4,100 research outputs found
Quantum reflection of atoms from a solid surface at normal incidence
We observed quantum reflection of ultracold atoms from the attractive
potential of a solid surface. Extremely dilute Bose-Einstein condensates of
^{23}Na, with peak density 10^{11}-10^{12}atoms/cm^3, confined in a weak
gravito-magnetic trap were normally incident on a silicon surface. Reflection
probabilities of up to 20 % were observed for incident velocities of 1-8 mm/s.
The velocity dependence agrees qualitatively with the prediction for quantum
reflection from the attractive Casimir-Polder potential. Atoms confined in a
harmonic trap divided in half by a solid surface exhibited extended lifetime
due to quantum reflection from the surface, implying a reflection probability
above 50 %.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett. (December 2004)5 pages, 4 figure
Quantum Clock Synchronization Based on Shared Prior Entanglement
We demonstrate that two spatially separated parties (Alice and Bob) can
utilize shared prior quantum entanglement, and classical communications, to
establish a synchronized pair of atomic clocks. In contrast to classical
synchronization schemes, the accuracy of our protocol is independent of Alice
or Bob's knowledge of their relative locations or of the properties of the
intervening medium.Comment: 4 page
The Vortex Phase Qubit: Generating Arbitrary, Counter-Rotating, Coherent Superpositions in Bose-Einstein Condensates via Optical Angular Momentum Beams
We propose a scheme for generation of arbitrary coherent superposition of
vortex states in Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) using the orbital angular
momentum (OAM) states of light. We devise a scheme to generate coherent
superpositions of two counter-rotating OAM states of light using known
experimental techniques. We show that a specially designed Raman scheme allows
transfer of the optical vortex superposition state onto an initially
non-rotating BEC. This creates an arbitrary and coherent superposition of a
vortex and anti-vortex pair in the BEC. The ideas presented here could be
extended to generate entangled vortex states, design memories for the OAM
states of light, and perform other quantum information tasks. Applications to
inertial sensing are also discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Revtex4, to be submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Optical interface created by laser-cooled atoms trapped in the evanescent field surrounding an optical nanofiber
Trapping and optically interfacing laser-cooled neutral atoms is an essential
requirement for their use in advanced quantum technologies. Here we
simultaneously realize both of these tasks with cesium atoms interacting with a
multi-color evanescent field surrounding an optical nanofiber. The atoms are
localized in a one-dimensional optical lattice about 200 nm above the nanofiber
surface and can be efficiently interrogated with a resonant light field sent
through the nanofiber. Our technique opens the route towards the direct
integration of laser-cooled atomic ensembles within fiber networks, an
important prerequisite for large scale quantum communication schemes. Moreover,
it is ideally suited to the realization of hybrid quantum systems that combine
atoms with, e.g., solid state quantum devices
Local and Global Distinguishability in Quantum Interferometry
A statistical distinguishability based on relative entropy characterises the
fitness of quantum states for phase estimation. This criterion is employed in
the context of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and used to interpolate between
two regimes, of local and global phase distinguishability. The scaling of
distinguishability in these regimes with photon number is explored for various
quantum states. It emerges that local distinguishability is dependent on a
discrepancy between quantum and classical rotational energy. Our analysis
demonstrates that the Heisenberg limit is the true upper limit for local phase
sensitivity. Only the `NOON' states share this bound, but other states exhibit
a better trade-off when comparing local and global phase regimes.Comment: 4 pages, in submission, minor revision
Tales from the playing field: black and minority ethnic students' experiences of physical education teacher education
This article presents findings from recent research exploring black and minority ethnic (BME) students’ experiences of Physical Education teacher education (PETE) in England (Flintoff, 2008). Despite policy initiatives to increase the ethnic diversity of teacher education cohorts, BME students are under-represented in PETE, making up just 2.94% of the 2007/8 national cohort, the year in which this research was conducted. Drawing on in-depth interviews and questionnaires with 25 BME students in PETE, the study sought to contribute to our limited knowledge and understanding of racial and ethnic difference in PE, and to show how ‘race,’ ethnicity and gender are interwoven in individuals’ embodied, everyday experiences of learning how to teach. In the article, two narratives in the form of fictional stories are used to present the findings. I suggest that narratives can be useful for engaging with the experiences of those previously silenced or ignored within Physical Education (PE); they are also designed to provoke an emotional as well as an intellectual response in the reader. Given that teacher education is a place where we should be engaging students, emotionally and politically, to think deeply about teaching, education and social justice and their place within these, I suggest that such stories of difference might have a useful place within a critical PETE pedagogy
General linear-optical quantum state generation scheme: Applications to maximally path-entangled states
We introduce schemes for linear-optical quantum state generation. A quantum
state generator is a device that prepares a desired quantum state using product
inputs from photon sources, linear-optical networks, and postselection using
photon counters. We show that this device can be concisely described in terms
of polynomial equations and unitary constraints. We illustrate the power of
this language by applying the Grobner-basis technique along with the notion of
vacuum extensions to solve the problem of how to construct a quantum state
generator analytically for any desired state, and use methods of convex
optimization to identify bounds to success probabilities. In particular, we
disprove a conjecture concerning the preparation of the maximally
path-entangled |n,0)+|0,n) (NOON) state by providing a counterexample using
these methods, and we derive a new upper bound on the resources required for
NOON-state generation.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
Can brewer-sponsored ‘drink responsibly’ warning message be effective without alcohol policies in Nigeria?
Alcohol availability, use and misuse and their related problems are rising in many parts of the African continent and this has been attributed to many factors such as non-existent or ineffective regulatory measures. In contemporary Nigeria, while a culture of intoxication is growing, there are no regulatory measures in the form of alcohol policies to reduce it. What exists is brewer-sponsored self-regulation. This paper therefore, critically analyses this self-imposed 'drink responsibly' warning message, arguing that because responsible drinking messages are strategically designed to serve the interest of alcohol industries, it cannot be effective. The paper further argues that because there are no definitions of standard drinks and where alcohol by volume (ABV) is scarcely inscribed on product labels of alcoholic beverages, such message will remain ineffective. Therefore, it recommends that an urgent step should be taken by the government to formulate and implement comprehensive evidence-based alcohol policies in Nigeria
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