Minimax estimation of the Wigner function in quantum homodyne tomography with ideal detectors

We estimate the quantum state of a light beam from results of quantum homodyne measurements performed on identically prepared pulses. The state is represented through the Wigner function, a ``quasi-probability density'' on $\mathbb{R}^{2}$ which may take negative values and must respect intrinsic positivity constraints imposed by quantum physics. The data consists of $n$ i.i.d. observations from a probability density equal to the Radon transform of the Wigner function. We construct an estimator for the Wigner function, and prove that it is minimax efficient for the pointwise risk over a class of infinitely differentiable functions. A similar result was previously derived by Cavalier in the context of positron emission tomography. Our work extends this result to the space of smooth Wigner functions, which is the relevant parameter space for quantum homodyne tomography.Comment: 15 page

90 m optics commissioning

http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/AccelConf/IPAC2011/papers/tupz001.pdfInternational audienceSpecial β∗ = 90 m optics have been developed for the two very high luminosity insertions of the LHC [1] [2], as a rst step to allow for very low angle precision measure- ments of the proton-proton collisions in the LHC. These optics were developed to be compatible with the stan- dard LHC injection and ramp optics. The target value of β∗ = 90 m is reached by an un-squeeze from the injection β∗ = 11 m. We report about the implementation of this op- tics and the rst experience gained in commissioning with beam during two machine studies

Regularization of statistical inverse problems and the Bakushinskii veto

In the deterministic context Bakushinskii's theorem excludes the existence of purely data driven convergent regularization for ill-posed problems. We will prove in the present work that in the statistical setting we can either construct a counter example or develop an equivalent formulation depending on the considered class of probability distributions. Hence, Bakushinskii's theorem does not generalize to the statistical context, although this has often been assumed in the past. To arrive at this conclusion, we will deduce from the classic theory new concepts for a general study of statistical inverse problems and perform a systematic clarification of the key ideas of statistical regularization.Comment: 20 page

90m Optics Studies and Operation in the LHC

ISBN 978-3-95450-115-1 - http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/AccelConf/IPAC2012/papers/moppc006.pdfInternational audienceA high β* = 90 m optics was commissioned and used for first very forward physics operation in the LHC in 2011. The experience gained from working with this optics in 5 studies and operation periods in 2011 was very positive. The target β* = 90 m was reached by a de-squeeze from the standard 11 m injection and ramp optics on the first attempt and collisions and first physics results obtained in the second study. The optics was measured and corrected with good precision. The running conditions were very clean and allowed for measurements with roman pots very close to the beam

Performance of a thermally deformable mirror for correction of low-order aberrations in laser beams

The thermally deformable mirror is a device aiming at correcting beam-wavefront distortions for applications where classical mechanical methods are precluded by noise considerations, as in advanced gravitational wave interferometric detectors. This moderately low-cost technology can be easily implemented and controlled thanks to the good reproducibility of the actuation. By using a flexible printed circuit board technology, we demonstrate experimentally that a device of 61 actuators in thermal contact with the back surface of a high-reflective mirror is able to correct the low-order aberrations of a laser beam at 1064 nm and could be used to optimize the mode matching into Fabry-Perot cavities

Update on vitamin D and evaluation of vitamin D status.

Knowledge about vitamin D has greatly improved during the last few years. Vitamin D cannot any more be considered as exclusively necessary to prevent ricket/osteomalacia. Its role in the prevention of some osteoporotic fractures in the elderly (in association with calcium nutrition) is now well demonstrated and many epidemiologic and laboratory data argue for a role in the prevention of several diseases or anomalies (cancer, auto-immune diseases, cardiovascular events, sarcopenia...). A few intervention studies confirming some of these effects also exist. Vitamin D status can easily be assessed by measuring serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD) level. However, many experts have claimed that the population-based reference values for 25OHD are too low and that the cut-off value below which vitamin D insufficiency can be present is somewhere between 20 and 40ng/mL with a clear tendency to target values above 30ng/mL (75nmol/L). The main consequences are that vitamin D insufficiency is highly frequent whereas the currently recommended supplementation doses are not sufficient

The 2mrad crossing angle scheme for the international linear collider

http://cern.ch/AccelConf/e08/papers/mopp005.pdfInternational audienceThe present baseline configuration of the ILC has a 14 mrad crossing angle between the beams at the interaction point. This allows easier extraction of the beams after col- lisions, but imposes on the other hand more constraints on the control of the beams prior to colliding them. More- over, some limitations to physics capabilities arise, in par- ticular because of the degraded very forward electromag- netic detector hermeticity and because calibration proce- dures for (gaseous) tracking detectors become more com- plex. To mitigate these problems, alternative configurations with very small crossing angles are studied. A new version of the 2 mrad layout was designed last year, based on sim- pler concepts and assumptions. The emphasis of this new scheme was to satisfy specifications with as few and feasi- ble magnets as possible, in order to reduce costs

PHIL: a Test Beam line at LAL

WEPP078International audienceIn the framework of a European contract*, LAL is in charge of the construction of one photo-injector for the drive beam linac of the CLIC Test Facility 3 [1] at CERN. This contract together with national funds allowed LAL to build a home test accelerator, PHIL, with the same photo-injector as for CTF3. The goal is to undergo experiments on the design and technology of advanced RF guns, to develop diagnostics and feedback techniques, a part of the beam time will be also shared with users of the electron beam. So far, the construction of this accelerator at LAL was very much delayed because of the legal obligation to upgrade the radiation shielding in agreement with the actual radiation safety thresholds. The required civil engineering is now finished and the installation of the components is under way. We will first present a design of the accelerator and few dynamic simulation results. Finally we will give an up to date status of the accelerator construction

Spectral dependency of superconducting single photon detectors

International audienceWe investigate the effect of varying both incoming optical wavelength and width of NbN nanowires on the superconducting single photondetectors (SSPD) detection efficiency. The SSPD are current biased close to critical value and temperature fixed at 4.2 K, far from transition. The experimental results are found to verify with a good accuracy predictions based on the "hot spot model," whose size scales with the absorbed photon energy. With larger optical power inducing multiphoton detection regime, the same scaling law remains valid, up to the three-photon regime. We demonstrate the validity of applying a limited number of measurements and using such a simple model to reasonably predict any SSPD behavior among a collection of nanowire device widths at different photon wavelengths. These results set the basis for designing efficient single photondetectors operating in the infrared (2-5 μm range)

Benefits of joint LIGO -- Virgo coincidence searches for burst and inspiral signals

We examine the benefits of performing a joint LIGO--Virgo search for transient signals. We do this by adding burst and inspiral signals to 24 hours of simulated detector data. We find significant advantages to performing a joint coincidence analysis, above either a LIGO only or Virgo only search. These include an increased detection efficiency, at a fixed false alarm rate, to both burst and inspiral events and an ability to reconstruct the sky location of a signal.Comment: 11 pages 8 figures, Amaldi 6 proceeding