1,767 research outputs found
Non-locality of non-Abelian anyons
Topological systems, such as fractional quantum Hall liquids, promise to
successfully combat environmental decoherence while performing quantum
computation. These highly correlated systems can support non-Abelian anyonic
quasiparticles that can encode exotic entangled states. To reveal the non-local
character of these encoded states we demonstrate the violation of suitable Bell
inequalities. We provide an explicit recipe for the preparation, manipulation
and measurement of the desired correlations for a large class of topological
models. This proposal gives an operational measure of non-locality for anyonic
states and it opens up the possibility to violate the Bell inequalities in
quantum Hall liquids or spin lattices.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure
From spin to anyon notation: The XXZ Heisenberg model as a (or ) anyon chain
We discuss a relationship between certain one-dimensional quantum spin chains
and anyon chains. In particular we show how the XXZ Heisenberg chain is
realised as a (alternately ) anyon model. We find the
difference between the models lie primarily in choice of boundary condition.Comment: 13 page
GMRT mini-survey to search for 21-cm absorption in Quasar-Galaxy Pairs at z~0.1
We present the results from our 21-cm absorption survey of a sample of 5
quasar-galaxy pairs (QGPs), with the redshift of the galaxies in the range
0.03<zg<0.18, selected from the SDSS. The HI 21-cm absorption was searched
towards the 9 sight lines with impact parameters ranging from 10 to 55 kpc
using GMRT. 21-cm absorption was detected only in one case i.e. towards the
Quasar (zq=2.625 SDSS J124157.54+633241.6)-galaxy (zg=0.143 SDSS
J124157.26+633237.6) pair with the impact parameter 11 kpc. The quasar sight
line in this case pierces through the stellar disk of a galaxy having near
solar metallicity (i.e (O/H)+12=8.7) and star formation rate uncorrected for
dust attenuation of 0.1 M_odot/yr. The quasar spectrum reddened by the
foreground galaxy is well fitted with the Milky Way extinction curve (with an
Av of 0.44) and the estimated HI column density is similar to the value
obtained from 21-cm absorption assuming spin temperature of 100K. Combining our
sample with the z<0.1 data available in the literature, we find the
detectability of 21-cm absorption with integrated optical depth greater than
0.1 km\s to be 50% for the impact parameter less than 20 kpc. Using the surface
brightness profiles and relationship between the optical size and extent of the
HI disk known for nearby galaxies, we conclude that in most of the cases of
21-cm absorption non-detection, the sight lines may not be passing through the
HI gas. We also find that in comparison to the absorption systems associated
with these QGPs, z<1 DLAs with 21-cm absorption detections have lower CaII
equivalent widths despite having higher 21-cm optical depths and smaller impact
parameters. This suggests that the current sample of DLAs may be a biased
population that avoids sight lines through dusty star-forming galaxies. A
systematic survey of QGPs is needed to confirm these findings and understand
the nature of 21-cm absorbers.Comment: 17 pages, 5 tables, 19 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS
(abstract abridged
Qudit surface codes and gauge theory with finite cyclic groups
Surface codes describe quantum memory stored as a global property of
interacting spins on a surface. The state space is fixed by a complete set of
quasi-local stabilizer operators and the code dimension depends on the first
homology group of the surface complex. These code states can be actively
stabilized by measurements or, alternatively, can be prepared by cooling to the
ground subspace of a quasi-local spin Hamiltonian. In the case of spin-1/2
(qubit) lattices, such ground states have been proposed as topologically
protected memory for qubits. We extend these constructions to lattices or more
generally cell complexes with qudits, either of prime level or of level
for prime and , and therefore under tensor
decomposition, to arbitrary finite levels. The Hamiltonian describes an exact
gauge theory whose excitations
correspond to abelian anyons. We provide protocols for qudit storage and
retrieval and propose an interferometric verification of topological order by
measuring quasi-particle statistics.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figure
Non-Abelian anyonic interferometry with a multi-photon spin lattice simulator
Recently a pair of experiments demonstrated a simulation of Abelian anyons in
a spin network of single photons. The experiments were based on an Abelian
discrete gauge theory spin lattice model of Kitaev. Here we describe how to use
linear optics and single photons to simulate non-Abelian anyons. The scheme
makes use of joint qutrit-qubit encoding of the spins and the resources
required are three pairs of parametric down converted photons and 14 beam
splitters.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures. Several references added in v
Observation of individual molecules trapped on a nanostructured insulator
For the first time, ordered polar molecules confined in monolayer-deep
rectangular pits produced on an alkali halide surface by electron irradiation
have been resolved at room temperature by non-contact atomic force microscopy.
Molecules self-assemble in a specific fashion inside pits of width smaller than
15 nm. By contrast no ordered aggregates of molecules are observed on flat
terraces. Conclusions regarding nucleation and ordering mechanisms are drawn.
Trapping in pits as small as 2 nm opens a route to address single molecules
Fourier transform and the Verlinde formula for the quantum double of a finite group
A Fourier transform S is defined for the quantum double D(G) of a finite
group G. Acting on characters of D(G), S and the central ribbon element of D(G)
generate a unitary matrix representation of the group SL(2,Z). The characters
form a ring over the integers under both the algebra multiplication and its
dual, with the latter encoding the fusion rules of D(G). The Fourier transform
relates the two ring structures. We use this to give a particularly short proof
of the Verlinde formula for the fusion coefficients.Comment: 15 pages, small errors corrected and references added, version to
appear in Journal of Physics
Quasars probing intermediate redshift star-forming galaxies
We present a sample of 46 [OIII]-emitting galaxies at z<0.8 detected in the
fibre spectra of quasars from the SDSS-DR7 through an automatic search
procedure. We also detect [OII] and Hb emission lines from most of these
galaxies in the SDSS spectra. We study both the emission and absorption
properties of a sub-sample of 17 galaxies in the redshift range z=0.4-0.7,
where MgII lines are covered by the SDSS spectra. The measured lower-limits on
the star-formation rates of these galaxies are in the range 0.2-20 M_sun/yr.
The emission line luminosities and (O/H) metallicities from R23 measured in
this sample are similar to what is found in normal galaxies at these redshifts.
Thus, this constitutes a unique sample of intermediate redshift star-forming
galaxies where we can study the QSO absorber - galaxy connection. Strong MgII
(W>1A) as well as MgI absorption lines are detected in the QSO spectra at the
redshift of most of these galaxies. Strong FeII (W>1A) absorption lines are
also generally detected whenever the appropriate wavelength ranges are covered.
This suggests that most of these systems could be bona-fide Damped Lyman-alpha
systems. We investigate various possible relations between the MgII rest
equivalent widths and the emission line properties. We find a possible (2
sigma) correlation between the emission-line metallicity of the galaxies and
the MgII rest equivalent width of the absorbers [truncated].Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables. accepted for publication in MNRA
Realizing non-Abelian statistics
We construct a series of 2+1-dimensional models whose quasiparticles obey
non-Abelian statistics. The adiabatic transport of quasiparticles is described
by using a correspondence between the braid matrix of the particles and the
scattering matrix of 1+1-dimensional field theories. We discuss in depth
lattice and continuum models whose braiding is that of SO(3) Chern-Simons gauge
theory, including the simplest type of non-Abelian statistics, involving just
one type of quasiparticle. The ground-state wave function of an SO(3) model is
related to a loop description of the classical two-dimensional Potts model. We
discuss the transition from a topological phase to a conventionally-ordered
phase, showing in some cases there is a quantum critical point.Comment: 20 pages in two-column format. v2: fixed typos and added reference
The nature of LINER galaxies: Ubiquitous hot old stars and rare accreting black holes
Galaxies, which often contain ionised gas, sometimes also exhibit a so-called
low-ionisation nuclear emission line region (LINER). For 30 years this was
attributed to a central mass-accreting supermassive black hole (AGN) of low
luminosity, making LINER galaxies the largest AGN-sub-population, dominating in
numbers over higher luminosity Seyfert galaxies and quasars. This, however,
poses a serious problem. While the inferred energy balance is plausible, many
LINERs clearly do not contain any other independent signatures of an AGN. Using
integral field spectroscopic data from the CALIFA survey, we aim at comparing
the observed radial surface brightness profiles with what is expected from
illumination by an AGN. Essential for this analysis is a proper extraction of
emission-lines, especially weak lines such as the Balmer Hb line which is
superposed on an absorption trough. To accomplish this, we use the GANDALF code
which simultaneously fits the underlying stellar continuum and emission lines.
We show for 48 galaxies with LINER-like emission, that the radial emission-line
surface brightness profiles are inconsistent with ionisation by a central
point-source and hence cannot be due to an AGN alone. The most probable
explanation for the excess LINER-like emission is ionisation by evolved stars
during the short but very hot and energetic phase known as post-AGB. This leads
us to an entirely new interpretation. Post-AGB stars are ubiquitous and their
ionising effect should be potentially observable in every galaxy with gas
present and stars older than ~1 Gyr, unless a stronger radiation field from
young hot stars or an AGN outshines them. This means that galaxies with
LINER-like emission are in fact not a class defined by a property, but rather
by the absence of a property. It also explains why LINER emission is observed
mostly in massive galaxies with old stars and little star formation.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure
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