Charge noise at Cooper-pair resonances

We analyze the charge dynamics of a superconducting single-electron transistor (SSET) in the regime where charge transport occurs via Cooper-pair resonances. Using an approximate description of the system Hamiltonian, in terms of a series of resonant doublets, we derive a Born-Markov master equation describing the dynamics of the SSET. The average current displays sharp peaks at the Cooper-pair resonances and we find that the charge noise spectrum has a characteristic structure which consists of a series of asymmetric triplets of peaks. The strongest feature in the charge noise spectrum is the triplet of peaks centered at zero frequency which has a peak spacing equal to the level separation within the doublets and is similar to the triplet in the spectrum of a driven, damped, two-level system. We also explore the back-action that the SSET charge noise would have on an oscillator coupled to the island charge, measurement of which provides a way of probing the charge noise spectrum.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figure

Leggett-Garg inequalities for the statistics of electron transport

We derive a set of Leggett-Garg inequalities (temporal Bell's inequalities) for the moment generating function of charge transferred through a conductor. Violation of these inequalities demonstrates the absence of a macroscopic-real description of the transport process. We show how these inequalities can be violated by quantum-mechanical systems and consider transport through normal and superconducting single-electron transistors as examples.Comment: 5 pages; 3 figure

Castells, 'Murdochization', Economic Counterpower and Livestreaming

In his Information Age trilogy, Manuel Castells documents the transformation of economic power by means of network affordances. In more recent work, he has built an account of the linking of economic power with cultural and political power through ‘Murdochization’ or ‘the networking of networks’. Whilst Castells’ account of power has thus developed to acknowledge the integration of economic, cultural and political interests within networks, his account of ‘counterpower’ remains largely focused on cultural and political resistance in the form of protest. Here we explore a case of economic counterpower, the unauthorized livestreaming of digital sports broadcasts. Analysis of this particular case (of counterpower) is particularly significant, given the centrality of Murdochization in Castells’ account of power in the network society. Emerging out of, alongside, and in response to the growth of, Murdochized digital media sports networks, we explore the scope and limits of livestreaming as a form of economic counterpower and counter-Murdochization. In this article, we document Castells’ theory of network power, the centrality of Murdochization to that account, and the centrality of monopoly control over digital sports broadcasting to Murdochized media empires. The scope and resilience of alternative streaming media in switching live sports programming from pay to view to free sharing is then examined. The failure to date of all attempts to prohibit free streams shows the ongoing viability of such economic counterpower. However, whilst dominant actors cannot eliminate economic counterpower, where dominant actors choose not to broadcast, no switching of content can take place

Castells, ‘Murdochisation’, Economic Counterpower and Live-Streaming

In his Information Age trilogy, Manuel Castells documents the transformation of economic power by means of network affordances. In more recent work, he has built an account of the linking of economic power with cultural and political power through 'Murdochisation', or 'the networking of networks'. Whilst Castells’ account of power has thus developed to acknowledge the integration of economic, cultural and political interests and networks, his account of 'counterpower' remains largely focussed on cultural and political resistance in the form of protest. Here we explore a case of economic counterpower; the unauthorised live-streaming of digital sports broadcasts. Analysis of this particular case (of counterpower) is particularly significant given the centrality of ‘Murdochisation’ in Castells’ account of power in the network society. Emerging out of, alongside, and in response to the growth of Murdochised digital media sports networks, we explore the scope and limits of live-streaming as a form of economic counterpower and counter-Murdochisation. In this article, we document Castells’ theory of network power, the centrality of ‘Murdochisation’ to that account, and the centrality of monopoly control over digital sports broadcasting to Murdochised media empires. The scope and resilience of alternative streaming media in switching live sports programming from pay to view to free sharing is then examined. The failure to date of all attempts to prohibit free streams shows the on-going viability of such economic counterpower. However, whilst dominant actors cannot eliminate economic counterpower, where dominant actors choose not to broadcast, no switching of content can take place