Topological Transitions in Metamaterials

The ideas of mathematical topology play an important role in many aspects of modern physics - from phase transitions to field theory to nonlinear dynamics (Nakahara M (2003) in Geometry, Topology and Physics, ed Brewer DF (IOP Publishing Ltd, Bristol and Philadelphia), Monastryskiy M (1987) in Riemann Topology and Physics, (Birkhauser Verlag AG)). An important example of this is the Lifshitz transition (Lifshitz IM (1960) Anomalies of electron characteristics of a metal in the high-pressure region, Sov Phys JETP 11: 1130-1135), where the transformation of the Fermi surface of a metal from a closed to an open geometry (due to e.g. external pressure) leads to a dramatic effect on the electron magneto-transport (Kosevich AM (2004) Topology and solid-state physics. Low Temp Phys 30: 97-118). Here, we present the optical equivalent of the Lifshitz transition in strongly anisotropic metamaterials. When one of the components of the dielectric permittivity tensor of such a composite changes sign, the corresponding iso-frequency surface transforms from an ellipsoid to a hyperboloid. Since the photonic density of states can be related to the volume enclosed by the iso-frequency surface, such a topological transition in a metamaterial leads to a dramatic change in the photonic density of states, with a resulting effect on every single physical parameter related to the metamaterial - from thermodynamic quantities such as its equilibrium electromagnetic energy to the nonlinear optical response to quantum-electrodynamic effects such as spontaneous emission. In the present paper, we demonstrate the modification of spontaneous light emission from quantum dots placed near the surface of the metamaterial undergoing the topological Lifshitz transition, and present the theoretical description of the effect

Congenital anomalies: the spectrum of distribution and associated maternal risk factors in a tertiary teaching hospital

Background: To study the system-wise occurrence of congenital anomalies in newborns admitted in a tertiary hospital and to study the associated maternal factors.Methods: This is a retrospective study of all the mothers and their newborn babies with congenital anomalies who were delivered or referred to the Obstetrical Department / Neonatology unit during a two-year study period. The maternal risk factors and associated Obstetric complications were studied.Results: Among the babies born with congenital anomalies, the systems most involved were Genito-urinary System (28.5%) and Cardiovascular System (20.5%). Among the maternal risk factors, Diabetes (14.01%), previous abortions (12.7%) and hypothyroidism (8.7%) were the most significant associated factors. Intrauterine growth restriction (17.4%) was noted to be more common in these babies.Conclusions: The incidence of anomalies was most involving the Genito-urinary System and Cardiovascular System. The major risk factor identified was maternal Diabetes. Prevention by public awareness during adolescence, pre-conceptional counseling and antenatal screening is stressed. Availability of Pediatric surgery and Rehabilitative facilities to improve the quality of life would be warranted

Water loss in horticultural products. Modelling, data analysis and theoretical considerations

The water loss of individual fruit (melon, plum and mandarin) was analysed using the traditional diffusion based approach and a kinetic approach. Applying simple non linear regression, both approaches are the same, resulting in a quite acceptable analysis. However, by applying mixed effects non linear regression analysis, explicitly including the variation over the individuals, the kinetic approach was found to reflect the processes occurring during mass loss better than the diffusion approach. All the variation between the individuals in a batch could be attributed to the initial mass or size of the individuals. The fraction of the fruit mass that is available for transpiration is the key item in the water loss process, rather than the skin resistance and fruit area. Obtained explained parts are well over 99%

Internal displacement reactions in multicomponent oxides. Part I. Line compounds with narrow homogeneity range

As a model of an internal displacement reaction involving a ternary oxide "line" compound, the following reaction was studied at 1273 K as a function of time, t: Fe + NiTiO3 = "Ni" + "FeTiO3" Both polycrystalline and single-crystal materials were used as the starting NiTiO3 oxide. During the reaction, the Ni in the oxide compound is displaced by Fe and it precipitates as a γ-(Ni-Fe) alloy. The reaction preserves the starting ilmenite structure. The product oxide has a constant Ti concentration across the reaction zone, with variation in the concentration of Fe and Ni, consistent with ilmenite composition. In the case of single-crystal NiTiO3 as the starting oxide, the γ alloy has a "layered" structure and the layer separation is suggestive of Liesegang-type precipitation. In the case of polycrystalline NiTiO3 as the starting oxide, the alloy precipitates mainly along grain boundaries, with some particles inside the grains. A concentration gradient exists in the alloy across the reaction zone and the composition is >95 at. pct Ni at the reaction front. The parabolic rate constant for the reaction is kp = 1.3 × 10-12 m2 s-1 and is nearly the same for both single-crystal and polycrystalline oxides

Internal displacement reactions in multicomponent oxides: Part II. Oxide solid solutions of wide composition range

As models of internal displacement reactions in oxide solid solutions, the following reactions were studied at 1273 K as a function of time: Fe + NixMg1-x)O = Ni + (FexMg1-x)O Fe + (Co0.5Mg0.5)O = Co + (Fe0.5Mg0.5)O In both reactions, Ni or Co in the starting oxide is displaced by Fe and the γ-(Ni-Fe) or (Co-Fe) alloy is precipitated. In the reaction zone, composition gradients develop in both product phases, viz., the oxide and the alloy precipitate. The Ni (or Co) concentration of the alloy precipitate increases towards the reaction front. In the product oxide, the "inert" Mg diffuses toward the reaction front along with the Fe, while the Ni (or Co) diffusion is in the opposite direction, towards the Fe/boundary. The shape of the composition profiles for Mg and Fe in the product oxide suggests that cross-coefficient terms in the generalized flux equations contribute significantly to the cation flux. The parabolic rate constants of reactions involving Fe/(NixMg1-x)O decrease by nearly four orders of magnitude when x decreases from 1 to 0.1

The Computational Power of Minkowski Spacetime

The Lorentzian length of a timelike curve connecting both endpoints of a classical computation is a function of the path taken through Minkowski spacetime. The associated runtime difference is due to time-dilation: the phenomenon whereby an observer finds that another's physically identical ideal clock has ticked at a different rate than their own clock. Using ideas appearing in the framework of computational complexity theory, time-dilation is quantified as an algorithmic resource by relating relativistic energy to an $n$th order polynomial time reduction at the completion of an observer's journey. These results enable a comparison between the optimal quadratic \emph{Grover speedup} from quantum computing and an $n=2$ speedup using classical computers and relativistic effects. The goal is not to propose a practical model of computation, but to probe the ultimate limits physics places on computation.Comment: 6 pages, LaTeX, feedback welcom

Towards Understanding Photodegradation Pathways in Lignins:The Role of Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding in Excited States

The photoinduced dynamics of the lignin building blocks syringol, guaiacol, and phenol were studied using time-resolved ion yield spectroscopy and velocity map ion imaging. Following irradiation of syringol and guaiacol with a broad-band femtosecond ultraviolet laser pulse, a coherent superposition of out-of-plane OH torsion and/or OMe torsion/flapping motions is created in the first excited 1ππ* (S1) state, resulting in a vibrational wavepacket, which is probed by virtue of a dramatic nonplanar → planar geometry change upon photoionization from S1 to the ground state of the cation (D0). Any similar quantum beat pattern is absent in phenol. In syringol, the nonplanar geometry in S1 is pronounced enough to reduce the degree of intramolecular H bonding (between OH and OMe groups), enabling H atom elimination from the OH group. For guaiacol, H bonding is preserved after excitation, despite the nonplanar geometry in S1, and prevents O–H bond fission. This behavior affects the propensities for forming undesired phenoxyl radical sites in these three lignin chromophores and provides important insight into their relative “photostabilities” within the larger biopolymer