First-order interference of nonclassical light emitted spontaneously at different times

We study first-order interference in spontaneous parametric down-conversion generated by two pump pulses that do not overlap in time. The observed modulation in the angular distribution of the signal detector counting rate can only be explained in terms of a quantum mechanical description based on biphoton states. The condition for observing interference in the signal channel is shown to depend on the parameters of the idler radiation.Comment: 5 pages, two-column, submitted to PR

Quantum interference with beamlike type-II spontaneous parametric down-conversion

We implement experimentally a method to generate photon-number$-$path and polarization entangled photon pairs using ``beamlike'' type-II spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), in which the signal-idler photon pairs are emitted as two separate circular beams with small emission angles rather than as two diverging cones.Comment: 4 pages, two-colum

Melting of Charge/Orbital Ordered States in Nd1/2_{1/2}Sr1/2_{1/2}MnO3_3: Temperature and Magnetic Field Dependent Optical Studies

We investigated the temperature ($T=$ 15 $\sim$ 290 K) and the magnetic field ($H=$ 0 $\sim$ 17 T) dependent optical conductivity spectra of a charge/orbital ordered manganite, Nd$_{1/2}$Sr$_{1/2}$MnO$_3$. With variation of $T$ and $H$, large spectral weight changes were observed up to 4.0 eV. These spectral weight changes could be explained using the polaron picture. Interestingly, our results suggested that some local ordered state might remain above the charge ordering temperature, and that the charge/orbital melted state at a high magnetic field (i.e. at $H=$ 17 T and $$ 4.2 K) should be a three dimensional ferromagnetic metal. We also investigated the first order phase transition from the charge/orbital ordered state to ferromagnetic metallic state using the $T$- and $H$% -dependent dielectric constants $\epsilon_1$. In the charge/orbital ordered insulating state, $\epsilon_1$ was positive and $d\epsilon_1/d\omega \approx 0$. With increasing $T$ and $H$, $\epsilon_1$ was increased up to the insulator-metal phase boundaries. And then, $\epsilon_1$ abruptly changed into negative and $d\epsilon_1/d\omega >0$, which was consistent with typical responses of a metal. Through the analysis of $\epsilon_1$ using an effective medium approximation, we found that the melting of charge/orbital ordered states should occur through the percolation of ferromagnetic metal domains.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.

On the effects of the magnetic field and the isotopic substitution upon the infrared absorption of manganites

Employing a variational approach that takes into account electron-phonon and magnetic interactions in $La_{1-x}A_xMnO_3$ perovskites with $0<x<0.5$, the effects of the magnetic field and the oxygen isotope substitution on the phase diagram, the electron-phonon correlation function and the infrared absorption at $x=0.3$ are studied. The lattice displacements show a strong correlation with the conductivity and the magnetic properties of the system. Then the conductivity spectra are characterized by a marked sensitivity to the external parameters near the phase boundary.Comment: 10 figure

Molecular and functional expression of anion exchangers in cultured normal human nasal epithelial cells

AIMS: Anions have an important role in the regulation of airway surface liquid (ASL) volume, viscosity and pH. However, functional localization and regulation of anion exchangers (AEs) have not been clearly described. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulation of AE mRNA expression level in accordance with mucociliary differentiation and the functional expression of AEs cultured normal human nasal epithelial (NHNE) cells. METHODS: Nasal mucosal specimens from three patients are obtained and serially cultured cells are subjected to morphological examinations, RT-PCR, Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry. AE activity is assessed by pHi measurements. RESULTS: Expression of ciliated cells on the apical membrane and expression of MUC5AC, a marker of mucous differentiation, increased with time. AE2 and SLC26A4 mRNA expression decreased as mucociliary differentiation progressed, and AE4, SLC26A7 and SLC26A8 mRNA expression increased on the 14th and 28th day after confluence. Accordingly, AE4 protein expression also progressively increased. AE activity in 100 mM K(+) buffer solutions was nearly twofold higher than that in 5 mM K(+) buffer solutions. Moreover, only luminal AE activity increased about fourfold over the control in the presence of 5 microM forskolin. In the presence of 100 microM adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) which evokes intracellular calcium signalling through activation of purinergic receptors, only luminal AE activity was again significantly increased. On the other hand, 500 microM 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), an inhibitor of most SLC4 and SLC26AE isoforms, nearly abolished AE activity in both luminal and basolateral membranes. We found that AE activity was affected by intracellular cAMP and calcium signalling in the luminal membrane and was DIDS-sensitive in both membranes of cultured NHNE cells. CONCLUSION: Our findings through molecular and functional studies using cultured NHNE cells suggest that AEs may have an important role in the regulation of ASL.ope

Improved Eavesdropping Detection Strategy in Quantum Direct Communication Protocol Based on Four-particle GHZ State

In order to improve the eavesdropping detection efficiency in two-step quantum direct communication protocol, an improved eavesdropping detection strategy using four-particle GHZ state is proposed, in which four-particle GHZ state is used to detect eavesdroppers. During the security analysis, the method of the entropy theory is introduced, and two detection strategies are compared quantitatively by using the constraint between the information which eavesdropper can obtain and the interference introduced. If the eavesdroppers intend to obtain all information, the eavesdropping detection rate of the original two-step quantum direct communication protocol by using EPR pair block as detection particles is 50%; while the proposed strategy's detection rate is 88%. In the end, the security of the proposed protocol is discussed. The analysis results show that the eavesdropping detection strategy presented is more secure.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:quant-ph/0308173 by different author

Interferometric Bell-state preparation using femtosecond-pulse-pumped Spontaneous Parametric Down-Conversion

We present theoretical and experimental study of preparing maximally entangled two-photon polarization states, or Bell states, using femtosecond pulse pumped spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC). First, we show how the inherent distinguishability in femtosecond pulse pumped type-II SPDC can be removed by using an interferometric technique without spectral and amplitude post-selection. We then analyze the recently introduced Bell state preparation scheme using type-I SPDC. Theoretically, both methods offer the same results, however, type-I SPDC provides experimentally superior methods of preparing Bell states in femtosecond pulse pumped SPDC. Such a pulsed source of highly entangled photon pairs is useful in quantum communications, quantum cryptography, quantum teleportation, etc.Comment: 11 pages, two-column format, to appear in PR

Magnetic and Charge Correlations in La{2-x-y}Nd_ySr_xCuO_4: Raman Scattering Study

Two aspects in connection with the magnetic properties of La_{2-x-y}Nd_ySr_xCuO_4 single crystals are discussed. The first is related to long wavelength magnetic excitations in x = 0, 0.01, and 0.03 La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_4 detwinned crystals as a function of doping, temperature and magnetic field. Two magnetic modes were observed within the AF region of the phase diagram. The one at lower energies was identified with the spin-wave gap induced by the antisymmetric DM interaction and its anisotropic properties in magnetic field could be well explained using a canonical form of the spin Hamiltonian. A new finding was a magnetic field induced mode whose dynamics allowed us to discover a spin ordered state outside the AF order which was shown to persist in a 9 T field as high as 100 K above the N\'eel temperature T_N for x = 0.01. For these single magnon excitations we map out the Raman selection rules in magnetic fields and demonstrate that their temperature dependent spectral weight is peaked at the N\'eel temperature. The second aspect is related to phononic and magnetic Raman scattering in La_{2-x-y}Nd_ySr_xCuO_4 with three doping concentrations: x = 1/8, y = 0; x = 1/8, y = 0.4; and x = 0.01, y = 0. We observed that around 1/8 Sr doping and independent of Nd concentration there exists substantial disorder in the tilt pattern of the CuO_6 octahedra in both the orthorhombic and tetragonal phases which persist down to 10 K and are coupled to bond disorder in the cation layers. The weak magnitude of existing charge/spin modulations in the Nd doped structure did not allow us to detect specific Raman signatures on lattice dynamics or two-magnon scattering around 2200 cm-1.Comment: 26 pages, 22 figure

CHERCAM: the Cherenkov imager of the CREAM experiment, results in Z=1 test beams

International audienceThe CREAM experiment investigates the high energy spectrum of nuclear elements from H to Fe in the cosmic ray flux up to $10^{15}$ eV, with an instrument designed to achieve individual elements separation over the whole mass range. A proximity focused Cherenkov imager, CHERCAM (CHERenkov CAMera), will provide both a good topological signature (Cherenkov ring) for downgoing Z=1 particles, and a charge independent individual element separation through the considered range of nuclear charges. It will be implemented in the forthcoming CREAM flight 3. The contribution reports on the CHERCAM main features and on the preliminary results from in-beam tests at CERN