The supreme turbinate and the drainage of the posterior ethmoids: a computed tomographic study

Background: It is generally acknowledged that the posterior ethmoidal cells drain under the superior nasal turbinate (SorNT) or, rarely, under the supreme nasal turbinate (SmeNT), and the sphenoid ostium (SO) opens to the sphenoethmoidal recess. However, detailed relations between these structures are variable, complex and still not clear. There is no reliable data on the prevalence of SmeNT and drainage of the posterior ethmoidal cells under this structure. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the anatomy of the aforementioned region. Materials and methods: Multiplanar and three-dimensional reconstruction analysis of 100 thin slice paranasal sinus computed tomography scans. Results: SmeNT was identified in 77 subjects (136 sides). It formed the ostium to the posterior ethmoidal cell adjacent to the skull base or orbit in 58 subjects (91 sides). This cell drained independently from the remaining posterior ethmoidal cells. The sphenoethmoidal (Onodi) cell drained to supreme meatus in 41 subjects (54 sides), and to superior meatus in 37 subjects (49 sides). SO was always located medial to the posteroinferior attachment of SmeNT, or SorNT (in absence of SmeNT). Conclusions: Patients with divergent drainage of the posterior ethmoids (with posterior ethmoidal cell draining to the supreme meatus) may require more extensive surgery to avoid persistence or recurrence of inflammatory disease. SmeNT is more common than thought, but due to its posterior and superior location to SorNT, it is rarely seen intraoperatively. If SmeNT is present, SO is always located medial to its posteroinferior attachment. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 110–115

Dual-path state reconstruction scheme for propagating quantum microwaves and detector noise tomography

Quantum state reconstruction involves measurement devices that are usually described by idealized models, but not known in full detail in experiments. For weak propagating microwaves, the detection process requires linear amplifiers which obscure the signal with random noise. Here, we introduce a theory which nevertheless allows one to use these devices for measuring all quadrature moments of propagating quantum microwaves based on cross-correlations from a dual-path amplification setup. Simultaneously, the detector noise properties are determined, allowing for tomography. We demonstrate the feasibility of our novel concept by proof-of-principle experiments with classical mixtures of weak coherent microwaves.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

Beyond the Jaynes-Cummings model: circuit QED in the ultrastrong coupling regime

In cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED), light-matter interaction is probed at its most fundamental level, where individual atoms are coupled to single photons stored in three-dimensional cavities. This unique possibility to experimentally explore the foundations of quantum physics has greatly evolved with the advent of circuit QED, where on-chip superconducting qubits and oscillators play the roles of two-level atoms and cavities, respectively. In the strong coupling limit, atom and cavity can exchange a photon frequently before coherence is lost. This important regime has been reached both in cavity and circuit QED, but the design flexibility and engineering potential of the latter allowed for increasing the ratio between the atom-cavity coupling rate and the cavity transition frequency above the percent level. While these experiments are well described by the renowned Jaynes-Cummings model, novel physics is expected in the ultrastrong coupling limit. Here, we report on the first experimental realization of a superconducting circuit QED system in the ultrastrong coupling limit and present direct evidence for the breakdown of the Jaynes-Cummings model.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

The coherent interaction between matter and radiation - A tutorial on the Jaynes-Cummings model

The Jaynes-Cummings (JC) model is a milestone in the theory of coherent interaction between a two-level system and a single bosonic field mode. This tutorial aims to give a complete description of the model, analyzing the Hamiltonian of the system, its eigenvalues and eigestates, in order to characterize the dynamics of system and subsystems. The Rabi oscillations, together with the collapse and revival effects, are distinguishing features of the JC model and are important for applications in Quantum Information theory. The framework of cavity quantum electrodynamics (cQED) is chosen and two fundamental experiments on the coherent interaction between Rydberg atoms and a single cavity field mode are described.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures. Tutorial. Submitted to a special issue of EPJ - ST devoted to the memory of Federico Casagrand

Quantum Simulation of Spin Chains Coupled to Bosonic Modes with Superconducting Circuits

We propose the implementation of a digital quantum simulation of spin chains coupled to bosonic field modes in superconducting circuits. Gates with high fidelities allows one to simulate a variety of Ising magnetic pairing interactions with transverse field, Tavis-Cummings interaction between spins and a bosonic mode, and a spin model with three-body terms. We analyze the feasibility of the implementation in realistic circuit quantum electrodynamics setups, where the interactions are either realized via capacitive couplings or mediated by microwave resonators.Comment: Chapter in R. S. Anderssen et al. (eds.), Mathematics for Industry 11 (Springer Japan, 2015

Quantum state engineering in hybrid open quantum systems

We investigate a possibility to generate nonclassical states in light-matter coupled noisy quantum systems, namely, the anisotropic Rabi and Dicke models. In these hybrid quantum systems, a competing influence of coherent internal dynamics and environment-induced dissipation drives the system into nonequilibrium steady states (NESSs). Explicitly, for the anisotropic Rabi model, the steady state is given by an incoherent mixture of two states of opposite parities, but as each parity state displays light-matter entanglement, we also find that the full state is entangled. Furthermore, as a natural extension of the anisotropic Rabi model to an infinite spin subsystem, we next explored the NESS of the anisotropic Dicke model. The NESS of this linearized Dicke model is also an inseparable state of light and matter. With an aim to enrich the dynamics beyond the sustainable entanglement found for the NESS of these hybrid quantum systems, we also propose to combine an all-optical feedback strategy for quantum state protection and for establishing quantum control in these systems. Our present work further elucidates the relevance of such hybrid open quantum systems for potential applications in quantum architectures

Josephson Coupling and Fiske Dynamics in Ferromagnetic Tunnel Junctions

We report on the fabrication of Nb/AlO_x/Pd_{0.82}Ni_{0.18}/Nb superconductor/insulator/ferromagnetic metal/superconductor (SIFS) Josephson junctions with high critical current densities, large normal resistance times area products, high quality factors, and very good spatial uniformity. For these junctions a transition from 0- to \pi-coupling is observed for a thickness d_F ~ 6 nm of the ferromagnetic Pd_{0.82}Ni_{0.18} interlayer. The magnetic field dependence of the \pi-coupled junctions demonstrates good spatial homogeneity of the tunneling barrier and ferromagnetic interlayer. Magnetic characterization shows that the Pd_{0.82}Ni_{0.18} has an out-of-plane anisotropy and large saturation magnetization, indicating negligible dead layers at the interfaces. A careful analysis of Fiske modes provides information on the junction quality factor and the relevant damping mechanisms up to about 400 GHz. Whereas losses due to quasiparticle tunneling dominate at low frequencies, the damping is dominated by the finite surface resistance of the junction electrodes at high frequencies. High quality factors of up to 30 around 200 GHz have been achieved. Our analysis shows that the fabricated junctions are promising for applications in superconducting quantum circuits or quantum tunneling experiments.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure