731 research outputs found
On the generation and analysis of program transformations
This thesis discusses the idea of using domain specific languages for program transformation, and the application, implementation and analysis of one such domain specific
language that combines rewrite rules for transformation and uses temporal logic to express its side conditions. We have conducted three investigations.
- An efficient implementation is described that is able to generate compiler optimizations from temporal logic specifications. Its description is accompanied by an
empirical study of its performance.
- We extend the fundamental ideas of this language to source code in order to write
bug fixing transformations. Example transformations are given that fix common
bugs within Java programs. The adaptations to the transformation language are
described and a sample implementation which can apply these transformations is
provided.
- We describe an approach to the formal analysis of compiler optimizations that
proves that the optimizations do not change the semantics of the program that
they are optimizing. Some example proofs are included.
The result of these combined investigations is greater than the sum of their parts.
By demonstrating that a declarative language may be efficiently applied and formally reasoned about satisfies both theoretical and practical concerns, whilst our extension
towards bug fixing shows more varied uses are possible
Fabrication of mirror templates in silica with micron-sized radii of curvature
We present the fabrication of exceptionally small-radius concave microoptics
on fused silica substrates using CO2 laser ablation and subsequent reactive ion
etching. The protocol yields on-axis near-Gaussian depressions with radius of
curvature microns at shallow depth and low surface roughness of 2
angstroms. This geometry is appealing for cavity quantum electrodynamics where
small mode volumes and low scattering losses are desired. We study the optical
performance of the structure within a tunable Fabry-Perot type microcavity,
demonstrate near-coating-limited loss rates (F = 25,000) and small focal
lengths consistent with their geometrical dimensions.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Spin-Polarized Electrons in Monolayer MoS
The optical susceptibility is a local, minimally-invasive and spin-selective
probe of the ground state of a two-dimensional electron gas. We apply this
probe to a gated monolayer of MoS. We demonstrate that the electrons are
spin polarized. Of the four available bands, only two are occupied. These two
bands have the same spin but different valley quantum numbers. We argue that
strong Coulomb interactions are a key aspect of this spontaneous symmetry
breaking. The Bohr radius is so small that even electrons located far apart in
phase space interact, facilitating exchange couplings to align the spins
A microbiological assessment of the human biliary tract in health and disease
The gastrointestinal tract in humans is home to 100 trillion bacteria, collectively referred to as the gut microbiota. This ‘bacterial organ’ has a vital role to play in both health and disease. Conventional wisdom dictates that bile in normal biliary systems is sterile. However, the liver is continually exposed to gut bacteria and their metabolites via the portal vein. Recent studies have identified bacterial populations within the biliary system of symptomatic patients undergoing cholecystectomy or biliary intervention. In this study we identified that there is a complex biliary microbiota within a normal biliary tract.
Many bacterial species were isolated from the bile of patients undergoing hepatic resection or cholecystectomy and their identity established through sequencing their 16S ribosomal RNA gene. These included Staphylococcus, Micrococcus,
Enterococcus and Bacillus sp. Isolated bacteria were examined for their resistance to bile salts and the results suggested that all the isolates were able to survive under physiologically relevant bile concentrations with some isolates expressing bile salt hydrolase activity. An in-depth analysis of the biliary microbiome using 16S-based metataxonomics was performed. Results suggested that human bile has a diverse and varied microbiota, a large proportion of which were unculturable. 34 different genera were identified with Pseudomonas being the most prevalent. Dysbiosis was noted between diseased (e.g. gallstone and biliary obstruction) and normal samples.
The gut microbiota of the two most common chronic biliary conditions, Primary Sclerosing Cholangits and Primary Biliary Cholangitis, were also examined to see if dysbiosis was present. There is an emerging dysbiosis in patients with chronic cholestatic liver disease, although these results were possibly restricted through patient treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid.
This study is the first to describe a complex biliary microbiota in normal human bile and in the future a detailed understanding of the function of this microbiota may provide a therapeutic target for biliary disease
Quantum confined Stark effect in a MoS monolayer van der Waals heterostructure
The optics of dangling-bond-free van der Waals heterostructures containing
transition metal dichalcogenides are dominated by excitons. A crucial property
of a confined exciton is the quantum confined Stark effect (QCSE). Here, such a
heterostructure is used to probe the QCSE by applying a uniform vertical
electric field across a molybdenum disulfide (MoS) monolayer. The
photoluminescence emission energies of the neutral and charged excitons shift
quadratically with the applied electric field provided the electron density
remains constant, demonstrating that the exciton can be polarized. Stark shifts
corresponding to about half the homogeneous linewidth were achieved. Neutral
and charged exciton polarizabilities of (7.8~\pm~1.0)\times
10^{-10}~\tr{D~m~V}^{-1} and (6.4~\pm~0.9)\times 10^{-10}~\tr{D~m~V}^{-1} at
relatively low electron density (8 \times 10^{11}~\tr{cm}^{-2}) have been
extracted, respectively. These values are one order of magnitude lower than the
previously reported values, but in line with theoretical calculations. The
methodology presented here is versatile and can be applied to other
semiconducting layered materials as well
Simple atomic quantum memory suitable for semiconductor quantum dot single photons
Quantum memories matched to single photon sources will form an important
cornerstone of future quantum network technology. We demonstrate such a memory
in warm Rb vapor with on-demand storage and retrieval, based on
electromagnetically induced transparency. With an acceptance bandwidth of
= 0.66~GHz the memory is suitable for single photons emitted by
semiconductor quantum dots. In this regime, vapor cell memories offer an
excellent compromise between storage efficiency, storage time, noise level, and
experimental complexity, and atomic collisions have negligible influence on the
optical coherences. Operation of the memory is demonstrated using attenuated
laser pulses on the single photon level. For 50 ns storage time we measure
\emph{end-to-end efficiency}
of the fiber-coupled memory, with an \emph{total intrinsic efficiency}
. Straightforward technological improvements can
boost the end-to-end-efficiency to ; beyond
that increasing the optical depth and exploiting the Zeeman substructure of the
atoms will allow such a memory to approach near unity efficiency.
In the present memory, the unconditional readout noise level of photons is dominated by atomic fluorescence, and for input pulses
containing on average photons the signal to noise level would
be unity
Transform-limited single photons from a single quantum dot
A semiconductor quantum dot mimics a two-level atom. Performance as a single
photon source is limited by decoherence and dephasing of the optical
transition. Even with high quality material at low temperature, the optical
linewidths are a factor of two larger than the transform-limit. A major
contributor to the inhomogeneous linewdith is the nuclear spin noise. We show
here that the nuclear spin noise depends on optical excitation, increasing
(decreasing) with increasing resonant laser power for the neutral (charged)
exciton. Based on this observation, we discover regimes where we demonstrate
transform-limited linewidths on both neutral and charged excitons even when the
measurement is performed very slowly
A catchment scale assessment of patterns and controls of historic 2D river planform adjustment
The supply, transfer and deposition of sediment from channel headwaters to lowland sinks, is a fundamental process governing upland catchment geomorphology, and can begin to be understood by quantifying 2D river planform adjustments over time. This paper presents a catchment scale methodology to quantify historic patterns of 2D channel planform adjustment and considers geomorphic controls on 2D river stability. The methodology is applied to 18 rivers (total length = 24 km) in the upland headwaters of the previously glaciated Wasdale catchment (45 km2), Lake District, northwest England. Planform adjustments were mapped from historic maps and air photographs over six contiguous time windows covering the last 150 yr. A total of 1048 adjustment and stable reaches were mapped. Over the full period of analysis (1860–2010) 32% (8 km) of the channels studied were adjusting. Contrasts were identified between the geomorphic characteristics (slope, catchment area, unit specific stream power, channel width and valley bottom width) of adjusting and stable reaches. The majority of adjustments mapped were observed in third and fourth order channels in the floodplain valley transfer zone, where the channels were laterally unconfined (mean valley bottom widths of 230 ± 180 m), with low sediment continuity. In contrast, lower order channels were typically confined (mean valley bottom widths of 31 ± 43 m) and showed relative 2D lateral stability. Hence, valley bottom width was found to be important in determining the available space for rivers to adjust. Over the full period of analysis 38% of planform adjustments involved combined processes, for example, as bar and bend adjustments. The study demonstrates the importance of stream network hierarchy in determining spatial patterns of historic planform adjustments at the catchment scale. The methodology developed provides a quantitative assessment of planform adjustment patterns and geomorphic controls, which is needed to support the prioritisation of future river management and restoration
Deterministic enhancement of coherent photon generation from a nitrogen-vacancy center in ultrapure diamond
The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond has an optically addressable,
highly coherent spin. However, an NV center even in high quality
single-crystalline material is a very poor source of single photons: extraction
out of the high-index diamond is inefficient, the emission of coherent photons
represents just a few per cent of the total emission, and the decay time is
large. In principle, all three problems can be addressed with a resonant
microcavity. In practice, it has proved difficult to implement this concept:
photonic engineering hinges on nano-fabrication yet it is notoriously difficult
to process diamond without degrading the NV centers. We present here a
microcavity scheme which uses minimally processed diamond, thereby preserving
the high quality of the starting material, and a tunable microcavity platform.
We demonstrate a clear change in the lifetime for multiple individual NV
centers on tuning both the cavity frequency and anti-node position, a Purcell
effect. The overall Purcell factor translates to a Purcell
factor for the zero phonon line (ZPL) of and an
increase in the ZPL emission probability from to . By
making a step-change in the NV's optical properties in a deterministic way,
these results pave the way for much enhanced spin-photon and spin-spin
entanglement rates.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
GHz bandwidth electro-optics of a single self-assembled quantum dot in a charge-tunable device
The response of a single InGaAs quantum dot, embedded in a miniaturized
charge-tunable device, to an applied GHz bandwidth electrical pulse is
investigated via its optical response. Quantum dot response times of 1.0 \pm
0.1 ns are characterized via several different measurement techniques,
demonstrating GHz bandwidth electrical control. Furthermore a novel optical
detection technique based on resonant electron-hole pair generation in the
hybridization region is used to map fully the voltage pulse experienced by the
quantum dot, showing in this case a simple exponential rise.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
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