515 research outputs found
Time-resolved spectroscopy of multi-excitonic decay in an InAs quantum dot
The multi-excitonic decay process in a single InAs quantum dot is studied
through high-resolution time-resolved spectroscopy. A cascaded emission
sequence involving three spectral lines is seen that is described well over a
wide range of pump powers by a simple model. The measured biexcitonic decay
rate is about 1.5 times the single-exciton decay rate. This ratio suggests the
presence of selection rules, as well as a significant effect of the Coulomb
interaction on the biexcitonic wavefunction.Comment: one typo fixe
Polarization-Correlated Photon Pairs from a Single Quantum Dot
Polarization correlation in a linear basis, but not entanglement, is observed
between the biexciton and single-exciton photons emitted by a single InAs
quantum dot in a two-photon cascade. The results are well described
quantitatively by a probabilistic model that includes two decay paths for a
biexciton through a non-degenerate pair of one-exciton states, with the
polarization of the emitted photons depending on the decay path. The results
show that spin non-degeneracy due to quantum-dot asymmetry is a significant
obstacle to the realization of an entangled-photon generation device.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, revised discussio
Sub-microsecond correlations in photoluminescence from InAs quantum dots
Photon correlation measurements reveal memory effects in the optical emission
of single InAs quantum dots with timescales from 10 to 800 ns. With above-band
optical excitation, a long-timescale negative correlation (antibunching) is
observed, while with quasi-resonant excitation, a positive correlation
(blinking) is observed. A simple model based on long-lived charged states is
presented that approximately explains the observed behavior, providing insight
into the excitation process. Such memory effects can limit the internal
efficiency of light emitters based on single quantum dots, and could also be
problematic for proposed quantum-computation schemes.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure
Experimental evidence for the interplay between individual wealth and transaction network
We conduct a market experiment with human agents in order to explore the
structure of transaction networks and to study the dynamics of wealth
accumulation. The experiment is carried out on our platform for 97 days with
2,095 effective participants and 16,936 times of transactions. From these data,
the hybrid distribution (log-normal bulk and power-law tail) in the wealth is
observed and we demonstrate that the transaction networks in our market are
always scale-free and disassortative even for those with the size of the order
of few hundred. We further discover that the individual wealth is correlated
with its degree by a power-law function which allows us to relate the exponent
of the transaction network degree distribution to the Pareto index in wealth
distribution.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure
Recommended from our members
Dialectic tensions in the financial markets: a longitudinal study of pre- and post-crisis regulatory technology
This article presents the findings from a longitudinal research study on regulatory technology in the UK financial services industry. The financial crisis with serious corporate and mutual fund scandals raised the profile of
compliance as governmental bodies, institutional and private investors introduced a ‘tsunami’ of financial regulations. Adopting a multi-level analysis, this study examines how regulatory technology was used by financial firms to meet their compliance obligations, pre- and post-crisis. Empirical data collected over 12 years examine the deployment of
an investment management system in eight financial firms. Interviews with public regulatory bodies, financial
institutions and technology providers reveal a culture of compliance with increased transparency, surveillance and
accountability. Findings show that dialectic tensions arise as the pursuit of transparency, surveillance and
accountability in compliance mandates is simultaneously rationalized, facilitated and obscured by regulatory
technology. Responding to these challenges, regulatory bodies continue to impose revised compliance mandates on
financial firms to force them to adapt their financial technologies in an ever-changing multi-jurisdictional regulatory landscape
Prenatal Exposure to Organohalogens, Including Brominated Flame Retardants, Influences Motor, Cognitive, and Behavioral Performance at School Age
BACKGROUND: Organohalogen compounds (OHCs) are known to have neurotoxic effects on the developing brain. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the influence of prenatal exposure to OHCs, including brominated flame retardants, on motor, cognitive, and behavioral outcome in healthy children of school age. METHODS: This study was part of the prospective Groningen infant COMPARE (Comparison of Exposure-Effect Pathways to Improve the Assessment of Human Health Risks of Complex Environmental Mixtures of Organohalogens) study. It included 62 children in whose mothers the following compounds had been determined in the 35th week of pregnancy: 2,2'-bis-(4 chlorophenyl)1,1'-dichloroethene, pentachlorophenol (PCP), polychlorinated biphenyl congener 153 (PCB-153), 4-hydroxy-2,3,3',4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (4OH-CB-107),4OH-CB-146,4OH-CB-187,2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodipheryl ether (BDE-47), BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154, and hexabromocy-clododecane. Thyroid hormones were determined in umbilical cord blood. When the children were 5-6 years of age, we assessed their neuropsychological functioning: motor performance (coordination, fine motor skills), cognition (intelligence, visual perception, visuomotor integration, inhibitory control, verbal memory, and attention), and behavior. RESULTS: Brominated flame retardants correlated with worse fine manipulative abilities, worse attention, better coordination, better visual perception, and better behavior. Chlorinated OHCs correlated with less choreiform, dyskinesia. Hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls correlated with worse fine manipulative abilities, better attention, and better visual perception. The wood protective agent (PCP) correlated with worse coordination, less sensory integrity, worse attention, and worse visuomotor integration. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate for the first time that transplacental transfer of polybrominated flame retardants is associated with the development of children at school age. Because of the widespread use of these compounds, especially in the United States, where concentrations in the environment are four times higher than in Europe, these results cause serious concern
Spontaneous Coherence and Collective Modes in Double-Layer Quantum Dot Systems
We study the ground state and the collective excitations of
parabolically-confined double-layer quantum dot systems in a strong magnetic
field. We identify parameter regimes where electrons form maximum density
droplet states, quantum-dot analogs of the incompressible states of the bulk
integer quantum Hall effect. In these regimes the Hartree-Fock approximation
and the time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximations can be used to describe the
ground state and collective excitations respectively. We comment on the
relationship between edge excitations of dots and edge magneto-plasmon
excitations of bulk double-layer systems.Comment: 20 pages (figures included) and also available at
http://fangio.magnet.fsu.edu/~jhu/Paper/qdot_cond.ps, replaced to fix figure
Points to consider in cardiovascular disease risk management among patients with rheumatoid arthritis living in South Africa, an unequal middle income country
Background: It is plausible that optimal cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk management differs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from low or middle income compared to high income populations. This study aimed at producing evidence-based points to consider for CVD prevention in South African RA patients. Methods: Five rheumatologists, one cardiologist and one epidemiologist with experience in CVD risk management in RA patients, as well as two patient representatives, two health professionals and one radiologist, one rheumatology fellow and 11 rheumatologists that treat RA patients regularly contributed. Systematic literature searches were performed and the level of evidence was determined according to standard guidelines. Results: Eighteen points to consider were formulated. These were grouped into 6 categories that comprised overall CVD risk assessment and management (n = 4), and specific interventions aimed at reducing CVD risk including RA control with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, glucocorticoids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (n = 3), lipid lowering agents (n = 8), antihypertensive drugs (n = 1), low dose aspirin (n = 1) and lifestyle modification (n = 1). Each point to consider differs partially or completely from recommendations previously reported for CVD risk management in RA patients from high income populations. Currently recommended CVD risk calculators do not reliably identify South African black RA patients with very high-risk atherosclerosis as represented by carotid artery plaque presence on ultrasound. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that optimal cardiovascular risk management likely differs substantially in RA patients from low or middle income compared to high income populations. There is an urgent need for future multicentre longitudinal studies on CVD risk in black African patients with RA
Gravitational Lensing at Millimeter Wavelengths
With today's millimeter and submillimeter instruments observers use
gravitational lensing mostly as a tool to boost the sensitivity when observing
distant objects. This is evident through the dominance of gravitationally
lensed objects among those detected in CO rotational lines at z>1. It is also
evident in the use of lensing magnification by galaxy clusters in order to
reach faint submm/mm continuum sources. There are, however, a few cases where
millimeter lines have been directly involved in understanding lensing
configurations. Future mm/submm instruments, such as the ALMA interferometer,
will have both the sensitivity and the angular resolution to allow detailed
observations of gravitational lenses. The almost constant sensitivity to dust
emission over the redshift range z=1-10 means that the likelihood for strong
lensing of dust continuum sources is much higher than for optically selected
sources. A large number of new strong lenses are therefore likely to be
discovered with ALMA, allowing a direct assessment of cosmological parameters
through lens statistics. Combined with an angular resolution <0.1", ALMA will
also be efficient for probing the gravitational potential of galaxy clusters,
where we will be able to study both the sources and the lenses themselves, free
of obscuration and extinction corrections, derive rotation curves for the
lenses, their orientation and, thus, greatly constrain lens models.Comment: 69 pages, Review on quasar lensing. Part of a LNP Topical Volume on
"Dark matter and gravitational lensing", eds. F. Courbin, D. Minniti. To be
published by Springer-Verlag 2002. Paper with full resolution figures can be
found at ftp://oden.oso.chalmers.se/pub/tommy/mmviews.ps.g
Recommended from our members
Flow characteristics of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids in a vessel stirred by a 60° pitched blade impeller
Mean and rms velocity characteristics of two Newtonian flows at Reynolds numbers of 12,800 (glycerin solution) and 48,000 (water) and of a non-Newtonian flow (0.2% CMC solution, at a power number similar to the Newtonian glycerin flow) in a mixing vessel stirred by a 60° pitched blade impeller have been measured by laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). The velocity measurements, resolved over 360° and 1.08° of impeller rotation, showed that the mean flow of the two power number matched glycerin and CMC flows were similar to within 3% of the impeller tip velocity and the turbulence intensities generally lower in the CMC flow by up to 5% of the tip velocity. The calculated mean flow quantities showed similar discharge coefficient and pumping efficiency in all three flows and similar strain rate between the two power number matched glycerin and CMC flows; the strain rate of the higher Reynolds number Newtonian flow was found to be slightly higher. The energy balance around the impeller indicated that the CMC flow dissipated up to 9% more of the total input power and converted 7% less into the turbulence compared to the glycerin flow with the same power input which could lead to less effective mixing processes where the micro-mixing is important
- …