122,466 research outputs found
Current and noise correlations in a double dot Cooper pair beam splitter
We consider a double quantum dot coupled to two normal leads and one
superconducting lead, modeling the Cooper pair beam splitter studied in two
recent experiments. Starting from a microscopic Hamiltonian we derive a general
expression for the branching current and the noise crossed correlations in
terms of single and two-particle Green's function of the dot electrons. We then
study numerically how these quantities depend on the energy configuration of
the dots and the presence of direct tunneling between them, isolating the
various processes which come into play. In absence of direct tunneling, the
antisymmetric case (the two levels have opposite energies with respect to the
superconducting chemical potential) optimizes the Crossed Andreev Reflection
(CAR) process while the symmetric case (the two levels have the same energies)
favors the Elastic Cotunneling (EC) process. Switching on the direct tunneling
tends to suppress the CAR process, leading to negative noise crossed
correlations over the whole voltage range for large enough direct tunneling
Current correlations in the interacting Cooper-pair beam-splitter
We propose an approach allowing the computation of currents and their
correlations in interacting multiterminal mesoscopic systems involving quantum
dots coupled to normal and/or superconducting leads. The formalism relies on
the expression of branching currents and noise crossed correlations in terms of
one- and two-particle Green's functions for the dots electrons, which are then
evaluated self-consistently within a conserving approximation. We then apply
this to the Cooper-pair beam-splitter setup recently proposed [L. Hofstetter et
al. Nature (London) 461 960 (2009); Phys. Rev. Lett. 107 136801 (2011); L. G.
Herrmann et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 104 026801 (2010)], which we model as a double
quantum dot with weak interactions, connected to a superconducting lead and two
normal ones. Our method not only enables us to take into account a local
repulsive interaction on the dots, but also to study its competition with the
direct tunneling between dots. Our results suggest that even a weak Coulomb
repulsion tends to favor positive current cross correlations in the
antisymmetric regime (where the dots have opposite energies with respect to the
superconducting chemical potential)
Phonon Squeezing in a Superconducting Molecular Transistor
Josephson transport through a single molecule or carbon nanotube is
considered in the presence of a local vibrational mode coupled to the
electronic charge. The ground-state solution is obtained exactly in the limit
of a large superconducting gap, and is extended to the general case by
variational analysis. Coherent charge fluctuations are entangled with
non-classical phonon states. The Josephson current induces squeezing of the
phonon mode, which is controlled by the superconducting phase difference and by
the junction asymmetry. Optical probes of non-classical phonon states are
briefly discussed
Automated weighing by sequential inference in dynamic environments
We demonstrate sequential mass inference of a suspended bag of milk powder
from simulated measurements of the vertical force component at the pivot while
the bag is being filled. We compare the predictions of various sequential
inference methods both with and without a physics model to capture the system
dynamics. We find that non-augmented and augmented-state unscented Kalman
filters (UKFs) in conjunction with a physics model of a pendulum of varying
mass and length provide rapid and accurate predictions of the milk powder mass
as a function of time. The UKFs outperform the other method tested - a particle
filter. Moreover, inference methods which incorporate a physics model
outperform equivalent algorithms which do not.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures. Copyright IEEE (2015
Electronic Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry in two-dimensional topological insulators
The edge states of a two-dimensional topological insulator are characterized
by their helicity, a very remarkable property which is related to the
time-reversal symmetry and the topology of the underlying system. We
theoretically investigate a Hong-Ou-Mandel like setup as a tool to probe it.
Collisions of two electrons with the same spin show a Pauli dip, analogous to
the one obtained in the integer quantum Hall case. Moreover, the collisions
between electrons of opposite spin also lead to a dip, known as
dip, which is a direct consequence of the constraints imposed
by time-reversal symmetry. In contrast to the integer quantum Hall case, the
visibility of these dips is reduced by the presence of the additional edge
channels, and crucially depends on the properties of the quantum point contact.
As a unique feature of this system, we show the possibility of three-electron
interference, which leads to a total suppression of the noise independently of
the point contact configuration. This is assured by the peculiar interplay
between Fermi statistics and topology. This work intends to extend the domain
of applicability of electron quantum optics.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure
Tensor Representation of Spin States
We propose a generalization of the Bloch sphere representation for arbitrary
spin states. It provides a compact and elegant representation of spin density
matrices in terms of tensors that share the most important properties of Bloch
vectors. Our representation, based on covariant matrices introduced by Weinberg
in the context of quantum field theory, allows for a simple parametrization of
coherent spin states, and a straightforward transformation of density matrices
under local unitary and partial tracing operations. It enables us to provide a
criterion for anticoherence, relevant in a broader context such as quantum
polarization of light.Comment: 5 pages + 7 pages of supplementary informatio
Space Station: Leadership for the Future
No longer limited to occasional spectaculars, space has become an essential, almost commonplace dimension of national life. Among other things, space is an arena of competition with our allies and adversaries, a place of business, a field of research, and an avenue of cooperation with our allies. The space station will play a critical role in each of these endeavors. Perhaps the most significant feature of the space station, essential to its utility for science, commerce, and technology, is the permanent nature of its crew. The space station will build upon the tradition of employing new capabilities to explore further and question deeper, and by providing a permanent presence, the station should significantly increase the opportunities for conducting research in space. Economic productivity is, in part, a function of technical innovation. A major thrust of the station design effort is devoted to enhancing performance through advanced technology. The space station represents the commitment of the United States to a future in space. Perhaps most importantly, as recovery from the loss of Challenger and its crew continues, the space station symbolizes the national determination to remain undeterred by tragedy and to continue exploring the frontiers of space
Individual Differences in (Non-Visual) Processing Style Predict the Face Inversion Effect
Recent research suggests that individuals with relatively weak global precedence (i.e., a smaller propensity to view visual stimuli in a configural manner) show a reduced face inversion effect (FIE). Coupled with such findings, a number of recent studies have demonstrated links between an advantage for feature-based processing and the presentation of traits associated with autism among the general population. The present study sought to bridge these findings by investigating whether a relationship exists between the possession of autism-associated traits (i.e., as indicated by individualsautism quotient [(AQ) and the size of the FIE. Participants completed an on-line study in which the AQ was measured prior to a standard face recognition task where half of the faces were inverted at test. The results confirmed that higher AQ levels were predictive of smaller FIEs. Implications for a common underlying factor relating to processing orientation are discussed
Supernova 2009kf: An Ultraviolet Bright Type IIP Supernova Discovered with Pan-STARRS 1 and GALEX
We present photometric and spectroscopic observations of a luminous Type IIP Supernova (SN) 2009kf discovered by the Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1) survey and also detected by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer. The SN shows a plateau in its optical and bolometric light curves, lasting approximately 70 days in the rest frame, with an absolute magnitude of M_V = -18.4 mag. The P-Cygni profiles of hydrogen indicate expansion velocities of 9000 km s^(-1) at 61 days after discovery which is extremely high for a Type IIP SN. SN 2009kf is also remarkably bright in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) and shows a slow evolution 10-20 days after optical discovery. The NUV and optical luminosity at these epochs can be modeled with a blackbody with a hot effective temperature (T ~ 16,000 K) and a large radius (R ~ 1 × 10^(15) cm). The bright bolometric and NUV luminosity, the light curve peak and plateau duration, the high velocities, and temperatures suggest that 2009kf is a Type IIP SN powered by a larger than normal explosion energy. Recently discovered high-z SNe (0.7 < z < 2.3) have been assumed to be IIn SNe, with the bright UV luminosities due to the interaction of SN ejecta with a dense circumstellar medium. UV-bright SNe similar to SN 2009kf could also account for these high-z events, and its absolute magnitude M_(NUV) = -21.5 ± 0.5 mag suggests such SNe could be discovered out to z ~ 2.5 in the PS1 survey
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