1,260 research outputs found
Ensemble versus individual system in quantum optics
Modern techniques allow experiments on a single atom or system, with new
phenomena and new challenges for the theoretician. We discuss what quantum
mechanics has to say about a single system. The quantum jump approach as well
as the role of quantum trajectories are outlined and a rather sophisticated
example is given.Comment: Fundamental problems in quantum theory workshop, invited lecture. 11
pages Latex + 7 figures. To appear in Fortschr. d. Physi
Four-photon orbital angular momentum entanglement
Quantum entanglement shared between more than two particles is essential to
foundational questions in quantum mechanics, and upcoming quantum information
technologies. So far, up to 14 two-dimensional qubits have been entangled, and
an open question remains if one can also demonstrate entanglement of
higher-dimensional discrete properties of more than two particles. A promising
route is the use of the photon orbital angular momentum (OAM), which enables
implementation of novel quantum information protocols, and the study of
fundamentally new quantum states. To date, only two of such multidimensional
particles have been entangled albeit with ever increasing dimensionality. Here
we use pulsed spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) to produce photon
quadruplets that are entangled in their OAM, or transverse-mode degrees of
freedom; and witness genuine multipartite Dicke-type entanglement. Apart from
addressing foundational questions, this could find applications in quantum
metrology, imaging, and secret sharing.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Multi-dimensional laser spectroscopy of exciton-polaritons with spatial light modulators
We describe an experimental system that allows one to easily access the
dispersion curve of exciton-polaritons in a microcavity. Our approach is based
on two spatial light modulators (SLM), one for changing the excitation angles
(momenta), and the other for tuning the excitation wavelength. We show that
with this setup, an arbitrary number of states can be excited accurately and
that re-configuration of the excitation scheme can be done at high speed.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Spontaneously Localized Photonic Modes Due to Disorder in the Dielectric Constant
We present the first experimental evidence for the existence of strongly
localized photonic modes due to random two dimensional fluctuations in the
dielectric constant. In one direction, the modes are trapped by ordered Bragg
reflecting mirrors of a planar, one wavelength long, microcavity. In the cavity
plane, they are localized by disorder, which is due to randomness in the
position, composition and sizes of quantum dots located in the anti-node of the
cavity. We extend the theory of disorder induced strong localization of
electron states to optical modes and obtain quantitative agreement with the
main experimental observations.Comment: 6 page
Feed-links for network extensions
Road network data is often incomplete, making it hard to perform network analysis. This paper discusses the problem of extending partial road networks with reasonable links, using the concept of dilation (also known as crow flight conversion coefficient). To this end, we study how to connect a point (relevant location) inside a polygon (face of the known part of the road network) to the boundary so that the dilation from that point to any point on the boundary is not too large. We provide algorithms and heuristics, and give a computational and experimental analysis
Finding the most relevant fragments in networks
We study a point pattern detection problem on networks, motivated by applications in geographical analysis, such as crime hotspot detection. Given a network N (a connected graph with non-negative edge lengths) together with a set of sites, which lie on the edges or vertices of N, we look for a connected subnetwork F of N of small total length that contains many sites. The edges of F can form parts of the edges of N. We consider different variants of this problem where N is either a general graph or restricted to a tree, and the subnetwork F that we are looking for is either a simple path or a tree. We give polynomial-time algorithms, NP-hardness and NP-completeness proofs, approximation algorithms, and also fixed-parameter tractable algorithms
A Complexity View of Rainfall
We show that rain events are analogous to a variety of nonequilibrium
relaxation processes in Nature such as earthquakes and avalanches. Analysis of
high-resolution rain data reveals that power laws describe the number of rain
events versus size and number of droughts versus duration. In addition, the
accumulated water column displays scale-less fluctuations. These statistical
properties are the fingerprints of a self-organized critical process and may
serve as a benchmark for models of precipitation and atmospheric processes.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Most vital segment barriers
We study continuous analogues of "vitality" for discrete network flows/paths,
and consider problems related to placing segment barriers that have highest
impact on a flow/path in a polygonal domain. This extends the graph-theoretic
notion of "most vital arcs" for flows/paths to geometric environments. We give
hardness results and efficient algorithms for various versions of the problem,
(almost) completely separating hard and polynomially-solvable cases
- …