488 research outputs found
Experimental quantum cosmology in time-dependent optical media
It is possible to construct artificial spacetime geometries for light by
using intense laser pulses that modify the spatiotemporal properties of an
optical medium. Here we theoretically investigate experimental possibilities
for studying spacetime metrics of the form
. By tailoring the laser
pulse shape and medium properties, it is possible to create a refractive index
variation that can be identified with . Starting from a
perturbative solution to a generalised Hopfield model for the medium described
by an we provide estimates for the number of photons generated by the
time-dependent spacetime. The simplest example is that of a uniformly varying
that therefore describes the Robertson-Walker metric, i.e. a
cosmological expansion. The number of photon pairs generated in experimentally
feasible conditions appears to be extremely small. However, large photon
production can be obtained by periodically modulating the medium and thus
resorting to a resonant enhancement similar to that observed in the dynamical
Casimir effect. Curiously, the spacetime metric in this case closely resembles
that of a gravitational wave. Motivated by this analogy we show that a periodic
gravitational wave can indeed act as an amplifier for photons. The emission for
an actual gravitational wave will be very weak but should be readily observable
in the laboratory analogue.Comment: Version accepted fro publication in New Journal of Physic
Synthetic magnetism for photon fluids
We develop a theory of artificial gauge fields in photon fluids for the cases
of both second-order and third-order optical nonlinearities. This applies to
weak excitations in the presence of pump fields carrying orbital angular
momentum, and is thus a type of Bogoliubov theory. The resulting artificial
gauge fields experienced by the weak excitations are an interesting
generalization of previous cases and reflect the PT-symmetry properties of the
underlying non-Hermitian Hamiltonian. We illustrate the observable consequences
of the resulting synthetic magnetic fields for examples involving both
second-order and third-order nonlinearities
Monte Carlo Study of the Separation of Energy Scales in Quantum Spin 1/2 Chains with Bond Disorder
One-dimensional Heisenberg spin 1/2 chains with random ferro- and
antiferromagnetic bonds are realized in systems such as . We have investigated numerically the thermodynamic properties of a
generic random bond model and of a realistic model of by the quantum Monte Carlo loop algorithm. For the first time we
demonstrate the separation into three different temperature regimes for the
original Hamiltonian based on an exact treatment, especially we show that the
intermediate temperature regime is well-defined and observable in both the
specific heat and the magnetic susceptibility. The crossover between the
regimes is indicated by peaks in the specific heat. The uniform magnetic
susceptibility shows Curie-like behavior in the high-, intermediate- and
low-temperature regime, with different values of the Curie constant in each
regime. We show that these regimes are overlapping in the realistic model and
give numerical data for the analysis of experimental tests.Comment: 7 pages, 5 eps-figures included, typeset using JPSJ.sty, accepted for
publication in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 68, Vol. 3. (1999
Phase-Insensitive Scattering of Terahertz Radiation
The nonlinear interaction between Near-Infrared (NIR) and Terahertz pulses is
principally investigated as a means for the detection of radiation in the
hardly accessible THz spectral region. Most studies have targeted second-order
nonlinear processes, given their higher efficiencies, and only a limited number
have addressed third-order nonlinear interactions, mainly investigating
four-wave mixing in air for broadband THz detection. We have studied the
nonlinear interaction between THz and NIR pulses in solid-state media
(specifically diamond), and we show how the former can be frequency-shifted up
to UV frequencies by the scattering from the nonlinear polarisation induced by
the latter. Such UV emission differs from the well-known electric-field-induced
second harmonic (EFISH) one, as it is generated via a phase-insensitive
scattering, rather than a sum- or difference-frequency four-wave-mixing
process
Low-Temperature Scaling Regime of Random Ferromagnetic-Antiferromagnetic Spin Chains
Using the Continuous Time Quantum Monte Carlo Loop algorithm, we calculate
the temperature dependence of the uniform susceptibility, and the specific heat
of a spin-1/2 chain with random antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic couplings,
down to very low temperatures. Our data show a consistent scaling behavior in
both quantities and support strongly the conjecture drawn from the
approximative real-space renormalization group treatment. A statistical
analysis scheme is developed which will be useful for the search scaling
behavior in numerical and experimental data of random spin chains.Comment: 4 pages and 3 figure
Spontaneous photon production in time-dependent epsilon-near-zero materials
Quantum field theory predicts that a spatially homogeneous but temporally varying medium will excite photon pairs out of the vacuum state. However, this important theoretical prediction lacks experimental verification due to the difficulty in attaining the required nonadiabatic and large amplitude changes in the medium. Recent work has shown that in epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) materials it is possible to optically induce changes of the refractive index of the order of unity, in femtosecond time scales. By studying the quantum field theory of a spatially homogeneous, time-varying ENZ medium, we theoretically predict photon-pair production that is up to several orders of magnitude larger than in non-ENZ time-varying materials. We also find that while in standard materials the emission spectrum depends on the time scale of the perturbation, in ENZ materials the emission is always peaked at the ENZ wavelength. These studies pave the way to technologically feasible observation of photon-pair emission from a time-varying background with implications for quantum field theories beyond condensed matter systems and with potential applications as a new source of entangled light
Clear-cuts are temporary habitats, not matrix, for endangered grassland burnet moths (Zygaena spp.)
Burnet moths (Zygaena spp.) are day-flying Lepidoptera considered indicative of species-rich grasslands. In the present study, our aim was to clarify whether clear-cuts are habitat, supporting habitat or matrix for three species of Zygaena. We did so by sampling these species with sex pheromones on 48 clear-cuts, varying in amount of host and nectar plants, in southern Sweden. To compare the efficiency of such sampling, we also conducted transect walks on these clearcuts. Overall, host-plants on clear-cuts best explained the abundance of Zygaena spp. recorded, better than nectar-plants or connectivity with nearby grasslands. These results indicate that clear-cuts with an abundance of host plants are used as a fully functional habitat, and not a supporting habitat in the sense of only providing nectar. There is no support in these results for considering clear-cuts as an inert matrix. With about half the work-effort, pheromone traps recorded 100 times more Zygaena spp. as transect walks. The poor correspondence between observations during transects walks and pheromone trap catches suggest Zygaena spp. being difficult to monitor by transect walks. In contrast to grasslands, clear-cuts are short-term in nature requiring repeated recolonization, indicating the importance of permanent grasslands. However, clear-cuts are important temporary insect habitats due to their great acreage, and suitable management can increase the time they remain a habitat
Spin Waves in Random Spin Chains
We study quantum spin-1/2 Heisenberg ferromagnetic chains with dilute, random
antiferromagnetic impurity bonds with modified spin-wave theory. By describing
thermal excitations in the language of spin waves, we successfully observe a
low-temperature Curie susceptibility due to formation of large spin clusters
first predicted by the real-space renormalization-group approach, as well as a
crossover to a pure ferromagnetic spin chain behavior at intermediate and high
temperatures. We compare our results of the modified spin-wave theory to
quantum Monte Carlo simulations.Comment: 3 pages, 3 eps figures, submitted to the 47th Conference on Magnetism
and Magnetic Material
Kaon Condensation in the Bound-State Approach to the Skyrme Model
We explore kaon condensation using the bound-state approach to the Skyrme
model on a 3-sphere. The condensation occurs when the energy required to
produce a falls below the electron fermi level. This happens at the
baryon number density on the order of 3--4 times nuclear density.Comment: LaTeX format, 15 pages. 3 Postscript figures, compressed and
uuencode
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