C*-Structure and K-Theory of Boutet de Monvel's Algebra

We consider the norm closure $A$ of the algebra of all operators of order and class zero in Boutet de Monvel's calculus on a manifold $X$ with boundary $Y$. We first describe the image and the kernel of the continuous extension of the boundary principal symbol to $A$. If the $X$ is connected and $Y$ is not empty, we then show that the K-groups of $A$ are topologically determined. In case the manifold, its boundary and the tangent space of the interior have torsion-free K-theory, we prove that $K_i(A/K)$ is isomorphic to the direct sum of $K_i(C(X))$ and $K_{1-i}(C_0(TX'))$, for i=0,1, with $K$ denoting the compact ideal and $TX'$ the tangent bundle of the interior of $X$. Using Boutet de Monvel's index theorem, we also prove this result for i=1 without assuming the torsion-free hypothesis. We also give a composition sequence for $A$.Comment: Final version, to appear in J. Reine Angew. Math. Improved K-theoretic result

Vortex-Antivortex Lattice in Ultra-Cold Fermi Gases

We discuss ultra-cold Fermi gases in two dimensions, which could be realized in a strongly confining one-dimensional optical lattice. We obtain the temperature versus effective interaction phase diagram for an s-wave superfluid and show that, below a certain critical temperature T_c, spontaneous vortex-antivortex pairs appear for all coupling strengths. In addition, we show that the evolution from weak to strong coupling is smooth, and that the system forms a square vortex-antivortex lattice at a lower critical temperature T_M.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Conditions for free magnetic monopoles in nanoscale square arrays of dipolar spin ice

We study a modified frustrated dipolar array recently proposed by M\"{o}ller and Moessner [Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{96}, 237202 (2006)], which is based on an array manufactured lithographically by Wang \emph{et al.} [Nature (London) \textbf{439}, 303 (2006)] and consists of introducing a height offset $h$ between islands (dipoles) pointing along the two different lattice directions. The ground-states and excitations are studied as a function of $h$. We have found, in qualitative agreement with the results of M\"{o}ller and Moessner, that the ground-state changes for $h>h_{1}$, where $h_{1}= 0.444a$ ($a$ is the lattice parameter or distance between islands). In addition, the excitations above the ground-state behave like magnetic poles but confined by a string, whose tension decreases as $h$ increases, in such a way that for $h\approx h_1$ its value is around 20 times smaller than that for $h=0$. The system exhibits an anisotropy in the sense that the string tension and magnetic charge depends significantly on the directions in which the monopoles are separated. In turn, the intensity of the magnetic charge abruptly changes when the monopoles are separated along the direction of the longest axis of the islands. Such a gap is attributed to the transition from the anti to the ferromagnetic ground-state when $h=h_1$.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures. Published versio