Production of optical phase space vortices with non-locally distributed mode converters

Optical vortices have been observed in a wide variety of optical systems. They can be observed directly in the wavefront of optical beams, or in the correlations between pairs of entangled photons. We present a novel optical vortex which appears in a non-local plane of the two-photon phase space, composed of a single degree of freedom of each photon of an entangled pair. The preparation of this vortex can be viewed as a "non-local" or distributed mode converter. We show how these novel optical vortices of arbitrary order can be prepared in the spatial degrees of freedom of entangled photons.Comment: To appear in upcoming special issue "Orbital Angular Momentum" of the Journal of Optic

Experimental Observation of Environment-induced Sudden Death of Entanglement

We demonstrate the difference between local, single-particle dynamics and global dynamics of entangled quantum systems coupled to independent environments. Using an all-optical experimental setup, we show that, while the environment-induced decay of each system is asymptotic, quantum entanglement may suddenly disappear. This "sudden death" constitutes yet another distinct and counter-intuitive trait of entanglement.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Mapping landscape connectivity as a driver of species richness under tectonic and climatic forcing

Species distribution and richness ultimately result from complex interactions between biological, physical, and environmental factors. It has been recently shown for a static natural landscape that the elevational connectivity, which measures the proximity of a site to others with similar habitats, is a key physical driver of local species richness. Here we examine changes in elevational connectivity during mountain building using a landscape evolution model. We find that under uniform tectonic and variable climatic forcing, connectivity peaks at mid-elevations when the landscape reaches its geomorphic steady state and that the orographic effect on geomorphic evolution tends to favour lower connectivity on leeward-facing catchments. Statistical comparisons between connectivity distribution and results from a metacommunity model confirm that to the 1st order, landscape elevation connectivity explains species richness in simulated mountainous regions. Our results also predict that low-connectivity areas which favour isolation, a driver for in situ speciation, are distributed across the entire elevational range for simulated orogenic cycles. Adjustments of catchment morphology after the cessation of tectonic activity should reduce speciation by decreasing the number of isolated regions

Single observable concurrence measurement without simultaneous copies

We present a protocol that allows us to obtain the concurrence of any two qubit pure state by performing a minimal and optimal tomography of one of the subsystems through measuring a single observable of an ancillary four dimensional qudit. An implementation for a system of trapped ions is also proposed, which can be achieved with present day experimental techniques.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Recuit laser de cellules solaires fonctionnant sous concentration

La résistance série élevée des cellules conventionnelles au silicium rend leur fonctionnement difficile sous concentration. Nous montrons ici que l'irradiation de la couche superficielle diffusée par un faisceau laser pulsé de grande intensité permet de réduire notamment la résistance série, de sorte que des rendements de conversion de 15 % sous 30 soleils et de 12,5 % sous 100 soleils (10 W/cm2) sont prévus par le calcul

Entropic Entanglement Criteria for Continuous Variables

We derive several entanglement criteria for bipartite continuous variable quantum systems based on the Shannon entropy. These criteria are more sensitive than those involving only second-order moments, and are equivalent to well-known variance product tests in the case of Gaussian states. Furthermore, they involve only a pair of quadrature measurements, and will thus should prove extremely useful the experimental identification of entanglement.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

EFFETS DES TRAITEMENTS THERMIQUES SUR LES PROPRIETES ELECTRIQUES DES CELLULES SOLAIRES A BASE DE SILICIUM POLYCRISTALLIN

On a étudié l'effet de recuits à haute température sur les caractéristiques électriques à l'obscurité et sous éclairement de cellules solaires à base de silicium polycristallin dont la jonction était préparée à froid par incrustation ionique et recuit par laser pulsé. Dans certains cas des dégradations notables sont observées pour des recuits à 900°C

Relationships and events: towards a general theory of reification and truthmaking.

We propose a novel ontological analysis of relations and relationships based on a re-visitation of a classic problem in the practice of knowledge repre- sentation and conceptual modeling, namely relationship reification. Our idea is that a relation holds in virtue of a relationship's existence. Relationships are therefore truthmakers of relations. In this paper we present a general theory or reification and truthmaking, and discuss the interplay between events and rela- tionships, suggesting that relationships are the focus of events, which emerge from the context (the scene) they occur in