Correlated electron transport through double quantum dots coupled to normal and superconducting leads

We study Andreev transport through double quantum dots connected in series normal and superconducting (SC) leads, using the numerical renormalization group. The ground state of this system shows a crossover between a local Cooper-pairing singlet state and a Kondo singlet state, which is caused by the competition between the Coulomb interaction and the SC proximity. We show that the ground-state properties reflect this crossover especially for small values of the inter-dot coupling $t$, while in the opposite case, for large $t$, another singlet with an inter-dot character becomes dominant. We find that the conductance for the local SC singlet state has a peak with the unitary-limit value $4e^2/h$. In contrast, the Andreev reflection is suppressed in the Kondo regime by the Coulomb interaction. Furthermore, the conductance has two successive peaks in the transient region of the crossover. It is further elucidated that the gate voltage gives a different variation into the crossover. Specifically, as the energy level of the dot that is coupled to the normal lead varies, the Kondo screening cloud is deformed to a long-range singlet bond.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure

Study on Seismic Retrofit Planning Method for Seweage Treatment Plants on the Basis of Seismic Risk Management

Japanese sewerage has more than 100 years of history, and many facilities have passed their durable years. For the sake of economy, life lengthening of the equipment and facilities is required. Rational life extension of the equipment and facilities calls for aseismic reinforcement of structures with damage risks considered. Based on this, the author et al. suggested a method that will help planning rational aseismic reinforcement for sewage treatment plants. This method quantitatively evaluates the relationship between the earthquake risk and aseismic reinforcement cost by introducing the concept of risk management. In this study, availability of this method also has been verified with exemplification

Asymptotic behavior of dynamical variables and naked singularity formation in spherically symmetric gravitational collapse

Considering gravitational collapse of matter, it is important problem to clarify what kind of conditions leads to the formation of naked singularity. For this purpose, we apply the 1+3 orthonormal frame formalism introduced by Uggla \textit{et al.} to spherically symmetric gravitational collapse of perfect fluid. This formalism allows us to construct an autonomous system of evolution and constraint equations for scale-invariant dynamical variables normalized by the volume expansion rate of the timelike orthonormal frame vector. We investigate the asymptotic evolution of such dynamical variables towards the formation of a central singularity and present a conjecture that the steep spatial gradient for the normalized density function is a characteristic of the naked singularity formation.Comment: Version published in PR

Quantum crossover in moderately damped epitaxial NbN/MgO/NbN junctions with low critical current density

High quality epitaxial NbN/MgO/NbN Josephson junctions have been realized with MgO barriers up to a thickness of d=1 nm. The junction properties coherently scale with the size of barrier, and low critical current densities down to 3 A/cm$^2$ have been achieved for larger barriers. In this limit, junctions exhibit macroscopic quantum phenomena for temperatures lower than 90 mK. Measurements and junction parameters support the notion of a possible use of these devices for multiphoton quantum experiments, taking advantage of the fast non equilibrium electron-phonon relaxation times of NbN