Secure thermal infrared communications using engineered blackbody radiation

The thermal (emitted) infrared frequency bands, from 20–40 THz and 60–100 THz, are best known for applications in thermography. This underused and unregulated part of the spectral range offers opportunities for the development of secure communications. The ‘THz Torch' concept was recently presented by the authors. This technology fundamentally exploits engineered blackbody radiation, by partitioning thermally-generated spectral noise power into pre-defined frequency channels; the energy in each channel is then independently pulsed modulated and multiplexing schemes are introduced to create a robust form of short-range secure communications in the far/mid infrared. To date, octave bandwidth (25–50 THz) single-channel links have been demonstrated with 380 bps speeds. Multi-channel ‘THz Torch' frequency division multiplexing (FDM) and frequency-hopping spread-spectrum (FHSS) schemes have been proposed, but only a slow 40 bps FDM scheme has been demonstrated experimentally. Here, we report a much faster 1,280 bps FDM implementation. In addition, an experimental proof-of-concept FHSS scheme is demonstrated for the first time, having a 320 bps data rate. With both 4-channel multiplexing schemes, measured bit error rates (BERs) of < 10(−6) are achieved over a distance of 2.5 cm. Our approach represents a new paradigm in the way niche secure communications can be established over short links

Controlled quantum teleportation and secure direct communication

We present a controlled quantum teleportation protocol. In the protocol, quantum information of an unknown state of a 2-level particle is faithfully transmitted from a sender (Alice) to a remote receiver (Bob) via an initially shared triplet of entangled particles under the control of the supervisor Charlie. The distributed entangled particles shared by Alice, Bob and Charlie function as a quantum information channel for faithful transmission. We also propose a controlled and secure direct communication scheme by means of this teleportation. After insuring the security of the quantum channel, Alice encodes the secret message directly on a sequence of particle states and transmits them to Bob supervised by Charlie using this controlled quantum teleportation. Bob can read out the encoded message directly by the measurement on his qubit. In this scheme, the controlled quantum teleportation transmits Alice's message without revealing any information to a potential eavesdropper. Because there is not a transmission of the qubit carrying the secret message between Alice and Bob in the public channel, it is completely secure for controlled and direct secret communication if perfect quantum channel is used. The feature of this scheme is that the communication between two sides depends on the agreement of the third side.Comment: 4 page

Strong energy enhancement in a laser-driven plasma-based accelerator through stochastic friction

Conventionally, friction is understood as an efficient dissipation mechanism depleting a physical system of energy as an unavoidable feature of any realistic device involving moving parts, e.g., in mechanical brakes. In this work, we demonstrate that this intuitive picture loses validity in nonlinear quantum electrodynamics, exemplified in a scenario where spatially random friction counter-intuitively results in a highly directional energy flow. This peculiar behavior is caused by radiation friction, i.e., the energy loss of an accelerated charge due to the emission of radiation. We demonstrate analytically and numerically how radiation friction can enhance the performance of a specific class of laser-driven particle accelerators. We find the unexpected directional energy boost to be due to the particles' energy being reduced through friction whence the driving laser can accelerate them more efficiently. In a quantitative case we find the energy of the laser-accelerated particles to be enhanced by orders of magnitude.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure

A Biomimetic Smart Control of Viscous Drag Reduction

Viscous flow drag represents the largest contingent of the entire drag that aerodynamic and hydrodynamic devices are subject to. Inspired by the functions of sharks skins, riblet surfaces have been studied and applied to wall structures to reduce turbulent flow drag. However, whilst structural similarity has been obtained it lacks true mimicry. This paper presents an approach of drag reduction using “Smart Surface”, a new propose composite surface that combines the riblet with an elastic coating. The “smart surface”, inspired by the self-adjustable skin of marine animals such as the dolphin, is designed to modify the traditional riblet technique and enable it to “sense” and interact with the flow by adjusting the wall structure according to the flow condition. Considering the factors of manufacture feasibility, durability and drag reduction performance in previous studies, the physical model of “Smart Surface” is designed. The preliminary establishment of corresponding prediction model has been discussed and calculated. Further work in the aspects of experimental and numerical study of this research is prospected. Key words: Drag reduction; Elastic coating; Riblet; Self-adjustable; Smart Surfac

Microflow valve control system design

A design synthesis for a microflow control system is presented based on the interrogation of an analytical model, testing, and observation. The key issues relating to controlling a microflow using a variable geometry flow channel are explored through the implementation and testing of open and closed-loop control systems. The reliance of closed-loop systems on accurate flow measurement and the need for an open-loop strategy are covered. A valve and control system capable of accurately controlling flowrates between 0.09 and 400 ml/h and with a range of 900:1 is demonstrated

Sub-TeV proton beam generation by ultra-intense laser irradiation of foil-and-gas target

A two-phase proton acceleration scheme using an ultra-intense laser pulse irradiating a proton foil with a tenuous heavier-ion plasma behind it is presented. The foil electrons are compressed and pushed out as a thin dense layer by the radiation pressure and propagate in the plasma behind at near the light speed. The protons are in turn accelerated by the resulting space-charge field and also enter the backside plasma, but without the formation of a quasistationary double layer. The electron layer is rapidly weakened by the space-charge field. However, the laser pulse originally behind it now snowplows the backside-plasma electrons and creates an intense electrostatic wakefield. The latter can stably trap and accelerate the pre-accelerated proton layer there for a very long distance and thus to very high energies. The two-phase scheme is verified by particle-in-cell simulations and analytical modeling, which also suggests that a 0.54 TeV proton beam can be obtained with a 10(23) W/cm(2) laser pulse. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3684658]Physics, Fluids &amp; PlasmasSCI(E)EI0ARTICLE2null1