Pairing and Vortex Lattices for Interacting Fermions in Optical Lattices with a Large Magnetic Field

We study the structure of pairing order parameter for spin-1/2 fermions with attractive interactions in a square lattice under a uniform magnetic field. Because the magnetic translation symmetry gives a unique degeneracy in the single-particle spectrum, the wave function has both zero and finite momentum components co-existing, and their relative phases are determined by a self-consistent mean-field theory. We present a microscopic calculation that can determine the vortex lattice structure in the superfluid phase for different flux densities. Phase transition from a Hofstadter insulator to a superfluid phase is also discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, one table, published versio

Rubidium resonant squeezed light from a diode-pumped optical-parametric oscillator

We demonstrate a diode-laser-pumped system for generation of quadrature squeezing and polarization squeezing. Due to their excess phase noise, diode lasers are challenging to use in phase-sensitive quantum optics experiments such as quadrature squeezing. The system we present overcomes the phase noise of the diode laser through a combination of active stabilization and appropriate delays in the local oscillator beam. The generated light is resonant to the rubidium D1 transition at 795nm and thus can be readily used for quantum memory experiments.Comment: 6 pages 4 figure

Superfluidity in Three-species Mixture of Fermi Gases across Feshbach Resonances

In this letter a generalization of the BEC-BCS crossover theory to a multicomponent superfluid is presented by studying a three-species mixture of Fermi gas across two Feshbach resonances. At the BEC side of resonances, two kinds of molecules are stable which gives rise to a two-component Bose condensate. This two-component superfluid state can be experimentally identified from the radio-frequency spectroscopy, density profile and short noise measurements. As approaching the BCS side of resonances, the superfluidity will break down at some point and yield a first-order quantum phase transition to normal state, due to the mismatch of three Fermi surfaces. Phase separation instability will occur around the critical regime.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, revised versio

Expanded microchannel heat exchanger: design, fabrication and preliminary experimental test

This paper first reviews non-traditional heat exchanger geometry, laser welding, practical issues with microchannel heat exchangers, and high effectiveness heat exchangers. Existing microchannel heat exchangers have low material costs, but high manufacturing costs. This paper presents a new expanded microchannel heat exchanger design and accompanying continuous manufacturing technique for potential low-cost production. Polymer heat exchangers have the potential for high effectiveness. The paper discusses one possible joining method - a new type of laser welding named "forward conduction welding," used to fabricate the prototype. The expanded heat exchanger has the potential to have counter-flow, cross-flow, or parallel-flow configurations, be used for all types of fluids, and be made of polymers, metals, or polymer-ceramic precursors. The cost and ineffectiveness reduction may be an order of magnitude or more, saving a large fraction of primary energy. The measured effectiveness of the prototype with 28 micron thick black low density polyethylene walls and counterflow, water-to-water heat transfer in 2 mm channels was 72%, but multiple low-cost stages could realize the potential of higher effectiveness

Valley-dependent Brewster angles and Goos-Hanchen effect in strained graphene

We demonstrate theoretically how local strains in graphene can be tailored to generate a valley polarized current. By suitable engineering of local strain profiles, we find that electrons in opposite valleys (K or K') show different Brewster-like angles and Goos-H\"anchen shifts, exhibiting a close analogy with light propagating behavior. In a strain-induced waveguide, electrons in K and K' valleys have different group velocities, which can be used to construct a valley filter in graphene without the need for any external fields.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

The quantum probability ranking principle for information retrieval

While the Probability Ranking Principle for Information Retrieval provides the basis for formal models, it makes a very strong assumption regarding the dependence between documents. However, it has been observed that in real situations this assumption does not always hold. In this paper we propose a reformulation of the Probability Ranking Principle based on quantum theory. Quantum probability theory naturally includes interference effects between events. We posit that this interference captures the dependency between the judgement of document relevance. The outcome is a more sophisticated principle, the Quantum Probability Ranking Principle, that provides a more sensitive ranking which caters for interference/dependence between documents’ relevanc