A Charge and Spin Readout Scheme For Single Self-Assembled Quantum Dots

We propose an all optical spin initialization and readout concept for single self assembled quantum dots and demonstrate its feasibility. Our approach is based on a gateable single dot photodiode structure that can be switched between charge and readout mode. After optical electron generation and storage, we propose to employ a spin-conditional absorption of a circularly polarized light pulse tuned to the single negatively charged exciton transition to convert the spin information of the resident electron to charge occupancy. Switching the device to the charge readout mode then allows us to probe the charge state of the quantum dot (1e, 2e) using non-resonant luminescence. The spin orientation of the resident electron is then reflected by the photoluminescence yield of doubly and singly charged transitions in the quantum dot. To verify the feasibility of this spin readout concept, we have applied time gated photoluminescence to confirm that selective optical charging and efficient non perturbative measurement of the charge state can be performed on the same dot. The results show that, by switching the electric field in the vicinity of the quantum dot, the charging rate can be switched between a regime of efficient electron generation and a readout regime, where the charge occupancy and, therefore, the spin state of the dot can be tested via PL over millisecond timescales, without altering it.Comment: 20 Pages, 6 Figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Nematic-Isotropic Transition with Quenched Disorder

Nematic elastomers do not show the discontinuous, first-order, phase transition that the Landau-De Gennes mean field theory predicts for a quadrupolar ordering in 3D. We attribute this behavior to the presence of network crosslinks, which act as sources of quenched orientational disorder. We show that the addition of weak random anisotropy results in a singular renormalization of the Landau-De Gennes expression, adding an energy term proportional to the inverse quartic power of order parameter Q. This reduces the first-order discontinuity in Q. For sufficiently high disorder strength the jump disappears altogether and the phase transition becomes continuous, in some ways resembling the supercritical transitions in external field.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, to be published on PR

Ecología de Dickinsonia en llanuras mareales

Specimens of Dickinsonia from the Central Urals are characterised by clear bilateral symmetry. Taking into account observations from Australian specimens, we consider that the so called ‘glide reflection symmetry’ in these fossils is a taphonomic phenomenon. The size frequency distribution plot shows the predominance of smaller individuals in the studied population of Dickinsonia from the Central Urals. Assuming that the age of an individual is manifested in the body size, there is a significant predominance of juvenile individuals in the population. Three possible scenarios can be envisaged: (i) the population has a large number of juvenile individuals as the result of high survivorship rate in the intertidal zone; (ii) the population teems with juvenile forms because it is buried immediately after hatching; (iii) assuming that Dickinsonia was an actively motile organisms, that abundance of juvenile individuals could be explained by their inability to escape burial (although it is difficult to imagine that some of the mature individuals are buried with signs of escape behaviour); and (iv) the population could be interpreted as a fossilised ‘nesting ground’ for Dickinsonia in the intertidal zone where juvenile forms underwent maturation before migrating back to the subtidal zone. The study population can be characterised as expanding or stable; therefore, the intertidal setting can be described as favourable for these organisms.Los ejemplares de Dickinsonia de los Urales Centrales se caracterizan por una clara simetría bilateral. Tomando en cuenta las observaciones de especímenes australianos, consideramos que la llamada’simetría de reflexión por deslizamiento’ en estos fósiles es un fenómeno tafonómico. El gráfico de distribución de frecuencias de tamaño muestra el predominio de individuos juveniles en la población estudiada de Dickinsonia de los Urales Centrales. Asumiendo que la edad de un individuo se manifiesta por su tamaño, existe un predominio significativo de individuos juveniles en la población. Se pueden prever tres escenarios posibles: (1) la población tiene un gran número de individuos juveniles como resultado de la alta tasa de supervivencia en la zona intermareal; (2) la población está dominada por formas juveniles porque está enterrada inmediatamente después de la eclosión; (3) suponiendo que Dickinsonia fuera un organismo móvil activo, la abundancia de individuos juveniles podría explicarse por su incapacidad para escapar del entierramiento (aunque es difícil imaginar que algunos de los individuos maduros estén enterrados con signos de comportamiento de escape); y (4) la población podría interpretarse como un “lugar de nidificación” fosilizado para Dickinsonia en la zona intermareal, donde las formas juveniles maduraron antes de migrar a la zona submareal. La población de estudio puede caracterizarse como en expansión o estable; por lo tanto, el entorno intermareal puede describirse como favorable para estos organismo

Infinite partition monoids

Let $\mathcal P_X$ and $\mathcal S_X$ be the partition monoid and symmetric group on an infinite set $X$. We show that $\mathcal P_X$ may be generated by $\mathcal S_X$ together with two (but no fewer) additional partitions, and we classify the pairs $\alpha,\beta\in\mathcal P_X$ for which $\mathcal P_X$ is generated by $\mathcal S_X\cup\{\alpha,\beta\}$. We also show that $\mathcal P_X$ may be generated by the set $\mathcal E_X$ of all idempotent partitions together with two (but no fewer) additional partitions. In fact, $\mathcal P_X$ is generated by $\mathcal E_X\cup\{\alpha,\beta\}$ if and only if it is generated by $\mathcal E_X\cup\mathcal S_X\cup\{\alpha,\beta\}$. We also classify the pairs $\alpha,\beta\in\mathcal P_X$ for which $\mathcal P_X$ is generated by $\mathcal E_X\cup\{\alpha,\beta\}$. Among other results, we show that any countable subset of $\mathcal P_X$ is contained in a $4$-generated subsemigroup of $\mathcal P_X$, and that the length function on $\mathcal P_X$ is bounded with respect to any generating set

Exact soliton solutions, shape changing collisions and partially coherent solitons in coupled nonlinear Schroedinger equations

We present the exact bright one-soliton and two-soliton solutions of the integrable three coupled nonlinear Schroedinger equations (3-CNLS) by using the Hirota method, and then obtain them for the general $N$-coupled nonlinear Schroedinger equations (N-CNLS). It is pointed out that the underlying solitons undergo inelastic (shape changing) collisions due to intensity redistribution among the modes. We also analyse the various possibilities and conditions for such collisions to occur. Further, we report the significant fact that the various partial coherent solitons (PCS) discussed in the literature are special cases of the higher order bright soliton solutions of the N-CNLS equations.Comment: 4 pages, RevTex, 1 EPS figure To appear in Physical Review Letter

Limitations on the principle of stationary phase when it is applied to tunneling analysis

Using a recently developed procedure - multiple wave packet decomposition - here we study the phase time formulation for tunneling/reflecting particles colliding with a potential barrier. To partially overcome the analytical difficulties which frequently arise when the stationary phase method is employed for deriving phase (tunneling) time expressions, we present a theoretical exercise involving a symmetrical collision between two identical wave packets and an one-dimensional rectangular potential barrier. Summing the amplitudes of the reflected and transmitted waves - using a method we call multiple peak decomposition - is shown to allow reconstruction of the scattered wave packets in a way which allows the stationary phase principle to be recovered.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure

CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, 2

With over 84 % of Australians living in urban areas (populations over 30,000), the outcome of the current debate on water use in cities and how to match water demand to supply under both current and future climates, has the potential to affect many Australians. Lacking in this debate is a sound quantitative basis for assessing the environmental and economic benefits of water use in urban areas. As an example, while water sensitive urban design (WSUD) is widely accepted as a tool to manage the impacts of urbanisation by careful design at the house and street scale, its focus has largely been on managing and re-using the runoff (stormwater and wastewater) component of the water balance. Much less attention has been paid to the role of urban evapotranspiration (ET) by urban hydrologists, even though this it is often the biggest output in the water balance. Evapotranspiration is the process that links the movement of water through a landscape with the local climate, with the process using energy that would otherwise contribute to elevated air temperatures. This passive control of the local climate via urban vegetation and ET has a direct influence on quantities of energy used in space heating and cooling through the role of urban ET and also because trees provide shade and shelter. This link between the urban water and energy balances, and microclimate, is demonstrated by considering the following simplified expressions for i) the urban water balance: P+ I = ET + D+ΔS (1) where the inputs are: P = precipitation; I = piped water supply (for external and internal uses); and the outputs are: ET = urban evapotranspiration; D = stormwater and wastewater; ΔS = change in stored water on and within the surface materials; and ii) the urban energy balance: Q + QF = QH + QE +ΔQ

Structure of 8B from elastic and inelastic 7Be+p scattering

Motivation: Detailed experimental knowledge of the level structure of light weakly bound nuclei is necessary to guide the development of new theoretical approaches that combine nuclear structure with reaction dynamics. Purpose: The resonant structure of 8B is studied in this work. Method: Excitation functions for elastic and inelastic 7Be+p scattering were measured using a 7Be rare isotope beam. Excitation energies ranging between 1.6 and 3.4 MeV were investigated. An R-matrix analysis of the excitation functions was performed. Results: New low-lying resonances at 1.9, 2.5, and 3.3 MeV in 8B are reported with spin-parity assignment 0+, 2+, and 1+, respectively. Comparison to the Time Dependent Continuum Shell (TDCSM) model and ab initio no-core shell model/resonating-group method (NCSM/RGM) calculations is performed. This work is a more detailed analysis of the data first published as a Rapid Communication. [J.P. Mitchell, et al, Phys. Rev. C 82, 011601(R) (2010)] Conclusions: Identification of the 0+, 2+, 1+ states that were predicted by some models at relatively low energy but never observed experimentally is an important step toward understanding the structure of 8B. Their identification was aided by having both elastic and inelastic scattering data. Direct comparison of the cross sections and phase shifts predicted by the TDCSM and ab initio No Core Shell Model coupled with the resonating group method is of particular interest and provides a good test for these theoretical approaches.Comment: 15 pages, 19 figures, 3 tables, submitted to PR

Dynamics of viscous amphiphilic films supported by elastic solid substrates

The dynamics of amphiphilic films deposited on a solid surface is analyzed for the case when shear oscillations of the solid surface are excited. The two cases of surface- and bulk shear waves are studied with film exposed to gas or to a liquid. By solving the corresponding dispersion equation and the wave equation while maintaining the energy balance we are able to connect the surface density and the shear viscocity of a fluid amphiphilic overlayer with experimentally accessible damping coefficients, phase velocity, dissipation factor and resonant frequency shifts of shear waves.Comment: 19 pages, latex, 3 figures in eps-forma