produce an
effective three-dimensional theory which then requires non-perturbative
analysis. For simplicity and ease of implementation we illustrate this process
with the linear delta expansion.Comment: Latex2e, 12 pages, three eps figures, replacement with additional
discussion and extra figur
On the Divergence of Perturbation Theory. Steps Towards a Convergent Series
The mechanism underlying the divergence of perturbation theory is exposed.
This is done through a detailed study of the violation of the hypothesis of the
Dominated Convergence Theorem of Lebesgue using familiar techniques of Quantum
Field Theory. That theorem governs the validity (or lack of it) of the formal
manipulations done to generate the perturbative series in the functional
integral formalism. The aspects of the perturbative series that need to be
modified to obtain a convergent series are presented. Useful tools for a
practical implementation of these modifications are developed. Some resummation
methods are analyzed in the light of the above mentioned mechanism.Comment: 42 pages, Latex, 4 figure
Pion Wavefunctions and Truncation Sensitivity of QCD Sum Rules
The systematic errors inherent in the QCD sum rule approach to meson
wavefunctions are examined in the context of QCD in 1+1 spacetime dimensions in
the large N limit where the theory is exactly solvable. It is shown that the
truncation of high momentum modes induced in a lattice discretization
automatically produces a Chernyak-Zhitnitsky \cite{CZ} type meson wavefunction.
Such a truncation alters the balance of leading and higher twist terms in
correlators. We find that the reliable extraction of (a few) higher moments is
possible provided a reasonably accurate uniform approximation to the Euclidean
correlator over a suitable range is available, but that the extracted
values are particularly sensitive to the balance of lower and higher twist
contributions. Underestimates of lower twist contributions or overestimates of
the highest twist term may lead to too high values for the second and fourth
moments of the pion wavefunction, suggesting a doubly peaked structure of the
Chernyak-Zhitnitsky type.Comment: 23 pages, Latex, 5 figures. One figure was missed in the first
versio
Quantum teleportation on a photonic chip
Quantum teleportation is a fundamental concept in quantum physics which now
finds important applications at the heart of quantum technology including
quantum relays, quantum repeaters and linear optics quantum computing (LOQC).
Photonic implementations have largely focussed on achieving long distance
teleportation due to its suitability for decoherence-free communication.
Teleportation also plays a vital role in the scalability of photonic quantum
computing, for which large linear optical networks will likely require an
integrated architecture. Here we report the first demonstration of quantum
teleportation in which all key parts - entanglement preparation, Bell-state
analysis and quantum state tomography - are performed on a reconfigurable
integrated photonic chip. We also show that a novel element-wise
characterisation method is critical to mitigate component errors, a key
technique which will become increasingly important as integrated circuits reach
higher complexities necessary for quantum enhanced operation.Comment: Originally submitted version - refer to online journal for accepted
manuscript; Nature Photonics (2014
Social presence and dishonesty in retail
Self-service checkouts (SCOs) in retail can benefit consumers and retailers, providing control and autonomy to shoppers independent from staff, together with reduced queuing times. Recent research indicates that the absence of staff may provide the opportunity for consumers to behave dishonestly, consistent with a perceived lack of social presence. This study examined whether a social presence in the form of various instantiations of embodied, visual, humanlike SCO interface agents had an effect on opportunistic behaviour. Using a simulated SCO scenario, participants experienced various dilemmas in which they could financially benefit themselves undeservedly. We hypothesised that a humanlike social presence integrated within the checkout screen would receive more attention and result in fewer instances of dishonesty compared to a less humanlike agent. This was partially supported by the results. The findings contribute to the theoretical framework in social presence research. We concluded that companies adopting self-service technology may consider the implementation of social presence in technology applications to support ethical consumer behaviour, but that more research is required to explore the mixed findings in the current study.<br/
Testing foundations of quantum mechanics with photons
The foundational ideas of quantum mechanics continue to give rise to
counterintuitive theories and physical effects that are in conflict with a
classical description of Nature. Experiments with light at the single photon
level have historically been at the forefront of tests of fundamental quantum
theory and new developments in photonics engineering continue to enable new
experiments. Here we review recent photonic experiments to test two
foundational themes in quantum mechanics: wave-particle duality, central to
recent complementarity and delayed-choice experiments; and Bell nonlocality
where recent theoretical and technological advances have allowed all
controversial loopholes to be separately addressed in different photonics
experiments.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, published as a Nature Physics Insight review
articl
Quantum interference and manipulation of entanglement in silicon wire waveguide quantum circuits
Integrated quantum photonic waveguide circuits are a promising approach to
realizing future photonic quantum technologies. Here, we present an integrated
photonic quantum technology platform utilising the silicon-on-insulator
material system, where quantum interference and the manipulation of quantum
states of light are demonstrated in components orders of magnitude smaller than
in previous implementations. Two-photon quantum interference is presented in a
multi-mode interference coupler, and manipulation of entanglement is
demonstrated in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, opening the way to an
all-silicon photonic quantum technology platform.Comment: 7 page
Superconducting single photon detectors integrated with diamond nanophotonic circuits
Photonic quantum technologies promise to repeat the success of integrated
nanophotonic circuits in non-classical applications. Using linear optical
elements, quantum optical computations can be performed with integrated optical
circuits and thus allow for overcoming existing limitations in terms of
scalability. Besides passive optical devices for realizing photonic quantum
gates, active elements such as single photon sources and single photon
detectors are essential ingredients for future optical quantum circuits.
Material systems which allow for the monolithic integration of all components
are particularly attractive, including III-V semiconductors, silicon and also
diamond. Here we demonstrate nanophotonic integrated circuits made from high
quality polycrystalline diamond thin films in combination with on-chip single
photon detectors. Using superconducting nanowires coupled evanescently to
travelling waves we achieve high detection efficiencies up to 66 % combined
with low dark count rates and timing resolution of 190 ps. Our devices are
fully scalable and hold promise for functional diamond photonic quantum
devices.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figure
Health and health care utilisation among asylum seekers and refugees in the Netherlands: design of a study
BACKGROUND: This article discusses the design of a study on the prevalence of health problems (both physical and mental) and the utilisation of health care services among asylum seekers and refugees in the Netherlands, including factors that may be related to their health and their utilisation of these services. METHODS/DESIGN: The study will include random samples of adult asylum seekers and refugees from Afghanistan, Iran and Somali (total planned sample of 600), as these are among the largest groups within the reception centres and municipalities in the Netherlands. The questionnaire that will be used will include questions on physical health (chronic and acute diseases and somatization), mental health (Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire), utilisation of health care services, pre- and post-migratory traumatic experiences, life-style, acculturation, social support and socio-demographic background. The questionnaire has gone through a translation process (translation and back-translation, several checks and a pilot-study) and cross-cultural adaptation. Respondents will be interviewed by bilingual and bicultural interviewers who will be specifically trained for this purpose. This article discusses the selection of the study population, the chosen outcome measures, the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the measurement instrument, the training of the interviewers and the practical execution of the study. The information provided may be useful for other researchers in this relatively new field of epidemiological research among various groups of asylum seekers and refugees
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