Effect of frequency mismatched photons in quantum information processing

Many promising schemes for quantum information processing (QIP) rely on few-photon interference effects. In these proposals, the photons are treated as being indistinguishable particles. However, single photon sources are typically subject to variation from device to device. Thus the photons emitted from different sources will not be perfectly identical, and there will be some variation in their frequencies. Here, we analyse the effect of this frequency mismatch on QIP schemes. As examples, we consider the distributed QIP protocol proposed by Barrett and Kok, and Hong-Ou-Mandel interference which lies at the heart of many linear optical schemes for quantum computing. In the distributed QIP protocol, we find that the fidelity of entangled qubit states depends crucially on the time resolution of single photon detectors. In particular, there is no reduction in the fidelity when an ideal detector model is assumed, while reduced fidelities may be encountered when using realistic detectors with a finite response time. We obtain similar results in the case of Hong-Ou-Mandel interference -- with perfect detectors, a modified version of quantum interference is seen, and the visibility of the interference pattern is reduced as the detector time resolution is reduced. Our findings indicate that problems due to frequency mismatch can be overcome, provided sufficiently fast detectors are available.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures. Comments welcome. v2: Minor changes. v3: Cleaned up 3 formatting error

Robust Entanglement through Macroscopic Quantum Jumps

We propose an entanglement generation scheme that requires neither the coherent evolution of a quantum system nor the detection of single photons. Instead, the desired state is heralded by a {\em macroscopic} quantum jump. Macroscopic quantum jumps manifest themselves as a random telegraph signal with long intervals of intense fluorescence (light periods) interrupted by the complete absence of photons (dark periods). Here we show that a system of two atoms trapped inside an optical cavity can be designed such that a dark period prepares the atoms in a maximally entangled ground state. Achieving fidelities above 0.9 is possible even when the single-atom cooperativity parameter C is as low as 10 and when using a photon detector with an efficiency as low as eta = 0.2.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, more detailed discussion of underlying physical effect, references update

Macroscopic quantum jumps and entangled state preparation

Recently we predicted a random blinking, i.e. macroscopic quantum jumps, in the fluorescence of a laser-driven atom-cavity system [Metz et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 040503 (2006)]. Here we analyse the dynamics underlying this effect in detail and show its robustness against parameter fluctuations. Whenever the fluorescence of the system stops, a macroscopic dark period occurs and the atoms are shelved in a maximally entangled ground state. The described setup can therefore be used for the controlled generation of entanglement. Finite photon detector efficiencies do not affect the success rate of the state preparation, which is triggered upon the observation of a macroscopic fluorescence signal. High fidelities can be achieved even in the vicinity of the bad cavity limit due to the inherent role of dissipation in the jump process.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, proof of the robustness of the state preparation against parameter fluctuations added, figure replace

Structure analysis of the virtual Compton scattering amplitude at low energies

We analyze virtual Compton scattering off the nucleon at low energies in a covariant, model-independent formalism. We define a set of invariant functions which, once the irregular nucleon pole terms have been subtracted in a gauge-invariant fashion, is free of poles and kinematical zeros. The covariant treatment naturally allows one to implement the constraints due to Lorentz and gauge invariance, crossing symmetry, and the discrete symmetries. In particular, when applied to the $ep\to e'p'\gamma$ reaction, charge-conjugation symmetry in combination with nucleon crossing generates four relations among the ten originally proposed generalized polarizabilities of the nucleon.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX2e/RevTeX, no figures, original sections IV.-VI. removed, to be discussed in a separate publication, none of the conclusions change

Low-energy and low-momentum representation of the virtual Compton scattering amplitude

We perform an expansion of the virtual Compton scattering amplitude for low energies and low momenta and show that this expansion covers the transition from the regime to be investigated in the scheduled photon electroproduction experiments to the real Compton scattering regime. We discuss the relation of the generalized polarizabilities of virtual Compton scattering to the polarizabilities of real Compton scattering.Comment: 13 pages, LaTeX2e/RevTeX, no figure

Production of entanglement in Raman three-level systems using feedback

We examine the theoretical limits of the generation of entanglement in a damped coupled ion-cavity system using jump-based feedback. Using Raman transitions to produce entanglement between ground states reduces the necessary feedback bandwidth, but does not improve the overall effect of the spontaneous emission on the final entanglement. We find that the fidelity of the resulting entanglement will be limited by the asymmetries produced by vibrations in the trap, but that the concurrence remains above 0.88 for realistic ion trap sizes.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Evolutionary Dynamics on Small-Order Graphs

Abstract. We study the stochastic birth-death model for structured finite populations popularized by Lieberman et al. [Lieberman, E., Hauert, C., Nowak, M.A., 2005. Evolutionary dynamics on graphs. Nature 433, 312-316]. We consider all possible connected undirected graphs of orders three through eight. For each graph, using the Monte Carlo Markov Chain simulations, we determine the fixation probability of a mutant introduced at every possible vertex. We show that the fixation probability depends on the vertex and on the graph. A randomly placed mutant has the highest chances of fixation in a star graph, closely followed by star-like graphs. The fixation probability was lowest for regular and almost regular graphs. We also find that within a fixed graph, the fixation probability of a mutant has a negative correlation with the degree of the starting vertex. 1

Hot Interstellar Gas and Stellar Energy Feedback in the Antennae Galaxies

We have analyzed Chandra archival observations of the Antennae galaxies to study the distribution and physical properties of its hot interstellar gas. Eleven distinct diffuse X-ray emission regions are selected according to their underlying interstellar structures and star formation activity. The X-ray spectra of these regions are used to determine their thermal energy contents and cooling timescales. Young star clusters in these regions are also identified and their photometric measurements are compared to evolutionary stellar population synthesis models to assess their masses and ages. The cluster properties are then used to determine the stellar wind and supernova energies injected into the ISM. Comparisons between the thermal energy in the hot ISM and the expected stellar energy input show that young star clusters are sufficient to power the X-ray-emitting gas in some, but not all, active star formation regions. Super-star clusters, with masses >= 1x10^5 M_sol, heat the ISM, but the yield of hot interstellar gas is not directly proportional to the cluster mass. Finally, there exist diffuse X-ray emission regions which do not show active star formation or massive young star clusters. These regions may be powered by field stars or low-mass clusters formed within the last ~100 Myr.Comment: 36 pages, 6 figures, 8 tables, 2 appendices, to appear in the Astrophysical Journal, April 20 issu

Lipidic cubic phase serial millisecond crystallography using synchrotron radiation.

Lipidic cubic phases (LCPs) have emerged as successful matrixes for the crystallization of membrane proteins.Moreover, the viscous LCP also provides a highly effective delivery medium for serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) at X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs). Here, the adaptation of this technology to perform serial millisecond crystallography (SMX) at more widely available synchrotron microfocus beamlines is described. Compared with conventional microcrystallography, LCP-SMX eliminates the need for difficult handling of individual crystals and allows for data collection at room temperature. The technology is demonstrated by solving a structure of the light-driven protonpump bacteriorhodopsin (bR) at a resolution of 2.4 A ° . The room-temperature structure of bR is very similar to previous cryogenic structures but shows small yet distinct differences in the retinal ligand and proton-transfer pathway