1,975 research outputs found
Exchange coupling between silicon donors: the crucial role of the central cell and mass anisotropy
Donors in silicon are now demonstrated as one of the leading candidates for
implementing qubits and quantum information processing. Single qubit
operations, measurements and long coherence times are firmly established, but
progress on controlling two qubit interactions has been slower. One reason for
this is that the inter donor exchange coupling has been predicted to oscillate
with separation, making it hard to estimate in device designs. We present a
multivalley effective mass theory of a donor pair in silicon, including both a
central cell potential and the effective mass anisotropy intrinsic in the Si
conduction band. We are able to accurately describe the single donor properties
of valley-orbit coupling and the spatial extent of donor wave functions,
highlighting the importance of fitting measured values of hyperfine coupling
and the orbital energy of the levels. Ours is a simple framework that can
be applied flexibly to a range of experimental scenarios, but it is nonetheless
able to provide fast and reliable predictions. We use it to estimate the
exchange coupling between two donor electrons and we find a smoothing of its
expected oscillations, and predict a monotonic dependence on separation if two
donors are spaced precisely along the [100] direction.Comment: Published version. Corrected b and B values from previous versio
Global nonlinear optimization of spacecraft protective structures design
The global optimization of protective structural designs for spacecraft subject to hypervelocity meteoroid and space debris impacts is presented. This nonlinear problem is first formulated for weight minimization of the space station core module configuration using the Nysmith impact predictor. Next, the equivalence and uniqueness of local and global optima is shown using properties of convexity. This analysis results in a new feasibility condition for this problem. The solution existence is then shown, followed by a comparison of optimization techniques. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is presented to determine the effects of variations in the systemic parameters on optimal design. The results show that global optimization of this problem is unique and may be achieved by a number of methods, provided the feasibility condition is satisfied. Furthermore, module structural design thicknesses and weight increase with increasing projectile velocity and diameter and decrease with increasing separation between bumper and wall for the Nysmith predictor
Surface code architecture for donors and dots in silicon with imprecise and nonuniform qubit couplings
A scaled quantum computer with donor spins in silicon would benefit from a
viable semiconductor framework and a strong inherent decoupling of the qubits
from the noisy environment. Coupling neighbouring spins via the natural
exchange interaction according to current designs requires gate control
structures with extremely small length scales. We present a silicon
architecture where bismuth donors with long coherence times are coupled to
electrons that can shuttle between adjacent quantum dots, thus relaxing the
pitch requirements and allowing space between donors for classical control
devices. An adiabatic SWAP operation within each donor/dot pair solves the
scalability issues intrinsic to exchange-based two-qubit gates, as it does not
rely on sub-nanometer precision in donor placement and is robust against noise
in the control fields. We use this SWAP together with well established global
microwave Rabi pulses and parallel electron shuttling to construct a surface
code that needs minimal, feasible local control.Comment: Published version - more detailed discussions, robustness to
dephasing pointed out additionall
Comparison of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug susceptibility using solid and liquid culture in Nigeria.
BACKGROUND: This study compares Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture isolation and drug sensitivity testing (DST) using solid (LJ) and liquid (BACTEC-MGIT-960) media in Nigeria. METHODS: This was a cross sectional survey of adults attending reference centres in Abuja, Ibadan and Nnewi with a new diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) or having failed the first-line TB treatment. Patients were requested to provide three sputum specimens for smear-microscopy and culture on LJ and BACTEC-MGIT-960. Positive cultures underwent DST for streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol. RESULTS: 527 specimens were cultured. 428 (81%) were positive with BACTEC-MGIT-960, 59 (11%) negative, 36 (7%) contaminated and 4 (1%) had non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM). 411 (78%) LJ cultures were positive, 89 (17%) negative, 22 (4%) contaminated and 5 (1%) had NTM. The mean (SD) detection time was 11 (6) and 30 (11) days for BACTEC-MGIT-960 and LJ. DST patterns were compared in the 389 concordant positive BACTEC-MGIT-960 and LJ cultures. Rifampicin and isoniazid DST patterns were similar. Streptomycin resistance was detected more frequently with LJ than BACTEC-MGIT-960 and ethambutol resistance was detected more frequently with BACTEC-MGIT-960 than LJ, but differences were not statistically significant. MDR-TB was detected in 27 cases by LJ and 25 by BACTEC-MGIT-960 and using both methods detected 29 cases. CONCLUSIONS: There was a substantial degree of agreement between the two methods. However using the two in tandem increased the number of culture-positive patients and those with MDR-TB. The choice of culture method should depend on local availability, cost and test performance characteristics
Solving the brachistochrone and other variational problems with soap films
We show a method to solve the problem of the brachistochrone as well as other
variational problems with the help of the soap films that are formed between
two suitable surfaces. We also show the interesting connection between some
variational problems of dynamics, statics, optics, and elasticity.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures. This article, except for a small correction,
has been submitted to the American Journal of Physic
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