Generation of entangled coherent states via cross phase modulation in a double electromagnetically induced transparency regime

The generation of an entangled coherent state is one of the most important ingredients of quantum information processing using coherent states. Recently, numerous schemes to achieve this task have been proposed. In order to generate travelling-wave entangled coherent states, cross phase modulation, optimized by optical Kerr effect enhancement in a dense medium in an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) regime, seems to be very promising. In this scenario, we propose a fully quantized model of a double-EIT scheme recently proposed [D. Petrosyan and G. Kurizki, {\sl Phys. Rev. A} {\bf 65}, 33833 (2002)]: the quantization step is performed adopting a fully Hamiltonian approach. This allows us to write effective equations of motion for two interacting quantum fields of light that show how the dynamics of one field depends on the photon-number operator of the other. The preparation of a Schr\"odinger cat state, which is a superposition of two distinct coherent states, is briefly exposed. This is based on non-linear interaction via double-EIT of two light fields (initially prepared in coherent states) and on a detection step performed using a $50:50$ beam splitter and two photodetectors. In order to show the entanglement of a generated entangled coherent state, we suggest to measure the joint quadrature variance of the field. We show that the entangled coherent states satisfy the sufficient condition for entanglement based on quadrature variance measurement. We also show how robust our scheme is against a low detection efficiency of homodyne detectors.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures; extensively revised version; added Section

ILZRO-sponsored field data collection and analysis to determine relationships between service conditions and reliability of VRLA batteries in stationary applications

Although valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries have served in stationary applications for more than a decade, proprietary concerns of battery manufacturers and users and varying approaches to record-keeping have made the data available on performance and life relatively sparse and inconsistent. Such incomplete data are particularly detrimental to understanding the cause or causes of premature capacity loss (PCL) reported in VRLA batteries after as little as two years of service. The International Lead Zinc Research Organization (ILZRO), in cooperation with Sandia National Laboratories, has initiated a multi-phase project to characterize relationships between batteries, service conditions, and failure modes; establish the degree of correlation between specific operating procedures and PCL; identify operating procedures that mitigate PCL; identify best-fits between the operating requirements of specific applications and the capabilities of specific VRLA technologies; and recommend combinations of battery design, manufacturing processes, and operating conditions that enhance VRLA performance and reliability. This paper, prepared before preliminary conclusions were possible, presents the surveys distributed to manufacturers and end-users; discusses the analytic approach; presents an overview of the responses to the surveys and trends that emerge in the early analysis of the data; and previews the functionality of the database being constructed. The presentation of this paper will include preliminary results and information regarding the follow-on workshop for the study

High temperature robust SOI ethanol sensor

In this paper we present a robust SOI-CMOS ethanol sensor based on a tungsten-doped lanthanum iron oxide sensing material. The device shows response to gas, has low power consumption, good uniformity, high temperature stability and can be manufactured at low cost and with integrated circuitry. The platform is a tungsten-based CMOS micro- hotplate that has been shown to be stable for over two thousand hours at a high temperature (600 °C) in a form of accelerated life test. The tungsten-doped lanthanum iron oxide was deposited on the micro-hotplate as a slurry with terpineol using a syringe, dried and annealed. Preliminary gas testing was done and the material shows response to ethanol vapour. These results are promising and we believe that this combination of a robust CMOS micro-hotplate and a good sensing material can form the basis for a commercial CMOS gas sensor

Selectivity improvement of gas sensors by radiolytic modification of the surface chemistry

International audienc

Radiolytic modification of gas sensor surface chemistry

International audienc

On the use of oxides for thermoelectric refrigeration

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9091.9(AERE-M--3795) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

A survey of the future for electrochemical power sources undersea

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9091.9(AERE-R--8778) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo