Single-electron tunneling in InP nanowires

We report on the fabrication and electrical characterization of field-effect devices based on wire-shaped InP crystals grown from Au catalyst particles by a vapor-liquid-solid process. Our InP wires are n-type doped with diameters in the 40-55 nm range and lengths of several microns. After being deposited on an oxidized Si substrate, wires are contacted individually via e-beam fabricated Ti/Al electrodes. We obtain contact resistances as low as ~10 kOhm, with minor temperature dependence. The distance between the electrodes varies between 0.2 and 2 micron. The electron density in the wires is changed with a back gate. Low-temperature transport measurements show Coulomb-blockade behavior with single-electron charging energies of ~1 meV. We also demonstrate energy quantization resulting from the confinement in the wire.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Exponential complexity of an adiabatic algorithm for an NP-complete problem

We prove an analytical expression for the size of the gap between the ground and the first excited state of quantum adiabatic algorithm for the 3-satisfiability, where the initial Hamiltonian is a projector on the subspace complementary to the ground state. For large problem sizes the gap decreases exponentially and as a consequence the required running time is also exponential.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures; v3. published versio

Neutrix Calculus and Finite Quantum Field Theory

In general, quantum field theories (QFT) require regularizations and infinite renormalizations due to ultraviolet divergences in their loop calculations. Furthermore, perturbation series in theories like QED are not convergent series, but are asymptotic series. We apply neutrix calculus, developed in connection with asymptotic series and divergent integrals, to QFT,obtaining finite renormalizations. While none of the physically measurable results in renormalizable QFT is changed, quantum gravity is rendered more manageable in the neutrix framework.Comment: 10 pages; LaTeX; version to appear in J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. as a Letter to the Edito

Spatial search by quantum walk

Grover's quantum search algorithm provides a way to speed up combinatorial search, but is not directly applicable to searching a physical database. Nevertheless, Aaronson and Ambainis showed that a database of N items laid out in d spatial dimensions can be searched in time of order sqrt(N) for d>2, and in time of order sqrt(N) poly(log N) for d=2. We consider an alternative search algorithm based on a continuous time quantum walk on a graph. The case of the complete graph gives the continuous time search algorithm of Farhi and Gutmann, and other previously known results can be used to show that sqrt(N) speedup can also be achieved on the hypercube. We show that full sqrt(N) speedup can be achieved on a d-dimensional periodic lattice for d>4. In d=4, the quantum walk search algorithm takes time of order sqrt(N) poly(log N), and in d<4, the algorithm does not provide substantial speedup.Comment: v2: 12 pages, 4 figures; published version, with improved arguments for the cases where the algorithm fail

Optimal parametrizations of adiabatic paths

The parametrization of adiabatic paths is optimal when tunneling is minimized. Hamiltonian evolutions do not have unique optimizers. However, dephasing Lindblad evolutions do. The optimizers are simply characterized by an Euler-Lagrange equation and have a constant tunneling rate along the path irrespective of the gap. Application to quantum search algorithms recovers the Grover result for appropriate scaling of the dephasing. Dephasing rates that beat Grover imply hidden resources in Lindblad operators.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; To prevent from misunderstanding, we clarified the discussion of an apparent speedup in the Grover algorithm; figures improved + minor change

Exponential speed-up with a single bit of quantum information: Testing the quantum butterfly effect

We present an efficient quantum algorithm to measure the average fidelity decay of a quantum map under perturbation using a single bit of quantum information. Our algorithm scales only as the complexity of the map under investigation, so for those maps admitting an efficient gate decomposition, it provides an exponential speed up over known classical procedures. Fidelity decay is important in the study of complex dynamical systems, where it is conjectured to be a signature of quantum chaos. Our result also illustrates the role of chaos in the process of decoherence.Comment: 4 pages, 2 eps figure

Tératogénicité de l’acide 13-cis rétinoïque sur les ébauches mandibulo-optiques de l’embryon de souris: approche histologique et histochimique

Oral administration of 400 mg/kg of 13-cis retinoic acid to 9 day pregnant mice gives rise to important maxillo-facial malformations. The first manifestation of teratogenic effect is an increase of density of cell death arising in the dorsal part of the first two branchial arches at day 9.5. These two arches become hypoplastic at days 10 and 11, and the preskelettic anlagen appear too late in comparison to control embryos. Meckel’s cartilage is too curvilinear and medially situated. Pre-ossicular and pre-mandibular blastemata develop with spatial distorsions which are well analyzable at days 16 and 17. They give some arguments to discuss several features of normal early development of this area.L’administration orale de 400 mg/kg d’acide 13-cis rétinoïque à des souris gestantes à 9 jours de gestation est responsable d’importantes malformations de la sphère oto-maxillo-faciale. Le premier signe consiste en une augmentation de la densité des nécroses observées dans la partie dorsale des deux premiers arcs à 9.5 jours. Ceux-ci se caractérisent ultérieurement par une hypoplasie relative par rapport aux témoins et les ébauches présquelettiques y apparaissent avec retard. Le cartilage de Meckel apparaît d’emblée trop arciforme et médialement situé. Les blastèmes pré-ossiculaires et prémandibulaires subissent une importante distorsion spatiale et leurs déformations, bien observables à 16 et 17 jours, permettent de discuter certains aspects de la morphogenèse précoce normale de ces éléments

Critical collapse of a massive vector field

We perform numerical simulations of the critical gravitational collapse of a massive vector field. The result is that there are two critical solutions. One is equivalent to the Choptuik critical solution for a massless scalar field. The other is periodic.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Optimal phase estimation in quantum networks

We address the problem of estimating the phase phi given N copies of the phase rotation u(phi) within an array of quantum operations in finite dimensions. We first consider the special case where the array consists of an arbitrary input state followed by any arrangement of the N phase rotations, and ending with a POVM. We optimise the POVM for a given input state and fixed arrangement. Then we also optimise the input state for some specific cost functions. In all cases, the optimal POVM is equivalent to a quantum Fourier transform in an appropriate basis. Examples and applications are given.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures; this is an extended version of arXiv:quant-ph/0609160. v2: minor corrections in reference

Enhanced Peculiar Velocities in Brane-Induced Gravity

The mounting evidence for anomalously large peculiar velocities in our Universe presents a challenge for the LCDM paradigm. The recent estimates of the large scale bulk flow by Watkins et al. are inconsistent at the nearly 3 sigma level with LCDM predictions. Meanwhile, Lee and Komatsu have recently estimated that the occurrence of high-velocity merging systems such as the Bullet Cluster (1E0657-57) is unlikely at a 6.5-5.8 sigma level, with an estimated probability between 3.3x10^{-11} and 3.6x10^{-9} in LCDM cosmology. We show that these anomalies are alleviated in a broad class of infrared-modifed gravity theories, called brane-induced gravity, in which gravity becomes higher-dimensional at ultra large distances. These theories include additional scalar forces that enhance gravitational attraction and therefore speed up structure formation at late times and on sufficiently large scales. The peculiar velocities are enhanced by 24-34% compared to standard gravity, with the maximal enhancement nearly consistent at the 2 sigma level with bulk flow observations. The occurrence of the Bullet Cluster in these theories is 10^4 times more probable than in LCDM cosmology.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures. v2: added reference