Photon-Assisted Quasiparticle Transport and Andreev Transport through an Interacting Quantum Dot

Resonant tunneling through a quantum dot coupled to superconducting reservoirs in the presence of time-dependent external voltage has been studied. A general formula of the current is derived based on the nonequilibrium Green's function technique. Using this formula photon-assisted quasiparticle transport has been investigated for the quantum dot connected to superconductors. In addition, resonant Andreev transport through a strongly correlated quantum dot connected to a normal metallic lead and a superconducting lead is studied.Comment: 9 pages(1 column) with 3 figure

The CKM matrix from anti-SU(7) unification of GUT families

We estimate the CKM matrix elements in the recently proposed minimal model, anti-SU(7) GUT for the family unification, $[\,3\,]+2\,[\,2\,]+8\,[\,\bar{1}\,]$+\,(singlets). It is shown that the real angles of the right-handed unitary matrix diagonalizing the mass matrix can be determined to fit the Particle Data Group data. However, the phase in the right-handed unitary matrix is not constrained very much. We also includes an argument about allocating the Jarlskog phase in the CKM matrix. Phenomenologically, there are three classes of possible parametrizations, \delq=\alpha,\beta, or $\gamma$ of the unitarity triangle. For the choice of \delq=\alpha, the phase is close to a maximal one.Comment: 11 pages of LaTex file with 2 figure

750 GeV diphoton resonance and electric dipole moments

We examine the implication of the recently observed 750 GeV diphoton excess for the electric dipole moments of the neutron and electron. If the excess is due to a spin zero resonance which couples to photons and gluons through the loops of massive vector-like fermions, the resulting neutron electric dipole moment can be comparable to the present experimental bound if the CP-violating angle {\alpha} in the underlying new physics is of O(10^{-1}). An electron EDM comparable to the present bound can be achieved through a mixing between the 750 GeV resonance and the Standard Model Higgs boson, if the mixing angle itself for an approximately pseudoscalar resonance, or the mixing angle times the CP-violating angle {\alpha} for an approximately scalar resonance, is of O(10^{-3}). For the case that the 750 GeV resonance corresponds to a composite pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson formed by a QCD-like hypercolor dynamics confining at \Lambda_HC, the resulting neutron EDM can be estimated with \alpha ~ (750 GeV / \Lambda_HC)^2\theta_HC, where \theta_HC is the hypercolor vacuum angle.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure

Semi-analytic simulations of microring resonators with scattering elements

This thesis presents theoretical and numerical simulation results of a microring resonator with a scattering element inserted. The spectral reflection of the scattering element can be engineered to realize wavelength-selective reflection for the integrated microring. In particular, a Fabry-Perot element can be used to produce reflection spectrum with a comb of peaks, whereas a carefully designed distributed Bragg grating can be inserted to realize single peak reflection at the design wavelength. Furthermore, a grating etalon can be used to obtain an ultra-narrow transmission filter or sharp cut-off mirror. The thesis will present semi-analytical solutions to easily anticipate the resultant reflection from the ring for a given scattering element. The results are presented graphically to facilitate understanding of the effects of various design parameters. The structures are candidates for compact planar wavelength-selective mirrors, filters, and switches for dense photonic integrated circuits

Performance and Fouling in Pre-Denitrification Membrane Bioreactors Treating High-Strength Wastewater from Food Waste Disposers

The study investigated the performance of the pre-denitrification membrane bioreactor (MBR) process to treat high-strength wastewater generated from food waste disposals. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) as membrane foulant and microbial community profiles were analyzed under different hydraulic retention time (HRT) operation conditions. The pre-denitrification MBR was effective for treating food wastewater with high chemical oxygen demand (COD)/N resulting in high total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency. The operational data showed that effluent qualities in terms of COD, TN, and TP improved with longer HRT. However, membrane fouling potential as shown by specific membrane fouling rate and specific resistance to filtration (SRF) increased as HRT increased. The longer HRT conditions or lower influent loading led to higher levels of bound EPS while HRT did not show large effects on the level of soluble microbial products (SMP). The restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis showed similar microbial banding patterns from the sludges generated under different HRT conditions, indicating that HRT had minimal effects on the composition of microbial communities in the system. All these results suggest that the MBR with pre-denitrification is a feasible option for treating high-strength food wastewater and that different HRT conditions could affect the operational performance and the fouling rate, which is governed via changes in microbial responses through EPS in the system

An Interval-Censored Proportional Hazards Model

We fit a Cox proportional hazards (PH) model to interval-censored survival data by first subdividing each individual\u27s failure interval into non-overlapping sub-intervals. Using the set of all interval endpoints in the data set, those that fall into the individual\u27s interval are then used as the cut points for the sub-intervals. Each sub-interval has an accompanying weight calculated from a parametric Weibull model based on the current parameter estimates. A weighted PH model is then fit with multiple lines of observations corresponding to the sub-intervals for each individual, where the lower end of each sub-interval is used as the observed failure time with the accompanying weights incorporated. Right-censored observations are handled in the usual manner. We iterate between estimating the baseline Weibull distribution and fitting the weighted PH model until the regression parameters of interest converge. The regression parameter estimates are fixed as an offset when we update the estimates of the Weibull distribution and recalculate the weights. Our approach is similar to Satten et al.\u27s (1998) method for interval-censored survival analysis that used imputed failure times generated from a parametric model in a PH model. Simulation results demonstrate apparently unbiased parameter estimation for the correctly specified Weibull model and little to no bias for a mis-specified log-logistic model. Breast cosmetic deterioration data and ICU hyperlactemia data are analyzed