Toward Spin Squeezing with Trapped Ions

Building robust instruments capable of making interferometric measurements with precision beyond the standard quantum limit remains an important goal in many metrology laboratories. We describe here the basic concepts underlying spin squeezing experiments that allow one to surpass this limit. In priniciple it is possible to reach the so-called Heisenberg limit, which constitutes an improvement in precision by a factor $\sqrt{N}$, where $N$ is the number of particles on which the measurement is carried out. In particular, we focus on recent progress toward implementing spin squeezing with a cloud of beryllium ions in a Penning ion trap, via the geometric phase gate used more commonly for performing two-qubit entangling operations in quantum computing experiments.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, Contribution to Quantum Africa 2010 conference proceeding

High-order noise filtering in nontrivial quantum logic gates

Treating the effects of a time-dependent classical dephasing environment during quantum logic operations poses a theoretical challenge, as the application of non-commuting control operations gives rise to both dephasing and depolarization errors that must be accounted for in order to understand total average error rates. We develop a treatment based on effective Hamiltonian theory that allows us to efficiently model the effect of classical noise on nontrivial single-bit quantum logic operations composed of arbitrary control sequences. We present a general method to calculate the ensemble-averaged entanglement fidelity to arbitrary order in terms of noise filter functions, and provide explicit expressions to fourth order in the noise strength. In the weak noise limit we derive explicit filter functions for a broad class of piecewise-constant control sequences, and use them to study the performance of dynamically corrected gates, yielding good agreement with brute-force numerics.Comment: Revised and expanded to include filter function terms beyond first order in the Magnus expansion. Related manuscripts available from http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~mbiercu

A clinical delineation of tachyphemia (cluttering)

Cluttering constitutes one of the most important disorders of speech, language and communication in general. The majority of c1utterers are themselves unaware of the disorder.  The problems of definition, symptomatology, aetiology and relationship to stuttering and hereditary aspects, are discussed. A preliminary case report of a family in which cluttering appears to follow a dominant mode of inheritance, is given. It is concluded that the major symptoms underlying the general cluttering syndrome in the family described, are related to some form of psychoneurological dysfunction with emphasis on a central language imbalance.S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1624 (1974)

A clinical delineation of Tachyphemia (cluttering)

Cluttering constitutes one of the most important disorders of speech, language and communication in general. The majority of c1utterers are themselves unaware of the disorder. The problems of definition, symptomatology, aetiology and relationship to stuttering and hereditary aspects, are discussed. A preliminary case report of a family in which cluttering appears to follow a dominant mode of inheritance, is given. It is concluded that the major symptoms underlying the general cluttering syndrome in the family described, are related to some form of psychoneurological dysfunction with emphasis on a central language imbalance.S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1624 (1974

Changes in Carbohydrates in Nursery-Grown Grapevine Rootstocks

The utilisation and accumulation of sugar, starch and hemicellulose were studied in nursery-grown grapevine rootstocks. For an initial period lasting about 12 weeks all three components were utilised to varying degrees by the cuttings. Subsequently, starch and hemicellulose increased in the stem (original cutting) of the plant, while sugar remained low until the onset of winter. In the shoots, hemicellulose accumulation was very marked, whereas in the roots starch was the dominant carbohydrate component