Density of near-extreme events

We provide a quantitative analysis of the phenomenon of crowding of near-extreme events by computing exactly the density of states (DOS) near the maximum of a set of independent and identically distributed random variables. We show that the mean DOS converges to three different limiting forms depending on whether the tail of the distribution of the random variables decays slower than, faster than, or as a pure exponential function. We argue that some of these results would remain valid even for certain {\em correlated} cases and verify it for power-law correlated stationary Gaussian sequences. Satisfactory agreement is found between the near-maximum crowding in the summer temperature reconstruction data of western Siberia and the theoretical prediction.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, revtex4. Minor corrections, references updated. This is slightly extended version of the Published one (Phys. Rev. Lett.

Dance interpretation and the cultural institution: exploring the condition(s) of british and french contemporary dance in the 1990s

This study examines what is intended and understood as the meaning of contemporary dance in its sociocultural context, in which the role of the state is a significant factor. It investigates the extent to which the structures and practices of public arts funding influence the production and reception of contemporary dance, focusing on British and French dance in the 1990s. By focusing on specific works in critically reflexive terms, it seeks to offer a basis for future ethnographic study of dance practices and dance audiences. The thesis employs a critical hermeneutic method, offering a philosophical reflection on dance as well as exploring the mutual implication of artistic practice, aesthetic response and their socio-political and economic contexts. The philosophical grounding of the investigation is explored in detail, in order to support a reflexive engagement of methodological issues of broader relevance to the discipline of dance studies. The relation between verbal language and dance is critically examined: drawing from Saussure and Wittgenstein, the argument is made for the contextual determination of meaning in both these "forms of life". A discussion of aesthetic and anthropological theories which recognise the mutual implication of artwork and context is followed by a reflection on the methods of dance analysis that most effectively explore the extent and character of that implication. Phenomenological and hermeneutic approaches are discussed, including methods derived and adapted from the study of literature which focus analytic attention on the reception rather than production of texts. An emphasis on spectatorship and dance interpretation seeks to redress what is argued as an imbalance in dance studies, namely the privileging of the perspectives of choreographing and performing subjects in dance analysis. The empirical investigation explores the structure and development, since 1945, of what is termed the "cultural institution", namely the set of conventions and practices which both enable and constrain the production and reception of contemporary dance art. It is argued that the state, through intervention via policy formulation and subsidy distribution, has played a key role in setting parameters within the "danceworld", a subsidiary of the broader cultural institution and the environment which contexts contemporary dance performance. An overview of the politico-economic conditions of dance in the 1990s is presented, and four case studies then extend this discussion by exploring how those conditions are actualised on individual sites of dance productionand reception. Four works are examined in detail (Kim Brandstrup's Crime Fictions, Russell Maliphant's Unspoken, Daniel Larrieu's Mobile and Herve Robbe's ld. ), in terms of their institutional context and the viewing experiences to which they give rise, arguing for a connection between the types of aesthetic response articulated and the institutional conditions in which the works are performed and received. The thesis argues against a determinist relation between the politico-economic context and the aesthetics of dance, proposing instead that these two dimensions of contemporary dance practice need to be examined conjointly. It seeks to demonstrate that this is crucial, if the current condition of contemporary dance in Britain and France is to be both understood and critically appraised

Securonomics beyond the ‘first political question’: Power, people and place

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Progressive Britain via the link in this recor

What is securonomics? Look to Germany and Sweden for clues, not just the US

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from LabourList Limited via the link in this recor

Controlled single electron transfer between Si:P dots

We demonstrate electrical control of Si:P double dots in which the potential is defined by nanoscale phosphorus doped regions. Each dot contains approximately 600 phosphorus atoms and has a diameter close to 30 nm. On application of a differential bias across the dots, electron transfer is observed, using single electron transistors in both dc- and rf-mode as charge detectors. With the possibility to scale the dots down to few and even single atoms these results open the way to a new class of precision-doped quantum dots in silicon.Comment: 3 figures, 3 page

A graphene field-effect transistor as a molecule-specific probe of DNA nucleobases

© 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved. Fast and reliable DNA sequencing is a long-standing target in biomedical research. Recent advances in graphene-based electrical sensors have demonstrated their unprecedented sensitivity to adsorbed molecules, which holds great promise for label-free DNA sequencing technology. To date, the proposed sequencing approaches rely on the ability of graphene electric devices to probe molecular-specific interactions with a graphene surface. Here we experimentally demonstrate the use of graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) as probes of the presence of a layer of individual DNA nucleobases adsorbed on the graphene surface. We show that GFETs are able to measure distinct coverage-dependent conductance signatures upon adsorption of the four different DNA nucleobases; a result that can be attributed to the formation of an interface dipole field. Comparison between experimental GFET results and synchrotron-based material analysis allowed prediction of the ultimate device sensitivity, and assessment of the feasibility of single nucleobase sensing with graphene

Charge-based silicon quantum computer architectures using controlled single-ion implantation

We report a nanofabrication, control and measurement scheme for charge-based silicon quantum computing which utilises a new technique of controlled single ion implantation. Each qubit consists of two phosphorus dopant atoms ~50 nm apart, one of which is singly ionized. The lowest two energy states of the remaining electron form the logical states. Surface electrodes control the qubit using voltage pulses and dual single electron transistors operating near the quantum limit provide fast readout with spurious signal rejection. A low energy (keV) ion beam is used to implant the phosphorus atoms in high-purity Si. Single atom control during the implantation is achieved by monitoring on-chip detector electrodes, integrated within the device structure, while positional accuracy is provided by a nanomachined resist mask. We describe a construction process for implanted single atom and atom cluster devices with all components registered to better than 20 nm, together with electrical characterisation of the readout circuitry. We also discuss universal one- and two-qubit gate operations for this architecture, providing a possible path towards quantum computing in silicon.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure