9,594 research outputs found
All-Optical Ultrafast Control and Read-Out of a Single Negatively Charged Self-Assembled InAs Quantum Dot
We demonstrate the all-optical ultrafast manipulation and read-out of optical
transitions in a single negatively charged self-assembled InAs quantum dot, an
important step towards ultrafast control of the resident spin. Experiments
performed at zero magnetic field show the excitation and decay of the trion
(negatively charged exciton) as well as Rabi oscillations between the electron
and trion states. Application of a DC magnetic field perpendicular to the
growth axis of the dot enables observation of a complex quantum beat structure
produced by independent precession of the ground state electron and the excited
state heavy hole spins
Persistent optical nuclear spin narrowing in a singly charged InAs quantum dot
We review the investigation of the hole-assisted dynamical nuclear spin polarization mechanism in a singly charged InAs quantum dot. Using coherent dark state spectroscopy, we measure the locking of the Overhauser field to a value determined only by the laser frequencies. Importantly, we review data that the locking effect can suppress nuclear spin fluctuations. We determine the onset time of the nuclear spin narrowing effect and its persistence absent laser interactions by directly measuring the enhancement of the electron spin coherence. This nuclear field locking effect can be explained in terms of an anisotropic hyperfine coupling between the hole spin and the nuclear spins. © 2012 Optical Society of America.published_or_final_versio
Electro-optically tunable microring resonators in lithium niobate
Optical microresonators have recently attracted a growing attention in the
photonics community. Their applications range from quantum electro-dynamics to
sensors and filtering devices for optical telecommunication systems, where they
are likely to become an essential building block. The integration of nonlinear
and electro-optical properties in the resonators represents a very stimulating
challenge, as it would incorporate new and more advanced functionality. Lithium
niobate is an excellent candidate material, being an established choice for
electro-optic and nonlinear optical applications. Here we report on the first
realization of optical microring resonators in submicrometric thin films of
lithium niobate. The high index contrast films are produced by an improved
crystal ion slicing and bonding technique using benzocyclobutene. The rings
have radius R=100 um and their transmission spectrum has been tuned using the
electro-optic effect. These results open new perspectives for the use of
lithium niobate in chip-scale integrated optical devices and nonlinear optical
microcavities.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure
Initial validation of Chinese Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale (C-PAINAD)
2007-2008 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe
Structural modification of TiO2 nanorod films with an influence on the photovoltaic efficiency of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC)
TiO2 nanorod films have been deposited on ITO substrates by dc reactive magnetron sputtering technique. The structures of these nanorod films were modified by the variation of the oxygen pressure during the sputtering process. Although all these TiO2 nanorod films deposited at different oxygen pressures show an anatase structure, the orientation of the nanorod films varies with the oxygen pressure. Only a very weak (101) diffraction peak can be observed for the TiO2 nanorod film prepared at low oxygen pressure. However, as the oxygen pressure is increased, the (220) diffraction peak appears and the intensity of this diffraction peak is increased with the oxygen pressure. The results of the SEM show that these TiO2 nanorods are perpendicular to the ITO substrate. At low oxygen pressure, these sputtered TiO2 nanorods stick together and have a dense structure. As the oxygen pressure is increased, these sputtered TiO2 nanorods get separated gradually and have a porous structure. The optical transmittance of these TiO2 nanorod films has been measured and then fitted by OJL model. The porosities of the TiO2 nanorod films have been calculated. The TiO2 nanorod film prepared at high oxygen pressure shows a high porosity. The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been assembled using these TiO2 nanorod films prepared at different oxygen pressures as photoelectrode. The optimum performance was achieved for the DSSC using the TiO2 nanorod film with the highest (220) diffraction peak and the highest porosity
How early can myocardial iron overload occur in Beta thalassemia major?
BACKGROUND: Myocardial siderosis is the most common cause of death in patients with beta thalassemia major(TM). This study aimed at investigating the occurrence, prevalence and severity of cardiac iron overload in a young Chinese population with beta TM.
METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed T2* cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and serum ferritin (SF) in 201 beta TM patients. The median age was 9 years old. Patients received an average of 13 units of blood per year. The median SF level was 4536 ng/ml and 165 patients (82.1%) had SF>2500 ng/ml. Myocardial iron overload was detected in 68 patients (33.8%) and severe myocardial iron overload was detected in 26 patients (12.6%). Twenty-two patients ≤10 years old had myocardial iron overload, three of whom were only 6 years old. No myocardial iron overload was detected under the age of 6 years. Median LVEF was 64% (measured by CMR in 175 patients). Five of 6 patients with a LVEF<56% and 8 of 10 patients with cardiac disease had myocardial iron overload.
CONCLUSIONS: The TM patients under follow-up at this regional centre in China patients are younger than other reported cohorts, more poorly-chelated, and have a high burden of iron overload. Myocardial siderosis occurred in patients younger than previously reported, and was strongly associated with impaired LVEF and cardiac disease. For such poorly-chelated TM patients, our data shows that the first assessment of cardiac T2* should be performed as early as 6 years old
Demon-like Algorithmic Quantum Cooling and its Realization with Quantum Optics
The simulation of low-temperature properties of many-body systems remains one
of the major challenges in theoretical and experimental quantum information
science. We present, and demonstrate experimentally, a universal cooling method
which is applicable to any physical system that can be simulated by a quantum
computer. This method allows us to distill and eliminate hot components of
quantum states, i.e., a quantum Maxwell's demon. The experimental
implementation is realized with a quantum-optical network, and the results are
in full agreement with theoretical predictions (with fidelity higher than
0.978). These results open a new path for simulating low-temperature properties
of physical and chemical systems that are intractable with classical methods.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, plus supplementarity material
Evaluating QBF Solvers: Quantifier Alternations Matter
We present an experimental study of the effects of quantifier alternations on
the evaluation of quantified Boolean formula (QBF) solvers. The number of
quantifier alternations in a QBF in prenex conjunctive normal form (PCNF) is
directly related to the theoretical hardness of the respective QBF
satisfiability problem in the polynomial hierarchy. We show empirically that
the performance of solvers based on different solving paradigms substantially
varies depending on the numbers of alternations in PCNFs. In related
theoretical work, quantifier alternations have become the focus of
understanding the strengths and weaknesses of various QBF proof systems
implemented in solvers. Our results motivate the development of methods to
evaluate orthogonal solving paradigms by taking quantifier alternations into
account. This is necessary to showcase the broad range of existing QBF solving
paradigms for practical QBF applications. Moreover, we highlight the potential
of combining different approaches and QBF proof systems in solvers.Comment: preprint of a paper to be published at CP 2018, LNCS, Springer,
including appendi
Multi-seeded melt growth (MSMG) of bulk Y-Ba-Cu-O using thin-film seeds
Y-Ba-Cu-O (YBCO) and Sm-Ba-Cu-O (SmBCO) thin films have been used for the
first time as heterogeneous seeds to multi-seed successfully the melt growth of
bulk YBCO in a multi-seeded melt growth (MSMG) process. The use of thin film
seeds, which may be prepared with highly controlled orientation (i.e. with a
well-defined a-b plane and precisely known a-direction), is based on their
superheating properties and reduces significantly contamination of the bulk
sample by the seed material. A variety of grain boundaries were obtained by
varying the angle between the seeds. Microstructural studies indicate that the
extent of residual melt deposited at the grain boundary decreases with
increasing grain boundary contact angle. It is established that the growth
front proceeds continuously at the (110)/(110) grain boundary without trapping
liquid, which leads to the formation of a clean grain boundary
- …