Surface-induced near-field scaling in the Knudsen layer of a rarefied gas

We report on experiments performed within the Knudsen boundary layer of a low-pressure gas. The non-invasive probe we use is a suspended nano-electro-mechanical string (NEMS), which interacts with $^4$He gas at cryogenic temperatures. When the pressure $P$ is decreased, a reduction of the damping force below molecular friction $\propto P$ had been first reported in Phys. Rev. Lett. Vol 113, 136101 (2014) and never reproduced since. We demonstrate that this effect is independent of geometry, but dependent on temperature. Within the framework of kinetic theory, this reduction is interpreted as a rarefaction phenomenon, carried through the boundary layer by a deviation from the usual Maxwell-Boltzmann equilibrium distribution induced by surface scattering. Adsorbed atoms are shown to play a key role in the process, which explains why room temperature data fail to reproduce it.Comment: Article plus supplementary materia

Monte carlo within simulated annealing for integral constrained optimizations

For years, Value-at-Risk and Expected Shortfall have been well established measures of market risk and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision recommends their use when controlling risk. But their computations might be intractable if we do not rely on simplifying assumptions, in particular on distributions of returns. One of the difficulties is linked to the need for Integral Constrained Optimizations. In this article, two new stochastic optimization-based Simulated Annealing algorithms are proposed for addressing problems associated with the use of statistical methods that rely on extremizing a non-necessarily differentiable criterion function, therefore facing the problem of the computation of a non-analytically reducible integral constraint. We first provide an illustrative example when maximizing an integral constrained likelihood for the stress-strength reliability that confirms the effectiveness of the algorithms. Our results indicate no clear difference in convergence, but we favor the use of the problem approximation strategy styled algorithm as it is less expensive in terms of computing time. Second, we run a classical financial problem such as portfolio optimization, showing the potential of our proposed methods in financial applications

Domain wall partition functions and KP

We observe that the partition function of the six vertex model on a finite square lattice with domain wall boundary conditions is (a restriction of) a KP tau function and express it as an expectation value of charged free fermions (up to an overall normalization).Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX2

Measuring frequency fluctuations in nonlinear nanomechanical resonators

Advances in nanomechanics within recent years have demonstrated an always expanding range of devices, from top-down structures to appealing bottom-up MoS$_2$ and graphene membranes, used for both sensing and component-oriented applications. One of the main concerns in all of these devices is frequency noise, which ultimately limits their applicability. This issue has attracted a lot of attention recently, and the origin of this noise remains elusive up to date. In this Letter we present a very simple technique to measure frequency noise in nonlinear mechanical devices, based on the presence of bistability. It is illustrated on silicon-nitride high-stress doubly-clamped beams, in a cryogenic environment. We report on the same $T/f$ dependence of the frequency noise power spectra as reported in the literature. But we also find unexpected {\it damping fluctuations}, amplified in the vicinity of the bifurcation points; this effect is clearly distinct from already reported nonlinear dephasing, and poses a fundamental limit on the measurement of bifurcation frequencies. The technique is further applied to the measurement of frequency noise as a function of mode number, within the same device. The relative frequency noise for the fundamental flexure $\delta f/f_0$ lies in the range $0.5 - 0.01~$ppm (consistent with literature for cryogenic MHz devices), and decreases with mode number in the range studied. The technique can be applied to {\it any types} of nano-mechanical structures, enabling progresses towards the understanding of intrinsic sources of noise in these devices.Comment: Published 7 may 201

The dynamical spin structure factor for the anisotropic spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain

The longitudinal spin structure factor for the XXZ-chain at small wave-vector q is obtained using Bethe Ansatz, field theory methods and the Density Matrix Renormalization Group. It consists of a peak with peculiar, non-Lorentzian shape and a high-frequency tail. We show that the width of the peak is proportional to q^2 for finite magnetic field compared to q^3 for zero field. For the tail we derive an analytic formula without any adjustable parameters and demonstrate that the integrability of the model directly affects the lineshape.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, published versio

On the thermodynamic limit of form factors in the massless XXZ Heisenberg chain

We consider the problem of computing form factors of the massless XXZ Heisenberg spin-1/2 chain in a magnetic field in the (thermodynamic) limit where the size M of the chain becomes large. For that purpose, we take the particular example of the matrix element of the third component of spin between the ground state and an excited state with one particle and one hole located at the opposite ends of the Fermi interval (umklapp-type term). We exhibit its power-law decrease in terms of the size of the chain M, and compute the corresponding exponent and amplitude. As a consequence, we show that this form factor is directly related to the amplitude of the leading oscillating term in the long-distance asymptotic expansion of the two-point correlation function of the third component of spin.Comment: 28 page

On factorizing FF-matrices in Y(sln)Y(sl_n) and Uq(sln^)U_q(\hat{sl_n}) spin chains

We consider quantum spin chains arising from $N$-fold tensor products of the fundamental evaluation representations of $Y(sl_n)$ and $U_q(\hat{sl_n})$. Using the partial $F$-matrix formalism from the seminal work of Maillet and Sanchez de Santos, we derive a completely factorized expression for the $F$-matrix of such models and prove its equivalence to the expression obtained by Albert, Boos, Flume and Ruhlig. A new relation between the $F$-matrices and the Bethe eigenvectors of these spin chains is given.Comment: 30 page

Resolution of the Nested Hierarchy for Rational sl(n) Models

We construct Drinfel'd twists for the rational sl(n) XXX-model giving rise to a completely symmetric representation of the monodromy matrix. We obtain a polarization free representation of the pseudoparticle creation operators figuring in the construction of the Bethe vectors within the framework of the quantum inverse scattering method. This representation enables us to resolve the hierarchy of the nested Bethe ansatz for the sl(n) invariant rational Heisenberg model. Our results generalize the findings of Maillet and Sanchez de Santos for sl(2) models.Comment: 25 pages, no figure

Permutation-type solutions to the Yang-Baxter and other n-simplex equations

We study permutation type solutions to n-simplex equations, that is, solutions whose R matrix can be written as a product of delta- functions depending linearly on the indices. With this ansatz the D^{n(n+1)} equations of the n-simplex equation reduce to an [n(n+1)/2+1]x[n(n+1)/2+1] matrix equation over Z_D. We have completely analyzed the 2-, 3- and 4-simplex equations in the generic D case. The solutions show interesting patterns that seem to continue to still higher simplex equations.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX2e. to appear in J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. (1997

Nanomechanical damping via electron-assisted relaxation of two-level systems

We report on measurements of dissipation and frequency noise at millikelvin temperatures of nanomechanical devices covered with aluminum. A clear excess damping is observed after switching the metallic layer from superconducting to the normal state with a magnetic field. Beyond the standard model of internal tunneling systems coupled to the phonon bath, here we consider the relaxation to the conduction electrons together with the nature of the mechanical dispersion laws for stressed/unstressed devices. With these key ingredients, a model describing the relaxation of two-level systems inside the structure due to interactions with electrons and phonons with well separated timescales captures the data. In addition, we measure an excess 1/f-type frequency noise in the normal state, which further emphasizes the impact of conduction electrons