Comment on ``Loss of Superconducting Phase Coherence in YBa_2Cu_3O_7 Films: Vortex-Loop Unbinding and Kosterlitz-Thouless Phenomena''

Recently, Kotzler et al. measured the frequency-dependent conductance for YBa_2Cu_3O_7 and interpreted their results as evidences that the decay of the superfluid density is caused by a 3D vortex loop proliferation mechanism and a dimensional crossover when the correlation length $\xi_c$ along the c axis becomes comparable to the sample thickness $d$ [PRL 87, 127005(2001)]. In this Comment, we show that the complex conductance data presented by Kotzler et al. have characteristic key features not compatible with their analysis, which are instead described by the existing phenomenology of 2D vortex fluctuation associated with a partial decoupling of CuO_2-planes.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, accepted in PR

Direct numerical method for counting statistics in stochastic processes

We propose a direct numerical method to calculate the statistics of the number of transitions in stochastic processes, without having to resort to Monte Carlo calculations. The method is based on a generating function method, and arbitrary moments of the probability distribution of the number of transitions are in principle calculated by solving numerically a system of coupled differential equations. As an example, a two state model with a time-dependent transition matrix is considered and the first, second and third moments of the current are calculated. This calculation scheme is applicable for any stochastic process with a finite state space, and it would be helpful to study current statistics in nonequilibrium systems.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure

Multiparty Quantum Secret Sharing

Based on a quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) protocol [Phys. Rev. A69(04)052319], we propose a $(n,n)$-threshold scheme of multiparty quantum secret sharing of classical messages (QSSCM) using only single photons. We take advantage of this multiparty QSSCM scheme to establish a scheme of multiparty secret sharing of quantum information (SSQI), in which only all quantum information receivers collaborate can the original qubit be reconstructed. A general idea is also proposed for constructing multiparty SSQI schemes from any QSSCM scheme

Time scale of entropic segregation of flexible polymers in confinement: Implications for chromosome segregation in filamentous bacteria

We report molecular dynamics simulations of the segregation of two overlapping chains in cylindrical confinement. We find that the entropic repulsion between the chains can be sufficiently strong to cause segregation on a time scale that is short compared to the one for diffusion. This result implies that entropic driving forces are sufficiently strong to cause rapid bacterial chromosome segregation.Comment: Minor changes. Added some references, corrected the labels in figure 6 and reformatted in two columns. Also added reference to published version in PR

On a Conjecture of Givental

These brief notes record our puzzles and findings surrounding Givental's recent conjecture which expresses higher genus Gromov-Witten invariants in terms of the genus-0 data. We limit our considerations to the case of a projective line, whose Gromov-Witten invariants are well-known and easy to compute. We make some simple checks supporting his conjecture.Comment: 13 pages, no figures; v.2: new title, minor change

Entanglement and purity of single- and two-photon states

Whereas single- and two-photon wave packets are usually treated as pure states, in practice they will be mixed. We study how entanglement created with mixed photon wave packets is degraded. We find in particular that the entanglement of a delocalized single-photon state of the electro-magnetic field is determined simply by its purity. We also discuss entanglement for two-photon mixed states, as well as the influence of a vacuum component.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, 1 debuting autho

Critical currents for vortex defect motion in superconducting arrays

We study numerically the motion of vortices in two-dimensional arrays of resistively shunted Josephson junctions. An extra vortex is created in the ground states by introducing novel boundary conditions and made mobile by applying external currents. We then measure critical currents and the corresponding pinning energy barriers to vortex motion, which in the unfrustrated case agree well with previous theoretical and experimental findings. In the fully frustrated case our results also give good agreement with experimental ones, in sharp contrast with the existing theoretical prediction. A physical explanation is provided in relation with the vortex motion observed in simulations.Comment: To appear in Physical Review

Entanglement detection from interference fringes in atom-photon systems

A measurement scheme of atomic qubits pinned at given positions is studied by analyzing the interference pattern obtained when they emit photons spontaneously. In the case of two qubits, a well-known relation is revisited, in which the interference visibility is equal to the concurrence of the state in the infinite spatial separation limit of the qubits. By taking into account the super-radiant and sub-radiant effects, it is shown that a state tomography is possible when the qubit spatial separation is comparable to the wavelength of the atomic transition. In the case of three qubits, the relations between various entanglement measures and the interference visibility are studied, where the visibility is defined from the two-qubit case. A qualitative correspondence among these entanglement relations is discussed. In particular, it is shown that the interference visibility is directly related to the maximal bipartite negativity.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, published versio