Quantum computing: Quantum advantage deferred

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Childs, Andrew M.

2017-12-01

A type of optics experiment called a boson sampler could be among the easiest routes to demonstrating the power of quantum computers. But recent work shows that super-classical boson sampling may be a long way off.

Diagrammar in classical scalar field theory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cattaruzza, E., E-mail: Enrico.Cattaruzza@gmail.com; Gozzi, E., E-mail: gozzi@ts.infn.it; INFN, Sezione di Trieste

2011-09-15

In this paper we analyze perturbatively a g{phi}{sup 4}classical field theory with and without temperature. In order to do that, we make use of a path-integral approach developed some time ago for classical theories. It turns out that the diagrams appearing at the classical level are many more than at the quantum level due to the presence of extra auxiliary fields in the classical formalism. We shall show that a universal supersymmetry present in the classical path-integral mentioned above is responsible for the cancelation of various diagrams. The same supersymmetry allows the introduction of super-fields and super-diagrams which considerably simplifymore » the calculations and make the classical perturbative calculations almost 'identical' formally to the quantum ones. Using the super-diagrams technique, we develop the classical perturbation theory up to third order. We conclude the paper with a perturbative check of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. - Highlights: > We provide the Feynman diagrams of perturbation theory for a classical field theory. > We give a super-formalism which links the quantum diagrams to the classical ones. > We check perturbatively the fluctuation-dissipation theorem.« less

Control of Rotational Energy and Angular Momentum Orientation with an Optical Centrifuge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogden, Hannah M.; Murray, Matthew J.; Mullin, Amy S.

2017-04-01

We use an optical centrifuge to trap and spin molecules to an angular frequency of 30 THz with oriented angular momenta and extremely high rotational energy and then investigate their subsequent collision dynamics with transient high resolution IR spectroscopy. The optical centrifuge is formed by combining oppositely-chirped pulses of 800 nm light, and overlapping them spatially and temporally. Polarization-sensitive Doppler-broadened line profiles characterize the anisotropic kinetic energy release of the super rotor molecules, showing that they behave like molecular gyroscopes. Studies are reported for collisions of CO2 super rotors with CO2, He and Ar. These studies reveal how mass, velocity and rotational adiabaticity impact the angular momentum relaxation and reorientation. Quantum scattering calculations provide insight into the J-specific collision cross sections that control the relaxation. NSF-CHE 105 8721.

Entanglement dynamics in critical random quantum Ising chain with perturbations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Yichen, E-mail: ychuang@caltech.edu

We simulate the entanglement dynamics in a critical random quantum Ising chain with generic perturbations using the time-evolving block decimation algorithm. Starting from a product state, we observe super-logarithmic growth of entanglement entropy with time. The numerical result is consistent with the analytical prediction of Vosk and Altman using a real-space renormalization group technique. - Highlights: • We study the dynamical quantum phase transition between many-body localized phases. • We simulate the dynamics of a very long random spin chain with matrix product states. • We observe numerically super-logarithmic growth of entanglement entropy with time.

Super-Group Field Cosmology in Batalin-Vilkovisky Formulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upadhyay, Sudhaker

2016-09-01

In this paper we study the third quantized super-group field cosmology, a model in multiverse scenario, in Batalin-Vilkovisky (BV) formulation. Further, we propose the superfield/super-antifield dependent BRST symmetry transformations. Within this formulation we establish connection between the two different solutions of the quantum master equation within the BV formulation.

High Efficiency Thermoelectric Materials and Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kochergin, Vladimir (Inventor)

2013-01-01

Growth of thermoelectric materials in the form of quantum well super-lattices on three-dimensionally structured substrates provide the means to achieve high conversion efficiency of the thermoelectric module combined with inexpensiveness of fabrication and compatibility with large scale production. Thermoelectric devices utilizing thermoelectric materials in the form of quantum well semiconductor super-lattices grown on three-dimensionally structured substrates provide improved thermoelectric characteristics that can be used for power generation, cooling and other applications..

Rapid and sensitive detection of clenbuterol using a fluorescence nanosensor based on diazo coupling mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thanh Hop Tran, Thi; Huong Do, Thi Mai; Hoang, Mai Ha; Tuyen Nguyen, Duc; Le, Quang Tuan; Nghia Nguyen, Duc; Ngo, Trinh Tung

2015-01-01

In this paper, the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect has been used for fabrication of nanosensor for the detection of clenbuterol. In the nanosensor, the CdTe quantum dots (QDs) are the donors while the acceptor is the super-macromolecule formed by the diazoation coupling mechanism between diazo clenbuterol and naphthylethylene diamine. Changes in fluorescence intensities of nanosensor were used to determine the clenbuterol concentration. We have successfully fabricated a nanosensor for detection of clenbuterol sensible to clenbuterol concentration of 10-12 g ml-1.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stoilova, N. I.

Generalized quantum statistics, such as paraboson and parafermion statistics, are characterized by triple relations which are related to Lie (super)algebras of type B. The correspondence of the Fock spaces of parabosons, parafermions as well as the Fock space of a system of parafermions and parabosons to irreducible representations of (super)algebras of type B will be pointed out. Example of generalized quantum statistics connected to the basic classical Lie superalgebra B(1|1) ≡ osp(3|2) with interesting physical properties, such as noncommutative coordinates, will be given. Therefore the article focuses on the question, addressed already in 1950 by Wigner: do the equation ofmore » motion determine the quantum mechanical commutation relation?.« less

Entanglement guarantees emergence of cooperation in quantum prisoner's dilemma games on networks.

PubMed

Li, Angsheng; Yong, Xi

2014-09-05

It was known that cooperation of evolutionary prisoner's dilemma games fails to emerge in homogenous networks such as random graphs. Here we proposed a quantum prisoner's dilemma game. The game consists of two players, in which each player has three choices of strategy: cooperator (C), defector (D) and super cooperator (denoted by Q). We found that quantum entanglement guarantees emergence of a new cooperation, the super cooperation of the quantum prisoner's dilemma games, and that entanglement is the mechanism of guaranteed emergence of cooperation of evolutionary prisoner's dilemma games on networks. We showed that for a game with temptation b, there exists a threshold arccos √b/b for a measurement of entanglement, beyond which, (super) cooperation of evolutionary quantum prisoner's dilemma games is guaranteed to quickly emerge, giving rise to stochastic convergence of the cooperations, that if the entanglement degree γ is less than the threshold arccos √b/b, then the equilibrium frequency of cooperations of the games is positively correlated to the entanglement degree γ, and that if γ is less than arccos √b/b and b is beyond some boundary, then the equilibrium frequency of cooperations of the games on random graphs decreases as the average degree of the graphs increases.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Humble, Travis S; Sadlier, Ronald J

Quantum communication systems harness modern physics through state-of-the-art optical engineering to provide revolutionary capabilities. An important concern for quantum communication engineering is designing and prototyping these systems to prototype proposed capabilities. We apply the paradigm of software-defined communica- tion for engineering quantum communication systems to facilitate rapid prototyping and prototype comparisons. We detail how to decompose quantum communication terminals into functional layers defining hardware, software, and middleware concerns, and we describe how each layer behaves. Using the super-dense coding protocol as a test case, we describe implementations of both the transmitter and receiver, and we present results from numerical simulationsmore » of the behavior. We find that while the theoretical benefits of super dense coding are maintained, there is a classical overhead associated with the full implementation.« less

All-optical control and super-resolution imaging of quantum emitters in layered materials.

PubMed

Kianinia, Mehran; Bradac, Carlo; Sontheimer, Bernd; Wang, Fan; Tran, Toan Trong; Nguyen, Minh; Kim, Sejeong; Xu, Zai-Quan; Jin, Dayong; Schell, Andreas W; Lobo, Charlene J; Aharonovich, Igor; Toth, Milos

2018-02-28

Layered van der Waals materials are emerging as compelling two-dimensional platforms for nanophotonics, polaritonics, valleytronics and spintronics, and have the potential to transform applications in sensing, imaging and quantum information processing. Among these, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is known to host ultra-bright, room-temperature quantum emitters, whose nature is yet to be fully understood. Here we present a set of measurements that give unique insight into the photophysical properties and level structure of hBN quantum emitters. Specifically, we report the existence of a class of hBN quantum emitters with a fast-decaying intermediate and a long-lived metastable state accessible from the first excited electronic state. Furthermore, by means of a two-laser repumping scheme, we show an enhanced photoluminescence and emission intensity, which can be utilized to realize a new modality of far-field super-resolution imaging. Our findings expand current understanding of quantum emitters in hBN and show new potential ways of harnessing their nonlinear optical properties in sub-diffraction nanoscopy.

Photonic polarization gears for ultra-sensitive angular measurements

PubMed Central

D'Ambrosio, Vincenzo; Spagnolo, Nicolò; Del Re, Lorenzo; Slussarenko, Sergei; Li, Ying; Kwek, Leong Chuan; Marrucci, Lorenzo; Walborn, Stephen P.; Aolita, Leandro; Sciarrino, Fabio

2013-01-01

Quantum metrology bears a great promise in enhancing measurement precision, but is unlikely to become practical in the near future. Its concepts can nevertheless inspire classical or hybrid methods of immediate value. Here we demonstrate NOON-like photonic states of m quanta of angular momentum up to m=100, in a setup that acts as a ‘photonic gear’, converting, for each photon, a mechanical rotation of an angle θ into an amplified rotation of the optical polarization by mθ, corresponding to a ‘super-resolving’ Malus’ law. We show that this effect leads to single-photon angular measurements with the same precision of polarization-only quantum strategies with m photons, but robust to photon losses. Moreover, we combine the gear effect with the quantum enhancement due to entanglement, thus exploiting the advantages of both approaches. The high ‘gear ratio’ m boosts the current state of the art of optical non-contact angular measurements by almost two orders of magnitude. PMID:24045270

Semiconductor quantum dot super-emitters: spontaneous emission enhancement combined with suppression of defect environment using metal-oxide plasmonic metafilms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadeghi, Seyed M.; Wing, Waylin J.; Gutha, Rithvik R.; Sharp, Christina

2018-01-01

We demonstrate that a metal-oxide plasmonic metafilm consisting of a Si/Al oxide junction in the vicinity of a thin gold layer can quarantine excitons in colloidal semiconductor quantum dots against their defect environments. This process happens while the plasmon fields of the gold layer enhance spontaneous emission decay rates of the quantum dots. We study the emission dynamics of such quantum dots when the distance between the Si/Al oxide junction and the gold thin layer is varied. The results show that for distances less than a critical value the lifetime of the quantum dots can be elongated while they experience intense plasmon fields. This suggests that the metal-oxide metafilm can keep photo-excited electrons in the cores of the quantum dots, suppressing their migration to the surface defect sites. This leads to suppression of Auger recombination, offering quantum dot super-emitters with emission that is enhanced not only by the plasmon fields (Purcell effect), but also by strong suppression of the non-radiative decay caused by the defect sites.

Quantum Theory of Three-Dimensional Superresolution Using Rotating-PSF Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, S.; Yu, Z.

The inverse of the quantum Fisher information (QFI) matrix (and extensions thereof) provides the ultimate lower bound on the variance of any unbiased estimation of a parameter from statistical data, whether of intrinsically quantum mechanical or classical character. We calculate the QFI for Poisson-shot-noise-limited imagery using the rotating PSF that can localize and resolve point sources fully in all three dimensions. We also propose an experimental approach based on the use of computer generated hologram and projective measurements to realize the QFI-limited variance for the problem of super-resolving a closely spaced pair of point sources at a highly reduced photon cost. The paper presents a preliminary analysis of quantum-limited three-dimensional (3D) pair optical super-resolution (OSR) problem with potential applications to astronomical imaging and 3D space-debris localization.

Nano-scale measurement of biomolecules by optical microscopy and semiconductor nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Ichimura, Taro; Jin, Takashi; Fujita, Hideaki; Higuchi, Hideo; Watanabe, Tomonobu M.

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, great developments in optical microscopy have made this technology increasingly compatible with biological studies. Fluorescence microscopy has especially contributed to investigating the dynamic behaviors of live specimens and can now resolve objects with nanometer precision and resolution due to super-resolution imaging. Additionally, single particle tracking provides information on the dynamics of individual proteins at the nanometer scale both in vitro and in cells. Complementing advances in microscopy technologies has been the development of fluorescent probes. The quantum dot, a semi-conductor fluorescent nanoparticle, is particularly suitable for single particle tracking and super-resolution imaging. This article overviews the principles of single particle tracking and super resolution along with describing their application to the nanometer measurement/observation of biological systems when combined with quantum dot technologies. PMID:25120488

Quantum dot immunocytochemical localization of somatostatin in somatostatinoma by Widefield Epifluorescence, super-resolution light, and immunoelectron microscopy.

PubMed

Killingsworth, Murray C; Lai, Ken; Wu, Xiaojuan; Yong, Jim L C; Lee, C Soon

2012-11-01

Quantum dot nanocrystal probes (QDs) have been used for detection of somatostatin hormone in secretory granules of somatostatinoma tumor cells by immunofluorescence light microscopy, super-resolution light microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy. Immunostaining for all modalities was done using sections taken from an epoxy resin-embedded tissue specimen and a similar labeling protocol. This approach allowed assessment of labeling at light microscopy level before examination at super-resolution and electron microscopy level and was a significant aid in interpretation. Etching of ultrathin sections with saturated sodium metaperiodate was a critical step presumably able to retrieve some tissue antigenicity masked by processing in epoxy resin. Immunofluorescence microscopy of QD-immunolabeled sections showed somatostatin hormone localization in cytoplasmic granules. Some variable staining of tumor gland-like structures appeared related to granule maturity and dispersal of granule contents within the tumor cell cytoplasm. Super-resolution light microscopy demonstrated localization of somatostatin within individual secretory granules to be heterogeneous, and this staining pattern was confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy.

Quantum Dot Immunocytochemical Localization of Somatostatin in Somatostatinoma by Widefield Epifluorescence, Super-resolution Light, and Immunoelectron Microscopy

PubMed Central

Lai, Ken; Wu, Xiaojuan; Yong, Jim L. C.; Lee, C. Soon

2012-01-01

Quantum dot nanocrystal probes (QDs) have been used for detection of somatostatin hormone in secretory granules of somatostatinoma tumor cells by immunofluorescence light microscopy, super-resolution light microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy. Immunostaining for all modalities was done using sections taken from an epoxy resin-embedded tissue specimen and a similar labeling protocol. This approach allowed assessment of labeling at light microscopy level before examination at super-resolution and electron microscopy level and was a significant aid in interpretation. Etching of ultrathin sections with saturated sodium metaperiodate was a critical step presumably able to retrieve some tissue antigenicity masked by processing in epoxy resin. Immunofluorescence microscopy of QD-immunolabeled sections showed somatostatin hormone localization in cytoplasmic granules. Some variable staining of tumor gland-like structures appeared related to granule maturity and dispersal of granule contents within the tumor cell cytoplasm. Super-resolution light microscopy demonstrated localization of somatostatin within individual secretory granules to be heterogeneous, and this staining pattern was confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy. PMID:22899862

On the robustness of bucket brigade quantum RAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arunachalam, Srinivasan; Gheorghiu, Vlad; Jochym-O'Connor, Tomas; Mosca, Michele; Varshinee Srinivasan, Priyaa

2015-12-01

We study the robustness of the bucket brigade quantum random access memory model introduced by Giovannetti et al (2008 Phys. Rev. Lett.100 160501). Due to a result of Regev and Schiff (ICALP ’08 733), we show that for a class of error models the error rate per gate in the bucket brigade quantum memory has to be of order o({2}-n/2) (where N={2}n is the size of the memory) whenever the memory is used as an oracle for the quantum searching problem. We conjecture that this is the case for any realistic error model that will be encountered in practice, and that for algorithms with super-polynomially many oracle queries the error rate must be super-polynomially small, which further motivates the need for quantum error correction. By contrast, for algorithms such as matrix inversion Harrow et al (2009 Phys. Rev. Lett.103 150502) or quantum machine learning Rebentrost et al (2014 Phys. Rev. Lett.113 130503) that only require a polynomial number of queries, the error rate only needs to be polynomially small and quantum error correction may not be required. We introduce a circuit model for the quantum bucket brigade architecture and argue that quantum error correction for the circuit causes the quantum bucket brigade architecture to lose its primary advantage of a small number of ‘active’ gates, since all components have to be actively error corrected.

N = 2 → 0 super no-scale models and moduli quantum stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kounnas, Costas; Partouche, Hervé

2017-06-01

We consider a class of heterotic N = 2 → 0 super no-scale Z2-orbifold models. An appropriate stringy Scherk-Schwarz supersymmetry breaking induces tree level masses to all massless bosons of the twisted hypermultiplets and therefore stabilizes all twisted moduli. At high supersymmetry breaking scale, the tachyons that occur in the N = 4 → 0 parent theories are projected out, and no Hagedorn-like instability takes place in the N = 2 → 0 models (for small enough marginal deformations). At low supersymmetry breaking scale, the stability of the untwisted moduli is studied at the quantum level by taking into account both untwisted and twisted contributions to the 1-loop effective potential. The latter depends on the specific branch of the gauge theory along which the background can be deformed. We derive its expression in terms of all classical marginal deformations in the pure Coulomb phase, and in some mixed Coulomb/Higgs phases. In this class of models, the super no-scale condition requires having at the massless level equal numbers of untwisted bosonic and twisted fermionic degrees of freedom. Finally, we show that N = 1 → 0 super no-scale models are obtained by implementing a second Z2 orbifold twist on N = 2 → 0 super no-scale Z2-orbifold models.

Super-light baryo-photons, weak gravity conjecture and exotic instantons in neutron-antineutron transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Addazi, Andrea

2018-05-01

In companion papers (A. Addazi, Nuovo Cim. C, 38(1): 21 (2015); A. Addazi, Z. Berezhiani, and Y. Kamyshkov, arXiv:1607.00348), we have discussed current bounds on a new super-light baryo-photon, associated with a U(1) B-L gauge, from current neutron-antineutron data, which are competitive with Eötvös-type experiments. Here, we discuss the implications of possible baryo-photon detection in string theory and quantum gravity. The discovery of a very light gauge boson should imply violation of the weak gravity conjecture, carrying deep consequences for our understanding of holography, quantum gravity and black holes. We also show how the detection of a baryo-photon would exclude the generation of all B–L violating operators from exotic stringy instantons. We will argue against the common statement in the literature that neutron-antineutron data may indirectly test at least the 300–1000 TeV scale. Searches for baryo-photons can provide indirect information on the Planck (or string) scale (quantum black holes, holography and non-perturbative stringy effects). This strongly motivates new neutron-antineutron experiments with adjustable magnetic fields dedicated to the detection of super-light baryo-photons.

A noise immunity controlled quantum teleportation protocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dong-fen; Wang, Rui-jin; Zhang, Feng-li; Baagyere, Edward; Qin, Zhen; Xiong, Hu; Zhan, Huayi

2016-11-01

With the advent of the Internet and information and communication technology, quantum teleportation has become an important field in information security and its application areas. This is because quantum teleportation has the ability to attain a timely secret information delivery and offers unconditional security. And as such, the field of quantum teleportation has become a hot research topic in recent years. However, noise has serious effect on the safety of quantum teleportation within the aspects of information fidelity, channel capacity and information transfer. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to address these problems of quantum teleportation. Firstly, in order to resist collective noise, we construct a decoherence-free subspace under different noise scenarios to establish a two-dimensional fidelity quantum teleportation models. And also create quantum teleportation of multiple degree of freedom, and these models ensure the accuracy and availability of the exchange of information and in multiple degree of freedom. Secondly, for easy preparation, measurement and implementation, we use super dense coding features to build an entangled quantum secret exchange channel. To improve the channel utilization and capacity, an efficient super dense coding method based on ultra-entanglement exchange is used. Thirdly, continuous variables of the controlled quantum key distribution were designed for quantum teleportation; in addition, we perform Bell-basis measurement under the collective noise and also prepare the storage technology of quantum states to achieve one-bit key by three-photon encoding to improve its security and efficiency. We use these two methods because they conceal information, resist a third party attack and can detect eavesdropping. Our proposed methods, according to the security analysis, are able to solve the problems associated with the quantum teleportation under various noise environments.

Numerical methods for studying anharmonic oscillator approximations to the phi super 4 sub 2 quantum field theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Isaacson, D.; Marchesin, D.; Paes-Leme, P. J.

1980-01-01

This paper is an expanded version of a talk given at the 1979 T.I.C.O.M. conference. It is a self-contained introduction, for applied mathematicians and numerical analysts, to quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. It also contains a brief description of the authors' numerical approach to the problems of quantum field theory, which may best be summarized by the question; Can we compute the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of Schrodinger operators in infinitely many variables.

A superparticle on the “super” Poincaré upper half plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uehara, S.; Yasui, Yukinori

1988-03-01

A non-relativistic superparticle moving freely on the “super” Poincaré upper half plane is investigated. The lagrangian is invariant under the super Möbius transformations SPL(2, R), so that it can be projected into the lagrangian on the super Riemann surface. The quantum hamiltonian becomes the “super” Laplace-Beltrami operator in the curved superspace.

Dynamics, morphogenesis and convergence of evolutionary quantum Prisoner's Dilemma games on networks

PubMed Central

Yong, Xi

2016-01-01

The authors proposed a quantum Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) game as a natural extension of the classic PD game to resolve the dilemma. Here, we establish a new Nash equilibrium principle of the game, propose the notion of convergence and discover the convergence and phase-transition phenomena of the evolutionary games on networks. We investigate the many-body extension of the game or evolutionary games in networks. For homogeneous networks, we show that entanglement guarantees a quick convergence of super cooperation, that there is a phase transition from the convergence of defection to the convergence of super cooperation, and that the threshold for the phase transitions is principally determined by the Nash equilibrium principle of the game, with an accompanying perturbation by the variations of structures of networks. For heterogeneous networks, we show that the equilibrium frequencies of super-cooperators are divergent, that entanglement guarantees emergence of super-cooperation and that there is a phase transition of the emergence with the threshold determined by the Nash equilibrium principle, accompanied by a perturbation by the variations of structures of networks. Our results explore systematically, for the first time, the dynamics, morphogenesis and convergence of evolutionary games in interacting and competing systems. PMID:27118882

Thermally assisted adiabatic quantum computation.

PubMed

Amin, M H S; Love, Peter J; Truncik, C J S

2008-02-15

We study the effect of a thermal environment on adiabatic quantum computation using the Bloch-Redfield formalism. We show that in certain cases the environment can enhance the performance in two different ways: (i) by introducing a time scale for thermal mixing near the anticrossing that is smaller than the adiabatic time scale, and (ii) by relaxation after the anticrossing. The former can enhance the scaling of computation when the environment is super-Ohmic, while the latter can only provide a prefactor enhancement. We apply our method to the case of adiabatic Grover search and show that performance better than classical is possible with a super-Ohmic environment, with no a priori knowledge of the energy spectrum.

Non-local boxes and their implementation in Minecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simnacher, Timo Yannick

PR-boxes are binary devices connecting two remote parties satisfying x AND y = a + b mod 2, where x and y denote the binary inputs and a and b are the respective outcomes without signaling. These devices are named after their inventors Sandu Popescu and Daniel Rohrlich and saturate the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) inequality. This Bell-like inequality bounds the correlation that can exist between two remote, non-signaling, classical systems described by local hidden variable theories. Experiments have now convincingly shown that quantum entanglement cannot be explained by local hidden variable theories. Furthermore, the CHSH inequality provides a method to distinguish quantum systems from super-quantum correlations. The correlation between the outputs of the PR-box goes beyond any quantum entanglement. Though PR-boxes would have impressive consequences, as far as we know they are not physically realizable. However, by introducing PR-boxes to Minecraft as part of the redstone system, which simulates the electrical components for binary computing, we can experience the consequences of super-quantum correlations. For instance, Wim van Dam proved that two parties can use a sufficient number of PR-boxes to compute any Boolean function f(x,y) with only one bit of communication.

A superparticle on the super Riemann surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, Shuji; Uehara, Shozo; Yasui, Yukinori

1990-02-01

The free motion of a nonrelativistic superparticle on the super Riemann surface (SRS) of genus h≥2 is investigated. Geodesics or classical paths are given explicitly on the super Poincaré upper half-plane SH, a universal covering space of the SRS, and the paths with some suitable initial conditions yield periodic orbits on the SRS. The periodic orbits are unstable and the system is chaotic. Quantum mechanics is solved on the universal covering space SH and the heat kernel is given on the SRS. This leads to a superanalog of the Selberg trace formula. The Selberg super zeta function is introduced whose zero points and poles determine the energy spectrum on the SRS.

Shot noise of charge current in a quantum dot responded by rotating and oscillating magnetic fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, Hong-Kang, E-mail: zhaohonk@yahoo.com; Zou, Wei-Ke; Chen, Qiao

We have investigated the shot noise and Fano factor of the dynamic spin-polarized quantum dot under the perturbations of a rotating magnetic field (RMF), and an oscillating magnetic field (OMF) by employing the non-equilibrium Green's function approach. The shot noise is enhanced from sub-Poissonian to super-Poissonian due to the application of RMF and OMF, and it is controlled sensitively by the tilt angle θ of RMF. The magnitude of shot noise increases as the photon energy ℏω of OMF increases, and its valley eventually is reversed to peaks as the photon energy is large enough. Double-peak structure of Fano factormore » is exhibited as the frequency of OMF increases to cover a large regime. The Zeeman energy μ{sub 0}B{sub 0} acts as an effective gate bias to exhibit resonant behavior, and novel peak emerges associated with the applied OMF.« less

Impulsive Collision Dynamics of CO Super Rotors from an Optical Centrifuge.

PubMed

Murray, Matthew J; Ogden, Hannah M; Toro, Carlos; Liu, Qingnan; Mullin, Amy S

2016-11-18

We report state-resolved collision dynamics for CO molecules prepared in an optical centrifuge and measured with high-resolution transient IR absorption spectroscopy. Time-resolved polarization-sensitive measurements of excited CO molecules in the J=29 rotational state reveal that the oriented angular momentum of CO rotors is relaxed by impulsive collisions. The translational energy gains for molecules in the initial plane of rotation are threefold larger than for randomized angular momentum orientations, indicating the presence of anisotropic kinetic energy. The transient data show enhanced population for CO molecules in the initial plane of rotation immediately following the optical centrifuge pulse. A comparison with previous CO 2 super rotor studies illustrates the behavior of molecular gyroscopes; spatial reorientation of CO 2 J=76 rotors takes substantially longer than that for CO J=29 rotors, despite similarities in classical rotational period and rotational energy gap. High-resolution transient IR absorption measurements of the CO J=29-39 rotational states show that the collisional depopulation rates increase with J quantum number. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Toward quantum plasmonic networks

DOE PAGES

Holtfrerich, M. W.; Dowran, M.; Davidson, R.; ...

2016-08-30

Here, we demonstrate the transduction of macroscopic quantum entanglement by independent, distant plasmonic structures embedded in separate thin silver films. In particular, we show that the plasmon-mediated transmission through each film conserves spatially dependent, entangled quantum images, opening the door for the implementation of parallel quantum protocols, super-resolution imaging, and quantum plasmonic sensing geometries at the nanoscale level. The conservation of quantum information by the transduction process shows that continuous variable multi-mode entanglement is momentarily transferred from entangled beams of light to the space-like separated, completely independent plasmonic structures, thus providing a first important step toward establishing a multichannel quantummore » network across separate solid-state substrates.« less

Clinical validation of a highly sensitive assay to detect EGFR mutations in plasma cell-free DNA from patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Li, Yuping; Xu, Hanyan; Su, Shanshan; Ye, Junru; Chen, Junjie; Jin, Xuru; Lin, Quan; Zhang, Dongqing; Ye, Caier; Chen, Chengshui

2017-01-01

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a promising biomarker for noninvasive epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations detection in lung cancer patients, but the existing methods have limitations in sensitivity or in availability. In this study, we evaluated the performance of a novel assay called ADx-SuperARMS in detecting EGFR mutations in plasma cell-free DNA from patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. A total of 109 patients with metastatic advanced adenocarcinoma were recruited who provided both blood samples and matched tumor tissue samples. EGFR mutation status in plasma samples were tested with ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assay and tumor tissue samples were tested with ADx-ARMS EGFR assay. The clinical sensitivity, specificity, positive prediction value (PPV), and negative prediction value (NPV) of ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assay were calculated by using EGFR mutation status in tumor tissue as standard reference. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was implemented and an area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate sensitivity and specificity of exon 19 deletion (E19Del) and L858R mutation detection. The objective response rate (ORR) were calculated according to the EGFR mutation status determined by ADx-superARMS as well. 0.2% analytical sensitivity and 100% specificity of the ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assays for EGFR E19Del, L858R, and T790M mutants were confirmed by using a series of diluted cell line DNA. In the clinical study, EGFR mutations were detected in 45.9% (50/109) of the plasma samples and in 56.9% (62/109) of the matched tumor tissue samples. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of the ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assay for plasma EGFR mutation detection were 82.0% (50/61), 100% (48/48), 100% (50/50), and 81.4% (48/59), respectively. In ROC analysis, ADx-SuperARMS achieved sensitivity and specificity of 88% and 99% in E19Dels as well as sensitivity and specificity of 89% and 100% in L858R, respectively. Among the 35 patients who were plasma EGFR mutation positive and treated with first generation of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), 23 (65.7%) achieved partial response, 11 (31.4%) sustained disease, and 1 (2.9%) progressive disease. The ORR and disease control rate (DCR) were 65.7% and 97.1%, respectively. ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assay is likely to be a highly sensitive and specific method to noninvasively detect plasma EGFR mutations of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. The EGFR mutations detected by ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assay could predict the efficacy of the treatment with first generation of EGFR-TKIs. Hence, EGFR blood testing with ADx-SuperARMS could address the unmet clinical needs.

The SuperCDMS SNOLAB Detector Tower

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aramaki, Tsuguo

2016-08-01

The SuperCDMS collaboration is moving forward with the design and construction of SuperCDMS SNOLAB, where the initial deployment will include ˜ 30 kg of Ge and ˜ 5 kg of Si detectors. Here, we will discuss the associated cryogenic cold hardware required for the detector readout. The phonon signals will be read out with superconducting quantum interference device arrays and the ionization signals will use high electron mobility transistor amplifiers operating at 4 K. A number of design challenges exist regarding the required wiring complex impedance, noise pickup, vibration, and thermal isolation. Our progress to date will be presented.

Classical analogues of two-photon quantum interference.

PubMed

Kaltenbaek, R; Lavoie, J; Resch, K J

2009-06-19

Chirped-pulse interferometry (CPI) captures the metrological advantages of quantum Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interferometry in a completely classical system. Modified HOM interferometers are the basis for a number of seminal quantum-interference effects. Here, the corresponding modifications to CPI allow for the first observation of classical analogues to the HOM peak and quantum beating. They also allow a new classical technique for generating phase super-resolution exhibiting a coherence length dramatically longer than that of the laser light, analogous to increased two-photon coherence lengths in entangled states.

Super-Poissonian statistics of photon emission from single CdSe-CdS core-shell nanocrystals coupled to metal nanostructures.

PubMed

Park, Young-Shin; Ghosh, Yagnaseni; Chen, Yongfen; Piryatinski, Andrei; Xu, Ping; Mack, Nathan H; Wang, Hsing-Lin; Klimov, Victor I; Hollingsworth, Jennifer A; Htoon, Han

2013-03-15

We demonstrate that photon antibunching observed for individual nanocrystal quantum dots (NQDs) can be transformed into photon bunching characterized by super-Poissonian statistics when they are coupled to metal nanostructures (MNs). This observation indicates that, while the quantum yield of a biexciton (Q(2X)) is lower than that of a single exciton (Q(1X)) in freestanding NQDs, Q(2X) becomes greater than Q(1X) in NQDs coupled to MNs. This unique phenomenon is attributed to metal-induced quenching with a rate that scales more slowly with exciton multiplicity than the radiative decay rate and dominates over other nonradiative decay channels for both single excitons and biexcitons.

Recovery of maximally entangled quantum states by weak-measurement reversal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maleki, Yusef; Zheltikov, Aleksei M.

2018-05-01

Maximal quantum entanglement provided by N00N states is a unique resource in the quest for the ultimate precision in physical measurements. Such states, however, are fragile and prone to decoherence. Even in weak-measurement schemes, as we demonstrate in this work, the phase super-resolution provided by N00N states is achieved at a cost of an N-fold enhancement of amplitude damping. Still, as the analysis presented here shows, a partial collapse of N00N states induced by weak measurements can be reversed, despite the dramatic, N-fold enhancement of amplitude damping, through appropriate reversal operations on the post-measurement state, enabling a full restoration of the Heisenberg-limit phase super-resolution of N00N states.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Humble, Travis S; Sadlier, Ronald J

We show how to extend the paradigm of software-defined communication to include quantum communication systems. We introduce the decomposition of a quantum communication terminal into layers separating the concerns of the hardware, software, and middleware. We provide detailed descriptions of how each component operates and we include results of an implementation of the super-dense coding protocol. We argue that the versatility of software-defined quantum communication test beds can be useful for exploring new regimes in communication and rapidly prototyping new systems.

Decoherence, discord, and the quantum master equation for cosmological perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollowood, Timothy J.; McDonald, Jamie I.

2017-05-01

We examine environmental decoherence of cosmological perturbations in order to study the quantum-to-classical transition and the impact of noise on entanglement during inflation. Given an explicit interaction between the system and environment, we derive a quantum master equation for the reduced density matrix of perturbations, drawing parallels with quantum Brownian motion, where we see the emergence of fluctuation and dissipation terms. Although the master equation is not in Lindblad form, we see how typical solutions exhibit positivity on super-horizon scales, leading to a physically meaningful density matrix. This allows us to write down a Langevin equation with stochastic noise for the classical trajectories which emerge from the quantum system on super-horizon scales. In particular, we find that environmental decoherence increases in strength as modes exit the horizon, with the growth driven essentially by white noise coming from local contributions to environmental correlations. Finally, we use our master equation to quantify the strength of quantum correlations as captured by discord. We show that environmental interactions have a tendency to decrease the size of the discord and that these effects are determined by the relative strength of the expansion rate and interaction rate of the environment. We interpret this in terms of the competing effects of particle creation versus environmental fluctuations, which tend to increase and decrease the discord respectively.

Micelle-templated composite quantum dots for super-resolution imaging.

PubMed

Xu, Jianquan; Fan, Qirui; Mahajan, Kalpesh D; Ruan, Gang; Herrington, Andrew; Tehrani, Kayvan F; Kner, Peter; Winter, Jessica O

2014-05-16

Quantum dots (QDs) have tremendous potential for biomedical imaging, including super-resolution techniques that permit imaging below the diffraction limit. However, most QDs are produced via organic methods, and hence require surface treatment to render them water-soluble for biological applications. Previously, we reported a micelle-templating method that yields nanocomposites containing multiple core/shell ZnS-CdSe QDs within the same nanocarrier, increasing overall particle brightness and virtually eliminating QD blinking. Here, this technique is extended to the encapsulation of Mn-doped ZnSe QDs (Mn-ZnSe QDs), which have potential applications in super-resolution imaging as a result of the introduction of Mn(2+) dopant energy levels. The size, shape and fluorescence characteristics of these doped QD-micelles were compared to those of micelles created using core/shell ZnS-CdSe QDs (ZnS-CdSe QD-micelles). Additionally, the stability of both types of particles to photo-oxidation was investigated. Compared to commercial QDs, micelle-templated QDs demonstrated superior fluorescence intensity, higher signal-to-noise ratios, and greater stability against photo-oxidization,while reducing blinking. Additionally, the fluorescence of doped QD-micelles could be modulated from a bright 'on' state to a dark 'off' state, with a modulation depth of up to 76%, suggesting the potential of doped QD-micelles for applications in super-resolution imaging.

More bang for your buck: super-adiabatic quantum engines.

PubMed

del Campo, A; Goold, J; Paternostro, M

2014-08-28

The practical untenability of the quasi-static assumption makes any realistic engine intrinsically irreversible and its operating time finite, thus implying friction effects at short cycle times. An important technological goal is thus the design of maximally efficient engines working at the maximum possible power. We show that, by utilising shortcuts to adiabaticity in a quantum engine cycle, one can engineer a thermodynamic cycle working at finite power and zero friction. Our findings are illustrated using a harmonic oscillator undergoing a quantum Otto cycle.

More bang for your buck: Super-adiabatic quantum engines

PubMed Central

Campo, A. del; Goold, J.; Paternostro, M.

2014-01-01

The practical untenability of the quasi-static assumption makes any realistic engine intrinsically irreversible and its operating time finite, thus implying friction effects at short cycle times. An important technological goal is thus the design of maximally efficient engines working at the maximum possible power. We show that, by utilising shortcuts to adiabaticity in a quantum engine cycle, one can engineer a thermodynamic cycle working at finite power and zero friction. Our findings are illustrated using a harmonic oscillator undergoing a quantum Otto cycle. PMID:25163421

Remote Semi-State Preparation as SuperDense Quantum Teleportation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernstein, Herbert J.

2011-03-01

Recent advances in experimental technique make SuperDense Teleportation (SDT) possible. The effect uses remote state preparation to send more state-specifying parameters per bit than ordinary quantum teleportation (QT) can transmit. SDT uses a maximal entanglement to teleport the relative phases of an {n}-dimensional equimodular state. This means that one can send only {n}-1 of the total (2 n - 2) parameters -- comprising the relative phases and amplitudes -- of a general state. Nevertheless, for {n} >= 3 , SDT sends more of these state-specifying parameters than QT for a given number of classical bits. In the limit of large {n} the ratio is 2 to 1, hence the nomenclature Bennett suggested, SDT, by analogy with Super Dense Coding. Alice's measurements and Bob's transformations are simpler than in QT. The roles of Charles the state chooser, and Diana who deploys it, are different than in QT. I briefly review possible experimental realizations, including two that are under consideration at the present time by an experimental group leading in higher-dimension entanglement work. Supported in part by NSF grants PHY97-22614 & 07-58149 & KITP, UCSB, including an ITP Scholar-ship.

Keeping Mars warm with new super greenhouse gases

PubMed Central

Gerstell, M. F.; Francisco, J. S.; Yung, Y. L.; Boxe, C.; Aaltonee, E. T.

2001-01-01

Our selection of new super greenhouse gases to fill a putative “window” in a future Martian atmosphere relies on quantum-mechanical calculations. Our study indicates that if Mars could somehow acquire an Earth-like atmospheric composition and surface pressure, then an Earth-like temperature could be sustained by a mixture of five to seven fluorine compounds. Martian mining requirements for replenishing the fluorine could be comparable to current terrestrial extraction. PMID:11226208

Facile method to stain the bacterial cell surface for super-resolution fluorescence microscopy†

PubMed Central

Gunsolus, Ian L.; Hu, Dehong; Mihai, Cosmin; Lohse, Samuel E.; Lee, Chang-soo; Torelli, Marco D.; Hamers, Robert J.; Murhpy, Catherine J.; Orr, Galya

2015-01-01

A method to fluorescently stain the surfaces of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial cells compatible with super-resolution fluorescence microscopy is presented. This method utilizes a commercially-available fluorescent probe to label primary amines at the surface of the cell. We demonstrate eficient staining of two bacterial strains, the Gram-negative Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis 168. Using structured illumination microscopy and stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, which require high quantum yield or specialized dyes, we show that this staining method may be used to resolve the bacterial cell surface with sub-diffraction-limited resolution. We further use this method to identify localization patterns of nanomaterials, specifically cadmium selenide quantum dots, following interaction with bacterial cells. PMID:24816810

Facile method to stain the bacterial cell surface for super-resolution fluorescence microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gunsolus, Ian L.; Hu, Dehong; Mihai, Cosmin

A method to fluorescently stain the surfaces of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial cells compatible with super-resolution fluorescence microscopy is presented. This method utilizes a commercially-available fluorescent probe to label primary amines at the surface of the cell. We demonstrate efficient staining of two bacterial strains, the Gram-negative Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis 168. Using structured illumination microscopy and stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, which require high quantum yield or specialized dyes, we show that this staining method may be used to resolve the bacterial cell surface with sub-diffraction-limited resolution. We further use this method to identify localizationmore » patterns of nanomaterials, specifically cadmium selenide quantum dots, following interaction with bacterial cells.« less

Searching for New Physics at SuperB - The Super Flavor Factory

ScienceCinema

Hiltin, David

2018-01-05

SuperB – a Super Flavor Factory, an electron-positron collider with a luminosity of 1036 cm-2 s-1, can conduct conduct unique sensitive searches for New Physics effects such as lepton flavor violation and new sources of CP violation in the quark and lepton sectors.

Facile preparation of a TiO2 quantum dot/graphitic carbon nitride heterojunction with highly efficient photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xing; Jiang, Subin; Huo, Xuejian; Xia, Rui; Muhire, Elisée; Gao, Meizhen

2018-05-01

In this article, mechanical grinding, an effortless and super-effective synthetic strategy, is used to successfully synthesize a TiO2 quantum dot (TiO2QD)/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) heterostructure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results together with transmission electron microscopy reveal the formation of the TiO2QD/g-C3N4 heterostructure with strong interfacial interaction. Because of the advantages of this characteristic, the prepared heterostructure exhibits excellent properties for photocatalytic wastewater treatment. Notably, the optimum photocatalytic activity of the TiO2QD/g-C3N4 heterostructure is nearly 3.4 times higher than that of the g-C3N4 nanosheets used for the photodegradation of rhodamine B pollutant. In addition, the stability and possible degradation mechanism of the TiO2QD/g-C3N4 heterojunction are studied in detail. This method may stimulate an effective approach to synthesizing QD-sensitized semiconductor materials and facilitate their application in environmental protection.

Deterministic quantum controlled-PHASE gates based on non-Markovian environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rui; Chen, Tian; Wang, Xiang-Bin

2017-12-01

We study the realization of the quantum controlled-PHASE gate in an atom-cavity system beyond the Markovian approximation. The general description of the dynamics for the atom-cavity system without any approximation is presented. When the spectral density of the reservoir has the Lorentz form, by making use of the memory backflow from the reservoir, we can always construct the deterministic quantum controlled-PHASE gate between a photon and an atom, no matter the atom-cavity coupling strength is weak or strong. While, the phase shift in the output pulse hinders the implementation of quantum controlled-PHASE gates in the sub-Ohmic, Ohmic or super-Ohmic reservoirs.

Two-particle correlations in azimuthal angle and pseudorapidity in inelastic p + p interactions at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron

DOE PAGES

Aduszkiewicz, A.; Ali, Y.; Andronov, E.; ...

2017-01-30

Results on two-particle ΔηΔΦ correlations in inelastic p + p interactions at 20, 31, 40, 80, and 158 GeV/c are presented. The measurements were performed using the large acceptance NA61/SHINE hadron spectrometer at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron. The data show structures which can be attributed mainly to effects of resonance decays, momentum conservation, and quantum statistics. Furthermore, the results are compared with the Epos and UrQMD models.

The algebra of supertraces for 2+1 super de Sitter gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urrutia, L. F.; Waelbroeck, H.; Zertuche, F.

1993-01-01

The algebra of the observables for 2+1 super de Sitter gravity, for one genus of the spatial surface is calculated. The algebra turns out to be an infinite Lie algebra subject to non-linear constraints. The constraints are solved explicitly in terms of five independent complex supertraces. These variables are the true degrees of freedom of the system and their quantized algebra generates a new structure which is referred to as a 'central extension' of the quantum algebra SU(2)q.

Quantum Lidar - Remote Sensing at the Ultimate Limit

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

of Lossy Propaga- tion of Non-Classical Dual-Mode Entangled Photon States 57 34 Decay of Coherence for a N00N State (N=10) as a Function of...resolution could be beaten by exploiting entangled photons [Boto2000, Kok2001]. This effect is now universally known as quantum super-resolution. We...spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC), optical parametric amplifier (OPA), optical parametric oscillator (OPO), and entangled - photon Laser (EPL

Coherent perfect absorption in a quantum nonlinear regime of cavity quantum electrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Yang-hua; Gu, Wen-ju; Yang, Guoqing; Zhu, Yifu; Li, Gao-xiang

2018-05-01

Coherent perfect absorption (CPA) is investigated in the quantum nonlinear regime of cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED), in which a single two-level atom couples to a single-mode cavity weakly driven by two identical laser fields. In the strong-coupling regime and due to the photon blockade effect, the weakly driven CQED system can be described as a quantum system with three polariton states. CPA is achieved at a critical input field strength when the frequency of the input fields matches the polariton transition frequency. In the quantum nonlinear regime, the incoherent dissipation processes such as atomic and photon decays place a lower bound for the purity of the intracavity quantum field. Our results show that under the CPA condition, the intracavity field always exhibits the quadrature squeezing property manifested by the quantum nonlinearity, and the outgoing photon flux displays the super-Poissonian distribution.

Tunable quantum criticality and super-ballistic transport in a "charge" Kondo circuit.

PubMed

Iftikhar, Z; Anthore, A; Mitchell, A K; Parmentier, F D; Gennser, U; Ouerghi, A; Cavanna, A; Mora, C; Simon, P; Pierre, F

2018-05-03

Quantum phase transitions (QPTs) are ubiquitous in strongly-correlated materials. However the microscopic complexity of these systems impedes the quantitative understanding of QPTs. Here, we observe and thoroughly analyze the rich strongly-correlated physics in two profoundly dissimilar regimes of quantum criticality. With a circuit implementing a quantum simulator for the three-channel Kondo model, we reveal the universal scalings toward different low-temperature fixed points and along the multiple crossovers from quantum criticality. Notably, an unanticipated violation of the maximum conductance for ballistic free electrons is uncovered. The present charge pseudospin implementation of a Kondo impurity opens access to a broad variety of strongly-correlated phenomena. Copyright © 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

At the Limits of Criticality-Based Quantum Metrology: Apparent Super-Heisenberg Scaling Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rams, Marek M.; Sierant, Piotr; Dutta, Omyoti; Horodecki, Paweł; Zakrzewski, Jakub

2018-04-01

We address the question of whether the super-Heisenberg scaling for quantum estimation is indeed realizable. We unify the results of two approaches. In the first one, the original system is compared with its copy rotated by the parameter-dependent dynamics. If the parameter is coupled to the one-body part of the Hamiltonian, the precision of its estimation is known to scale at most as N-1 (Heisenberg scaling) in terms of the number of elementary subsystems used N . The second approach compares the overlap between the ground states of the parameter-dependent Hamiltonian in critical systems, often leading to an apparent super-Heisenberg scaling. However, we point out that if one takes into account the scaling of time needed to perform the necessary operations, i.e., ensuring adiabaticity of the evolution, the Heisenberg limit given by the rotation scenario is recovered. We illustrate the general theory on a ferromagnetic Heisenberg spin chain example and show that it exhibits such super-Heisenberg scaling of ground-state fidelity around the critical value of the parameter (magnetic field) governing the one-body part of the Hamiltonian. Even an elementary estimator represented by a single-site magnetization already outperforms the Heisenberg behavior providing the N-1.5 scaling. In this case, Fisher information sets the ultimate scaling as N-1.75, which can be saturated by measuring magnetization on all sites simultaneously. We discuss universal scaling predictions of the estimation precision offered by such observables, both at zero and finite temperatures, and support them with numerical simulations in the model. We provide an experimental proposal of realization of the considered model via mapping the system to ultracold bosons in a periodically shaken optical lattice. We explicitly derive that the Heisenberg limit is recovered when the time needed for preparation of quantum states involved is taken into account.

Local renormalization group functions from quantum renormalization group and holographic bulk locality

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nakayama, Yu

Here, the bulk locality in the constructive holographic renormalization group requires miraculous cancellations among various local renormalization group functions. The cancellation is not only from the properties of the spectrum but from more detailed aspects of operator product expansions in relation to conformal anomaly. It is remarkable that one-loop computation of the universal local renormalization group functions in the weakly coupled limit of the N = 4 super Yang-Mills theory fulfils the necessary condition for the cancellation in the strongly coupled limit in its SL(2, Z) duality invariant form. From the consistency between the quantum renormalization group and the holographicmore » renormalization group, we determine some unexplored local renormalization group functions (e.g. diffusive term in the beta function for the gauge coupling constant) in the strongly coupled limit of the planar N = 4 super Yang-Mills theory.« less

Long-time efficacy of the surface code in the presence of a super-Ohmic environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Delgado, D. A.; Novais, E.; Mucciolo, E. R.; Caldeira, A. O.

2017-06-01

We study the long-time evolution of a quantum memory coupled to a bosonic environment on which quantum error correction (QEC) is performed using the surface code. The memory's evolution encompasses N QEC cycles, each of them yielding a nonerror syndrome. This assumption makes our analysis independent of the recovery process. We map the expression for the time evolution of the memory onto the partition function of an equivalent statistical-mechanical spin system. In the super-Ohmic dissipation case the long-time evolution of the memory has the same behavior as the time evolution for just one QEC cycle. For this case we find analytical expressions for the critical parameters of the order-disorder phase transition of an equivalent spin system. These critical parameters determine the threshold value for the system-environment coupling below which it is possible to preserve the memory's state.

Development of High Level Trigger Software for Belle II at SuperKEKB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S.; Itoh, R.; Katayama, N.; Mineo, S.

2011-12-01

The Belle collaboration has been trying for 10 years to reveal the mystery of the current matter-dominated universe. However, much more statistics is required to search for New Physics through quantum loops in decays of B mesons. In order to increase the experimental sensitivity, the next generation B-factory, SuperKEKB, is planned. The design luminosity of SuperKEKB is 8 x 1035cm-2s-1 a factor 40 above KEKB's peak luminosity. At this high luminosity, the level 1 trigger of the Belle II experiment will stream events of 300 kB size at a 30 kHz rate. To reduce the data flow to a manageable level, a high-level trigger (HLT) is needed, which will be implemented using the full offline reconstruction on a large scale PC farm. There, physics level event selection is performed, reducing the event rate by ~ 10 to a few kHz. To execute the reconstruction the HLT uses the offline event processing framework basf2, which has parallel processing capabilities used for multi-core processing and PC clusters. The event data handling in the HLT is totally object oriented utilizing ROOT I/O with a new method of object passing over the UNIX socket connection. Also under consideration is the use of the HLT output as well to reduce the pixel detector event size by only saving hits associated with a track, resulting in an additional data reduction of ~ 100 for the pixel detector. In this contribution, the design and implementation of the Belle II HLT are presented together with a report of preliminary testing results.

Is Current CMBR Temperature: The Scale Independent Quantum Gravitational Result of Black Hole Cosmology?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seshavatharam, U. V. S.; Lakshminarayana, S.

If one is willing to consider the current cosmic microwave back ground temperature as a quantum gravitational effect of the evolving primordial cosmic black hole (universe that constitutes dynamic space-time and exhibits quantum behavior) automatically general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics can be combined into a `scale independent' true unified model of quantum gravity. By considering the `Planck mass' as the initial mass of the baby Hubble volume, past and current physical and thermal parameters of the cosmic black hole can be understood. Current rate of cosmic black hole expansion is being stopped by the microscopic quantum mechanical lengths. In this new direction authors observed 5 important quantum mechanical methods for understanding the current cosmic deceleration. To understand the ground reality of current cosmic rate of expansion, sensitivity and accuracy of current methods of estimating the magnitudes of current CMBR temperature and current Hubble constant must be improved and alternative methods must be developed. If it is true that galaxy constitutes so many stars, each star constitutes so many hydrogen atoms and light is coming from the excited electron of galactic hydrogen atom, then considering redshift as an index of `whole galaxy' receding may not be reasonable. During cosmic evolution, at any time in the past, in hydrogen atom emitted photon energy was always inversely proportional to the CMBR temperature. Thus past light emitted from older galaxy's excited hydrogen atom will show redshift with reference to the current laboratory data. As cosmic time passes, in future, the absolute rate of cosmic expansion can be understood by observing the rate of increase in the magnitude of photon energy emitted from laboratory hydrogen atom. Aged super novae dimming may be due to the effect of high cosmic back ground temperature. Need of new mathematical methods & techniques, computer simulations, advanced engineering skills seem to be essential in this direction.

Experimental observation of sub-Rayleigh quantum imaging with a two-photon entangled source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, De-Qin; School of Science, Tianjin University of Technology and Education, Tianjin 300222; Song, Xin-Bing

It has been theoretically predicted that N-photon quantum imaging can realize either an N-fold resolution improvement (Heisenberg-like scaling) or a √(N)-fold resolution improvement (standard quantum limit) beyond the Rayleigh diffraction bound, over classical imaging. Here, we report the experimental study on spatial sub-Rayleigh quantum imaging using a two-photon entangled source. Two experimental schemes are proposed and performed. In a Fraunhofer diffraction scheme with a lens, two-photon Airy disk pattern is observed with subwavelength diffraction property. In a lens imaging apparatus, however, two-photon sub-Rayleigh imaging for an object is realized with super-resolution property. The experimental results agree with the theoretical predictionmore » in the two-photon quantum imaging regime.« less

Super-resolution optical imaging and magnetometry using NV centers in diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaskula, Jean-Christophe; Trifonov, Alexei; Glenn, David; Bar-Gill, Nir; Walsworth, Ronald

2013-05-01

We report progress done on the development and application of depletion-based techniques for super-resolution (nanoscale) optical imaging and magnetometry using NV centers in diamond. In particulare we are integrating stimulated emission depletion (STED) and ground state depletion (GSD) imaging techniques with advanced pulsed sequences for AC magnetometry. NV centers in diamond do not bleach under optical excitation, have long-lived electronic spin coherence and spin-state-dependent fluorescence, and are not biotoxic. Thus NV-diamond has great potential in quantum science and as a nanoscale magnetic biosensor.

Polarization sensitive localization based super-resolution microscopy with a birefringent wedge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinkó, József; Gajdos, Tamás; Czvik, Elvira; Szabó, Gábor; Erdélyi, Miklós

2017-03-01

A practical method has been presented for polarization sensitive localization based super-resolution microscopy using a birefringent dual wedge. The measurement of the polarization degree at the single molecule level can reveal the chemical and physical properties of the local environment of the fluorescent dye molecule and can hence provide information about the sub-diffraction sized structure of biological samples. Polarization sensitive STORM imaging of the F-Actins proved correlation between the orientation of fluorescent dipoles and the axis of the fibril.

Light-Induced Fluorescence Modulation of Quantum Dot-Crystal Violet Conjugates: Stochastic Off-On-Off Cycles for Multicolor Patterning and Super-Resolution.

PubMed

Jung, Sungwook; Park, Joonhyuck; Bang, Jiwon; Kim, Jae-Yeol; Kim, Cheolhee; Jeon, Yongmoon; Lee, Seung Hwan; Jin, Ho; Choi, Sukyung; Kim, Bomi; Lee, Woo Jin; Pack, Chan-Gi; Lee, Jong-Bong; Lee, Nam Ki; Kim, Sungjee

2017-06-07

Photoswitching or modulation of quantum dots (QDs) can be promising for many fields that include display, memory, and super-resolution imaging. However, such modulations have mostly relied on photomodulations of conjugated molecules in QD vicinity, which typically require high power of high energy photons at UV. We report a visible light-induced facile modulation route for QD-dye conjugates. QD crystal violets conjugates (QD-CVs) were prepared and the crystal violet (CV) molecules on QD quenched the fluorescence efficiently. The fluorescence of QD-CVs showed a single cycle of emission burst as they go through three stages of (i) initially quenched "off" to (ii) photoactivated "on" as the result of chemical change of CVs induced by photoelectrons from QD and (iii) back to photodarkened "off" by radical-associated reactions. Multicolor on-demand photopatterning was demonstrated using QD-CV solid films. QD-CVs were introduced into cells, and excitation with visible light yielded photomodulation from "off" to "on" and "off" by nearly ten fold. Individual photoluminescence dynamics of QD-CVs was investigated using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and single QD emission analysis, which revealed temporally stochastic photoactivations and photodarkenings. Exploiting the stochastic fluorescence burst of QD-CVs, simultaneous multicolor super-resolution localizations were demonstrated.

3D super-resolution imaging with blinking quantum dots

PubMed Central

Wang, Yong; Fruhwirth, Gilbert; Cai, En; Ng, Tony; Selvin, Paul R.

2013-01-01

Quantum dots are promising candidates for single molecule imaging due to their exceptional photophysical properties, including their intense brightness and resistance to photobleaching. They are also notorious for their blinking. Here we report a novel way to take advantage of quantum dot blinking to develop an imaging technique in three-dimensions with nanometric resolution. We first applied this method to simulated images of quantum dots, and then to quantum dots immobilized on microspheres. We achieved imaging resolutions (FWHM) of 8–17 nm in the x-y plane and 58 nm (on coverslip) or 81 nm (deep in solution) in the z-direction, approximately 3–7 times better than what has been achieved previously with quantum dots. This approach was applied to resolve the 3D distribution of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) molecules at, and inside of, the plasma membrane of resting basal breast cancer cells. PMID:24093439

Eleven-Year Retrospective Report of Super-Selective Venous Sampling for the Evaluation of Recurrent or Persistent Hyperparathyroidism in 32 Patients.

PubMed

Habibollahi, Peiman; Shin, Benjamin; Shamchi, Sara P; Wachtel, Heather; Fraker, Douglas L; Trerotola, Scott O

2018-01-01

Parathyroid venous sampling (PAVS) is usually reserved for patients with persistent or recurrent hyperparathyroidism after parathyroidectomy with inconclusive noninvasive imaging studies. A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of super-selective PAVS (SSVS) in patients needing revision neck surgery with inconclusive imaging. Patients undergoing PAVS between 2005 and 2016 due to persistent or recurrent hyperparathyroidism following surgery were reviewed. PAVS was performed in all patients using super-selective technique. Single-value measurements within central neck veins performed as part of super-selective PAVS were used to simulate selective venous sampling (SVS) and allow for comparison to data, which might be obtained in a non-super-selective approach. 32 patients (mean age 51 ± 15 years; 8 men and 24 women) met inclusion and exclusion criteria. The sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of SSVS for localizing the source of elevated PTH to a limited area in the neck or chest was 96 and 84%, respectively. Simulated SVS, on the other hand, had a sensitivity of 28% and a PPV of 89% based on the predefined gold standard. SSVS had a significantly higher sensitivity compared to simulated SVS (p < 0.001). SSVS is highly effective in localizing the source of hyperparathyroidism in patients undergoing revision surgery for hyperparathyroidism in whom noninvasive imaging studies are inconclusive. SSVS data had also markedly higher sensitivity for localizing disease in these patients compared to simulated SVS.

LOFAR for lightning-interferometery and mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholten, Olaf; Buitink, Stijn; trinh, Gia; Bonardi, Antonio; Corstanje, Arthur; Ebert, Ute; Falcke, Heino; Hoerandel, Joerg; Mitra, Pragati; Mulrey, Katherine; Nelles, Anna; Rachen, Joerg; Rossetto, Laura; Rutjes, Casper; Schellart, Pim; Thoudam, Satayendra; ter Veen, Sander; Winchen, Tobias; Hare, Brian

2017-04-01

We show that a new observation mode at the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) for Lightning-Interferometery and Mapping (LIM) allows for lightning observations with a resolution that is at least an order of magnitude better than presently operating Lightning Napping Arrays LMAs. Furthermore the polarization of the signal can be used to reconstruct the direction of the discharge. LOFAR, consisting of many thousands of antennas, is a digital radio telescope, primarily build for astronomy observations. The Low Band Antennas (LBA) we use for this work are sensitive to the frequency range of 10 - 90 MHz and consist of two inverted V-shaped dipoles. The antennas are grouped in stations consisting of 48 LBA spread over an area with a diameter of about 30 m for which the relative timing is known accurately. The LOFAR core of approximately 2 km diameter contains 24 such stations located near Exloo in the north of The Netherlands. Remote stations for LIM may lie at a distance of 100 km from the core. Signals are sampled at 200 MS/s (sampling time of 5 ns). All antennas are equipped with ring buffers, that store the raw voltage traces for up to 5 s. When a trigger is received, for example with a lightning flash, the ring buffers are frozen and their contents are copied over the network to a central storage location. We will show an initial analysis of data taken on June 19, 2013, for a thunderstorm at a distance of some 50 km from the telescope. The source location and emission time for each event (lightning step) is found by fitting the arrival times of the pulses for each separate antenna adjusting the station offsets, keeping them the same for all events. The fit reproduces the measurements with an accuracy of about 1 time sample. Interestingly much fine structure is seen in the time-traces and examples will be shown for some events. The time traces for antennas in different stations are very similar and thus not due to noise. We also see a clear polarization-dependent structure for the pulse. The strongly linearly polarized nature of the pulses is corroborated by model calculations showing that this as well as the angular distribution of the emitted radiation can be used to determine the direction of the discharge step. The fine structure of the measured pulse should reflect the time profile of the currents. We are developing an interferometric procedure which will allow us to go beyond single-sample (5 ns) precision to achieve sub-nanosecond timing accuracy. Combined with base-lengths in excess of 50 km this will give us an improvement in resolution by one order of magnitude over existing LMAs. It is of much interest to combine the LOFAR-LIM observations with our recently developed non-invasive method for determining the electric-field in thunderclouds.

Classical-quantum arbitrarily varying wiretap channel: Secret message transmission under jamming attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boche, Holger; Cai, Minglai; Deppe, Christian; Nötzel, Janis

2017-10-01

We analyze arbitrarily varying classical-quantum wiretap channels. These channels are subject to two attacks at the same time: one passive (eavesdropping) and one active (jamming). We elaborate on our previous studies [H. Boche et al., Quantum Inf. Process. 15(11), 4853-4895 (2016) and H. Boche et al., Quantum Inf. Process. 16(1), 1-48 (2016)] by introducing a reduced class of allowable codes that fulfills a more stringent secrecy requirement than earlier definitions. In addition, we prove that non-symmetrizability of the legal link is sufficient for equality of the deterministic and the common randomness assisted secrecy capacities. Finally, we focus on analytic properties of both secrecy capacities: We completely characterize their discontinuity points and their super-activation properties.

Simulation Of Wave Function And Probability Density Of Modified Poschl Teller Potential Derived Using Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angraini, Lily Maysari; Suparmi, Variani, Viska Inda

2010-12-01

SUSY quantum mechanics can be applied to solve Schrodinger equation for high dimensional system that can be reduced into one dimensional system and represented in lowering and raising operators. Lowering and raising operators can be obtained using relationship between original Hamiltonian equation and the (super) potential equation. In this paper SUSY quantum mechanics is used as a method to obtain the wave function and the energy level of the Modified Poschl Teller potential. The graph of wave function equation and probability density is simulated by using Delphi 7.0 programming language. Finally, the expectation value of quantum mechanics operator could be calculated analytically using integral form or probability density graph resulted by the programming.

Enhanced Emission of Quantum System in Si-Ge Nanolayer Structure.

PubMed

Huang, Zhong-Mei; Huang, Wei-Qi; Dong, Tai-Ge; Wang, Gang; Wu, Xue-Ke

2016-12-01

It is very interesting that the enhanced peaks near 1150 and 1550 nm are observed in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra in the quantum system of Si-Ge nanolayer structure, which have the emission characteristics of a three-level system with quantum dots (QDs) pumping and emission of quasi-direct-gap band, in our experiment. In the preparing process of Si-Ge nanolayer structure by using a pulsed laser deposition method, it is discovered that the nanocrystals of Si and Ge grow in the (100) and (111) directions after annealing or electron beam irradiation. The enhanced PL peaks with multi-longitudinal-mode are measured at room temperature in the super-lattice of Si-Ge nanolayer quantum system on SOI.

Dicke states in multiple quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitek, Anna; Manolescu, Andrei

2013-10-01

We present a theoretical study of the collective optical effects which can occur in groups of three and four quantum dots. We define conditions for stable subradiant (dark) states, rapidly decaying super-radiant states, and spontaneous trapping of excitation. Each quantum dot is treated like a two-level system. The quantum dots are, however, realistic, meaning that they may have different transition energies and dipole moments. The dots interact via a short-range coupling which allows excitation transfer across the dots, but conserves the total population of the system. We calculate the time evolution of single-exciton and biexciton states using the Lindblad equation. In the steady state the individual populations of each dot may have permanent oscillations with frequencies given by the energy separation between the subradiant eigenstates.

OpenFlow arbitrated programmable network channels for managing quantum metadata

DOE PAGES

Dasari, Venkat R.; Humble, Travis S.

2016-10-10

Quantum networks must classically exchange complex metadata between devices in order to carry out information for protocols such as teleportation, super-dense coding, and quantum key distribution. Demonstrating the integration of these new communication methods with existing network protocols, channels, and data forwarding mechanisms remains an open challenge. Software-defined networking (SDN) offers robust and flexible strategies for managing diverse network devices and uses. We adapt the principles of SDN to the deployment of quantum networks, which are composed from unique devices that operate according to the laws of quantum mechanics. We show how quantum metadata can be managed within a software-definedmore » network using the OpenFlow protocol, and we describe how OpenFlow management of classical optical channels is compatible with emerging quantum communication protocols. We next give an example specification of the metadata needed to manage and control quantum physical layer (QPHY) behavior and we extend the OpenFlow interface to accommodate this quantum metadata. Here, we conclude by discussing near-term experimental efforts that can realize SDN’s principles for quantum communication.« less

OpenFlow arbitrated programmable network channels for managing quantum metadata

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dasari, Venkat R.; Humble, Travis S.

Quantum networks must classically exchange complex metadata between devices in order to carry out information for protocols such as teleportation, super-dense coding, and quantum key distribution. Demonstrating the integration of these new communication methods with existing network protocols, channels, and data forwarding mechanisms remains an open challenge. Software-defined networking (SDN) offers robust and flexible strategies for managing diverse network devices and uses. We adapt the principles of SDN to the deployment of quantum networks, which are composed from unique devices that operate according to the laws of quantum mechanics. We show how quantum metadata can be managed within a software-definedmore » network using the OpenFlow protocol, and we describe how OpenFlow management of classical optical channels is compatible with emerging quantum communication protocols. We next give an example specification of the metadata needed to manage and control quantum physical layer (QPHY) behavior and we extend the OpenFlow interface to accommodate this quantum metadata. Here, we conclude by discussing near-term experimental efforts that can realize SDN’s principles for quantum communication.« less

Current Fluctuations in a Semiconductor Quantum Dot with Large Energy Spacing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Heejun

2014-12-01

We report on the measurements of the current noise properties of electron tunneling through a split-gate GaAs quantum dot with large energy level spacing and a small number of electrons. Shot noise is full Poissonian or suppressed in the Coulomb-blockaded regime, while it is enhanced to show as super-Poissonian when an excited energy level is involved by finite source-drain bias. The results can be explained by multiple Poissonian processes through multilevel sequential tunneling.

Modeling and Analysis of Ultrarelativistic Heavy Ion Collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCormack, William; Pratt, Scott

2014-09-01

High-energy collisions of heavy ions, such as gold, copper, or uranium serve as an important means of studying quantum chromodynamic matter. When relativistic nuclei collide, a hot, energetic fireball of dissociated partonic matter is created; this super-hadronic matter is believed to be the quark gluon plasma (QGP), which is theorized to have comprised the universe immediately following the big bang. As the fireball expands and cools, it reaches freeze-out temperatures, and quarks hadronize into baryons and mesons. To characterize this super-hadronic matter, one can use balance functions, a means of studying correlations due to local charge conservation. In particular, the simple model used in this research assumed two waves of localized charge-anticharge production, with an abrupt transition from the QGP stage to hadronization. Balance functions were constructed as the sum of these two charge production components, and four parameters were manipulated to match the model's output with experimental data taken from the STAR Collaboration at RHIC. Results show that the chemical composition of the super-hadronic matter are consistent with that of a thermally equilibrated QGP. High-energy collisions of heavy ions, such as gold, copper, or uranium serve as an important means of studying quantum chromodynamic matter. When relativistic nuclei collide, a hot, energetic fireball of dissociated partonic matter is created; this super-hadronic matter is believed to be the quark gluon plasma (QGP), which is theorized to have comprised the universe immediately following the big bang. As the fireball expands and cools, it reaches freeze-out temperatures, and quarks hadronize into baryons and mesons. To characterize this super-hadronic matter, one can use balance functions, a means of studying correlations due to local charge conservation. In particular, the simple model used in this research assumed two waves of localized charge-anticharge production, with an abrupt transition from the QGP stage to hadronization. Balance functions were constructed as the sum of these two charge production components, and four parameters were manipulated to match the model's output with experimental data taken from the STAR Collaboration at RHIC. Results show that the chemical composition of the super-hadronic matter are consistent with that of a thermally equilibrated QGP. An MSU REU Project.

White light Sagnac interferometer—a common (path) tale of light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, Eyal

2017-11-01

White or polychromatic light sources are vastly abundant in nature and lie in our most basic understanding of the theory of light, beginning from stars like our Sun and extending to every common household light bulb or street lamp. In this paper, I present concepts of white light interferometery using a common-path Sagnac interferometer, manifested in a straightforward laboratory experiment. I further show the use of this as a Fourier transform spectrometer while presenting a basic overview of the theoretical concepts and spectrum of different light sources obtained experimentally. This work, both experimentally and analytically, is suitable for upper-level undergraduate physics or engineering courses where electromagnetic theory and optics are discussed. The experiment and theory presents important deep concepts and aspects in modern optics and physics that every science student should acquire.

Enhancement of emission efficiency of colloidal CdSe quantum dots on silicon substrate via an ultra-thin layer of aluminum oxide.

PubMed

Patty, K; Sadeghi, S M; Nejat, A; Mao, C-B

2014-04-18

We demonstrate that an ultra-thin layer of aluminum oxide can significantly enhance the emission efficiency of colloidal quantum dots on a Si substrate. For an ensemble of single quantum dots, our results show that this super brightening process can increase the fluorescence of CdSe quantum dots, forming well-resolved spectra, while in the absence of this layer the emission remains mostly at the noise level. We demonstrate that this process can be further enhanced with irradiation of the quantum dots, suggesting a significant photo-induced fluorescence enhancement via considerable suppression of non-radiative decay channels of the quantum dots. We study the impact of the Al oxide thickness on Si and interdot interactions, and discuss the results in terms of photo-induced catalytic properties of the Al oxide and the effects of such an oxide on the Coulomb blockade responsible for suppression of photo-ionization of the quantum dots.

Elementary functions in thermodynamic Bethe ansatz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, J.

2015-05-01

Some years ago, Fendley found an explicit solution to the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz (TBA) equation for an N=2 supersymmetric theory in 2D with a specific F-term. Motivated by this, we seek explicit solutions for other super-potential cases utilizing the idea from the ODE/IM correspondence. We find that the TBA equations, corresponding to a wider class of super-potentials, admit solutions in terms of elementary functions such as modified Bessel functions and confluent hyper-geometric series. Based on talks given at ‘Infinite Analysis 2014’ (Tokyo, 2014) and at ‘Integrable lattice models and quantum field theories’ (Bad Honnef, 2014).

Highly magnetized super-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs and their consequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhopadhyay, B.; Das, U.; Rao, A. R.

2018-01-01

Since 2012, we have been exploring possible existence of highly magnetized significantly super-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs with a new mass-limit. This explains several observations, e.g. peculiar over-luminous type Ia supernovae, some white dwarf pulsars, soft gamma-ray repeaters and anomalous X-ray pulsars, which otherwise puzzled us enormously. We have proceeded to uncover the underlying issues by exploiting the enormous potential in quantum, classical and relativistic effects lying with magnetic fields present in white dwarfs. We have also explored the issues related to the stability and gravitational radiation of these white dwarfs.

Classical r matrix of the su(2 vertical bar 2) super Yang-Mills spin chain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Torrielli, Alessandro

2007-05-15

In this note we straightforwardly derive and make use of the quantum R matrix for the su(2 vertical bar 2) super Yang-Mills spin chain in the manifest su(1 vertical bar 2)-invariant formulation, which solves the standard quantum Yang-Baxter equation, in order to obtain the correspondent (undressed) classical r matrix from the first order expansion in the 'deformation' parameter 2{pi}/{radical}({lambda}) and check that this last solves the standard classical Yang-Baxter equation. We analyze its bialgebra structure, its dependence on the spectral parameters, and its pole structure. We notice that it still preserves an su(1 vertical bar 2) subalgebra, thereby admitting anmore » expression in terms of a combination of projectors, which spans only a subspace of su(1 vertical bar 2)xsu(1 vertical bar 2). We study the residue at its simple pole at the origin and comment on the applicability of the classical Belavin-Drinfeld type of analysis.« less

Pressure-induced Structural Transformations in LanthanideTitanates: La2TiO5 and Nd2TiO5

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

F Zhang; J Wang; M Lang

The structure of orthorhombic rare earth titanates of La{sub 2}TiO{sub 5} and Nd{sub 2}TiO{sub 5}, where Ti cations are in five-fold coordination with oxygen, has been studied at high pressures by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman scattering measurements, and quantum mechanical calculations. Both XRD and Raman results indicated two pressure-induced phase transitions during the process. An orthorhombic super cell (a x b x 2c) formed at a pressure between 6 and 10 GPa, and then transformed to a hexagonal high-pressure phase accompanied by partial decomposition. The hexagonal high-pressure phase is quenchable. Detailed structural analysis indicated that the five-coordinated TiO{sub 5} polyhedramore » remain during the formation of super cell, but the orthorhombic-to-hexagonal phase transition at high pressures is a reconstructive process, and the five-fold Ti-O coordination increased to more than 6. This phase transition sequence was verified by quantum mechanical calculations.« less

The tunnel magnetoresistance in chains of quantum dots weakly coupled to external leads.

PubMed

Weymann, Ireneusz

2010-01-13

We analyze numerically the spin-dependent transport through coherent chains of three coupled quantum dots weakly connected to external magnetic leads. In particular, using the diagrammatic technique on the Keldysh contour, we calculate the conductance, shot noise and tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) in the sequential and cotunneling regimes. We show that transport characteristics greatly depend on the strength of the interdot Coulomb correlations, which determines the spatial distribution of the electron wavefunction in the chain. When the correlations are relatively strong, depending on the transport regime, we find both negative TMR as well as TMR enhanced above the Julliere value, accompanied with negative differential conductance (NDC) and super-Poissonian shot noise. This nontrivial behavior of tunnel magnetoresistance is associated with selection rules that govern tunneling processes and various high-spin states of the chain that are relevant for transport. For weak interdot correlations, on the other hand, the TMR is always positive and not larger than the Julliere TMR, although super-Poissonian shot noise and NDC can still be observed.

3MRA UNCERTAINTY AND SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation discusses the Multimedia, Multipathway, Multireceptor Risk Assessment (3MRA) modeling system. The outline of the presentation is: modeling system overview - 3MRA versions; 3MRA version 1.0; national-scale assessment dimensionality; SuperMUSE: windows-based super...

Quantum state transfer through time reversal of an optical channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hush, M. R.; Bentley, C. D. B.; Ahlefeldt, R. L.; James, M. R.; Sellars, M. J.; Ugrinovskii, V.

2016-12-01

Rare-earth ions have exceptionally long coherence times, making them an excellent candidate for quantum information processing. A key part of this processing is quantum state transfer. We show that perfect state transfer can be achieved by time reversing the intermediate quantum channel, and suggest using a gradient echo memory (GEM) to perform this time reversal. We propose an experiment with rare-earth ions to verify these predictions, where an emitter and receiver crystal are connected with an optical channel passed through a GEM. We investigate the effect experimental imperfections and collective dynamics have on the state transfer process. We demonstrate that super-radiant effects can enhance coupling into the optical channel and improve the transfer fidelity. We lastly discuss how our results apply to state transfer of entangled states.

Experimental realization of nondestructive discrimination of Bell states using a five-qubit quantum computer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sisodia, Mitali; Shukla, Abhishek; Pathak, Anirban

2017-12-01

A scheme for distributed quantum measurement that allows nondestructive or indirect Bell measurement was proposed by Gupta et al [1]. In the present work, Gupta et al.'s scheme is experimentally realized using the five-qubit super-conductivity-based quantum computer, which has been recently placed in cloud by IBM Corporation. The experiment confirmed that the Bell state can be constructed and measured in a nondestructive manner with a reasonably high fidelity. A comparison of the outcomes of this study and the results obtained earlier in an NMR-based experiment (Samal et al. (2010) [10]) has also been performed. The study indicates that to make a scalable SQUID-based quantum computer, errors introduced by the gates (in the present technology) have to be reduced considerably.

The formation of quantum images and their transformation and super-resolution reading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balakin, D. A.; Belinsky, A. V.

2016-05-01

Images formed by light with suppressed photon fluctuations are interesting objects for studies with the aim of increasing their limiting information capacity and quality. This light in the sub-Poisson state can be prepared in a resonator filled with a medium with Kerr nonlinearity, in which self-phase modulation takes place. Spatially and temporally multimode light beams are studied and the production of spatial frequency spectra of suppressed photon fluctuations is described. The efficient operation regimes of the system are found. A particular schematic solution is described, which allows one to realize the potential possibilities laid in the formation of the squeezed states of light to a maximum degree during self-phase modulation in a resonator for the maximal suppression of amplitude quantum noises upon two-dimensional imaging. The efficiency of using light with suppressed quantum fluctuations for computer image processing is studied. An algorithm is described for interpreting measurements for increasing the resolution with respect to the geometrical resolution. A mathematical model that characterizes the measurement scheme is constructed and the problem of the image reconstruction is solved. The algorithm for the interpretation of images is verified. Conditions are found for the efficient application of sub-Poisson light for super-resolution imaging. It is found that the image should have a low contrast and be maximally transparent.

Identifying Galactic Cosmic Ray Origins With Super-TIGER

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deNolfo, Georgia; Binns, W. R.; Israel, M. H.; Christian, E. R.; Mitchell, J. W.; Hams, T.; Link, J. T.; Sasaki, M.; Labrador, A. W.; Mewaldt, R. A.;

Interfacing broadband photonic qubits to on-chip cavity-protected rare-earth ensembles

PubMed Central

Zhong, Tian; Kindem, Jonathan M.; Rochman, Jake; Faraon, Andrei

2017-01-01

Ensembles of solid-state optical emitters enable broadband quantum storage and transduction of photonic qubits, with applications in high-rate quantum networks for secure communications and interconnecting future quantum computers. To transfer quantum states using ensembles, rephasing techniques are used to mitigate fast decoherence resulting from inhomogeneous broadening, but these techniques generally limit the bandwidth, efficiency and active times of the quantum interface. Here, we use a dense ensemble of neodymium rare-earth ions strongly coupled to a nanophotonic resonator to demonstrate a significant cavity protection effect at the single-photon level—a technique to suppress ensemble decoherence due to inhomogeneous broadening. The protected Rabi oscillations between the cavity field and the atomic super-radiant state enable ultra-fast transfer of photonic frequency qubits to the ions (∼50 GHz bandwidth) followed by retrieval with 98.7% fidelity. With the prospect of coupling to other long-lived rare-earth spin states, this technique opens the possibilities for broadband, always-ready quantum memories and fast optical-to-microwave transducers. PMID:28090078

Interfacing broadband photonic qubits to on-chip cavity-protected rare-earth ensembles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Tian; Kindem, Jonathan M.; Rochman, Jake; Faraon, Andrei

2017-01-01

Ensembles of solid-state optical emitters enable broadband quantum storage and transduction of photonic qubits, with applications in high-rate quantum networks for secure communications and interconnecting future quantum computers. To transfer quantum states using ensembles, rephasing techniques are used to mitigate fast decoherence resulting from inhomogeneous broadening, but these techniques generally limit the bandwidth, efficiency and active times of the quantum interface. Here, we use a dense ensemble of neodymium rare-earth ions strongly coupled to a nanophotonic resonator to demonstrate a significant cavity protection effect at the single-photon level--a technique to suppress ensemble decoherence due to inhomogeneous broadening. The protected Rabi oscillations between the cavity field and the atomic super-radiant state enable ultra-fast transfer of photonic frequency qubits to the ions (~50 GHz bandwidth) followed by retrieval with 98.7% fidelity. With the prospect of coupling to other long-lived rare-earth spin states, this technique opens the possibilities for broadband, always-ready quantum memories and fast optical-to-microwave transducers.

Emergence of Super Cooperation of Prisoner’s Dilemma Games on Scale-Free Networks

PubMed Central

Li, Angsheng; Yong, Xi

2015-01-01

Recently, the authors proposed a quantum prisoner’s dilemma game based on the spatial game of Nowak and May, and showed that the game can be played classically. By using this idea, we proposed three generalized prisoner’s dilemma (GPD, for short) games based on the weak Prisoner’s dilemma game, the full prisoner’s dilemma game and the normalized Prisoner’s dilemma game, written by GPDW, GPDF and GPDN respectively. Our games consist of two players, each of which has three strategies: cooperator (C), defector (D) and super cooperator (denoted by Q), and have a parameter γ to measure the entangled relationship between the two players. We found that our generalised prisoner’s dilemma games have new Nash equilibrium principles, that entanglement is the principle of emergence and convergence (i.e., guaranteed emergence) of super cooperation in evolutions of our generalised prisoner’s dilemma games on scale-free networks, that entanglement provides a threshold for a phase transition of super cooperation in evolutions of our generalised prisoner’s dilemma games on scale-free networks, that the role of heterogeneity of the scale-free networks in cooperations and super cooperations is very limited, and that well-defined structures of scale-free networks allow coexistence of cooperators and super cooperators in the evolutions of the weak version of our generalised prisoner’s dilemma games. PMID:25643279

Observation of Dynamical Super-Efimovian Expansion in a Unitary Fermi Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Shujin; Diao, Pengpeng; Li, Fang; Yu, Qianli; Yu, Shi; Wu, Haibin

2018-03-01

We report an observation of a dynamical super Efimovian expansion in a strongly interacting Fermi gas by engineering time dependent external harmonic trap frequencies. When the trap frequency is tailored as [1 /4 t2+1 /t2λ log2(t /t*)]1/2, where t* and λ are two controllable parameters, and the change is faster than a critical value, the expansion of such a quantum gas shows novel dynamics that share the same characteristics as the super Efimov effect. A clear double-log periodicity with discrete geometric scaling emerges for the cloud size in the expansion. The universality of such scaling dynamics is verified both in the noninteracting and in the unitarity limit of Fermi gas. Moreover, the measured energy scaling reveals that the potential and internal energy also show double-log periodicity with a π /2 phase difference, but the total energy is monotonically decreased. Observing super Efimovian evolution represents a paradigm in probing universal properties and allows us in a new way to study many-body nonequilibrium dynamics with experiments.

Super Photon Counters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mather, John

1999-01-01

The perfect photon detector would measure the arrival time, the energy, the polarization, and the position of every arriving quantum, but that is easier said than done. Two groups have now succeeded in doing time-resolved spectroscopy on the Crab Nebula pulsar, measuring everything but the polarization, with reports from Romani et al. at Stanford and from Perryman et al. at ESTEC. Both groups use superconducting detectors to gain the necessary speed and sensitivity. The photon can heat the electrons in a superconductor biased in the middle of its resistive transition, or break bound superconducting electron-hole pairs, which can then be collected. Three years ago, Peacock et al. reported that they had detected single optical photons with a superconducting tunnel junction (STJ), and Paresce wrote a News and Views article. A tunnel junction uses two pieces of conductive material, separated by a tiny gap of insulating material or even vacuum. If the gap is thin enough, electrons can tunnel across anyway, and if the conductors are superconductors, the junction displays very useful quantum mechanical properties and electrical nonlinearities. Amplifiers, detectors, oscillators, and computer circuits can all be made from them. Their special advantage is that they operate at very low temperatures, dissipate very little power, operate very fast, and are very small.

Control quantum evolution speed of a single dephasing qubit for arbitrary initial states via periodic dynamical decoupling pulses.

PubMed

Song, Ya-Ju; Tan, Qing-Shou; Kuang, Le-Man

2017-03-08

We investigate the possibility to control quantum evolution speed of a single dephasing qubit for arbitrary initial states by the use of periodic dynamical decoupling (PDD) pulses. It is indicated that the quantum speed limit time (QSLT) is determined by initial and final quantum coherence of the qubit, as well as the non-Markovianity of the system under consideration during the evolution when the qubit is subjected to a zero-temperature Ohmic-like dephasing reservoir. It is shown that final quantum coherence of the qubit and the non-Markovianity of the system can be modulated by PDD pulses. Our results show that for arbitrary initial states of the dephasing qubit with non-vanishing quantum coherence, PDD pulses can be used to induce potential acceleration of the quantum evolution in the short-time regime, while PDD pulses can lead to potential speedup and slow down in the long-time regime. We demonstrate that the effect of PDD on the QSLT for the Ohmic or sub-Ohmic spectrum (Markovian reservoir) is much different from that for the super-Ohmic spectrum (non-Markovian reservoir).

Quantum statistics of Raman scattering model with Stokes mode generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanatar, Bilal; Shumovsky, Alexander S.

1994-01-01

The model describing three coupled quantum oscillators with decay of Rayleigh mode into the Stokes and vibration (phonon) modes is examined. Due to the Manley-Rowe relations the problem of exact eigenvalues and eigenstates is reduced to the calculation of new orthogonal polynomials defined both by the difference and differential equations. The quantum statistical properties are examined in the case when initially: the Stokes mode is in the vacuum state; the Rayleigh mode is in the number state; and the vibration mode is in the number of or squeezed states. The collapses and revivals are obtained for different initial conditions as well as the change in time the sub-Poisson distribution by the super-Poisson distribution and vice versa.

Generation of mechanical interference fringes by multi-photon counting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ringbauer, M.; Weinhold, T. J.; Howard, L. A.; White, A. G.; Vanner, M. R.

2018-05-01

Exploring the quantum behaviour of macroscopic objects provides an intriguing avenue to study the foundations of physics and to develop a suite of quantum-enhanced technologies. One prominent path of study is provided by quantum optomechanics which utilizes the tools of quantum optics to control the motion of macroscopic mechanical resonators. Despite excellent recent progress, the preparation of mechanical quantum superposition states remains outstanding due to weak coupling and thermal decoherence. Here we present a novel optomechanical scheme that significantly relaxes these requirements allowing the preparation of quantum superposition states of motion of a mechanical resonator by exploiting the nonlinearity of multi-photon quantum measurements. Our method is capable of generating non-classical mechanical states without the need for strong single-photon coupling, is resilient against optical loss, and offers more favourable scaling against initial mechanical thermal occupation than existing schemes. Moreover, our approach allows the generation of larger superposition states by projecting the optical field onto NOON states. We experimentally demonstrate this multi-photon-counting technique on a mechanical thermal state in the classical limit and observe interference fringes in the mechanical position distribution that show phase super-resolution. This opens a feasible route to explore and exploit quantum phenomena at a macroscopic scale.

Optimisation of cognitive performance in rodent operant (touchscreen) testing: Evaluation and effects of reinforcer strength.

PubMed

Phillips, Benjamin U; Heath, Christopher J; Ossowska, Zofia; Bussey, Timothy J; Saksida, Lisa M

2017-09-01

Operant testing is a widely used and highly effective method of studying cognition in rodents. Performance on such tasks is sensitive to reinforcer strength. It is therefore advantageous to select effective reinforcers to minimize training times and maximize experimental throughput. To quantitatively investigate the control of behavior by different reinforcers, performance of mice was tested with either strawberry milkshake or a known powerful reinforcer, super saccharin (1.5% or 2% (w/v) saccharin/1.5% (w/v) glucose/water mixture). Mice were tested on fixed (FR)- and progressive-ratio (PR) schedules in the touchscreen-operant testing system. Under an FR schedule, both the rate of responding and number of trials completed were higher in animals responding for strawberry milkshake versus super saccharin. Under a PR schedule, mice were willing to emit similar numbers of responses for strawberry milkshake and super saccharin; however, analysis of the rate of responding revealed a significantly higher rate of responding by animals reinforced with milkshake versus super saccharin. To determine the impact of reinforcer strength on cognitive performance, strawberry milkshake and super saccharin-reinforced animals were compared on a touchscreen visual discrimination task. Animals reinforced by strawberry milkshake were significantly faster to acquire the discrimination than animals reinforced by super saccharin. Taken together, these results suggest that strawberry milkshake is superior to super saccharin for operant behavioral testing and further confirms that the application of response rate analysis to multiple ratio tasks is a highly sensitive method for the detection of behavioral differences relevant to learning and motivation.

Anisotropic kinetic energy release and gyroscopic behavior of CO2 super rotors from an optical centrifuge.

PubMed

Murray, Matthew J; Ogden, Hannah M; Mullin, Amy S

2017-10-21

An optical centrifuge is used to generate an ensemble of CO 2 super rotors with oriented angular momentum. The collision dynamics and energy transfer behavior of the super rotor molecules are investigated using high-resolution transient IR absorption spectroscopy. New multipass IR detection provides improved sensitivity to perform polarization-dependent transient studies for rotational states with 76 ≤ J ≤ 100. Polarization-dependent measurements show that the collision-induced kinetic energy release is spatially anisotropic and results from both near-resonant energy transfer between super rotor molecules and non-resonant energy transfer between super rotors and thermal molecules. J-dependent studies show that the extent and duration of the orientational anisotropy increase with rotational angular momentum. The super rotors exhibit behavior akin to molecular gyroscopes, wherein molecules with larger amounts of angular momentum are less likely to change their angular momentum orientation through collisions.

Anisotropic kinetic energy release and gyroscopic behavior of CO2 super rotors from an optical centrifuge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, Matthew J.; Ogden, Hannah M.; Mullin, Amy S.

2017-10-01

An optical centrifuge is used to generate an ensemble of CO2 super rotors with oriented angular momentum. The collision dynamics and energy transfer behavior of the super rotor molecules are investigated using high-resolution transient IR absorption spectroscopy. New multipass IR detection provides improved sensitivity to perform polarization-dependent transient studies for rotational states with 76 ≤ J ≤ 100. Polarization-dependent measurements show that the collision-induced kinetic energy release is spatially anisotropic and results from both near-resonant energy transfer between super rotor molecules and non-resonant energy transfer between super rotors and thermal molecules. J-dependent studies show that the extent and duration of the orientational anisotropy increase with rotational angular momentum. The super rotors exhibit behavior akin to molecular gyroscopes, wherein molecules with larger amounts of angular momentum are less likely to change their angular momentum orientation through collisions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beigi, Salman

Sandwiched (quantum) α-Rényi divergence has been recently defined in the independent works of Wilde et al. [“Strong converse for the classical capacity of entanglement-breaking channels,” preprint http://arxiv.org/abs/arXiv:1306.1586 (2013)] and Müller-Lennert et al. [“On quantum Rényi entropies: a new definition, some properties and several conjectures,” preprint http://arxiv.org/abs/arXiv:1306.3142v1 (2013)]. This new quantum divergence has already found applications in quantum information theory. Here we further investigate properties of this new quantum divergence. In particular, we show that sandwiched α-Rényi divergence satisfies the data processing inequality for all values of α > 1. Moreover we prove that α-Holevo information, a variant of Holevo informationmore » defined in terms of sandwiched α-Rényi divergence, is super-additive. Our results are based on Hölder's inequality, the Riesz-Thorin theorem and ideas from the theory of complex interpolation. We also employ Sion's minimax theorem.« less

Sandwiched Rényi divergence satisfies data processing inequality

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beigi, Salman

2013-12-15

Sandwiched (quantum) α-Rényi divergence has been recently defined in the independent works of Wilde et al. [“Strong converse for the classical capacity of entanglement-breaking channels,” preprint http://arxiv.org/abs/arXiv:1306.1586 (2013)] and Müller-Lennert et al. [“On quantum Rényi entropies: a new definition, some properties and several conjectures,” preprint http://arxiv.org/abs/arXiv:1306.3142v1 (2013)]. This new quantum divergence has already found applications in quantum information theory. Here we further investigate properties of this new quantum divergence. In particular, we show that sandwiched α-Rényi divergence satisfies the data processing inequality for all values of α > 1. Moreover we prove that α-Holevo information, a variant of Holevo informationmore » defined in terms of sandwiched α-Rényi divergence, is super-additive. Our results are based on Hölder's inequality, the Riesz-Thorin theorem and ideas from the theory of complex interpolation. We also employ Sion's minimax theorem.« less

Prospects for Habitable World Detections Using James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deming, Drake

2010-01-01

Doppler and transit surveys are finding extrasolar planets of ever smaller mass and radius, and are now sampling the domain of superEarths. Recent results from the Doppler surveys suggest that discovery of a transiting superEarth in the habitable zone of a lower main sequence star may be possible. We evaluate the prospects for an all-sky transit survey targeted to the brightest stars I that would find the most favorable cases for photometric and spectroscopic characterization using the James Webb Space Telescope. We use the proposed Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) as representative of an all-sky survey. We couple the simulated TESS yield to a sensitivity model for the MIRI and NIRSpec instruments on JWST. Our sensitivity model includes all currently known and anticipated sources of random and systematic error for these instruments. We focus on the TESS planets with radii between Earth and Neptune. Our simulations consider secondary eclipse filter photometry using JWST/MIRI, comparing the 11- and 15- micron bands to measure carbon dioxide absorption in superEarths, as well as JWST!NIRSpec spectroscopy of water absorption from 1.7-3.0 microns, and carbon dioxide absorption at 4.3 microns. We find that JWST will be capable of characterizing dozens of TESS superEarths with temperatures above the habitable range, using both MIRI and NIRspec. We project that TESS will discover about eight nearby habitable transiting superEarths, all orbiting lower main sequence stars. The principal sources of uncertainty in the prospects for JWST characterization of habitable superEarths are superEarth frequency and the nature of superEarth atmospheres. Based on our estimates of these uncertainties, we project that JWST will be able to measure the temperature, and identify molecular absorptions (water, carbon dioxide) in one to four nearby habitable TESS superEarths orbiting lower main sequence stars.

Comparative evaluation of a new commercial media, the CHROMAgar™ mSuperCARBA™, for the detection of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

PubMed

Amar, Ma'ayan; Shalom, Ohad; Adler, Amos

2017-05-01

A new chromogenic-based medium (mSuperCARBA™) was tested for screening carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE). mSuperCARBA™ was more sensitive (83%) in detecting CPE isolates (n=69, including KPC, NDM, OXA-48, VIM, and IMI) compared with CHROMAgar™-KPC (65%) and MacConkey agar with Imipenem (69%) with comparable specificity for non carbapenemase-producing, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (n=29). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Semiconductor-inspired design principles for superconducting quantum computing.

PubMed

Shim, Yun-Pil; Tahan, Charles

2016-03-17

Superconducting circuits offer tremendous design flexibility in the quantum regime culminating most recently in the demonstration of few qubit systems supposedly approaching the threshold for fault-tolerant quantum information processing. Competition in the solid-state comes from semiconductor qubits, where nature has bestowed some very useful properties which can be utilized for spin qubit-based quantum computing. Here we begin to explore how selective design principles deduced from spin-based systems could be used to advance superconducting qubit science. We take an initial step along this path proposing an encoded qubit approach realizable with state-of-the-art tunable Josephson junction qubits. Our results show that this design philosophy holds promise, enables microwave-free control, and offers a pathway to future qubit designs with new capabilities such as with higher fidelity or, perhaps, operation at higher temperature. The approach is also especially suited to qubits on the basis of variable super-semi junctions.

Nonsingular cosmology from evolutionary quantum gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cianfrani, Francesco; Montani, Giovanni; Pittorino, Fabrizio

2014-11-01

We provide a cosmological implementation of the evolutionary quantum gravity, describing an isotropic Universe, in the presence of a negative cosmological constant and a massive (preinflationary) scalar field. We demonstrate that the considered Universe has a nonsingular quantum behavior, associated to a primordial bounce, whose ground state has a high occupation number. Furthermore, in such a vacuum state, the super-Hamiltonian eigenvalue is negative, corresponding to a positive emerging dust energy density. The regularization of the model is performed via a polymer quantum approach to the Universe scale factor and the proper classical limit is then recovered, in agreement with a preinflationary state of the Universe. Since the dust energy density is redshifted by the Universe de Sitter phase and the cosmological constant does not enter the ground state eigenvalue, we get a late-time cosmology, compatible with the present observations, endowed with a turning point in the far future.

Measurement of the entanglement of two superconducting qubits via state tomography.

PubMed

Steffen, Matthias; Ansmann, M; Bialczak, Radoslaw C; Katz, N; Lucero, Erik; McDermott, R; Neeley, Matthew; Weig, E M; Cleland, A N; Martinis, John M

2006-09-08

Demonstration of quantum entanglement, a key resource in quantum computation arising from a nonclassical correlation of states, requires complete measurement of all states in varying bases. By using simultaneous measurement and state tomography, we demonstrated entanglement between two solid-state qubits. Single qubit operations and capacitive coupling between two super-conducting phase qubits were used to generate a Bell-type state. Full two-qubit tomography yielded a density matrix showing an entangled state with fidelity up to 87%. Our results demonstrate a high degree of unitary control of the system, indicating that larger implementations are within reach.

Quantization with maximally degenerate Poisson brackets: the harmonic oscillator!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nutku, Yavuz

2003-07-01

Nambu's construction of multi-linear brackets for super-integrable systems can be thought of as degenerate Poisson brackets with a maximal set of Casimirs in their kernel. By introducing privileged coordinates in phase space these degenerate Poisson brackets are brought to the form of Heisenberg's equations. We propose a definition for constructing quantum operators for classical functions, which enables us to turn the maximally degenerate Poisson brackets into operators. They pose a set of eigenvalue problems for a new state vector. The requirement of the single-valuedness of this eigenfunction leads to quantization. The example of the harmonic oscillator is used to illustrate this general procedure for quantizing a class of maximally super-integrable systems.

Analysis of quantum information processors using quantum metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandula, Mark J.; Kok, Pieter

2018-06-01

Physical implementations of quantum information processing devices are generally not unique, and we are faced with the problem of choosing the best implementation. Here, we consider the sensitivity of quantum devices to variations in their different components. To measure this, we adopt a quantum metrological approach and find that the sensitivity of a device to variations in a component has a particularly simple general form. We use the concept of cost functions to establish a general practical criterion to decide between two different physical implementations of the same quantum device consisting of a variety of components. We give two practical examples of sensitivities of quantum devices to variations in beam splitter transmittivities: the Knill-Laflamme-Milburn (KLM) and reverse nonlinear sign gates for linear optical quantum computing with photonic qubits, and the enhanced optical Bell detectors by Grice and Ewert and van Loock. We briefly compare the sensitivity to the diamond distance and find that the latter is less suited for studying the behavior of components embedded within the larger quantum device.

Quantum correlation measurements in interferometric gravitational-wave detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martynov, D. V.; Frolov, V. V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Izumi, K.; Miao, H.; Mavalvala, N.; Hall, E. D.; Lanza, R.; Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Adams, C.; Adhikari, R. X.; Anderson, S. B.; Ananyeva, A.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Aston, S. M.; Ballmer, S. W.; Barker, D.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Batch, J. C.; Bell, A. S.; Betzwieser, J.; Billingsley, G.; Birch, J.; Biscans, S.; Biwer, C.; Blair, C. D.; Bork, R.; Brooks, A. F.; Ciani, G.; Clara, F.; Countryman, S. T.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Danzmann, K.; Da Silva Costa, C. F.; Daw, E. J.; DeBra, D.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Driggers, J. C.; Dwyer, S. E.; Effler, A.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Factourovich, M.; Fair, H.; Fernández Galiana, A.; Fisher, R. P.; Fritschel, P.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Grote, H.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hammond, G.; Hanks, J.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harry, G. M.; Heintze, M. C.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Hough, J.; Jones, R.; Karki, S.; Kasprzack, M.; Kaufer, S.; Kawabe, K.; Kijbunchoo, N.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kissel, J. S.; Korth, W. Z.; Kuehn, G.; Landry, M.; Lantz, B.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lormand, M.; Lundgren, A. P.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martin, I. W.; Mason, K.; Massinger, T. J.; Matichard, F.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; Mendell, G.; Merilh, E. L.; Meyers, P. M.; Miller, J.; Mittleman, R.; Moreno, G.; Mueller, G.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Palamos, J. R.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Phelps, M.; Pierro, V.; Pinto, I.; Principe, M.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Raab, F. J.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Robertson, N. A.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romie, J. H.; Rowan, S.; Ryan, K.; Sadecki, T.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sandberg, V.; Savage, R. L.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Sellers, D.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Sigg, D.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J. R.; Sorazu, B.; Staley, A.; Strain, K. A.; Tanner, D. B.; Taylor, R.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thrane, E.; Torrie, C. I.; Traylor, G.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vecchio, A.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Vo, T.; Vorvick, C.; Walker, M.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Weaver, B.; Weiss, R.; Weßels, P.; Willke, B.; Wipf, C. C.; Worden, J.; Wu, G.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Zhang, L.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; LSC Instrument Authors

2017-04-01

Quantum fluctuations in the phase and amplitude quadratures of light set limitations on the sensitivity of modern optical instruments. The sensitivity of the interferometric gravitational-wave detectors, such as the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), is limited by quantum shot noise, quantum radiation pressure noise, and a set of classical noises. We show how the quantum properties of light can be used to distinguish these noises using correlation techniques. Particularly, in the first part of the paper we show estimations of the coating thermal noise and gas phase noise, hidden below the quantum shot noise in the Advanced LIGO sensitivity curve. We also make projections on the observatory sensitivity during the next science runs. In the second part of the paper we discuss the correlation technique that reveals the quantum radiation pressure noise from the background of classical noises and shot noise. We apply this technique to the Advanced LIGO data, collected during the first science run, and experimentally estimate the quantum correlations and quantum radiation pressure noise in the interferometer.

In-line FINCH super resolution digital holographic fluorescence microscopy using a high efficiency transmission liquid crystal GRIN lens.

PubMed

Brooker, Gary; Siegel, Nisan; Rosen, Joseph; Hashimoto, Nobuyuki; Kurihara, Makoto; Tanabe, Ayano

2013-12-15

We report a new optical arrangement that creates high-efficiency, high-quality Fresnel incoherent correlation holography (FINCH) holograms using polarization sensitive transmission liquid crystal gradient index (TLCGRIN) diffractive lenses. In contrast, current universal practice in the field employs a reflective spatial light modulator (SLM) to separate sample and reference beams. Polarization sensitive TLCGRIN lenses enable a straight optical path, have >90% transmission efficiency, are not pixilated, and are free of many limitations of reflective SLM devices. For each sample point, two spherical beams created by a glass lens in combination with a polarization sensitive TLCGRIN lens interfere and create a hologram and resultant super resolution image.

First Dark Matter Constraints from SuperCDMS Single-Charge Sensitive Detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agnese, R.; et al.

We present the first limits on inelastic electron-scattering dark matter and dark photon absorption using a prototype SuperCDMS detector having a charge resolution of 0.1 electron-hole pairs (CDMS HVeV, a 0.93 gram CDMS HV device). These electron-recoil limits significantly improve experimental constraints on dark matter particles with masses as low as 1 MeV/more » $$\\mathrm{c^2}$$. We demonstrate a sensitivity to dark photons competitive with other leading approaches but using substantially less exposure (0.49 gram days). These results demonstrate the scientific potential of phonon-mediated semiconductor detectors that are sensitive to single electronic excitations.« less

Control of molecular rotation with an optical centrifuge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korobenko, Aleksey

2017-04-01

The main purpose of this work is the experimental study of the applicability of an optical centrifuge - a novel tool, utilizing non-resonant broadband laser radiation to excite molecular rotation - to produce and control molecules in extremely high rotational states, so called molecular ``super rotors'', and to study their optical, magnetic, acoustic, hydrodynamic and quantum mechanical properties.

Deformed Calogero-Sutherland model and fractional quantum Hall effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atai, Farrokh; Langmann, Edwin

2017-01-01

The deformed Calogero-Sutherland (CS) model is a quantum integrable system with arbitrary numbers of two types of particles and reducing to the standard CS model in special cases. We show that a known collective field description of the CS model, which is based on conformal field theory (CFT), is actually a collective field description of the deformed CS model. This provides a natural application of the deformed CS model in Wen's effective field theory of the fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE), with the two kinds of particles corresponding to electrons and quasi-hole excitations. In particular, we use known mathematical results about super-Jack polynomials to obtain simple explicit formulas for the orthonormal CFT basis proposed by van Elburg and Schoutens in the context of the FQHE.

Getting super-excited with modified dispersion relations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ashoorioon, Amjad; Casadio, Roberto; Geshnizjani, Ghazal

We demonstrate that in some regions of parameter space, modified dispersion relations can lead to highly populated excited states, which we dub as 'super-excited' states. In order to prepare such super-excited states, we invoke dispersion relations that have negative slope in an interim sub-horizon phase at high momenta. This behaviour of quantum fluctuations can lead to large corrections relative to the Bunch-Davies power spectrum, which mimics highly excited initial conditions. We identify the Bogolyubov coefficients that can yield these power spectra. In the course of this computation, we also point out the shortcomings of the gluing method for evaluating themore » power spectrum and the Bogolyubov coefficients. As we discuss, there are other regions of parameter space, where the power spectrum does not get modified. Therefore, modified dispersion relations can also lead to so-called 'calm excited states'. We conclude by commenting on the possibility of obtaining these modified dispersion relations within the Effective Field Theory of Inflation.« less

Stimulated emission depletion microscopy resolves individual nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond nanocrystals.

PubMed

Arroyo-Camejo, Silvia; Adam, Marie-Pierre; Besbes, Mondher; Hugonin, Jean-Paul; Jacques, Vincent; Greffet, Jean-Jacques; Roch, Jean-François; Hell, Stefan W; Treussart, François

2013-12-23

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color centers in nanodiamonds are highly promising for bioimaging and sensing. However, resolving individual NV centers within nanodiamond particles and the controlled addressing and readout of their spin state has remained a major challenge. Spatially stochastic super-resolution techniques cannot provide this capability in principle, whereas coordinate-controlled super-resolution imaging methods, like stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, have been predicted to fail in nanodiamonds. Here we show that, contrary to these predictions, STED can resolve single NV centers in 40-250 nm sized nanodiamonds with a resolution of ≈10 nm. Even multiple adjacent NVs located in single nanodiamonds can be imaged individually down to relative distances of ≈15 nm. Far-field optical super-resolution of NVs inside nanodiamonds is highly relevant for bioimaging applications of these fluorescent nanolabels. The targeted addressing and readout of individual NV(-) spins inside nanodiamonds by STED should also be of high significance for quantum sensing and information applications.

Super-Coulombic atom–atom interactions in hyperbolic media

PubMed Central

Cortes, Cristian L.; Jacob, Zubin

2017-01-01

Dipole–dipole interactions, which govern phenomena such as cooperative Lamb shifts, superradiant decay rates, Van der Waals forces and resonance energy transfer rates, are conventionally limited to the Coulombic near-field. Here we reveal a class of real-photon and virtual-photon long-range quantum electrodynamic interactions that have a singularity in media with hyperbolic dispersion. The singularity in the dipole–dipole coupling, referred to as a super-Coulombic interaction, is a result of an effective interaction distance that goes to zero in the ideal limit irrespective of the physical distance. We investigate the entire landscape of atom–atom interactions in hyperbolic media confirming the giant long-range enhancement. We also propose multiple experimental platforms to verify our predicted effect with phonon–polaritonic hexagonal boron nitride, plasmonic super-lattices and hyperbolic meta-surfaces as well. Our work paves the way for the control of cold atoms above hyperbolic meta-surfaces and the study of many-body physics with hyperbolic media. PMID:28120826

Super-Coulombic atom-atom interactions in hyperbolic media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cortes, Cristian L.; Jacob, Zubin

2017-01-01

Dipole-dipole interactions, which govern phenomena such as cooperative Lamb shifts, superradiant decay rates, Van der Waals forces and resonance energy transfer rates, are conventionally limited to the Coulombic near-field. Here we reveal a class of real-photon and virtual-photon long-range quantum electrodynamic interactions that have a singularity in media with hyperbolic dispersion. The singularity in the dipole-dipole coupling, referred to as a super-Coulombic interaction, is a result of an effective interaction distance that goes to zero in the ideal limit irrespective of the physical distance. We investigate the entire landscape of atom-atom interactions in hyperbolic media confirming the giant long-range enhancement. We also propose multiple experimental platforms to verify our predicted effect with phonon-polaritonic hexagonal boron nitride, plasmonic super-lattices and hyperbolic meta-surfaces as well. Our work paves the way for the control of cold atoms above hyperbolic meta-surfaces and the study of many-body physics with hyperbolic media.

The Big Bang Theory--Coping with Multi-Religious Beliefs in the Super-Diverse Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Carvalho, Roussel

2013-01-01

Large urban schools have to cope with a "super-diverse" population with a multireligious background in their classrooms. The job of the science teacher within this environment requires an ultra-sensitive pedagogical approach, and a deeper understanding of students' backgrounds and of scientific epistemology. Teachers must create a safe…

Radial Velocities and Binarity of Southern SIM Grid Stars

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

the range 0.005–0.008M of companion mass, thus, these data should be sensitive to super- Jupiters and brown dwarf companions in 1-yr orbits. The absence...freedom. Hence, these results do not preclude the exis- tence of a limited number (∼20) of super- Jupiter planets or brown dwarf companions in our

Combined multi-plane phase retrieval and super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging for 4D cell microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Descloux, A.; Grußmayer, K. S.; Bostan, E.; Lukes, T.; Bouwens, A.; Sharipov, A.; Geissbuehler, S.; Mahul-Mellier, A.-L.; Lashuel, H. A.; Leutenegger, M.; Lasser, T.

2018-03-01

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy provides unprecedented insight into cellular and subcellular structures. However, going `beyond the diffraction barrier' comes at a price, since most far-field super-resolution imaging techniques trade temporal for spatial super-resolution. We propose the combination of a novel label-free white light quantitative phase imaging with fluorescence to provide high-speed imaging and spatial super-resolution. The non-iterative phase retrieval relies on the acquisition of single images at each z-location and thus enables straightforward 3D phase imaging using a classical microscope. We realized multi-plane imaging using a customized prism for the simultaneous acquisition of eight planes. This allowed us to not only image live cells in 3D at up to 200 Hz, but also to integrate fluorescence super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging within the same optical instrument. The 4D microscope platform unifies the sensitivity and high temporal resolution of phase imaging with the specificity and high spatial resolution of fluorescence microscopy.

Super-heavy electron material as metallic refrigerant for adiabatic demagnetization cooling

PubMed Central

Tokiwa, Yoshifumi; Piening, Boy; Jeevan, Hirale S.; Bud’ko, Sergey L.; Canfield, Paul C.; Gegenwart, Philipp

2016-01-01

Low-temperature refrigeration is of crucial importance in fundamental research of condensed matter physics, because the investigations of fascinating quantum phenomena, such as superconductivity, superfluidity, and quantum criticality, often require refrigeration down to very low temperatures. Currently, cryogenic refrigerators with 3He gas are widely used for cooling below 1 K. However, usage of the gas has been increasingly difficult because of the current worldwide shortage. Therefore, it is important to consider alternative methods of refrigeration. We show that a new type of refrigerant, the super-heavy electron metal YbCo2Zn20, can be used for adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration, which does not require 3He gas. This method has a number of advantages, including much better metallic thermal conductivity compared to the conventional insulating refrigerants. We also demonstrate that the cooling performance is optimized in Yb1−xScxCo2Zn20 by partial Sc substitution, with x ~ 0.19. The substitution induces chemical pressure that drives the materials to a zero-field quantum critical point. This leads to an additional enhancement of the magnetocaloric effect in low fields and low temperatures, enabling final temperatures well below 100 mK. This performance has, up to now, been restricted to insulators. For nearly a century, the same principle of using local magnetic moments has been applied for adiabatic demagnetization cooling. This study opens new possibilities of using itinerant magnetic moments for cryogen-free refrigeration. PMID:27626073

Super-heavy electron material as metallic refrigerant for adiabatic demagnetization cooling

DOE PAGES

Tokiwa, Yoshifumi; Piening, Boy; Jeevan, Hirale S.; ...

2016-09-09

Low-temperature refrigeration is of crucial importance in fundamental research of condensed matter physics, because the investigations of fascinating quantum phenomena, such as superconductivity, superfluidity, and quantum criticality, often require refrigeration down to very low temperatures. Currently, cryogenic refrigerators with 3He gas are widely used for cooling below 1 Kelvin. However, usage of the gas has been increasingly difficult because of the current world-wide shortage. Therefore, it is important to consider alternative methods of refrigeration. We show that a new type of refrigerant, the super-heavy electron metal YbCo 2Zn 20, can be used for adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration, which does not requiremore » 3He gas. This method has a number of advantages, including much better metallic thermal conductivity compared to the conventional insulating refrigerants. We also demonstrate that the cooling performance is optimized in Yb 1$-$xSc xCo 2Zn 20 by partial Sc substitution, with x ~ 0.19. The substitution induces chemical pressure that drives the materials to a zero-field quantum critical point. This leads to an additional enhancement of the magnetocaloric effect in low fields and low temperatures, enabling final temperatures well below 100 mK. This performance has, up to now, been restricted to insulators. For nearly a century, the same principle of using local magnetic moments has been applied for adiabatic demagnetization cooling. Lastly, this study opens new possibilities of using itinerant magnetic moments for cryogen-free refrigeration.« less

Super-heavy electron material as metallic refrigerant for adiabatic demagnetization cooling.

PubMed

Tokiwa, Yoshifumi; Piening, Boy; Jeevan, Hirale S; Bud'ko, Sergey L; Canfield, Paul C; Gegenwart, Philipp

2016-09-01

Low-temperature refrigeration is of crucial importance in fundamental research of condensed matter physics, because the investigations of fascinating quantum phenomena, such as superconductivity, superfluidity, and quantum criticality, often require refrigeration down to very low temperatures. Currently, cryogenic refrigerators with (3)He gas are widely used for cooling below 1 K. However, usage of the gas has been increasingly difficult because of the current worldwide shortage. Therefore, it is important to consider alternative methods of refrigeration. We show that a new type of refrigerant, the super-heavy electron metal YbCo2Zn20, can be used for adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration, which does not require (3)He gas. This method has a number of advantages, including much better metallic thermal conductivity compared to the conventional insulating refrigerants. We also demonstrate that the cooling performance is optimized in Yb1-x Sc x Co2Zn20 by partial Sc substitution, with x ~ 0.19. The substitution induces chemical pressure that drives the materials to a zero-field quantum critical point. This leads to an additional enhancement of the magnetocaloric effect in low fields and low temperatures, enabling final temperatures well below 100 mK. This performance has, up to now, been restricted to insulators. For nearly a century, the same principle of using local magnetic moments has been applied for adiabatic demagnetization cooling. This study opens new possibilities of using itinerant magnetic moments for cryogen-free refrigeration.

Super-heavy electron material as metallic refrigerant for adiabatic demagnetization cooling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tokiwa, Yoshifumi; Piening, Boy; Jeevan, Hirale S.

Low-temperature refrigeration is of crucial importance in fundamental research of condensed matter physics, because the investigations of fascinating quantum phenomena, such as superconductivity, superfluidity, and quantum criticality, often require refrigeration down to very low temperatures. Currently, cryogenic refrigerators with 3He gas are widely used for cooling below 1 Kelvin. However, usage of the gas has been increasingly difficult because of the current world-wide shortage. Therefore, it is important to consider alternative methods of refrigeration. We show that a new type of refrigerant, the super-heavy electron metal YbCo 2Zn 20, can be used for adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration, which does not requiremore » 3He gas. This method has a number of advantages, including much better metallic thermal conductivity compared to the conventional insulating refrigerants. We also demonstrate that the cooling performance is optimized in Yb 1$-$xSc xCo 2Zn 20 by partial Sc substitution, with x ~ 0.19. The substitution induces chemical pressure that drives the materials to a zero-field quantum critical point. This leads to an additional enhancement of the magnetocaloric effect in low fields and low temperatures, enabling final temperatures well below 100 mK. This performance has, up to now, been restricted to insulators. For nearly a century, the same principle of using local magnetic moments has been applied for adiabatic demagnetization cooling. Lastly, this study opens new possibilities of using itinerant magnetic moments for cryogen-free refrigeration.« less

Exact calculation of the time convolutionless master equation generator: Application to the nonequilibrium resonant level model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kidon, Lyran; Wilner, Eli Y.; Rabani, Eran

2015-12-01

The generalized quantum master equation provides a powerful tool to describe the dynamics in quantum impurity models driven away from equilibrium. Two complementary approaches, one based on Nakajima-Zwanzig-Mori time-convolution (TC) and the other on the Tokuyama-Mori time-convolutionless (TCL) formulations provide a starting point to describe the time-evolution of the reduced density matrix. A key in both approaches is to obtain the so called "memory kernel" or "generator," going beyond second or fourth order perturbation techniques. While numerically converged techniques are available for the TC memory kernel, the canonical approach to obtain the TCL generator is based on inverting a super-operator in the full Hilbert space, which is difficult to perform and thus, nearly all applications of the TCL approach rely on a perturbative scheme of some sort. Here, the TCL generator is expressed using a reduced system propagator which can be obtained from system observables alone and requires the calculation of super-operators and their inverse in the reduced Hilbert space rather than the full one. This makes the formulation amenable to quantum impurity solvers or to diagrammatic techniques, such as the nonequilibrium Green's function. We implement the TCL approach for the resonant level model driven away from equilibrium and compare the time scales for the decay of the generator with that of the memory kernel in the TC approach. Furthermore, the effects of temperature, source-drain bias, and gate potential on the TCL/TC generators are discussed.

A strategy of combining SILAR with solvothermal process for In2S3 sensitized quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Peizhi; Tang, Qunwei; Ji, Chenming; Wang, Haobo

2015-12-01

Pursuit of an efficient strategy for quantum dot-sensitized photoanode has been a persistent objective for enhancing photovoltaic performances of quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSC). We present here the fabrication of the indium sulfide (In2S3) quantum dot-sensitized titanium dioxide (TiO2) photoanode by combining successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) with solvothermal processes. The resultant QDSC consists of an In2S3 sensitized TiO2 photoanode, a liquid polysulfide electrolyte, and a Co0.85Se counter electrode. The optimized QDSC with photoanode prepared with the help of a SILAR method at 20 deposition cycles and solvothermal method yields a maximum power conversion efficiency of 1.39%.

CdS/CdSe co-sensitized SnO2 photoelectrodes for quantum dots sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yibing; Lin, Yu; Meng, Yongming; Tu, Yongguang; Zhang, Xiaolong

2015-07-01

SnO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method and applied to photo-electrodes of quantum dots-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). After sensitizing SnO2 films via CdS quantum dots, CdSe quantum dots was decorated on the surface of CdS/SnO2 photo-electrodes to further improve the power conversion efficiency. CdS and CdSe quantum dots were deposited by successive ionic layer absorption and reaction method (SILAR) and chemical bath deposition method (CBD) respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to identify the surface profile and crystal structure of SnO2 photo-electrodes before and after deposited quantum dots. After CdSe co-sensitized process, an overall power conversion efficiency of 1.78% was obtained in CdSe/CdS/SnO2 QDSSC, which showed 66.4% improvement than that of CdS/SnO2 QDSSC.

Super-sensitive two-wavelength fringe projection profilometry with 2-sensitivities temporal unwrapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Servin, Manuel; Padilla, Moises; Garnica, Guillermo

2018-07-01

Since the early 1970s, optical two-wavelength phase-metrology (TWPM) has been used in a wide variety of experimental set ups. In TWPM one may compute the phase-sum and the phase-difference of two close phase measurements. Early TWPM optically computed the phase difference and phase sum by double exposure holography. However soon after, TWPM became almost synonymous to calculating the phase-difference only. The more sensitive phase-sum was largely forgotten. The standard application for phase-difference TWPM is to extend the phase measurement depth without phase-unwrapping for discontinuous phase-objects. This phase-difference, while non-wrapped, decreases however the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the estimated phase. On the other hand, the phase-sum increases the phase sensitivity, and the SNR of the estimated phase. In spite of these two great advantages, the use of the phase-sum in TWPM has been almost ignored. In this paper we review and set the stage for digital TWPM for super-sensitive phase-sum estimation. This is coupled with two-sensitivity phase-unwrapping to obtain extended-range super-sensitive fringe-projection profilometry estimations. Here we mathematically prove, and experimentally show that using the phase-sum one obtains a huge increase in SNR with respect to using the phase-difference alone. The pioneer works on double exposure TWPM holography that uses the phase-difference and phase-sum are also properly acknowledged. Finally, two experimental results from fringe-projection profilometry that clearly show the huge SNR gain of the phase-sum, with respect to the phase-difference is now mathematically well established.

Quantum locking of mirrors in interferometers.

PubMed

Courty, Jean-Michel; Heidmann, Antoine; Pinard, Michel

2003-02-28

We show that quantum noise in very sensitive interferometric measurements such as gravitational-wave detectors can be drastically modified by quantum feedback. We present a new scheme based on active control to lock the motion of a mirror to a reference mirror at the quantum level. This simple technique allows one to reduce quantum effects of radiation pressure and to greatly enhance the sensitivity of the detection.

Designing Quantum Spin-Orbital Liquids in Artificial Mott Insulators

PubMed Central

Dou, Xu; Kotov, Valeri N.; Uchoa, Bruno

2016-01-01

Quantum spin-orbital liquids are elusive strongly correlated states of matter that emerge from quantum frustration between spin and orbital degrees of freedom. A promising route towards the observation of those states is the creation of artificial Mott insulators where antiferromagnetic correlations between spins and orbitals can be designed. We show that Coulomb impurity lattices on the surface of gapped honeycomb substrates, such as graphene on SiC, can be used to simulate SU(4) symmetric spin-orbital lattice models. We exploit the property that massive Dirac fermions form mid-gap bound states with spin and valley degeneracies in the vicinity of a Coulomb impurity. Due to electronic repulsion, the antiferromagnetic correlations of the impurity lattice are driven by a super-exchange interaction with SU(4) symmetry, which emerges from the bound states degeneracy at quarter filling. We propose that quantum spin-orbital liquids can be engineered in artificially designed solid-state systems at vastly higher temperatures than achievable in optical lattices with cold atoms. We discuss the experimental setup and possible scenarios for candidate quantum spin-liquids in Coulomb impurity lattices of various geometries. PMID:27553516

Wavelength-encoded tomography based on optical temporal Fourier transform

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Chi; Wong, Kenneth K. Y., E-mail: kywong@eee.hku.hk

We propose and demonstrate a technique called wavelength-encoded tomography (WET) for non-invasive optical cross-sectional imaging, particularly beneficial in biological system. The WET utilizes time-lens to perform the optical Fourier transform, and the time-to-wavelength conversion generates a wavelength-encoded image of optical scattering from internal microstructures, analogous to the interferometery-based imaging such as optical coherence tomography. Optical Fourier transform, in principle, comes with twice as good axial resolution over the electrical Fourier transform, and will greatly simplify the digital signal processing after the data acquisition. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, a 150 -μm (ideally 36 μm) resolution is achieved based on a 7.5-nm bandwidth swept-pump,more » using a conventional optical spectrum analyzer. This approach can potentially achieve up to 100-MHz or even higher frame rate with some proven ultrafast spectrum analyzer. We believe that this technique is innovative towards the next-generation ultrafast optical tomographic imaging application.« less

Exponential Sensitivity and its Cost in Quantum Physics

PubMed Central

Gilyén, András; Kiss, Tamás; Jex, Igor

2016-01-01

State selective protocols, like entanglement purification, lead to an essentially non-linear quantum evolution, unusual in naturally occurring quantum processes. Sensitivity to initial states in quantum systems, stemming from such non-linear dynamics, is a promising perspective for applications. Here we demonstrate that chaotic behaviour is a rather generic feature in state selective protocols: exponential sensitivity can exist for all initial states in an experimentally realisable optical scheme. Moreover, any complex rational polynomial map, including the example of the Mandelbrot set, can be directly realised. In state selective protocols, one needs an ensemble of initial states, the size of which decreases with each iteration. We prove that exponential sensitivity to initial states in any quantum system has to be related to downsizing the initial ensemble also exponentially. Our results show that magnifying initial differences of quantum states (a Schrödinger microscope) is possible; however, there is a strict bound on the number of copies needed. PMID:26861076

Influence of surface states of CuInS2 quantum dots in quantum dots sensitized photo-electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Zhuoyin; Liu, Yueli; Wu, Lei; Zhao, Yinghan; Chen, Keqiang; Chen, Wen

2016-12-01

Surface states are significant factor for the enhancement of electrochemical performance in CuInS2 quantum dot sensitized photo-electrodes. DDT, OLA, MPA, and S2- ligand capped CuInS2 quantum dot sensitized photo-electrodes are prepared by thermolysis, solvethermal and ligand-exchange processes, respectively, and their optical properties and photoelectrochemical properties are investigated. The S2- ligand enhances the UV-vis absorption and electron-hole separation property as well as the excellent charge transfer performance of the photo-electrodes, which is attributed to the fact that the atomic S2- ligand for the interfacial region of quantum dots may improve the electron transfer rate. These S2--capped CuInS2 quantum dot sensitized photo-electrodes exhibit the excellent photoelectrochemical efficiency and IPCE peak value, which is higher than that of the samples with DDT, OLA and MPA ligands.

Exponential Sensitivity and its Cost in Quantum Physics.

PubMed

Gilyén, András; Kiss, Tamás; Jex, Igor

2016-02-10

State selective protocols, like entanglement purification, lead to an essentially non-linear quantum evolution, unusual in naturally occurring quantum processes. Sensitivity to initial states in quantum systems, stemming from such non-linear dynamics, is a promising perspective for applications. Here we demonstrate that chaotic behaviour is a rather generic feature in state selective protocols: exponential sensitivity can exist for all initial states in an experimentally realisable optical scheme. Moreover, any complex rational polynomial map, including the example of the Mandelbrot set, can be directly realised. In state selective protocols, one needs an ensemble of initial states, the size of which decreases with each iteration. We prove that exponential sensitivity to initial states in any quantum system has to be related to downsizing the initial ensemble also exponentially. Our results show that magnifying initial differences of quantum states (a Schrödinger microscope) is possible; however, there is a strict bound on the number of copies needed.

Rapid detection of Bacillus anthracis spores using a super-paramagnetic lateral-flow immunological detection system.

PubMed

Wang, Dian-Bing; Tian, Bo; Zhang, Zhi-Ping; Deng, Jiao-Yu; Cui, Zong-Qiang; Yang, Rui-Fu; Wang, Xu-Ying; Wei, Hong-Ping; Zhang, Xian-En

2013-04-15

There is an urgent need for convenient, sensitive, and specific methods to detect the spores of Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, because of the bioterrorism threat posed by this bacterium. In this study, we firstly develop a super-paramagnetic lateral-flow immunological detection system for B. anthracis spores. This system involves the use of a portable magnetic assay reader, super-paramagnetic iron oxide particles, lateral-flow strips and two different monoclonal antibodies directed against B. anthracis spores. This detection system specifically recognises as few as 400 pure B. anthracis spores in 30 min. This system has a linear range of 4×10³-10⁶ CFU ml⁻¹ and reproducible detection limits of 200 spores mg⁻¹ milk powder and 130 spores mg⁻¹ soil for simulated samples. In addition, this approach shows no obvious cross-reaction with other related Bacillus spores, even at high concentrations, and has no significant dependence on the duration of the storage of the immunological strips. Therefore, this super-paramagnetic lateral-flow immunological detection system is a promising tool for the rapid and sensitive detection of Bacillus anthracis spores under field conditions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Far-field nanoscopy on a semiconductor quantum dot via a rapid-adiabatic-passage-based switch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaldewey, Timo; Kuhlmann, Andreas V.; Valentin, Sascha R.; Ludwig, Arne; Wieck, Andreas D.; Warburton, Richard J.

2018-02-01

The diffraction limit prevents a conventional optical microscope from imaging at the nanoscale. However, nanoscale imaging of molecules is possible by exploiting an intensity-dependent molecular switch1-3. This switch is translated into a microscopy scheme, stimulated emission depletion microscopy4-7. Variants on this scheme exist3,8-13, yet all exploit an incoherent response to the lasers. We present a scheme that relies on a coherent response to a laser. Quantum control of a two-level system proceeds via rapid adiabatic passage, an ideal molecular switch. We implement this scheme on an ensemble of quantum dots. Each quantum dot results in a bright spot in the image with extent down to 30 nm (λ/31). There is no significant loss of intensity with respect to confocal microscopy, resulting in a factor of 10 improvement in emitter position determination. The experiments establish rapid adiabatic passage as a versatile tool in the super-resolution toolbox.

High Sensitivity Optically Pumped Quantum Magnetometer

PubMed Central

Tiporlini, Valentina; Alameh, Kamal

2013-01-01

Quantum magnetometers based on optical pumping can achieve sensitivity as high as what SQUID-based devices can attain. In this paper, we discuss the principle of operation and the optimal design of an optically pumped quantum magnetometer. The ultimate intrinsic sensitivity is calculated showing that optimal performance of the magnetometer is attained with an optical pump power of 20 μW and an operation temperature of 48°C. Results show that the ultimate intrinsic sensitivity of the quantum magnetometer that can be achieved is 327 fT/Hz1/2 over a bandwidth of 26 Hz and that this sensitivity drops to 130 pT/Hz1/2 in the presence of environmental noise. The quantum magnetometer is shown to be capable of detecting a sinusoidal magnetic field of amplitude as low as 15 pT oscillating at 25 Hz. PMID:23766716

Single-ion quantum lock-in amplifier.

PubMed

Kotler, Shlomi; Akerman, Nitzan; Glickman, Yinnon; Keselman, Anna; Ozeri, Roee

2011-05-05

Quantum metrology uses tools from quantum information science to improve measurement signal-to-noise ratios. The challenge is to increase sensitivity while reducing susceptibility to noise, tasks that are often in conflict. Lock-in measurement is a detection scheme designed to overcome this difficulty by spectrally separating signal from noise. Here we report on the implementation of a quantum analogue to the classical lock-in amplifier. All the lock-in operations--modulation, detection and mixing--are performed through the application of non-commuting quantum operators to the electronic spin state of a single, trapped Sr(+) ion. We significantly increase its sensitivity to external fields while extending phase coherence by three orders of magnitude, to more than one second. Using this technique, we measure frequency shifts with a sensitivity of 0.42 Hz Hz(-1/2) (corresponding to a magnetic field measurement sensitivity of 15 pT Hz(-1/2)), obtaining an uncertainty of less than 10 mHz (350 fT) after 3,720 seconds of averaging. These sensitivities are limited by quantum projection noise and improve on other single-spin probe technologies by two orders of magnitude. Our reported sensitivity is sufficient for the measurement of parity non-conservation, as well as the detection of the magnetic field of a single electronic spin one micrometre from an ion detector with nanometre resolution. As a first application, we perform light shift spectroscopy of a narrow optical quadrupole transition. Finally, we emphasize that the quantum lock-in technique is generic and can potentially enhance the sensitivity of any quantum sensor. ©2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved

6.5% efficient perovskite quantum-dot-sensitized solar cell.

PubMed

Im, Jeong-Hyeok; Lee, Chang-Ryul; Lee, Jin-Wook; Park, Sang-Won; Park, Nam-Gyu

2011-10-05

Highly efficient quantum-dot-sensitized solar cell is fabricated using ca. 2-3 nm sized perovskite (CH(3)NH(3))PbI(3) nanocrystal. Spin-coating of the equimolar mixture of CH(3)NH(3)I and PbI(2) in γ-butyrolactone solution (perovskite precursor solution) leads to (CH(3)NH(3))PbI(3) quantum dots (QDs) on nanocrystalline TiO(2) surface. By electrochemical junction with iodide/iodine based redox electrolyte, perovskite QD-sensitized 3.6 μm-thick TiO(2) film shows maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 78.6% at 530 nm and solar-to-electrical conversion efficiency of 6.54% at AM 1.5G 1 sun intensity (100 mW cm(-2)), which is by far the highest efficiency among the reported inorganic quantum dot sensitizers.

Linearizable quantum supersymmetric σ models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haba, Z.

1988-07-01

Euclidean quantization of superfields with values in a Hermitian manifold and defined on a super-Riemann surface is discussed. It is shown that stochastic differential equations relating an interacting σ superfield to the free one become linear if the field takes values in a generalized Poincaré upper half-plane. A renormalized perturbative solution is obtained. Fields with values in a Riemann surface are discussed in brief.

Prospects of third-generation femtosecond laser technology in biological spectromicroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fattahi, Hanieh; Fattahi, Zohreh; Ghorbani, Asghar

2018-05-01

The next generation of biological imaging modalities will be a movement towards super-resolution, label-free approaches to realize subcellular images in a nonperturbative, non-invasive manner and towards new detection metrologies to reach a higher sensitivity and dynamic range. In this paper, we discuss how the third generation femtosecond laser technology in combination with the already existing concepts in time-resolved spectroscopy could fulfill the requirements of these exciting prospects. The expected enhanced specificity and sensitivity of the envisioned super-resolution microscope could lead us to a better understanding of the inter- and intra-cellular molecular transport and DNA-protein interaction.

New ultrasensitive pickup device for deep-sea robots: underwater super-HARP color TV camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maruyama, Hirotaka; Tanioka, Kenkichi; Uchida, Tetsuo

1994-11-01

An ultra-sensitive underwater super-HARP color TV camera has been developed. The characteristics -- spectral response, lag, etc. -- of the super-HARP tube had to be designed for use underwater because the propagation of light in water is very different from that in air, and also depends on the light's wavelength. The tubes have new electrostatic focusing and magnetic deflection functions and are arranged in parallel to miniaturize the camera. A deep sea robot (DOLPHIN 3K) was fitted with this camera and used for the first sea test in Sagami Bay, Japan. The underwater visual information was clear enough to promise significant improvements in both deep sea surveying and safety. It was thus confirmed that the Super- HARP camera is very effective for underwater use.

Combining the Complete Active Space Self-Consistent Field Method and the Full Configuration Interaction Quantum Monte Carlo within a Super-CI Framework, with Application to Challenging Metal-Porphyrins.

PubMed

Li Manni, Giovanni; Smart, Simon D; Alavi, Ali

2016-03-08

A novel stochastic Complete Active Space Self-Consistent Field (CASSCF) method has been developed and implemented in the Molcas software package. A two-step procedure is used, in which the CAS configuration interaction secular equations are solved stochastically with the Full Configuration Interaction Quantum Monte Carlo (FCIQMC) approach, while orbital rotations are performed using an approximated form of the Super-CI method. This new method does not suffer from the strong combinatorial limitations of standard MCSCF implementations using direct schemes and can handle active spaces well in excess of those accessible to traditional CASSCF approaches. The density matrix formulation of the Super-CI method makes this step independent of the size of the CI expansion, depending exclusively on one- and two-body density matrices with indices restricted to the relatively small number of active orbitals. No sigma vectors need to be stored in memory for the FCIQMC eigensolver--a substantial gain in comparison to implementations using the Davidson method, which require three or more vectors of the size of the CI expansion. Further, no orbital Hessian is computed, circumventing limitations on basis set expansions. Like the parent FCIQMC method, the present technique is scalable on massively parallel architectures. We present in this report the method and its application to the free-base porphyrin, Mg(II) porphyrin, and Fe(II) porphyrin. In the present study, active spaces up to 32 electrons and 29 orbitals in orbital expansions containing up to 916 contracted functions are treated with modest computational resources. Results are quite promising even without accounting for the correlation outside the active space. The systems here presented clearly demonstrate that large CASSCF calculations are possible via FCIQMC-CASSCF without limitations on basis set size.

Matrix De Rham Complex and Quantum A-infinity algebras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barannikov, S.

2014-04-01

I establish the relation of the non-commutative BV-formalism with super-invariant matrix integration. In particular, the non-commutative BV-equation, defining the quantum A ∞-algebras, introduced in Barannikov (Modular operads and non-commutative Batalin-Vilkovisky geometry. IMRN, vol. 2007, rnm075. Max Planck Institute for Mathematics 2006-48, 2007), is represented via de Rham differential acting on the supermatrix spaces related with Bernstein-Leites simple associative algebras with odd trace q( N), and gl( N| N). I also show that the matrix Lagrangians from Barannikov (Noncommutative Batalin-Vilkovisky geometry and matrix integrals. Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge University, 2006) are represented by equivariantly closed differential forms.

Evaluation of the non-Gaussianity of two-mode entangled states over a bosonic memory channel via cumulant theory and quadrature detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Shao-Hua; Wen, Wei; Zhao, Yu-Jing; Song, Ke-Hui

2018-04-01

We study the properties of the cumulants of multimode boson operators and introduce the phase-averaged quadrature cumulants as the measure of the non-Gaussianity of multimode quantum states. Using this measure, we investigate the non-Gaussianity of two classes of two-mode non-Gaussian states: photon-number entangled states and entangled coherent states traveling in a bosonic memory quantum channel. We show that such a channel can skew the distribution of two-mode quadrature variables, giving rise to a strongly non-Gaussian correlation. In addition, we provide a criterion to determine whether the distributions of these states are super- or sub-Gaussian.

The first dozen years of the history of ITEP Theoretical Physics Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ioffe, B. L.

2013-01-01

The theoretical investigations at ITEP in the years 1945 - 1958 are reviewed. There are exposed the most important theoretical results, obtained in the following branches of physics: (1) the theory of nuclear reactors on thermal neutrons; (2) the hydrogen bomb project ("Tube" in USSR and "Classical Super" in USA); (3) radiation theory; (4) low temperature physics; (5) quantum electrodynamics and quantum field theories; (6) parity violation in weak interactions, the theory of β-decay and other weak processes; (7) strong interaction and nuclear physics. To the review are added the English translations of a few papers, originally published in Russian, but unknown (or almost unknown) to Western readers.

Optical activity of helical quantum-dot supercrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baimuratov, A. S.; Tepliakov, N. V.; Gun'ko, Yu. K.; Baranov, A. V.; Federov, A. V.; Rukhlenko, I. D.

2017-01-01

The size of chiral nanoparticles is much smaller than the optical wavelength. As a result, the difference in interaction of enantiomers with circularly polarized light of different handedness is practically unobservable. Due to the large mismatch in scale, the problem of enhancement of enantioselectivity of optical properties of nanoparticles is particularly important for modern photonics. In this work, we show that ordering of achiral nanoparticles into a chiral supercrystal with dimensions comparable to the wavelength of light allows achieving nearly total dissymmetry of optical absorption and demonstrate this using a helical super-crystal made of semiconductor quantum dots as an example. The proposed approach may find numerous applications in various optical and analytical methods used in biomedicine, chemistry, and pharmacology.

Effect of thermal annealing Super Yellow emissive layer on efficiency of OLEDs

PubMed Central

Burns, Samantha; MacLeod, Jennifer; Trang Do, Thu; Sonar, Prashant; Yambem, Soniya D.

2017-01-01

Thermal annealing of the emissive layer of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) is a common practice for solution processable emissive layers and reported annealing temperatures varies across a wide range of temperatures. We have investigated the influence of thermal annealing of the emissive layer at different temperatures on the performance of OLEDs. Solution processed polymer Super Yellow emissive layers were annealed at different temperatures and their performances were compared against OLEDs with a non-annealed emissive layer. We found a significant difference in the efficiency of OLEDs with different annealing temperatures. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) reached a maximum of 4.09% with the emissive layer annealed at 50 °C. The EQE dropped by ~35% (to 2.72%) for OLEDs with the emissive layers annealed at 200 °C. The observed performances of OLEDs were found to be closely related to thermal properties of polymer Super Yellow. The results reported here provide an important guideline for processing emissive layers and are significant for OLED and other organic electronics research communities. PMID:28106082

Quantum sensing with arbitrary frequency resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boss, J. M.; Cujia, K. S.; Zopes, J.; Degen, C. L.

2017-05-01

Quantum sensing takes advantage of well-controlled quantum systems for performing measurements with high sensitivity and precision. We have implemented a concept for quantum sensing with arbitrary frequency resolution, independent of the qubit probe and limited only by the stability of an external synchronization clock. Our concept makes use of quantum lock-in detection to continuously probe a signal of interest. Using the electronic spin of a single nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond, we demonstrate detection of oscillating magnetic fields with a frequency resolution of 70 microhertz over a megahertz bandwidth. The continuous sampling further guarantees an enhanced sensitivity, reaching a signal-to-noise ratio in excess of 104 for a 170-nanotesla test signal measured during a 1-hour interval. Our technique has applications in magnetic resonance spectroscopy, quantum simulation, and sensitive signal detection.

Exact calculation of the time convolutionless master equation generator: Application to the nonequilibrium resonant level model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kidon, Lyran; The Sackler Center for Computational Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978; Wilner, Eli Y.

2015-12-21

The generalized quantum master equation provides a powerful tool to describe the dynamics in quantum impurity models driven away from equilibrium. Two complementary approaches, one based on Nakajima–Zwanzig–Mori time-convolution (TC) and the other on the Tokuyama–Mori time-convolutionless (TCL) formulations provide a starting point to describe the time-evolution of the reduced density matrix. A key in both approaches is to obtain the so called “memory kernel” or “generator,” going beyond second or fourth order perturbation techniques. While numerically converged techniques are available for the TC memory kernel, the canonical approach to obtain the TCL generator is based on inverting a super-operatormore » in the full Hilbert space, which is difficult to perform and thus, nearly all applications of the TCL approach rely on a perturbative scheme of some sort. Here, the TCL generator is expressed using a reduced system propagator which can be obtained from system observables alone and requires the calculation of super-operators and their inverse in the reduced Hilbert space rather than the full one. This makes the formulation amenable to quantum impurity solvers or to diagrammatic techniques, such as the nonequilibrium Green’s function. We implement the TCL approach for the resonant level model driven away from equilibrium and compare the time scales for the decay of the generator with that of the memory kernel in the TC approach. Furthermore, the effects of temperature, source-drain bias, and gate potential on the TCL/TC generators are discussed.« less

QUANTUM CONTROL OF LIGHT: From Slow Light and FAST CARS to Nuclear γ-ray Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scully, Marlan

2007-06-01

In recent work we have demonstrated strong coherent backward wave oscillation using forward propagating fields only. This surprising result is achieved by applying laser fields to an ultra-dispersive medium with proper chosen detunings to excite a molecular vibrational coherence that corresponds to a backward propagating wave [PRL, 97, 113001 (2006)]. The physics then has much in common with propagation of ultra-slow light. Applications of coherent scattering and remote sensing to the detection of bio and chemical pathogens (e.g., anthrax) via Coherent Anti-Raman Scattering together with Femtosecond Adaptive Spectroscopic Techniques (FAST CARS [Opt. Comm., 244, 423 (2005)]) will be discussed. Furthermore, the interplay between quantum optics (Dicke super and sub-radiant states) and nuclear physics (forward scattering of γ radiation) provides interesting problems and insights into the quantum control of scattered light [PRL, 96, 010501 (2005)].

SuperHERO: The Next Generation Hard X-Ray HEROES Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A.; Gaskin, Jessica A.; Christe, Steven D.; Elsner, Ronald F.; Ramsey, Brian D.; Seller, Paul; Shih, Albert Y.; Stuchlik, David W.; Swartz, Douglas A.; Tenant, Allyn F.;

SuperHERO: The Next Generation Hard X-ray HEROES Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaskin, Jessica A.; Christe, Steven D.; Wilson-Hodge, Colleen; Shih, Albert Y. M.; Ramsey, Brian D.; Tennant, Allyn F.; Swartz, Douglas A.

2014-01-01

SuperHERO is a new high-sensitivity Long Duration Balloon (LDB)-capable, hard-x-ray (20-75 keV) telescope for making novel astrophysics and heliophysics observations. The proposed SuperHERO payload will be developed jointly by the Astrophysics Office at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the Solar Physics Laboratory and Wallops Flight Facility at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. SuperHERO is a follow-on payload to the High Energy Replicated Optics to Explore the Sun (HEROES) balloon-borne telescope that recently launched from Fort Sumner, NM in September of 2013. The HEROES core instrument is a hard x-ray telescope consisting of x-ray 109 optics configured into 8 modules. Each module is aligned to a matching gas-filled detector at a focal length of 6 m. SuperHERO will make significant improvements to the HEROES payload, including: new solid-state multi-pixel CdTe detectors, additional optics, the Wallops Arc-Second Pointer, alignment monitoring systems and lighter gondola.

Improved vocal tract reconstruction and modeling using an image super-resolution technique.

PubMed

Zhou, Xinhui; Woo, Jonghye; Stone, Maureen; Prince, Jerry L; Espy-Wilson, Carol Y

2013-06-01

Magnetic resonance imaging has been widely used in speech production research. Often only one image stack (sagittal, axial, or coronal) is used for vocal tract modeling. As a result, complementary information from other available stacks is not utilized. To overcome this, a recently developed super-resolution technique was applied to integrate three orthogonal low-resolution stacks into one isotropic volume. The results on vowels show that the super-resolution volume produces better vocal tract visualization than any of the low-resolution stacks. Its derived area functions generally produce formant predictions closer to the ground truth, particularly for those formants sensitive to area perturbations at constrictions.

Pioneer factors govern super-enhancer dynamics in stem cell plasticity and lineage choice

PubMed Central

Adam, Rene C.; Yang, Hanseul; Rockowitz, Shira; Larsen, Samantha B.; Nikolova, Maria; Oristian, Daniel S.; Polak, Lisa; Kadaja, Meelis; Asare, Amma; Zheng, Deyou; Fuchs, Elaine

2015-01-01

Adult stem cells (SCs) reside in niches which balance self-renewal with lineage selection and progression during tissue homeostasis. Following injury, culture or transplantation, SCs outside their niche often display fate flexibility1-4. Here we show that super-enhancers5 underlie the identity, lineage commitment and plasticity of adult SCs in vivo. Using hair follicle (HF) as model, we map the global chromatin domains of HFSCs and their committed progenitors in their native microenvironments. We show that super-enhancers and their dense clusters (‘epicenters’) of transcription factor (TF) binding sites change upon lineage progression. New fate is acquired by decommissioning old and establishing new super-enhancers and/or epicenters, an auto-regulatory process that abates one master regulator subset while enhancing another. We further show that when outside their niche, either in vitro or in wound-repair, HFSCs dynamically remodel super-enhancers in response to changes in their microenvironment. Intriguingly, some key super-enhancers shift epicenters, enabling them to remain active and maintain a transitional state in an ever-changing transcriptional landscape. Finally, we identify SOX9 as a crucial chromatin rheostat of HFSC super-enhancers, and provide functional evidence that super-enhancers are dynamic, dense TF-binding platforms which are acutely sensitive to pioneer master regulators whose levels define not only spatial and temporal features of lineage-status, but also stemness, plasticity in transitional states and differentiation. PMID:25799994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aduszkiewicz, A.; Ali, Y.; Andronov, E.

Results on two-particle ΔηΔΦ correlations in inelastic p + p interactions at 20, 31, 40, 80, and 158 GeV/c are presented. The measurements were performed using the large acceptance NA61/SHINE hadron spectrometer at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron. The data show structures which can be attributed mainly to effects of resonance decays, momentum conservation, and quantum statistics. Furthermore, the results are compared with the Epos and UrQMD models.

Non-Markovian spin-resolved counting statistics and an anomalous relation between autocorrelations and cross correlations in a three-terminal quantum dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, JunYan; Yan, Yiying; Huang, Yixiao; Yu, Li; He, Xiao-Ling; Jiao, HuJun

2017-01-01

We investigate the noise correlations of spin and charge currents through an electron spin resonance (ESR)-pumped quantum dot, which is tunnel coupled to three electrodes maintained at an equivalent chemical potential. A recursive scheme is employed with inclusion of the spin degrees of freedom to account for the spin-resolved counting statistics in the presence of non-Markovian effects due to coupling with a dissipative heat bath. For symmetric spin-up and spin-down tunneling rates, an ESR-induced spin flip mechanism generates a pure spin current without an accompanying net charge current. The stochastic tunneling of spin carriers, however, produces universal shot noises of both charge and spin currents, revealing the effective charge and spin units of quasiparticles in transport. In the case of very asymmetric tunneling rates for opposite spins, an anomalous relationship between noise autocorrelations and cross correlations is revealed, where super-Poissonian autocorrelation is observed in spite of a negative cross correlation. Remarkably, with strong dissipation strength, non-Markovian memory effects give rise to a positive cross correlation of the charge current in the absence of a super-Poissonian autocorrelation. These unique noise features may offer essential methods for exploiting internal spin dynamics and various quasiparticle tunneling processes in mesoscopic transport.

Pressure-induced structural transformations in lanthanide titanates: La{sub 2}TiO{sub 5} and Nd{sub 2}TiO{sub 5}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, F.X., E-mail: zhangfx@umich.ed; Wang, J.W.; Lang, M.

The structure of orthorhombic rare earth titanates of La{sub 2}TiO{sub 5} and Nd{sub 2}TiO{sub 5}, where Ti cations are in five-fold coordination with oxygen, has been studied at high pressures by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman scattering measurements, and quantum mechanical calculations. Both XRD and Raman results indicated two pressure-induced phase transitions during the process. An orthorhombic super cell (axbx2c) formed at a pressure between 6 and 10 GPa, and then transformed to a hexagonal high-pressure phase accompanied by partial decomposition. The hexagonal high-pressure phase is quenchable. Detailed structural analysis indicated that the five-coordinated TiO{sub 5} polyhedra remain during the formationmore » of super cell, but the orthorhombic-to-hexagonal phase transition at high pressures is a reconstructive process, and the five-fold Ti-O coordination increased to more than 6. This phase transition sequence was verified by quantum mechanical calculations. - Graphical abstract: At high pressures, La{sub 2}TiO{sub 5} and Nd{sub 2}TiO{sub 5} transform from the orthorhombic phase to an axbx2c superlattice of the orthorhombic structure and then to a hexagonal high-pressure phase. Display Omitted« less

Quantum Error Correction for Metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sushkov, Alex; Kessler, Eric; Lovchinsky, Igor; Lukin, Mikhail

2014-05-01

The question of the best achievable sensitivity in a quantum measurement is of great experimental relevance, and has seen a lot of attention in recent years. Recent studies [e.g., Nat. Phys. 7, 406 (2011), Nat. Comms. 3, 1063 (2012)] suggest that in most generic scenarios any potential quantum gain (e.g. through the use of entangled states) vanishes in the presence of environmental noise. To overcome these limitations, we propose and analyze a new approach to improve quantum metrology based on quantum error correction (QEC). We identify the conditions under which QEC allows one to improve the signal-to-noise ratio in quantum-limited measurements, and we demonstrate that it enables, in certain situations, Heisenberg-limited sensitivity. We discuss specific applications to nanoscale sensing using nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond in which QEC can significantly improve the measurement sensitivity and bandwidth under realistic experimental conditions.

Hierarchies in Quantum Gravity: Large Numbers, Small Numbers, and Axions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stout, John Eldon

Our knowledge of the physical world is mediated by relatively simple, effective descriptions of complex processes. By their very nature, these effective theories obscure any phenomena outside their finite range of validity, discarding information crucial to understanding the full, quantum gravitational theory. However, we may gain enormous insight into the full theory by understanding how effective theories with extreme characteristics--for example, those which realize large-field inflation or have disparate hierarchies of scales--can be naturally realized in consistent theories of quantum gravity. The work in this dissertation focuses on understanding the quantum gravitational constraints on these "extreme" theories in well-controlled corners of string theory. Axion monodromy provides one mechanism for realizing large-field inflation in quantum gravity. These models spontaneously break an axion's discrete shift symmetry and, assuming that the corrections induced by this breaking remain small throughout the excursion, create a long, quasi-flat direction in field space. This weakly-broken shift symmetry has been used to construct a dynamical solution to the Higgs hierarchy problem, dubbed the "relaxion." We study this relaxion mechanism and show that--without major modifications--it can not be naturally embedded within string theory. In particular, we find corrections to the relaxion potential--due to the ten-dimensional backreaction of monodromy charge--that conflict with naive notions of technical naturalness and render the mechanism ineffective. The super-Planckian field displacements necessary for large-field inflation may also be realized via the collective motion of many aligned axions. However, it is not clear that string theory provides the structures necessary for this to occur. We search for these structures by explicitly constructing the leading order potential for C4 axions and computing the maximum possible field displacement in all compactifications of type IIB string theory on toric Calabi-Yau hypersurfaces with h1,1 ≤ 4 in the Kreuzer-Skarke database. While none of these examples can sustain a super-Planckian displacement--the largest possible is 0.3 Mpl--we find an alignment mechanism responsible for large displacements in random matrix models at large h 1,1 >> 1, indicating that large-field inflation may be feasible in compactifications with tens or hundreds of axions. These results represent a modest step toward a complete understanding of large hierarchies and naturalness in quantum gravity.

Electrical control of a solid-state flying qubit.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Michihisa; Takada, Shintaro; Bäuerle, Christopher; Watanabe, Kenta; Wieck, Andreas D; Tarucha, Seigo

2012-03-18

Solid-state approaches to quantum information technology are attractive because they are scalable. The coherent transport of quantum information over large distances is a requirement for any practical quantum computer and has been demonstrated by coupling super-conducting qubits to photons. Single electrons have also been transferred between distant quantum dots in times shorter than their spin coherence time. However, until now, there have been no demonstrations of scalable 'flying qubit' architectures-systems in which it is possible to perform quantum operations on qubits while they are being coherently transferred-in solid-state systems. These architectures allow for control over qubit separation and for non-local entanglement, which makes them more amenable to integration and scaling than static qubit approaches. Here, we report the transport and manipulation of qubits over distances of 6 µm within 40 ps, in an Aharonov-Bohm ring connected to two-channel wires that have a tunable tunnel coupling between channels. The flying qubit state is defined by the presence of a travelling electron in either channel of the wire, and can be controlled without a magnetic field. Our device has shorter quantum gates (<1 µm), longer coherence lengths (∼86 µm at 70 mK) and higher operating frequencies (∼100 GHz) than other solid-state implementations of flying qubits.

Designing Quantum Spin-Orbital Liquids in Artificial Mott Insulators

DOE PAGES

Dou, Xu; Kotov, Valeri N.; Uchoa, Bruno

2016-08-24

Quantum spin-orbital liquids are elusive strongly correlated states of matter that emerge from quantum frustration between spin and orbital degrees of freedom. A promising route towards the observation of those states is the creation of artificial Mott insulators where antiferromagnetic correlations between spins and orbitals can be designed. We show that Coulomb impurity lattices on the surface of gapped honeycomb substrates, such as graphene on SiC, can be used to simulate SU(4) symmetric spin-orbital lattice models. We exploit the property that massive Dirac fermions form mid-gap bound states with spin and valley degeneracies in the vicinity of a Coulomb impurity.more » Due to electronic repulsion, the antiferromagnetic correlations of the impurity lattice are driven by a super-exchange interaction with SU(4) symmetry, which emerges from the bound states degeneracy at quarter filling. We propose that quantum spin-orbital liquids can be engineered in artificially designed solid-state systems at vastly higher temperatures than achievable in optical lattices with cold atoms. Lastly, we discuss the experimental setup and possible scenarios for candidate quantum spin-liquids in Coulomb impurity lattices of various geometries.« less

Light Controlling at Subwavelength Scales in Nanophotonic Systems: Physics and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yuecheng

The capability of controlling light at scales that are much smaller than the operating wave-length enables new optical functionalities, and opens up a wide range of applications. Such a capability is out of the realm of conventional optical approaches. This dissertation aims to explore the light-matter interactions at nanometer scale, and to investigate the novel scien-tific and industrial applications. In particular, we will explain how to detect nanoparticles using an ultra-sensitive nano-sensor; we will also describe a photonic diode which gener-ates a unidirectional flow of single photons; Moreover, in an one-dimensional waveguide QED system where the fermionic degree of freedom is present, we will show that strong photon-photon interactions can be generated through scattering means, leading to photonic bunching and anti-bunching with various applications. Finally, we will introduce a mecha-nism to achieve super-resolution to discern fine features that are orders of magnitude smaller than the illuminating wavelength. These research projects incorporate recent advances in quantum nanophotonics, nanotechnologies, imaging reconstruction techniques, and rigorous numerical simulations.

Atom Probe Tomography Analysis of Gallium-Nitride-Based Light-Emitting Diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prosa, Ty J.; Olson, David; Giddings, A. Devin; Clifton, Peter H.; Larson, David J.; Lefebvre, Williams

2014-03-01

Thin-film light-emitting diodes (LEDs) composed of GaN/InxGa1-xN/GaN quantum well (QW) structures are integrated into modern optoelectronic devices because of the tunable InGaN band-gap enabling emission of the full visible spectrum. Atom probe tomography (APT) offers unique capabilities for 3D device characterization including compositional mapping of nano-volumes (>106 nm3) , high detection efficiency (>50%), and good sensitivity. In this study, APT is used to understand the distribution of dopants as well as Al and In alloying agents in a GaN device. Measurements using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) have also been made to improve the accuracy of the APT analysis by correlating the information content of these complimentary techniques. APT analysis reveals various QW and other optoelectronic structures including a Mg p-GaN layer, an Al-rich electron blocking layer, an In-rich multi-QW region, and an In-based super-lattice structure. The multi-QW composition shows good quantitative agreement with layer thickness and spacing extracted from a high resolution TEM image intensity analysis.

Infra-red photoresponse of mesoscopic NiO-based solar cells sensitized with PbS quantum dot

PubMed Central

Raissi, Mahfoudh; Pellegrin, Yann; Jobic, Stéphane; Boujtita, Mohammed; Odobel, Fabrice

2016-01-01

Sensitized NiO based photocathode is a new field of investigation with increasing scientific interest in relation with the development of tandem dye-sensitized solar cells (photovoltaic) and dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthetic cells (solar fuel). We demonstrate herein that PbS quantum dots (QDs) represent promising inorganic sensitizers for NiO-based quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). The solar cell sensitized with PbS quantum dot exhibits significantly higher photoconversion efficiency than solar cells sensitized with a classical and efficient molecular sensitizer (P1 dye = 4-(Bis-{4-[5-(2,2-dicyano-vinyl)-thiophene-2-yl]-phenyl}-amino)-benzoic acid). Furthermore, the system features an IPCE (Incident Photon-to-Current Efficiency) spectrum that spreads into the infra-red region, reaching operating wavelengths of 950 nm. The QDSSC photoelectrochemical device works with the complexes tris(4,4′-ditert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine)cobalt(III/II) redox mediators, underscoring the formation of a long-lived charge-separated state. The electrochemical impedance spectrocopy measurements are consistent with a high packing of the QDs upon the NiO surface, the high density of which limits the access of the electrolyte and results in favorable light absorption cross-sections and a significant hole lifetime. These notable results highlight the potential of NiO-based photocathodes sensitized with quantum dots for accessing and exploiting the low-energy part of the solar spectrum in photovoltaic and photocatalysis applications. PMID:27125454

Tsirelson's bound and supersymmetric entangled states

PubMed Central

Borsten, L.; Brádler, K.; Duff, M. J.

2014-01-01

A superqubit, belonging to a (2|1)-dimensional super-Hilbert space, constitutes the minimal supersymmetric extension of the conventional qubit. In order to see whether superqubits are more non-local than ordinary qubits, we construct a class of two-superqubit entangled states as a non-local resource in the CHSH game. Since super Hilbert space amplitudes are Grassmann numbers, the result depends on how we extract real probabilities and we examine three choices of map: (1) DeWitt (2) Trigonometric and (3) Modified Rogers. In cases (1) and (2), the winning probability reaches the Tsirelson bound pwin=cos2π/8≃0.8536 of standard quantum mechanics. Case (3) crosses Tsirelson's bound with pwin≃0.9265. Although all states used in the game involve probabilities lying between 0 and 1, case (3) permits other changes of basis inducing negative transition probabilities. PMID:25294964

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dou, Xu; Kotov, Valeri N.; Uchoa, Bruno

Quantum spin-orbital liquids are elusive strongly correlated states of matter that emerge from quantum frustration between spin and orbital degrees of freedom. A promising route towards the observation of those states is the creation of artificial Mott insulators where antiferromagnetic correlations between spins and orbitals can be designed. We show that Coulomb impurity lattices on the surface of gapped honeycomb substrates, such as graphene on SiC, can be used to simulate SU(4) symmetric spin-orbital lattice models. We exploit the property that massive Dirac fermions form mid-gap bound states with spin and valley degeneracies in the vicinity of a Coulomb impurity.more » Due to electronic repulsion, the antiferromagnetic correlations of the impurity lattice are driven by a super-exchange interaction with SU(4) symmetry, which emerges from the bound states degeneracy at quarter filling. We propose that quantum spin-orbital liquids can be engineered in artificially designed solid-state systems at vastly higher temperatures than achievable in optical lattices with cold atoms. Lastly, we discuss the experimental setup and possible scenarios for candidate quantum spin-liquids in Coulomb impurity lattices of various geometries.« less

Tachyon field in loop quantum cosmology: Inflation and evolution picture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xiong Huaui; Zhu Jianyang

2007-04-15

Loop quantum cosmology (LQC) predicts a nonsingular evolution of the universne through a bounce in the high energy region. We show that this is always true in tachyon matter LQC. Differing from the classical Friedman-Robertson-Walker (FRW) cosmology, the super inflation can appear in the tachyon matter LQC; furthermore, the inflation can be extended to the region where classical inflation stops. Using the numerical method, we give an evolution picture of the tachyon field with an exponential potential in the context of LQC. It indicates that the quantum dynamical solutions have the same attractive behavior as the classical solutions do. Themore » whole evolution of the tachyon field is that in the distant past, the tachyon field--being in the contracting cosmology--accelerates to climb up the potential hill with a negative velocity; then at the boundary the tachyon field is bounced into an expanding universe with positive velocity rolling down to the bottom of the potential. In the slow roll limit, we compare the quantum inflation with the classical case in both an analytic and a numerical way.« less

Modal Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics and Classical Physical Theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingarden, R. S.

In 1990, Bas C. van Fraassen defined the modal interpretation of quantum mechanics as the consideration of it as ``a pure theory of the possible, with testable, empirical implications for what actually happens". This is a narrow, traditional understanding of modality, only in the sense of the concept of possibility (usually denoted in logic by the C. I. Lewis's symbol 3) and the concept of necessity 2 defined by means of 3. In modern logic, however, modality is understood in a much wider sense as any intensional functor (i.e. non-extensional or determined not only by the truth value of a sentence). In the recent (independent of van Fraassen) publications of the author (1997), an attempt was made to apply this wider understanding of modality to interpretation of classical and quantum physics. In the present lecture, these problems are discussed on the background of a brief review of the logical approch to quantum mechanics in the recent 7 decades. In this discussion, the new concepts of sub-modality and super-modality of many orders are used.

Quantum Measurement Theory in Gravitational-Wave Detectors.

PubMed

Danilishin, Stefan L; Khalili, Farid Ya

2012-01-01

The fast progress in improving the sensitivity of the gravitational-wave detectors, we all have witnessed in the recent years, has propelled the scientific community to the point at which quantum behavior of such immense measurement devices as kilometer-long interferometers starts to matter. The time when their sensitivity will be mainly limited by the quantum noise of light is around the corner, and finding ways to reduce it will become a necessity. Therefore, the primary goal we pursued in this review was to familiarize a broad spectrum of readers with the theory of quantum measurements in the very form it finds application in the area of gravitational-wave detection. We focus on how quantum noise arises in gravitational-wave interferometers and what limitations it imposes on the achievable sensitivity. We start from the very basic concepts and gradually advance to the general linear quantum measurement theory and its application to the calculation of quantum noise in the contemporary and planned interferometric detectors of gravitational radiation of the first and second generation. Special attention is paid to the concept of the Standard Quantum Limit and the methods of its surmounting.

Radiation Insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The Apollo and subsequent spacecraft have had highly effective radiation barriers; made of aluminized polymer film, they bar or let in heat to maintain consistent temperatures inside. Tech 2000, formerly Quantum International Corporation used the NASA technology in its insulating materials, Super "Q" Radiant Barrier, for home, industry and mobile applications. The insulation combines industrial aluminum foil overlaid around a core of another material, usually propylene or mylar. The outer layer reflects up to 97 percent of heat; the central layer creates a thermal break in the structure and thus allows low radiant energy emission. The Quantum Cool Wall, used in cars and trucks, takes up little space while providing superior insulation, thus reducing spoilage and costs. The panels can also dampen sound and engine, exhaust and solar heat.

Theory of nonlinear optical response of ensembles of double quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitek, Anna; Machnikowski, Paweł

2009-09-01

We study theoretically the time-resolved four-wave mixing (FWM) response of an ensemble of pairs of quantum dots undergoing radiative recombination. At short (picosecond) delay times, the response signal shows beats that may be dominated by the subensemble of resonant pairs, which gives access to the information on the interdot coupling. At longer delay times, the decay of the FWM signal is governed by two rates which result from the collective interaction between the two dots and the radiation modes. The two rates correspond to the subradiant and super-radiant components in the radiative decay. Coupling between the dots enhances the collective effects and makes them observable even when the average energy mismatch between the dots is relatively large.

Characterizing super-spreading in microblog: An epidemic-based information propagation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yu; Wang, Bai; Wu, Bin; Shang, Suiming; Zhang, Yunlei; Shi, Chuan

2016-12-01

As the microblogging services are becoming more prosperous in everyday life for users on Online Social Networks (OSNs), it is more favorable for hot topics and breaking news to gain more attraction very soon than ever before, which are so-called "super-spreading events". In the information diffusion process of these super-spreading events, messages are passed on from one user to another and numerous individuals are influenced by a relatively small portion of users, a.k.a. super-spreaders. Acquiring an awareness of super-spreading phenomena and an understanding of patterns of wide-ranged information propagations benefits several social media data mining tasks, such as hot topic detection, predictions of information propagation, harmful information monitoring and intervention. Taking into account that super-spreading in both information diffusion and spread of a contagious disease are analogous, in this study, we build a parameterized model, the SAIR model, based on well-known epidemic models to characterize super-spreading phenomenon in tweet information propagation accompanied with super-spreaders. For the purpose of modeling information diffusion, empirical observations on a real-world Weibo dataset are statistically carried out. Both the steady-state analysis on the equilibrium and the validation on real-world Weibo dataset of the proposed model are conducted. The case study that validates the proposed model shows that the SAIR model is much more promising than the conventional SIR model in characterizing a super-spreading event of information propagation. In addition, numerical simulations are carried out and discussed to discover how sensitively the parameters affect the information propagation process.

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell using a Nb-doped TiO2 electrode.

PubMed

Jiang, Lei; You, Ting; Deng, Wei-Qiao

2013-10-18

In this work Nb-doped anatase TiO2 nanocrystals are used as the photoanode of quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. A solar cell with CdS/CdSe quantum dots co-sensitized 2.5 mol% Nb-doped anatase TiO2 nanocrystals can achieve a photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 3.3%, which is almost twice as high as the 1.7% obtained by a cell based on undoped TiO2 nanocrystals. The incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency can reach as high as 91%, which is a record for all quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. Detailed analysis shows that such an enhancement is due to improved lifetime and diffusion length of electrons in the solar cell.

Trilayer TMDC Heterostructures for MOSFETs and Nanobiosensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datta, Kanak; Shadman, Abir; Rahman, Ehsanur; Khosru, Quazi D. M.

2017-02-01

Two dimensional materials such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) and their bi-layer/tri-layer heterostructures have become the focus of intense research and investigation in recent years due to their promising applications in electronics and optoelectronics. In this work, we have explored device level performance of trilayer TMDC heterostructure (MoS2/MX2/MoS2; M = Mo or, W and X = S or, Se) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) in the quantum ballistic regime. Our simulation shows that device `on' current can be improved by inserting a WS2 monolayer between two MoS2 monolayers. Application of biaxial tensile strain reveals a reduction in drain current which can be attributed to the lowering of carrier effective mass with increased tensile strain. In addition, it is found that gate underlap geometry improves electrostatic device performance by improving sub-threshold swing. However, increase in channel resistance reduces drain current. Besides exploring the prospect of these materials in device performance, novel trilayer TMDC heterostructure double gate field effect transistors (FETs) are proposed for sensing Nano biomolecules as well as for pH sensing. Bottom gate operation ensures these FETs operating beyond Nernst limit of 59 mV/pH. Simulation results found in this work reveal that scaling of bottom gate oxide results in better sensitivity while top oxide scaling exhibits an opposite trend. It is also found that, for identical operating conditions, proposed TMDC FET pH sensors show super-Nernst sensitivity indicating these materials as potential candidates in implementing such sensor. Besides pH sensing, all these materials show high sensitivity in the sub-threshold region as a channel material in nanobiosensor while MoS2/WS2/MoS2 FET shows the least sensitivity among them.

Light, the universe and everything - 12 Herculean tasks for quantum cowboys and black diamond skiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Girish; Allen, Roland E.; Bezděková, Iva; Boyd, Robert W.; Chen, Goong; Hanson, Ronald; Hawthorne, Dean L.; Hemmer, Philip; Kim, Moochan B.; Kocharovskaya, Olga; Lee, David M.; Lidström, Sebastian K.; Lidström, Suzy; Losert, Harald; Maier, Helmut; Neuberger, John W.; Padgett, Miles J.; Raizen, Mark; Rajendran, Surjeet; Rasel, Ernst; Schleich, Wolfgang P.; Scully, Marlan O.; Shchedrin, Gavriil; Shvets, Gennady; Sokolov, Alexei V.; Svidzinsky, Anatoly; Walsworth, Ronald L.; Weiss, Rainer; Wilczek, Frank; Willner, Alan E.; Yablonovitch, Eli; Zheludev, Nikolay

2018-06-01

The Winter Colloquium on the Physics of Quantum Electronics (PQE) has been a seminal force in quantum optics and related areas since 1971. It is rather mind-boggling to recognize how the concepts presented at these conferences have transformed scientific understanding and human society. In January 2017, the participants of PQE were asked to consider the equally important prospects for the future, and to formulate a set of questions representing some of the greatest aspirations in this broad field. The result is this multi-authored paper, in which many of the world's leading experts address the following fundamental questions: (1) What is the future of gravitational wave astronomy? (2) Are there new quantum phases of matter away from equilibrium that can be found and exploited - such as the time crystal? (3) Quantum theory in uncharted territory: What can we learn? (4) What are the ultimate limits for laser photon energies? (5) What are the ultimate limits to temporal, spatial and optical resolution? (6) What novel roles will atoms play in technology? (7) What applications lie ahead for nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond? (8) What is the future of quantum coherence, squeezing and entanglement for enhanced super-resolution and sensing? (9) How can we solve (some of) humanity's biggest problems through new quantum technologies? (10) What new understanding of materials and biological molecules will result from their dynamical characterization with free-electron lasers? (11) What new technologies and fundamental discoveries might quantum optics achieve by the end of this century? (12) What novel topological structures can be created and employed in quantum optics?

Phase-Sensitive Coherence and the Classical-Quantum Boundary in Ghost Imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erkmen, Baris I.; Hardy, Nicholas D.; Venkatraman, Dheera; Wong, Franco N. C.; Shapiro, Jeffrey H.

2011-01-01

The theory of partial coherence has a long and storied history in classical statistical optics. the vast majority of this work addresses fields that are statistically stationary in time, hence their complex envelopes only have phase-insensitive correlations. The quantum optics of squeezed-state generation, however, depends on nonlinear interactions producing baseband field operators with phase-insensitive and phase-sensitive correlations. Utilizing quantum light to enhance imaging has been a topic of considerable current interest, much of it involving biphotons, i.e., streams of entangled-photon pairs. Biphotons have been employed for quantum versions of optical coherence tomography, ghost imaging, holography, and lithography. However, their seemingly quantum features have been mimicked with classical-sate light, questioning wherein lies the classical-quantum boundary. We have shown, for the case of Gaussian-state light, that this boundary is intimately connected to the theory of phase-sensitive partial coherence. Here we present that theory, contrasting it with the familiar case of phase-insensitive partial coherence, and use it to elucidate the classical-quantum boundary of ghost imaging. We show, both theoretically and experimentally, that classical phase-sensitive light produces ghost imaging most closely mimicking those obtained in biphotons, and we derived the spatial resolution, image contrast, and signal-to-noise ratio of a standoff-sensing ghost imager, taking into account target-induced speckle.

Ionospheric electron number densities from CUTLASS dual-frequency velocity measurements using artificial backscatter over EISCAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarno-Smith, Lois K.; Kosch, Michael J.; Yeoman, Timothy; Rietveld, Michael; Nel, Amore'; Liemohn, Michael W.

2016-08-01

Using quasi-simultaneous line-of-sight velocity measurements at multiple frequencies from the Hankasalmi Cooperative UK Twin Auroral Sounding System (CUTLASS) on the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN), we calculate electron number densities using a derivation outlined in Gillies et al. (2010, 2012). Backscatter targets were generated using the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) ionospheric modification facility at Tromsø, Norway. We use two methods on two case studies. The first approach is to use the dual-frequency capability on CUTLASS and compare line-of-sight velocities between frequencies with a MHz or greater difference. The other method used the kHz frequency shifts automatically made by the SuperDARN radar during routine operations. Using ray tracing to obtain the approximate altitude of the backscatter, we demonstrate that for both methods, SuperDARN significantly overestimates Ne compared to those obtained from the EISCAT incoherent scatter radar over the same time period. The discrepancy between the Ne measurements of both radars may be largely due to SuperDARN sensitivity to backscatter produced by localized density irregularities which obscure the background levels.

Super-soliton dust-acoustic waves in four-component dusty plasma using non-extensive electrons and ions distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Wakil, S. A.; Abulwafa, Essam M.; Elhanbaly, Atalla A.

2017-07-01

Based on Sagdeev pseudo-potential and phase-portrait, the dynamics of four-component dust plasma with non-extensively distributed electrons and ions are investigated. Three distinct types of nonlinear waves, namely, soliton, double layer, and super-soliton, have been found. The basic features of such waves are high sensitivity to Mach number, non-extensive parameter, and dust temperature ratio. It is found that the multi-component plasma is a necessary condition for super-soliton's existence, having a wider amplitude and a larger width than the regular soliton. Super-solitons may also exist when the Sagdeev pseudo-potential curves admit at least four extrema and two roots. In our multi-component plasma system, the super-solitons can be found by increasing the Mach number and the non-extensive parameter beyond those of double-layers. On the contrary, the super-soliton can be produced by decreasing the dust temperature ratio. The conditions of the onset of such nonlinear waves and its merging to regular solitons have been studied. This work shows that the obtained nonlinear waves are found to exist only in the super-sonic Mach number regime. The obtained results may be of wide relevance in the field of space plasma and may also be helpful to better understand the nonlinear fluctuations in the Auroral-zone of the Earth's magnetosphere.

Single Broadband Phase-Shaped Pulse Stimulated Raman Spectroscopy for Standoff Trace Explosive Detection.

PubMed

Glenn, Rachel; Dantus, Marcos

2016-01-07

Recent success with trace explosives detection based on the single ultrafast pulse excitation for remote stimulated Raman scattering (SUPER-SRS) prompts us to provide new results and a Perspective that describes the theoretical foundation of the strategy used for achieving the desired sensitivity and selectivity. SUPER-SRS provides fast and selective imaging while being blind to optical properties of the substrate such as color, texture, or laser speckle. We describe the strategy of combining coherent vibrational excitation with a reference pulse in order to detect stimulated Raman gain or loss. A theoretical model is used to reproduce experimental spectra and to determine the ideal pulse parameters for best sensitivity, selectivity, and resolution when detecting one or more compounds simultaneously.

Experiment definition and integration study for the accommodation of magnetic spectrometer payload on Spacelab/shuttle missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buffington, A.

1978-01-01

A super-cooled magnetic spectrometer for a cosmic-ray experiment is considered for application in the high energy astronomical observatory which may be used on a space shuttle spacelab mission. New cryostat parameters are reported which are appropriate to shuttle mission weight and mission duration constraints. Since a super-conducting magnetic spectrometer has a magnetic fringe field, methods for shielding sensitive electronic and mechanical components on nearby experiments are described.

Parallel Computing and Model Evaluation for Environmental Systems: An Overview of the Supermuse and Frames Software Technologies

EPA Science Inventory

ERD’s Supercomputer for Model Uncertainty and Sensitivity Evaluation (SuperMUSE) is a key to enhancing quality assurance in environmental models and applications. Uncertainty analysis and sensitivity analysis remain critical, though often overlooked steps in the development and e...

SuperCDMS Prototype Detector Design and Testing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kennedy, Allison Blair

A substantial amount of astrophysical evidence indicates that approximately a quarter of all energy in the universe is composed of a nonluminous, and nonbaryonic \\dark" matter. Of the potential dark matter particle candidates, Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, or WIMPs, is particularly well motivated. As a means to directly detect WIMP interactions with baryonic matter, the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) project was established, operating at the Soudan Underground Laboratory from 2003 - 2015, under the CDMS II and SuperCDMS Soudan experiments. CDMS detectors simultaneously measure the ionization and phonon energies of recoil events in Si and Ge crystals kept atmore » cryogenic temperatures in a low-background environment. The ratio of ionization energy to recoil energy serves as a discrimination parameter to separate nuclear recoil events from the electron-recoil background. The next installation, SuperCDMS SNOLAB, is preparing for future operation, with an initial payload of eighteen Ge and six Si, 100 mm diameter, 33 mm thick detectors. Of this initial payload, eight Ge and four Si detectors will operate in a high-voltage ( 100 V) mode, which have an increased sensitivity to low-mass WIMPs due to decreased energy thresholds. The SuperCDMS test facility at University of Minnesota aids in the detector R&D and characterization of prototype detectors, as part of the scale-up eort for Super- CDMS SNOLAB. This thesis presents the rst full ionization and phonon characterization study of a 100 mm diameter, 33 mm thick prototype Ge detector with interleaved phonon and ionization channels. Measurements include ionization collection eciency, surface event rejection capabilities, and successful demonstration of nuclear recoil event discrimination. Results indicate that 100 mm diameter, interleaved Ge detectors show potential for use in SuperCDMS SNOLAB. As part of detector R&D, the Minnesota test facility also looks beyond the next stage of SuperCDMS, investigating larger individual detectors as a means to easily scale up the sensitive mass of future searches. This thesis presents the design and initial testing results of a prototype 150 mm diameter, 33 mm thick silicon ionization detector, which is 5.2 times larger than those used in SuperCDMS at Soudan and 2.25 times larger than those planned for use at SuperCDMS SNOLAB. In addition, the detector was operated with contact-free ionization electrodes to minimize bias leakage currents, which can limit operation at high bias voltages. The results show promise for the operation of both large volume silicon detectors and contact-free ionization electrodes for scaling up detector mass and bias.« less

Quantum noise in bright soliton matterwave interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haine, Simon A.

2018-03-01

There has been considerable recent interest in matterwave interferometry with bright solitons in quantum gases with attractive interactions, for applications such as rotation sensing. We model the quantum dynamics of these systems and find that the attractive interactions required for the presence of bright solitons causes quantum phase-diffusion, which severely impairs the sensitivity. We propose a scheme that partially restores the sensitivity, but find that in the case of rotation sensing, it is still better to work in a regime with minimal interactions if possible.

Quantum correlations beyond Tsirelson's bound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, Dominic; Ringbauer, Martin; Fedrizzi, Alessandro; White, Andrew

2014-03-01

Violations of Bell inequalities show that there are correlations that cannot explained by any classical theory. Further violation, beyond Tsirelson's bound, shows that there are correlations that are not explained by quantum mechanics. Such super-quantum correlations would enable violation of information causality, where communication of one bit provides more than one bit of information [Nature 461, 1101 (2009)]. An unavoidable feature of all realistic Bell inequality experiments is loss. If one postselects on successful measurements, unentangled states can violate Bell inequalities. On the other hand, loss can be used to enhance the violation of Bell inequalities for entangled states. This can improve the ability to distinguish between entangled and unentangled states, despite loss. Here we report an optical experiment providing maximal violation of the CHSH-Bell inequality with entangled states. Due to loss and postselection, Tsirelson's bound is also violated. This enables us to more easily distinguish between entangled and unentangled states. In addition, it provides violation of information causality for the postselected data.

A nanocryotron comparator can connect single-flux-quantum circuits to conventional electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Qing-Yuan; McCaughan, Adam N.; Dane, Andrew E.; Berggren, Karl K.; Ortlepp, Thomas

2017-04-01

Integration with conventional electronics offers a straightforward and economical approach to upgrading existing superconducting technologies, such as scaling up superconducting detectors into large arrays and combining single flux quantum (SFQ) digital circuits with semiconductor logic gates and memories. However, direct output signals from superconducting devices (e.g., Josephson junctions) are usually not compatible with the input requirements of conventional devices (e.g., transistors). Here, we demonstrate the use of a single three-terminal superconducting-nanowire device, called the nanocryotron (nTron), as a digital comparator to combine SFQ circuits with mature semiconductor circuits such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits. Since SFQ circuits can digitize output signals from general superconducting devices and CMOS circuits can interface existing CMOS-compatible electronics, our results demonstrate the feasibility of a general architecture that uses an nTron as an interface to realize a ‘super-hybrid’ system consisting of superconducting detectors, superconducting quantum electronics, CMOS logic gates and memories, and other conventional electronics.

Emission mechanisms in Al-rich AlGaN/AlN quantum wells assessed by excitation power dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iwata, Yoshiya; Banal, Ryan G.; Ichikawa, Shuhei

2015-02-21

The optical properties of Al-rich AlGaN/AlN quantum wells are assessed by excitation-power-dependent time-integrated (TI) and time-resolved (TR) photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Two excitation sources, an optical parametric oscillator and the 4th harmonics of a Ti:sapphire laser, realize a wide range of excited carrier densities between 10{sup 12} and 10{sup 21 }cm{sup −3}. The emission mechanisms change from an exciton to an electron-hole plasma as the excitation power increases. Accordingly, the PL decay time is drastically reduced, and the integrated PL intensities increase in the following order: linearly, super-linearly, linearly again, and sub-linearly. The observed results are well accounted for by rate equationsmore » that consider the saturation effect of non-radiative recombination processes. Using both TIPL and TRPL measurements allows the density of non-radiative recombination centers, the internal quantum efficiency, and the radiative recombination coefficient to be reliably extracted.« less

Noncommutative Field Theories and (super)string Field Theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aref'eva, I. Ya.; Belov, D. M.; Giryavets, A. A.; Koshelev, A. S.; Medvedev, P. B.

2002-11-01

In this lecture notes we explain and discuss some ideas concerning noncommutative geometry in general, as well as noncommutative field theories and string field theories. We consider noncommutative quantum field theories emphasizing an issue of their renormalizability and the UV/IR mixing. Sen's conjectures on open string tachyon condensation and their application to the D-brane physics have led to wide investigations of the covariant string field theory proposed by Witten about 15 years ago. We review main ingredients of cubic (super)string field theories using various formulations: functional, operator, conformal and the half string formalisms. The main technical tools that are used to study conjectured D-brane decay into closed string vacuum through the tachyon condensation are presented. We describe also methods which are used to study the cubic open string field theory around the tachyon vacuum: construction of the sliver state, "comma" and matrix representations of vertices.

Spaser as a biological probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galanzha, Ekaterina I.; Weingold, Robert; Nedosekin, Dmitry A.; Sarimollaoglu, Mustafa; Nolan, Jacqueline; Harrington, Walter; Kuchyanov, Alexander S.; Parkhomenko, Roman G.; Watanabe, Fumiya; Nima, Zeid; Biris, Alexandru S.; Plekhanov, Alexander I.; Stockman, Mark I.; Zharov, Vladimir P.

2017-06-01

Understanding cell biology greatly benefits from the development of advanced diagnostic probes. Here we introduce a 22-nm spaser (plasmonic nanolaser) with the ability to serve as a super-bright, water-soluble, biocompatible probe capable of generating stimulated emission directly inside living cells and animal tissues. We have demonstrated a lasing regime associated with the formation of a dynamic vapour nanobubble around the spaser that leads to giant spasing with emission intensity and spectral width >100 times brighter and 30-fold narrower, respectively, than for quantum dots. The absorption losses in the spaser enhance its multifunctionality, allowing for nanobubble-amplified photothermal and photoacoustic imaging and therapy. Furthermore, the silica spaser surface has been covalently functionalized with folic acid for molecular targeting of cancer cells. All these properties make a nanobubble spaser a promising multimodal, super-contrast, ultrafast cellular probe with a single-pulse nanosecond excitation for a variety of in vitro and in vivo biomedical applications.

Super air stable quasi-2D organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites for visible light-emitting diodes.

PubMed

Jia, Guo; Shi, Ze-Jiao; Xia, Ying-Dong; Wei, Qi; Chen, Yong-Hua; Xing, Gui-Chuan; Huang, Wei

2018-01-22

Solution processed organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites are emerging as a new generation materials for optoelectronics. However, the electroluminescence is highly limited in light emitting diodes (LED) due to the low exciton binding energy and the great challenge in stability. Here, we demonstrate a super air stable quasi-two dimensional perovskite film employing hydrophobic fluorine-containing organics as barrier layers, which can store in ambient for more than 4 months with no change. The dramatically reduced grain size of the perovskite crystal in contrast to three dimensional (3D) perovskites was achieved. Together with the natural quantum well of quasi-two dimensional perovskite confining the excitons to recombination, the LED exhibited the maximum luminance of 1.2 × 10 3 cd/m 2 and current efficiency up to 0.3 cd/A, which is twenty fold enhancement than that of LED based on 3D analogues under the same condition.

Spin-orbit coupling and applied magnetic field effects on electromagnetically induced transparency of a quantum ring at finite temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamani, A.; Setareh, F.; Azargoshasb, T.; Niknam, E.

2018-03-01

A wide variety of semiconductor nanostructures have been fabricated and studied experimentally and alongside theoretical investigations show the great role they have in new generation opto-electronic devices. However, mathematical modeling provide important information due to their definitive goal of predicting features and understanding of such structures' behavior under different circumstances. Hence, in the current work, the effects of applied magnetic field, temperature and dimensions of the structure on the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) of a GaAs quantum ring are studied while both Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions (SOI) are taken into account. The Schrödinger equation is solved in cylindrical coordinate with axial symmetry and in order to study the EIT, the imaginary (absorption) and real (refractive index) parts of susceptibility as well as the group velocity of the probe light pulse are investigated. The absorption and refractive index plots show that, for a specific frequency of probe field the absorption vanishes and refractive index becomes unity (known as EIT) while around such frequency the group index is positive (sub-luminal probe propagation) and for higher and lower frequencies it alters to negative (super-luminal probe propagation). The numerical results reveal that the EIT frequency, transparency window and sub(super)-luminal frequency intervals shift as we change applied magnetic field, temperature and also the structure dimensions.

Vernier-like super resolution with guided correlated photon pairs.

PubMed

Nespoli, Matteo; Goan, Hsi-Sheng; Shih, Min-Hsiung

2016-01-11

We describe a dispersion-enabled, ultra-low power realization of super-resolution in an integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Our scheme is based on a Vernier-like effect in the coincident detection of frequency correlated, non-degenerate photon pairs at the sensor output in the presence of group index dispersion. We design and simulate a realistic integrated refractive index sensor in a silicon nitride on silica platform and characterize its performance in the proposed scheme. We present numerical results showing a sensitivity improvement upward of 40 times over a traditional sensing scheme. The device we design is well within the reach of modern semiconductor fabrication technology. We believe this is the first metrology scheme that uses waveguide group index dispersion as a resource to attain super-resolution.

On the influence of atmospheric super-saturation layer on China's heavy haze-fog events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jizhi; Yang, Yuanqin; Zhang, Xiaoye; Liu, Hua; Che, Huizheng; Shen, Xiaojing; Wang, Yaqiang

2017-12-01

With the background of global change, the air quality in Earth's atmosphere has significantly decreased. The North China Plain (NCP), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), Pearl River Delta (PRD) and Si-Chuan Basin (SCB) are the major areas suffering the decreasing air quality and frequent pollution events in recent years. Studying the effect of meteorological conditions on the concentration of pollution aerosols in these pollution sensitive regions is a hot focus now. This paper analyses the characteristics of atmospheric super-saturation and the corresponding H_PMLs (height of supersaturated pollution mixing layer), investigating their contribution to the frequently-seen heavy haze-fog weather. The results suggest that: (1) in the above-mentioned pollution sensitive regions in China, super-saturated layers repeatedly appear in the low altitude and the peak value of supersaturation S can reach 6-10%, which makes pollution particles into the wet adiabatic uplift process in the stable-static atmosphere. After low-level atmosphere reaches the super-saturation state below the H_PMLs, meteorological condition contributes to humidification and condensation of pollution particles. (2) Caculation of condensation function Fc, one of PLAM sensetive parameter, indicates that super-saturation state helps promote condensation, beneficial to the formation of Condensational Kink (CK) in the pollution sensitive areas. This favors the formation of new aerosol particles and intensities the cumulative growth of aerosol concentration. (3) By calculating the convective inhibition energy on average │CIN│ > 1.0 × 104 J kg-1, we found the value is about 100 times higher than the stable critical value. The uplifting diffusion of the particles is inhibited by the ambient airflow. So, this is the important reason for the aggravation and persistence of aerosol pollutants in local areas. (4) H_PMLs is negatively correlated to the pollution meteorological condition index PLAM which can describe the change of PM2.5 concentration. The lower the H_PMLs is, the higher the PLAM becomes, and the more conductive the air condition is to aggravation of pollutant aerosol concentration.

Advanced Aircrew Display Symposium (3rd), 19-20 May.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-01-01

piozea. This was in 1968. ’hS ese3e -2 -12 CE LS 1s desijn a si’mc;,41ed coiimator (movic diamond . fixed line) ot zo jza cy, .mhch v.as mounted on a...typical of electromechanical sights. The tracer sight displays electronic bullets with stadiametric range marks and a diamond at target range when...hackles on the necks of some engineers and pilots, we have become sensitive to the super-engineer/ super- pilot syndrome . It is very desirable to

Ultrasensitive nanoparticle enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy using a super-hydrophobic substrate coupled with magnetic confinement.

PubMed

Dong, Daming; Jiao, Leizi; Du, Xiaofan; Zhao, Chunjiang

2017-04-20

In this study, we developed a substrate to enhance the sensitivity of LIBS by 5 orders of magnitude. Using a combination of field enhancement due to the metal nanoparticles in the substrate, the aggregate effect of super-hydrophobic interfaces and magnetic confinement, we performed a quantitative measurement of copper in solution with concentrations on the ppt level. We also demonstrated that the substrate improves quantitative measurements by providing an opportunity for internal standardization.

Scalable quantum information processing with photons and atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Jian-Wei

Over the past three decades, the promises of super-fast quantum computing and secure quantum cryptography have spurred a world-wide interest in quantum information, generating fascinating quantum technologies for coherent manipulation of individual quantum systems. However, the distance of fiber-based quantum communications is limited due to intrinsic fiber loss and decreasing of entanglement quality. Moreover, probabilistic single-photon source and entanglement source demand exponentially increased overheads for scalable quantum information processing. To overcome these problems, we are taking two paths in parallel: quantum repeaters and through satellite. We used the decoy-state QKD protocol to close the loophole of imperfect photon source, and used the measurement-device-independent QKD protocol to close the loophole of imperfect photon detectors--two main loopholes in quantum cryptograph. Based on these techniques, we are now building world's biggest quantum secure communication backbone, from Beijing to Shanghai, with a distance exceeding 2000 km. Meanwhile, we are developing practically useful quantum repeaters that combine entanglement swapping, entanglement purification, and quantum memory for the ultra-long distance quantum communication. The second line is satellite-based global quantum communication, taking advantage of the negligible photon loss and decoherence in the atmosphere. We realized teleportation and entanglement distribution over 100 km, and later on a rapidly moving platform. We are also making efforts toward the generation of multiphoton entanglement and its use in teleportation of multiple properties of a single quantum particle, topological error correction, quantum algorithms for solving systems of linear equations and machine learning. Finally, I will talk about our recent experiments on quantum simulations on ultracold atoms. On the one hand, by applying an optical Raman lattice technique, we realized a two-dimensional spin-obit (SO) coupling and topological bands with ultracold bosonic atoms. A controllable crossover between 2D and 1D SO couplings is studied, and the SO effects and nontrivial band topology are observe. On the other hand, utilizing a two-dimensional spin-dependent optical superlattice and a single layer of atom cloud, we directly observed the four-body ring-exchange coupling and the Anyonic fractional statistics.

Raman-noise-induced quantum limits for χ(3) nondegenerate phase-sensitive amplification and quadrature squeezing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voss, Paul L.; Köprülü, Kahraman G.; Kumar, Prem

2006-04-01

We present a quantum theory of nondegenerate phase-sensitive parametric amplification in a χ(3) nonlinear medium. The nonzero response time of the Kerr (χ(3)) nonlinearity determines the quantum-limited noise figure of χ(3) parametric amplification, as well as the limit on quadrature squeezing. This nonzero response time of the nonlinearity requires coupling of the parametric process to a molecular vibration phonon bath, causing the addition of excess noise through spontaneous Raman scattering. We present analytical expressions for the quantum-limited noise figure of frequency nondegenerate and frequency degenerate χ(3) parametric amplifiers operated as phase-sensitive amplifiers. We also present results for frequency nondegenerate quadrature squeezing. We show that our nondegenerate squeezing theory agrees with the degenerate squeezing theory of Boivin and Shapiro as degeneracy is approached. We have also included the effect of linear loss on the phase-sensitive process.

Quantum Fisher information of the Greenberg-Horne-Zeilinger state in decoherence channels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma Jian; Huang Yixiao; Wang Xiaoguang

2011-08-15

Quantum Fisher information of a parameter characterizes the sensitivity of the state with respect to changes of the parameter. In this article, we study the quantum Fisher information of a state with respect to SU(2) rotations under three decoherence channels: the amplitude-damping, phase-damping, and depolarizing channels. The initial state is chosen to be a Greenberg-Horne-Zeilinger state of which the phase sensitivity can achieve the Heisenberg limit. By using the Kraus operator representation, the quantum Fisher information is obtained analytically. We observe the decay and sudden change of the quantum Fisher information in all three channels.

Holographic signatures of cosmological singularities.

PubMed

Engelhardt, Netta; Hertog, Thomas; Horowitz, Gary T

2014-09-19

To gain insight into the quantum nature of cosmological singularities, we study anisotropic Kasner solutions in gauge-gravity duality. The dual description of the bulk evolution towards the singularity involves N=4 super Yang-Mills theory on the expanding branch of deformed de Sitter space and is well defined. We compute two-point correlators of Yang-Mills operators of large dimensions using spacelike geodesics anchored on the boundary. The correlators show a strong signature of the singularity around horizon scales and decay at large boundary separation at different rates in different directions. More generally, the boundary evolution exhibits a process of particle creation similar to that in inflation. This leads us to conjecture that information on the quantum nature of cosmological singularities is encoded in long-wavelength features of the boundary wave function.

Cooperative single-photon subradiant states in a three-dimensional atomic array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jen, H. H.

2016-11-01

We propose a complete superradiant and subradiant states that can be manipulated and prepared in a three-dimensional atomic array. These subradiant states can be realized by absorbing a single photon and imprinting the spatially-dependent phases on the atomic system. We find that the collective decay rates and associated cooperative Lamb shifts are highly dependent on the phases we manage to imprint, and the subradiant state of long lifetime can be found for various lattice spacings and atom numbers. We also investigate both optically thin and thick atomic arrays, which can serve for systematic studies of super- and sub-radiance. Our proposal offers an alternative scheme for quantum memory of light in a three-dimensional array of two-level atoms, which is applicable and potentially advantageous in quantum information processing.

Decoy-state quantum key distribution with polarized photons over 200 km.

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Chen, Teng-Yun; Wang, Jian; Cai, Wen-Qi; Wan, Xu; Chen, Luo-Kan; Wang, Jin-Hong; Liu, Shu-Bin; Liang, Hao; Yang, Lin; Peng, Cheng-Zhi; Chen, Kai; Chen, Zeng-Bing; Pan, Jian-Wei

2010-04-12

We report an implementation of decoy-state quantum key distribution (QKD) over 200 km optical fiber cable through photon polarization encoding. This is achieved by constructing the whole QKD system operating at 320 MHz repetition rate, and developing high-speed transmitter and receiver modules. A novel and economic way of synchronization method is designed and incorporated into the system, which allows to work at a low frequency of 40kHz and removes the use of highly precise clock. A final key rate of 15 Hz is distributed within the experimental time of 3089 seconds, by using super-conducting single photon detectors. This is longest decoy-state QKD yet demonstrated up to date. It helps to make a significant step towards practical secure communication in long-distance scope.

Transient Evolutional Dynamics of Quantum-Dot Molecular Phase Coherence for Sensitive Optical Switching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Jian Qi; Gu, Jing

2018-04-01

Atomic phase coherence (quantum interference) in a multilevel atomic gas exhibits a number of interesting phenomena. Such an atomic quantum coherence effect can be generalized to a quantum-dot molecular dielectric. Two quantum dots form a quantum-dot molecule, which can be described by a three-level Λ-configuration model { |0> ,|1> ,|2> } , i.e., the ground state of the molecule is the lower level |0> and the highly degenerate electronic states in the two quantum dots are the two upper levels |1> ,|2> . The electromagnetic characteristics due to the |0>-|1> transition can be controllably manipulated by a tunable gate voltage (control field) that drives the |2>-|1> transition. When the gate voltage is switched on, the quantum-dot molecular state can evolve from one steady state (i.e., |0>-|1> two-level dressed state) to another steady state (i.e., three-level coherent-population-trapping state). In this process, the electromagnetic characteristics of a quantum-dot molecular dielectric, which is modified by the gate voltage, will also evolve. In this study, the transient evolutional behavior of the susceptibility of a quantum-dot molecular thin film and its reflection spectrum are treated by using the density matrix formulation of the multilevel systems. The present field-tunable and frequency-sensitive electromagnetic characteristics of a quantum-dot molecular thin film, which are sensitive to the applied gate voltage, can be utilized to design optical switching devices.

High Sensitivity Detection of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dot-Labeled DNA Based on N-type Porous Silicon Microcavities

PubMed Central

Lv, Changwu; Jia, Zhenhong; Lv, Jie; Zhang, Hongyan; Li, Yanyu

2017-01-01

N-type macroporous silicon microcavity structures were prepared using electrochemical etching in an HF solution in the absence of light and oxidants. The CdSe/ZnS water-soluble quantum dot-labeled DNA target molecules were detected by monitoring the microcavity reflectance spectrum, which was characterized by the reflectance spectrum defect state position shift resulting from changes to the structures’ refractive index. Quantum dots with a high refractive index and DNA coupling can improve the detection sensitivity by amplifying the optical response signals of the target DNA. The experimental results show that DNA combined with a quantum dot can improve the sensitivity of DNA detection by more than five times. PMID:28045442

High Sensitivity Detection of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dot-Labeled DNA Based on N-type Porous Silicon Microcavities.

PubMed

Lv, Changwu; Jia, Zhenhong; Lv, Jie; Zhang, Hongyan; Li, Yanyu

2017-01-01

N-type macroporous silicon microcavity structures were prepared using electrochemical etching in an HF solution in the absence of light and oxidants. The CdSe/ZnS water-soluble quantum dot-labeled DNA target molecules were detected by monitoring the microcavity reflectance spectrum, which was characterized by the reflectance spectrum defect state position shift resulting from changes to the structures' refractive index. Quantum dots with a high refractive index and DNA coupling can improve the detection sensitivity by amplifying the optical response signals of the target DNA. The experimental results show that DNA combined with a quantum dot can improve the sensitivity of DNA detection by more than five times.

Antenna-load interactions at optical frequencies: impedance matching to quantum systems.

PubMed

Olmon, R L; Raschke, M B

2012-11-09

The goal of antenna design at optical frequencies is to deliver optical electromagnetic energy to loads in the form of, e.g., atoms, molecules or nanostructures, or to enhance the radiative emission from such structures, or both. A true optical antenna would, on a qualitatively new level, control the light-matter interaction on the nanoscale for controlled optical signal transduction, radiative decay engineering, quantum coherent control, and super-resolution microscopy, and provide unprecedented sensitivity in spectroscopy. Resonant metallic structures have successfully been designed to approach these goals. They are called optical antennas in analogy to radiofrequency (RF) antennas due to their capability to collect and control electromagnetic fields at optical frequencies. However, in contrast to the RF, where exact design rules for antennas, waveguides, and antenna-load matching in terms of their impedances are well established, substantial physical differences limit the simple extension of the RF concepts into the optical regime. Key distinctions include, for one, intrinsic material resonances including quantum state excitations (metals, metal oxides, semiconductor homo- and heterostructures) and extrinsic resonances (surface plasmon/phonon polaritons) at optical frequencies. Second, in the absence of discrete inductors, capacitors, and resistors, new design strategies must be developed to impedance match the antenna to the load, ultimately in the form of a vibrational, electronic, or spin excitation on the quantum level. Third, there is as yet a lack of standard performance metrics for characterizing, comparing and quantifying optical antenna performance. Therefore, optical antenna development is currently challenged at all the levels of design, fabrication, and characterization. Here we generalize the ideal antenna-load interaction at optical frequencies, characterized by three main steps: (i) far-field reception of a propagating mode exciting an antenna resonance, (ii) subsequent transformation of that mode into a nanoscale spatial localization, and (iii) near-field coupling via an enhanced local density of states to a quantum load. These three steps define the goal of efficient transformation of incident radiation into a quantum excitation in an impedance-matched fashion. We review the physical basis of the light-matter interaction at the transition from the RF to optical regime, discuss the extension of antenna theory as needed for the design of impedance-matched optical antenna-load coupled systems, and provide several examples of the state of the art in design strategies and suggest future extensions. We furthermore suggest new performance metrics based on the combination of electric vector field, field enhancement and capture cross section measurement to aid in comparison between different antenna designs and optimization of optical antenna performance within the physical parameter space.

Optical implementation of spin squeezing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono, Takafumi; Sabines-Chesterking, Javier; Cable, Hugo; O'Brien, Jeremy L.; Matthews, Jonathan C. F.

2017-05-01

Quantum metrology enables estimation of optical phase shifts with precision beyond the shot-noise limit. One way to exceed this limit is to use squeezed states, where the quantum noise of one observable is reduced at the expense of increased quantum noise for its complementary partner. Because shot-noise limits the phase sensitivity of all classical states, reduced noise in the average value for the observable being measured allows for improved phase sensitivity. However, additional phase sensitivity can be achieved using phase estimation strategies that account for the full distribution of measurement outcomes. Here we experimentally investigate a model of optical spin-squeezing, which uses post-selection and photon subtraction from the state generated using a parametric downconversion photon source, and we investigate the phase sensitivity of this model. The Fisher information for all photon-number outcomes shows it is possible to obtain a quantum advantage of 1.58 compared to the shot-noise value for five-photon events, even though due to experimental imperfection, the average noise for the relevant spin-observable does not achieve sub-shot-noise precision. Our demonstration implies improved performance of spin squeezing for applications to quantum metrology.

Quantum Interferometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dowling, Jonathan P.

2000-01-01

Recently, several researchers, including yours truly, have been able to demonstrate theoretically that quantum photon entanglement has the potential to also revolutionize the entire field of optical interferometry, by providing many orders of magnitude improvement in interferometer sensitivity. The quantum entangled photon interferometer approach is very general and applies to many types of interferometers. In particular, without nonlocal entanglement, a generic classical interferometer has a statistical-sampling shot-noise limited sensitivity that scales like 1/Sqrt[N], where N is the number of particles (photons, electrons, atoms, neutrons) passing through the interferometer per unit time. However, if carefully prepared quantum correlations are engineered between the particles, then the interferometer sensitivity improves by a factor of Sqrt[N] (square root of N) to scale like 1/N, which is the limit imposed by the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. For optical (laser) interferometers operating at milliwatts of optical power, this quantum sensitivity boost corresponds to an eight-order-of-magnitude improvement of signal to noise. Applications are to tests of General Relativity such as ground and orbiting optical interferometers for gravity wave detection, Laser Interferometer Gravity Observatory (LIGO) and the European Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), respectively.

Phase-sensitive atomic dynamics in quantum light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balybin, S. N.; Zakharov, R. V.; Tikhonova, O. V.

2018-05-01

Interaction between a quantum electromagnetic field and a model Ry atom with possible transitions to the continuum and to the low-lying resonant state is investigated. Strong sensitivity of atomic dynamics to the phase of applied coherent and squeezed vacuum light is found. Methods to extract the quantum field phase performing the measurements on the atomic system are proposed. In the case of the few-photon coherent state high accuracy of the phase determination is demonstrated, which appears to be much higher in comparison to the usually used quantum-optical methods such as homodyne detection.

Quantum entanglement for systems of identical bosons: I. General features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalton, B. J.; Goold, J.; Garraway, B. M.; Reid, M. D.

2017-02-01

These two accompanying papers are concerned with two mode entanglement for systems of identical massive bosons and the relationship to spin squeezing and other quantum correlation effects. Entanglement is a key quantum feature of composite systems in which the probabilities for joint measurements on the composite sub-systems are no longer determined from measurement probabilities on the separate sub-systems. There are many aspects of entanglement that can be studied. This two-part review focuses on the meaning of entanglement, the quantum paradoxes associated with entangled states, and the important tests that allow an experimentalist to determine whether a quantum state—in particular, one for massive bosons is entangled. An overall outcome of the review is to distinguish criteria (and hence experiments) for entanglement that fully utilize the symmetrization principle and the super-selection rules that can be applied to bosonic massive particles. In the first paper (I), the background is given for the meaning of entanglement in the context of systems of identical particles. For such systems, the requirement is that the relevant quantum density operators must satisfy the symmetrization principle and that global and local super-selection rules prohibit states in which there are coherences between differing particle numbers. The justification for these requirements is fully discussed. In the second quantization approach that is used, both the system and the sub-systems are modes (or sets of modes) rather than particles, particles being associated with different occupancies of the modes. The definition of entangled states is based on first defining the non-entangled states—after specifying which modes constitute the sub-systems. This work mainly focuses on the two mode entanglement for massive bosons, but is put in the context of tests of local hidden variable theories, where one may not be able to make the above restrictions. The review provides the detailed arguments necessary for the conclusions of a recent paper, where the question of how to rigorously demonstrate the entanglement of a two-mode Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) has been examined. In the accompanying review paper (II), we consider spin squeezing and other tests for entanglement that have been proposed for two-mode bosonic systems. We apply the approach of review (I) to determine which tests, and which modifications of the tests, are useful for detecting entanglement in massive bosonic (BEC), as opposed to photonic, systems. Several new inequalities are derived, a theory for the required two-mode interferometry is presented, and key experiments to date are analyzed.

Time-evolution of quantum systems via a complex nonlinear Riccati equation. I. Conservative systems with time-independent Hamiltonian

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cruz, Hans, E-mail: hans@ciencias.unam.mx; Schuch, Dieter; Castaños, Octavio, E-mail: ocasta@nucleares.unam.mx

2015-09-15

The sensitivity of the evolution of quantum uncertainties to the choice of the initial conditions is shown via a complex nonlinear Riccati equation leading to a reformulation of quantum dynamics. This sensitivity is demonstrated for systems with exact analytic solutions with the form of Gaussian wave packets. In particular, one-dimensional conservative systems with at most quadratic Hamiltonians are studied.

Multi-frame super-resolution with quality self-assessment for retinal fundus videos.

PubMed

Köhler, Thomas; Brost, Alexander; Mogalle, Katja; Zhang, Qianyi; Köhler, Christiane; Michelson, Georg; Hornegger, Joachim; Tornow, Ralf P

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a novel super-resolution framework to reconstruct high-resolution fundus images from multiple low-resolution video frames in retinal fundus imaging. Natural eye movements during an examination are used as a cue for super-resolution in a robust maximum a-posteriori scheme. In order to compensate heterogeneous illumination on the fundus, we integrate retrospective illumination correction for photometric registration to the underlying imaging model. Our method utilizes quality self-assessment to provide objective quality scores for reconstructed images as well as to select regularization parameters automatically. In our evaluation on real data acquired from six human subjects with a low-cost video camera, the proposed method achieved considerable enhancements of low-resolution frames and improved noise and sharpness characteristics by 74%. In terms of image analysis, we demonstrate the importance of our method for the improvement of automatic blood vessel segmentation as an example application, where the sensitivity was increased by 13% using super-resolution reconstruction.

Measurement of radon concentration in super-Kamiokande's buffer gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakano, Y.; Sekiya, H.; Tasaka, S.; Takeuchi, Y.; Wendell, R. A.; Matsubara, M.; Nakahata, M.

2017-09-01

To precisely measure radon concentrations in purified air supplied to the Super-Kamiokande detector as a buffer gas, we have developed a highly sensitive radon detector with an intrinsic background as low as 0 . 33 ± 0 . 07 mBq /m3. In this article, we discuss the construction and calibration of this detector as well as results of its application to the measurement and monitoring of the buffer gas layer above Super-Kamiokande. In March 2013, the chilled activated charcoal system used to remove radon in the input buffer gas was upgraded. After this improvement, a dramatic reduction in the radon concentration of the supply gas down to 0 . 08 ± 0 . 07 mBq /m3. Additionally, the Rn concentration of the in-situ buffer gas has been measured 28 . 8 ± 1 . 7 mBq /m3 using the new radon detector. Based on these measurements we have determined that the dominant source of Rn in the buffer gas arises from contamination from the Super-Kamiokande tank itself.

Video-game epilepsy: a European study.

PubMed

Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenité, D G; da Silva, A M; Ricci, S; Binnie, C D; Rubboli, G; Tassinari, C A; Segers, J P

1999-01-01

With the introduction of Nintendo video-games on a large scale, reports of children having seizures while playing suggested a possible specific, provocative factor. Although 50% of the photosensitive patients are also sensitive to a 50-Hz television, nonphotosensitive patients with a history of video-game seizures were described as well. The question arises whether this is a mere coincidence, provoked by fatigue and stress, is related to the reaction to the television screen itself, or depends on the movement and color of the pictures of this specific game. A European study was performed in four countries and five sites. All patients were selected because of a history of television, video- or computer-game seizures, with a history of sun-light-, discotheque-, or black and white pattern-evoked seizures, or were already known to be sensitive to intermittent photic stimulation. A total of 387 patients were investigated; 220 (75%) were female and 214 (55%) of those were < 18 years of age. After a routine examination, intermittent photic, pattern, and television stimulation were performed in a standardized way. The patients were investigated with Super Mario World and a standard relatively nonprovocative TV program, both on a 50- and 100-Hz television. Regardless of the distance, Super Mario World proved to be more provocative than the standard program (Wilcoxon, p < 0.05). Eighty-five percent showed epileptiform discharges evoked by intermittent photic stimulation. Forty-five percent of patients were 50-Hz television sensitive and 26% were 100-Hz television sensitive. Pattern sensitivity was found in 28% of patients. The patients, referred because of a television, video- or computer-game seizure, were significantly more sensitive to pattern and to the 50-Hz television (chi square, p < 0.001). More patients are sensitive when playing Super Mario, compared with the standard program (Wilcoxon, p = 0.001) and more sensitive with playing versus viewing (p = 0.016). Of the patients who were referred because of seizures in front of the television, or evoked by a video- or computer game, 14% proved not to be photosensitive. Although no difference in age or use of medication was found, twice as many men were found in this nonphotosensitive group.

Physiological performance of two contrasting rice varieties under water stress.

PubMed

Khan, Furqan; Upreti, Priyanka; Singh, Ruchi; Shukla, Pradeep Kumar; Shirke, Pramod Arvind

2017-01-01

Two rice varieties PR-115 and Super-7 were imposed to water stress and different physiological traits were monitored to evaluate the performance of these varieties under drought. Under water stress condition although the relative water content, osmotic potential, chlorophyll content, photosynthesis rate, carbon discrimination and biomass decreased in both the varieties however, the reduction was more pronounced in Super-7 variety. Oryzanol a trans-ester of ferulic acid functions as antioxidant and it increased along with total phenolic and anthocyanin content in both the varieties under drought stress. However, gallic acid, 4 hydroxy benzoic acid, syringic acid and chlorogenic acid showed differential pattern in both of the varieties under water limiting conditions. Under drought, grain yield was penalized by 17 and 54% in PR-115 and Super-7 varieties, respectively in comparison to watered plants. Super-7 variety showed pronounced electrolyte leakage and MDA enhancement under water stress condition. High non photochemical quenching and reduction in Y(NO) and Y(II) indicated balanced energy management in tolerant PR-115 variety. The studies showed that PR-115 is a drought tolerant variety while Super-7 is drought sensitive in nature.

The Super-TIGER Instrument to Probe Galactic Cosmic-Ray Origins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, John E.

2013-04-01

Super-TIGER is a large area (5.4 m^2) balloon-borne instrument designed to measure cosmic-ray nuclei in the charge interval 30 <= Z <= 42 with individual-element resolution and high statistical precision, and make exploratory measurements through Z = 56. These measurements will provide sensitive tests of the emerging model of cosmic-ray origins in OB associations and models of the mechanism for selection of nuclei for acceleration. Furthermore, Super-TIGER will measure with high statistical accuracy the energy spectra of the more abundant elements in the interval 10 <= Z <= 28 at energies 0.8 < E < 10 GeV/nucleon to test the hypothesis that nearby micro-quasars could superpose features on the energy spectra. Super-TIGER, which builds on the heritage of the smaller TIGER, was constructed by a collaboration involving WUSTL, NASA/GSFC, Caltech, JPL and U Minn. It was successfully launched from Antarctica in December 2012, collecting high-quality data for over one month. Particle charge and energy were measured with a combination of plastic scintillators, acrylic and silica-aerogel Cherenkov detectors, and a scintillating fiber hodoscope. Details of the flight, instrument performance, data analysis and preliminary results of the Super-TIGER flight will be presented.

Quantum sensing of weak radio-frequency signals by pulsed Mollow absorption spectroscopy.

PubMed

Joas, T; Waeber, A M; Braunbeck, G; Reinhard, F

2017-10-17

Quantum sensors-qubits sensitive to external fields-have become powerful detectors for various small acoustic and electromagnetic fields. A major key to their success have been dynamical decoupling protocols which enhance sensitivity to weak oscillating (AC) signals. Currently, those methods are limited to signal frequencies below a few MHz. Here we harness a quantum-optical effect, the Mollow triplet splitting of a strongly driven two-level system, to overcome this limitation. We microscopically understand this effect as a pulsed dynamical decoupling protocol and find that it enables sensitive detection of fields close to the driven transition. Employing a nitrogen-vacancy center, we detect GHz microwave fields with a signal strength (Rabi frequency) below the current detection limit, which is set by the center's spectral linewidth [Formula: see text]. Pushing detection sensitivity to the much lower 1/T 2 limit, this scheme could enable various applications, most prominently coherent coupling to single phonons and microwave photons.Dynamical decoupling protocols can enhance the sensitivity of quantum sensors but this is limited to signal frequencies below a few MHz. Here, Joas et al. use the Mollow triplet splitting in a nitrogen-vacancy centre to overcome this limitation, enabling sensitive detection of signals in the GHz range.

Quantum plasmonic sensing

DOE PAGES

Fan, Wenjiang; Lawrie, Benjamin J.; Pooser, Raphael C.

2015-11-04

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors can reach the quantum noise limit of the optical readout field in various configurations. We demonstrate that two-mode intensity squeezed states produce a further enhancement in sensitivity compared with a classical optical readout when the quantum noise is used to transduce an SPR sensor signal in the Kretschmann configuration. The quantum noise reduction between the twin beams when incident at an angle away from the plasmonic resonance, combined with quantum noise resulting from quantum anticorrelations when on resonance, results in an effective SPR-mediated modulation that yields a measured sensitivity 5 dB better than that withmore » a classical optical readout in this configuration. Furthermore, the theoretical potential of this technique points to resolving particle concentrations with more accuracy than is possible via classical approaches to optical transduction.« less

How good are publicly available web services that predict bioactivity profiles for drug repurposing?

PubMed

Murtazalieva, K A; Druzhilovskiy, D S; Goel, R K; Sastry, G N; Poroikov, V V

2017-10-01

Drug repurposing provides a non-laborious and less expensive way for finding new human medicines. Computational assessment of bioactivity profiles shed light on the hidden pharmacological potential of the launched drugs. Currently, several freely available computational tools are available via the Internet, which predict multitarget profiles of drug-like compounds. They are based on chemical similarity assessment (ChemProt, SuperPred, SEA, SwissTargetPrediction and TargetHunter) or machine learning methods (ChemProt and PASS). To compare their performance, this study has created two evaluation sets, consisting of (1) 50 well-known repositioned drugs and (2) 12 drugs recently patented for new indications. In the first set, sensitivity values varied from 0.64 (TarPred) to 1.00 (PASS Online) for the initial indications and from 0.64 (TarPred) to 0.98 (PASS Online) for the repurposed indications. In the second set, sensitivity values varied from 0.08 (SuperPred) to 1.00 (PASS Online) for the initial indications and from 0.00 (SuperPred) to 1.00 (PASS Online) for the repurposed indications. Thus, this analysis demonstrated that the performance of machine learning methods surpassed those of chemical similarity assessments, particularly in the case of novel repurposed indications.

The BiPo-3 detector for the measurement of ultra low natural radioactivities of thin materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barabash, A. S.; Basharina-Freshville, A.; Birdsall, E.; Blondel, S.; Blot, S.; Bongrand, M.; Boursette, D.; Brudanin, V.; Busto, J.; Caffrey, A. J.; Calvez, S.; Cascella, M.; Cebrián, S.; Cerna, C.; Cesar, J. P.; Chauveau, E.; Chopra, A.; Dafní, T.; De Capua, S.; Duchesneau, D.; Durand, D.; Egorov, V.; Eurin, G.; Evans, J. J.; Fajt, L.; Filosofov, D.; Flack, R.; Garrido, X.; Gómez, H.; Guillon, B.; Guzowski, P.; Holý, K.; Hodák, R.; Huber, A.; Hugon, C.; Iguaz, F. J.; Irastorza, I. G.; Jeremie, A.; Jullian, S.; Kauer, M.; Klimenko, A.; Kochetov, O.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kovalenko, V.; Lang, K.; Lemière, Y.; Le Noblet, T.; Liptak, Z.; Liu, X. R.; Loaiza, P.; Lutter, G.; Luzón, G.; Macko, M.; Mamedov, F.; Marquet, C.; Mauger, F.; Morgan, B.; Mott, J.; Nemchenok, I.; Nomachi, M.; Nova, F.; Ohsumi, H.; Oliviéro, G.; Ortiz de Solórzano, A.; Pahlka, R. B.; Pater, J.; Perrot, F.; Piquemal, F.; Povinec, P.; Přidal, P.; Ramachers, Y. A.; Remoto, A.; Richards, B.; Riddle, C. L.; Rukhadze, E.; Saakyan, R.; Salazar, R.; Sarazin, X.; Shitov, Yu.; Simard, L.; Šimkovic, F.; Smetana, A.; Smolek, K.; Smolnikov, A.; Söldner-Rembold, S.; Soulé, B.; Štekl, I.; Thomas, J.; Timkin, V.; Torre, S.; Tretyak, Vl. I.; Tretyak, V. I.; Umatov, V. I.; Vilela, C.; Vorobel, V.; Waters, D.; Žukauskas, A.

2017-06-01

The BiPo-3 detector, running at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (Laboratorio Subterr&aposaneo de Canfranc, LSC, Spain) since 2013, is a low-radioactivity detector dedicated to measuring ultra low natural radionuclide contaminations of 208Tl (232Th chain) and 214Bi (238U chain) in thin materials. The total sensitive surface area of the detector is 3.6 m2. The detector has been developed to measure the radiopurity of the selenium double β-decay source foils of the SuperNEMO experiment. In this paper the design and performance of the detector, and results of the background measurements in 208Tl and 214Bi, are presented, and the validation of the BiPo-3 measurement with a calibrated aluminium foil is discussed. Results of the 208Tl and 214Bi activity measurements of the first enriched 82Se foils of the double β-decay SuperNEMO experiment are reported. The sensitivity of the BiPo-3 detector for the measurement of the SuperNEMO 82Se foils is Script A(208Tl) <2 μBq/kg (90% C.L.) and Script A(214Bi) <140 μBq/kg (90% C.L.) after 6 months of measurement.

Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Behaviour of Tuned Band Gap CdSe QDs Sensitized LaB₆.

PubMed

Babu, M Soban; Sivanantham, A; Chakravarthi, B Barath; Kannan, R Sujith; Panda, Subhendu K; Berchmans, L John; Arya, S B; Sreedhar, Gosipathala

2017-01-01

We report the fabrication of tuned band gap quantum dots sensitized LaB₆ hybrid nanostructures and their application as a photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting. The lanthanum hexaboride (LaB₆) obtained by molten salt electrolysis method is sensitized with different sized CdSe quantum dots, which form a multiple-level hierarchical heterostructure and such design enhance the light absorption and charge carrier separation, which in turn showed higher photocurrent density compared to that of pristine LaB₆. When LaB₆ is sensitized with CdSe quantum dots of different band gaps, which have the absorption in the green and red (530 and 605 nm) regions in visible light, developed a ten times higher photocurrent density (11.0 mA cm(−2)) compared to that of pristine LaB6 (0.5 mA cm(−2) at 0.75 V vs. Ag/AgCl) in 1 M Na₂S electrolyte under illumination. These results prove that the tuned band gap quantum dots sensitized LaB₆ heterostructures are an ideal candidate for a photoanode in solar water splitting applications.

Towards the Fundamental Quantum Limit of Linear Measurements of Classical Signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miao, Haixing; Adhikari, Rana X.; Ma, Yiqiu; Pang, Belinda; Chen, Yanbei

2017-08-01

The quantum Cramér-Rao bound (QCRB) sets a fundamental limit for the measurement of classical signals with detectors operating in the quantum regime. Using linear-response theory and the Heisenberg uncertainty relation, we derive a general condition for achieving such a fundamental limit. When applied to classical displacement measurements with a test mass, this condition leads to an explicit connection between the QCRB and the standard quantum limit that arises from a tradeoff between the measurement imprecision and quantum backaction; the QCRB can be viewed as an outcome of a quantum nondemolition measurement with the backaction evaded. Additionally, we show that the test mass is more a resource for improving measurement sensitivity than a victim of the quantum backaction, which suggests a new approach to enhancing the sensitivity of a broad class of sensors. We illustrate these points with laser interferometric gravitational-wave detectors.

Biological measurement beyond the quantum limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Michael; Janousek, Jiri; Daria, Vincent; Knittel, Joachim; Hage, Boris; Bachor, Hans; Bowen, Warwick

2013-05-01

Biology is an important frontier for quantum metrology, with quantum enhanced sensitivity allowing optical intensities to be lowered, and a consequent reduction in specimen damage and photochemical intrusion upon biological processes. Here we demonstrate the first biological measurement with precision surpassing the quantum noise limit. Naturally occurring lipid granules within living yeast cells were tracked in real time with sensitivity surpassing the quantum noise limit by 42% as they diffuse through the cytoplasm and interact with embedded polymer networks. This allowed dynamic mechanical properties of the cytoplasm to be determined with a 64% higher measurement rate than possible classically. To enable this, a new microscopy system was developed which is compatible with squeezed light, and which utilized a novel optical lock-in technique to allow quantum enhancement down to 10 Hz. This method is widely applicable, extending the reach of quantum enhanced measurement to many dynamic biological processes.

Enhancing quantum sensing sensitivity by a quantum memory

PubMed Central

Zaiser, Sebastian; Rendler, Torsten; Jakobi, Ingmar; Wolf, Thomas; Lee, Sang-Yun; Wagner, Samuel; Bergholm, Ville; Schulte-Herbrüggen, Thomas; Neumann, Philipp; Wrachtrup, Jörg

2016-01-01

In quantum sensing, precision is typically limited by the maximum time interval over which phase can be accumulated. Memories have been used to enhance this time interval beyond the coherence lifetime and thus gain precision. Here, we demonstrate that by using a quantum memory an increased sensitivity can also be achieved. To this end, we use entanglement in a hybrid spin system comprising a sensing and a memory qubit associated with a single nitrogen-vacancy centre in diamond. With the memory we retain the full quantum state even after coherence decay of the sensor, which enables coherent interaction with distinct weakly coupled nuclear spin qubits. We benchmark the performance of our hybrid quantum system against use of the sensing qubit alone by gradually increasing the entanglement of sensor and memory. We further apply this quantum sensor-memory pair for high-resolution NMR spectroscopy of single 13C nuclear spins. PMID:27506596

High energy scattering in QCD and in quantum gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipatov, L. N.

2014-06-01

The theory of the high energy scattering in QCD is based on the BFKL equation for the Pomeron wave function and on its generalization for composite multi-gluon states in the crossing channel. At a large number of colors the equations for the gluon composite states have remarkable mathematical properties including their Möbius invariance, holomorphic separability, duality symmetry and integrability. High energy QCD interactions local in the particle rapidities are formulated in the form of the gauge invariant effective action. In the maximally extended N = 4 super-symmetry the Pomeron turns out to be dual to the reggeized graviton in the 10-dimensional anti-de-Sitter space. As a result, the Gribov calculus for the Pomeron interactions should be reformulated here as a generally covariant effective field theory for the reggeized gravitons. We construct the corresponding effective action, which gives a possibility to calculate their trajectory and couplings. The graviton trajectory in the leading order contains an ultraviolet divergency meaning the presence of the double-logarithmic (DL) terms. We sum the DL contributions in all orders of the perturbation theory in the Einstein-Hilbert gravity and in its super-symmetric generalizations. In the N = 8 super gravity the ratio of the scattering amplitude in the DL approximation to the Born expression tends to zero at large energies.

Candidates for a possible third-generation gravitational wave detector: comparison of ring-Sagnac and sloshing-Sagnac speedmeter interferometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huttner, S. H.; Danilishin, S. L.; Barr, B. W.; Bell, A. S.; Gräf, C.; Hennig, J. S.; Hild, S.; Houston, E. A.; Leavey, S. S.; Pascucci, D.; Sorazu, B.; Spencer, A. P.; Steinlechner, S.; Wright, J. L.; Zhang, T.; Strain, K. A.

2017-01-01

Speedmeters are known to be quantum non-demolition devices and, by potentially providing sensitivity beyond the standard quantum limit, become interesting for third generation gravitational wave detectors. Here we introduce a new configuration, the sloshing-Sagnac interferometer, and compare it to the more established ring-Sagnac interferometer. The sloshing-Sagnac interferometer is designed to provide improved quantum noise limited sensitivity and lower coating thermal noise than standard position meter interferometers employed in current gravitational wave detectors. We compare the quantum noise limited sensitivity of the ring-Sagnac and the sloshing-Sagnac interferometers, in the frequency range, from 5 Hz to 100 Hz, where they provide the greatest potential benefit. We evaluate the improvement in terms of the unweighted noise reduction below the standard quantum limit, and by finding the range up to which binary black hole inspirals may be observed. The sloshing-Sagnac was found to give approximately similar or better sensitivity than the ring-Sagnac in all cases. We also show that by eliminating the requirement for maximally-reflecting cavity end mirrors with correspondingly-thick multi-layer coatings, coating noise can be reduced by a factor of approximately 2.2 compared to conventional interferometers.

Photosensitization of ZnO nanowires with CdSe quantum dots for photovoltaic devices.

PubMed

Leschkies, Kurtis S; Divakar, Ramachandran; Basu, Joysurya; Enache-Pommer, Emil; Boercker, Janice E; Carter, C Barry; Kortshagen, Uwe R; Norris, David J; Aydil, Eray S

2007-06-01

We combine CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals (or quantum dots) and single-crystal ZnO nanowires to demonstrate a new type of quantum-dot-sensitized solar cell. An array of ZnO nanowires was grown vertically from a fluorine-doped tin oxide conducting substrate. CdSe quantum dots, capped with mercaptopropionic acid, were attached to the surface of the nanowires. When illuminated with visible light, the excited CdSe quantum dots injected electrons across the quantum dot-nanowire interface. The morphology of the nanowires then provided the photoinjected electrons with a direct electrical pathway to the photoanode. With a liquid electrolyte as the hole transport medium, quantum-dot-sensitized nanowire solar cells exhibited short-circuit currents ranging from 1 to 2 mA/cm2 and open-circuit voltages of 0.5-0.6 V when illuminated with 100 mW/cm2 simulated AM1.5 spectrum. Internal quantum efficiencies as high as 50-60% were also obtained.

An integrated approach to realizing high-performance liquid-junction quantum dot sensitized solar cells

PubMed Central

McDaniel, Hunter; Fuke, Nobuhiro; Makarov, Nikolay S.; Pietryga, Jeffrey M.; Klimov, Victor I.

2013-01-01

Solution-processed semiconductor quantum dot solar cells offer a path towards both reduced fabrication cost and higher efficiency enabled by novel processes such as hot-electron extraction and carrier multiplication. Here we use a new class of low-cost, low-toxicity CuInSexS2−x quantum dots to demonstrate sensitized solar cells with certified efficiencies exceeding 5%. Among other material and device design improvements studied, use of a methanol-based polysulfide electrolyte results in a particularly dramatic enhancement in photocurrent and reduced series resistance. Despite the high vapour pressure of methanol, the solar cells are stable for months under ambient conditions, which is much longer than any previously reported quantum dot sensitized solar cell. This study demonstrates the large potential of CuInSexS2−x quantum dots as active materials for the realization of low-cost, robust and efficient photovoltaics as well as a platform for investigating various advanced concepts derived from the unique physics of the nanoscale size regime. PMID:24322379

Human development VIII: a theory of "deep" quantum chemistry and cell consciousness: quantum chemistry controls genes and biochemistry to give cells and higher organisms consciousness and complex behavior.

PubMed

Ventegodt, Søren; Hermansen, Tyge Dahl; Flensborg-Madsen, Trine; Nielsen, Maj Lyck; Merrick, Joav

2006-11-14

Deep quantum chemistry is a theory of deeply structured quantum fields carrying the biological information of the cell, making it able to remember, intend, represent the inner and outer world for comparison, understand what it "sees", and make choices on its structure, form, behavior and division. We suggest that deep quantum chemistry gives the cell consciousness and all the qualities and abilities related to consciousness. We use geometric symbolism, which is a pre-mathematical and philosophical approach to problems that cannot yet be handled mathematically. Using Occam's razor we have started with the simplest model that works; we presume this to be a many-dimensional, spiral fractal. We suggest that all the electrons of the large biological molecules' orbitals make one huge "cell-orbital", which is structured according to the spiral fractal nature of quantum fields. Consciousness of single cells, multi cellular structures as e.g. organs, multi-cellular organisms and multi-individual colonies (like ants) and human societies can thus be explained by deep quantum chemistry. When biochemical activity is strictly controlled by the quantum-mechanical super-orbital of the cell, this orbital can deliver energetic quanta as biological information, distributed through many fractal levels of the cell to guide form and behavior of an individual single or a multi-cellular organism. The top level of information is the consciousness of the cell or organism, which controls all the biochemical processes. By this speculative work inspired by Penrose and Hameroff we hope to inspire other researchers to formulate more strict and mathematically correct hypothesis on the complex and coherence nature of matter, life and consciousness.

Human Development VIII: A Theory of “Deep” Quantum Chemistry and Cell Consciousness: Quantum Chemistry Controls Genes and Biochemistry to Give Cells and Higher Organisms Consciousness and Complex Behavior

PubMed Central

Ventegodt, Søren; Hermansen, Tyge Dahl; Flensborg-Madsen, Trine; Nielsen, Maj Lyck; Merrick, Joav

2006-01-01

Deep quantum chemistry is a theory of deeply structured quantum fields carrying the biological information of the cell, making it able to remember, intend, represent the inner and outer world for comparison, understand what it “sees”, and make choices on its structure, form, behavior and division. We suggest that deep quantum chemistry gives the cell consciousness and all the qualities and abilities related to consciousness. We use geometric symbolism, which is a pre-mathematical and philosophical approach to problems that cannot yet be handled mathematically. Using Occams razor we have started with the simplest model that works; we presume this to be a many-dimensional, spiral fractal. We suggest that all the electrons of the large biological molecules orbitals make one huge “cell-orbital”, which is structured according to the spiral fractal nature of quantum fields. Consciousness of single cells, multi cellular structures as e.g. organs, multi-cellular organisms and multi-individual colonies (like ants) and human societies can thus be explained by deep quantum chemistry. When biochemical activity is strictly controlled by the quantum-mechanical super-orbital of the cell, this orbital can deliver energetic quanta as biological information, distributed through many fractal levels of the cell to guide form and behavior of an individual single or a multi-cellular organism. The top level of information is the consciousness of the cell or organism, which controls all the biochemical processes. By this speculative work inspired by Penrose and Hameroff we hope to inspire other researchers to formulate more strict and mathematically correct hypothesis on the complex and coherence nature of matter, life and consciousness. PMID:17115084

Josephson junction as the receiving and measuring element in panoramic receiver: frequencymeter in terahertz band

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denisov, Alexander; Gudkov, Alexander; Qiu, Jing Hui

2014-10-01

Josephson junction (JJ) can be used as the criterion in single-block super wide band frequency-meter and as the sensitive element in the super wide band panoramic receiver. There presented the theoretical and experimental investigations and described the innovation decision about to combine both devices in one new microwave device. JJ in this case works in self-pump mode regime. New device can be especially convenient for the experimental purposes with new generation structures when radiated power is small and frequency are unknown correctly.

Effect of ray and speed perturbations on ionospheric tomography by over-the-horizon radar: A new method, useful for SuperDarn radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenbeis, J.; Roy, C.; Bland, E. C.; Occhipinti, G.

2017-12-01

Most recent methods in ionospheric tomography are based on the inversion of the total electron content measured by ground-based GPS receivers. As a consequence of the high frequency of the GPS signal and the absence of horizontal raypaths, the electron density structure is mainly reconstructed in the F2 region (300 km), where the ionosphere reaches the maximum of ionization, and is not sensitive to the lower ionospheric structure. We propose here a new tomographic method of the lower ionosphere (Roy et al., 2014), based on the full inversion of over-the-horizon (OTH) radar data and applicable to SuperDarn data. The major advantage of our methodology is taking into account, numerically and jointly, the effect that the electron density perturbations induce not only in the speed of electromagnetic waves but also on the raypath geometry. This last point is extremely critical for OTH/SuperDarn data inversions as the emitted signal propagates through the ionosphere between a fixed starting point (the radar) and an unknown end point on the Earth surface where the signal is backscattered. We detail our ionospheric tomography method with the aid of benchmark tests in order to highlight the sensitivity of the radar related to the explored observational parameters: frequencies, elevations, azimuths. Having proved the necessity to take into account both effects simultaneously, we apply our method to real backscattered data from Super Darn and OTH radar. The preliminary solution obtained with the Hokkaido East SuperDARN with only two frequencies (10MHz and 11MHz), showed here, is stable and push us to deeply explore a more complete dataset that we will present at the AGU 2017. This is, in our knowledge, the first time that an ionospheric tomography has been estimated with SuperDarn backscattered data. Reference: Roy, C., G. Occhipinti, L. Boschi, J.-P. Moliné, and M. Wieczorek (2014), Effect of ray and speed perturbations on ionospheric tomography by over-the-horizon radar: A new method, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 119, doi:10.1002/2014JA020137.

Quantum Path Control of Harmonic Emission and Isolated Attosecond Pulse Generation by Using the Asymmetric Inhomogeneous Mid-Infrared Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, L. Q.; Li, W. L.; Castle, R. S.

2018-03-01

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) from the He atom driven by the asymmetric inhomogeneous mid-infrared field, produced by a metallic nanostructure, has been investigated. It is found that due to the asymmetric enhancement of the laser intensity in space, not only the harmonic cutoff can be extended, but also the single harmonic emission event with the single short quantum path contribution can be obtained. Further, by properly adding a terahertz (THz) controlling pulse, the harmonic cutoff can be further extended, showing a 1208 eV super-bandwidth with the intensity enhancement of two orders of magnitude. Finally, by properly superposing the harmonics, a series of the isolated 33 as pulses with the photon energies from 123 eV (10 nm) to 1256 eV (1 nm) can be obtained.

Perturbative quantum gravity as a double copy of gauge theory.

PubMed

Bern, Zvi; Carrasco, John Joseph M; Johansson, Henrik

2010-08-06

In a previous paper we observed that (classical) tree-level gauge-theory amplitudes can be rearranged to display a duality between color and kinematics. Once this is imposed, gravity amplitudes are obtained using two copies of gauge-theory diagram numerators. Here we conjecture that this duality persists to all quantum loop orders and can thus be used to obtain multiloop gravity amplitudes easily from gauge-theory ones. As a nontrivial test, we show that the three-loop four-point amplitude of N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory can be arranged into a form satisfying the duality, and by taking double copies of the diagram numerators we obtain the corresponding amplitude of N=8 supergravity. We also remark on a nonsupersymmetric two-loop test based on pure Yang-Mills theory resulting in gravity coupled to an antisymmetric tensor and dilaton.

Dynamics of a Landau-Zener transitions in a two-level system driven by a dissipative environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ateuafack, M. E.; Diffo, J. T.; Fai, L. C.

2016-02-01

The paper investigates the effects of a two-level quantum system coupled to transversal and longitudinal dissipative environment. The time-dependent phase accumulation, LZ transition probability and entropy in the presence of fast-ohmic, sub-ohmic and super-ohmic quantum noise are derived. Analytical results are obtained in terms of temperature, dissipation strength, LZ parameter and bath cutoff frequency. The bath is observed to modify the standard occupation difference by a decaying random phase factor and also produces dephasing during the transfer of population. The dephasing characteristics or the initial non-zero decoherence rate are observed to increase in time with the bath temperature and depend on the system-bath coupling strength and cutoff frequency. These parameters are found to strongly affect the memory and thus tailor the coherence process of the system.

Solution-processed nanoparticle super-float-gated organic field-effect transistor as un-cooled ultraviolet and infrared photon counter.

PubMed

Yuan, Yongbo; Dong, Qingfeng; Yang, Bin; Guo, Fawen; Zhang, Qi; Han, Ming; Huang, Jinsong

2013-01-01

High sensitivity photodetectors in ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) range have broad civilian and military applications. Here we report on an un-cooled solution-processed UV-IR photon counter based on modified organic field-effect transistors. This type of UV detectors have light absorbing zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) sandwiched between two gate dielectric layers as a floating gate. The photon-generated charges on the floating gate cause high resistance regions in the transistor channel and tune the source-drain output current. This "super-float-gating" mechanism enables very high sensitivity photodetectors with a minimum detectable ultraviolet light intensity of 2.6 photons/μm(2)s at room temperature as well as photon counting capability. Based on same mechansim, infrared photodetectors with lead sulfide NPs as light absorbing materials have also been demonstrated.

A Novel Phase Sensitive Quantum Well Nanostructure Scheme for Controlling Optical Bistability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raheli, Ali

2018-04-01

A novel four-level lambda-type quantum well (QW) nanostructure is proposed based on phase sensitive optical bistability (OB) and multistability (OM) with a closed-loop configuration. The influence of controlling parameters of the system on OB and OM is investigated. In particular, it is found that the OB behavior is strongly sensitive to the relative phase of applied fields. It is also shown that under certain parametric conditions, the OB can be switched to OM or vice versa. The controllability of OB/OM in such a QW nanostructure may bring some new possibilities for technological applications in solid-state quantum information science and optoelectronics.

Light sensitive memristor with bi-directional and wavelength-dependent conductance control

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maier, P.; Hartmann, F., E-mail: fabian.hartmann@physik.uni-wuerzburg.de; Emmerling, M.

2016-07-11

We report the optical control of localized charge on positioned quantum dots in an electro-photo-sensitive memristor. Interband absorption processes in the quantum dot barrier matrix lead to photo-generated electron-hole-pairs that, depending on the applied bias voltage, charge or discharge the quantum dots and hence decrease or increase the conductance. Wavelength-dependent conductance control is observed by illumination with red and infrared light, which leads to charging via interband and discharging via intraband absorption. The presented memristor enables optical conductance control and may thus be considered for sensory applications in artificial neural networks as light-sensitive synapses or optically tunable memories.

Process of super-black shading material applied to the star sensor based on Ni-P alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Fengdeng; Xing, Fei; Wu, Yuelong; You, Zheng

2014-12-01

Super-black materials based on Nanotechnology have very important applications in many science fields. Super-black materials which have been reported currently, although have excellent light-trapping properties, most of them need the use of sophisticated equipment , the long-time synthesis , high temperature environment and release flammable, explosive and other dangerous gases. So many kinds of problems have hindered the application of such super-black material in practice. This project had nano super-black material developed with simple equipment and process, instead of complicated and dangerous process steps in high temperature and high pressure. On the basis of literature research, we successfully worked out a set of large-area Ni-P alloy plating method through a series of experiments exploring and analyze the experimental results. In the condition of the above Ni-P alloy, we took the solution, which anodized the Ni-P alloy immersed in the non-oxidizing acid, instead of conventional blackening process. It`s a big break for changing the situation in which oxidation, corrosion, vigorous evolution of hydrogen gas in the process are performed at the same location. As a result, not only the reaction process decreased sensitivity to time error, but also the position of the bubble layer no longer located in the surface of the workpiece which may impede observing the process of reaction. Consequently, the solution improved the controllability of the blackening process. In addition, we conducted the research of nano super-black material, exploring nano-super-black material in terms of space optical sensor.

The Super-TIGER Instrument to Probe Galactic Cosmic Ray Origins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, John W.; Binns, W. R.; Bose, R, G.; Braun, D. L.; Christian, E. R.; Daniels, W. M; DeNolfo, G. A.; Dowkontt, P. F.; Hahne, D. J.; Hams, T.;

Quantum-Limited Directional Amplifiers with Optomechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malz, Daniel; Tóth, László D.; Bernier, Nathan R.; Feofanov, Alexey K.; Kippenberg, Tobias J.; Nunnenkamp, Andreas

2018-01-01

Directional amplifiers are an important resource in quantum-information processing, as they protect sensitive quantum systems from excess noise. Here, we propose an implementation of phase-preserving and phase-sensitive directional amplifiers for microwave signals in an electromechanical setup comprising two microwave cavities and two mechanical resonators. We show that both can reach their respective quantum limits on added noise. In the reverse direction, they emit thermal noise stemming from the mechanical resonators; we discuss how this noise can be suppressed, a crucial aspect for technological applications. The isolation bandwidth in both is of the order of the mechanical linewidth divided by the amplitude gain. We derive the bandwidth and gain-bandwidth product for both and find that the phase-sensitive amplifier has an unlimited gain-bandwidth product. Our study represents an important step toward flexible, on-chip integrated nonreciprocal amplifiers of microwave signals.

Synthesis of quantum dots

DOEpatents

McDaniel, Hunter

2017-10-17

Common approaches to synthesizing alloyed quantum dots employ high-cost, air-sensitive phosphine complexes as the selenium precursor. Disclosed quantum dot synthesis embodiments avoid these hazardous and air-sensitive selenium precursors. Certain embodiments utilize a combination comprising a thiol and an amine that together reduce and complex the elemental selenium to form a highly reactive selenium precursor at room temperature. The same combination of thiol and amine acts as the reaction solvent, stabilizing ligand, and sulfur source in the synthesis of quantum dot cores. A non-injection approach may also be used. The optical properties of the quantum dots synthesized by this new approach can be finely tuned for a variety of applications by controlling size and/or composition of size and composition. Further, using the same approach, a shell can be grown around a quantum dot core that improves stability, luminescence efficiency, and may reduce toxicity.

Improvement of Charge Transportation in Si Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells Using Vanadium Doped TiO2.

PubMed

Seo, Hyunwoong; Ichida, Daiki; Hashimoto, Shinji; Itagaki, Naho; Koga, Kazunori; Shiratani, Masaharu; Nam, Sang-Hun; Boo, Jin-Hyo

2016-05-01

The multiple exciton generation characteristics of quantum dots have been expected to enhance the performance of photochemical solar cells. In previous work, we first introduced Si quantum dot for sensitized solar cells. The Si quantum dots were fabricated by multi-hollow discharge plasma chemical vapor deposition, and were characterized optically and morphologically. The Si quantum dot-sensitized solar cells had poor performance due to significant electron loss by charge recombination. Although the large Si particle size resulted in the exposure of a large TiO2 surface area, there was a limit to ho much the particle size could be decreased due to the reduced absorbance of small particles. Therefore, this work focused on decreasing the internal impedance to improve charge transfer. TiO2 was electronically modified by doping with vanadium, which can improve electron transfer in the TiO2 network, and which is stable in the redox electrolyte. Photogenerated electrons can more easily arrive at the conductive electrode due to the decreased internal impedance. The dark photovoltaic properties confirmed the reduction of charge recombination, and the photon-to-current conversion efficiency reflected the improved electron transfer. Impedance analysis confirmed a decrease in internal impedance and an increased electron lifetime. Consequently, these improvements by vanadium doping enhanced the overall performance of Si quantum dot-sensitized solar cells.

Color-selective photodetection from intermediate colloidal quantum dots buried in amorphous-oxide semiconductors.

PubMed

Cho, Kyung-Sang; Heo, Keun; Baik, Chan-Wook; Choi, Jun Young; Jeong, Heejeong; Hwang, Sungwoo; Lee, Sang Yeol

2017-10-10

We report color-selective photodetection from intermediate, monolayered, quantum dots buried in between amorphous-oxide semiconductors. The proposed active channel in phototransistors is a hybrid configuration of oxide-quantum dot-oxide layers, where the gate-tunable electrical property of silicon-doped, indium-zinc-oxide layers is incorporated with the color-selective properties of quantum dots. A remarkably high detectivity (8.1 × 10 13 Jones) is obtained, along with three major findings: fast charge separation in monolayered quantum dots; efficient charge transport through high-mobility oxide layers (20 cm 2  V -1  s -1 ); and gate-tunable drain-current modulation. Particularly, the fast charge separation rate of 3.3 ns -1 measured with time-resolved photoluminescence is attributed to the intermediate quantum dots buried in oxide layers. These results facilitate the realization of efficient color-selective detection exhibiting a photoconductive gain of 10 7 , obtained using a room-temperature deposition of oxide layers and a solution process of quantum dots. This work offers promising opportunities in emerging applications for color detection with sensitivity, transparency, and flexibility.The development of highly sensitive photodetectors is important for image sensing and optical communication applications. Cho et al., report ultra-sensitive photodetectors based on monolayered quantum dots buried in between amorphous-oxide semiconductors and demonstrate color-detecting logic gates.

Experiments of 10 Gbit/sec quantum stream cipher applicable to optical Ethernet and optical satellite link

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirota, Osamu; Ohhata, Kenichi; Honda, Makoto; Akutsu, Shigeto; Doi, Yoshifumi; Harasawa, Katsuyoshi; Yamashita, Kiichi

2009-08-01

The security issue for the next generation optical network which realizes Cloud Computing System Service with data center" is urgent problem. In such a network, the encryption by physical layer which provide super security and small delay should be employed. It must provide, however, very high speed encryption because the basic link is operated at 2.5 Gbit/sec or 10 Gbit/sec. The quantum stream cipher by Yuen-2000 protocol (Y-00) is a completely new type random cipher so called Gauss-Yuen random cipher, which can break the Shannon limit for the symmetric key cipher. We develop such a cipher which has good balance of the security, speed and cost performance. In SPIE conference on quantum communication and quantum imaging V, we reported a demonstration of 2.5 Gbit/sec system for the commercial link and proposed how to improve it to 10 Gbit/sec. This paper reports a demonstration of the Y-00 cipher system which works at 10 Gbit/sec. A transmission test in a laboratory is tried to get the basic data on what parameters are important to operate in the real commercial networks. In addition, we give some theoretical results on the security. It is clarified that the necessary condition to break the Shannon limit requires indeed the quantum phenomenon, and that the full information theoretically secure system is available in the satellite link application.

Super-dense teleportation for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeitler, Chris; Graham, Trent M.; Chapman, Joseph; Bernstein, Herbert; Kwiat, Paul G.

2016-03-01

Establishing a quantum communication network would provide advantages in areas such as security and information processing. Such a network would require the implementation of quantum teleportation between remote parties. However, for photonic "qudits" of dimension greater than two, this teleportation always fails due to the inability to carry out the required quantum Bell-state measurement. A quantum communication protocol called Superdense Teleportation (SDT) can allow the reconstruction of a state without the usual 2-photon Bell-state measurements, enabling the protocol to succeed deterministically even for high dimensional qudits. This technique restricts the class of states transferred to equimodular states, a type of superposition state where each term can differ from the others in phase but not in amplitude; this restricted space of transmitted states allows the transfer to occur deterministically. We report on our implementation of SDT using photon pairs that are entangled in both polarization and temporal mode. After encoding the phases of the desired equimodular state on the signal photon, we perform a complete tomography on the idler photon to verify that we properly prepared the chosen state. Beyond our tabletop demonstration, we are working towards an implementation between a space platform in low earth orbit and a ground telescope, to demonstrate the feasibility of space-based quantum communication. We will discuss the various challenges presented by moving the experiment out of the laboratory, and our proposed solutions to make Superdense Teleportation realizable in the space setting.

Multiplexed memory-insensitive quantum repeaters.

PubMed

Collins, O A; Jenkins, S D; Kuzmich, A; Kennedy, T A B

2007-02-09

Long-distance quantum communication via distant pairs of entangled quantum bits (qubits) is the first step towards secure message transmission and distributed quantum computing. To date, the most promising proposals require quantum repeaters to mitigate the exponential decrease in communication rate due to optical fiber losses. However, these are exquisitely sensitive to the lifetimes of their memory elements. We propose a multiplexing of quantum nodes that should enable the construction of quantum networks that are largely insensitive to the coherence times of the quantum memory elements.

Solvent Replacement for Super Corr-A Corrosion Preventive Compound (CPC)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-18

AFCPCO BUSINESS SENSITIVE 8 First Article Testing Results Insert table referred to in interim report ? Requirement Test Method Specification...Vertical BUSINESS SENSITIVE 23 Conclusions • No tested lubricants met all first article testing requirements • DuPont Vertrel SDG and Kyzen Cybersolv...Paul Hoth Battelle Hill AFB Distribution Statement A Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited Report Documentation Page

7SK-BAF axis controls pervasive transcription at enhancers

PubMed Central

Flynn, Ryan A.; Do, Brian T.; Rubin, Adam J.; Calo, Eliezer; Lee, Byron; Kuchelmeister, Hannes; Rale, Michael; Chu, Ci; Kool, Eric T.; Wysocka, Joanna; Khavari, Paul A.

2016-01-01

RNA functions at enhancers remain mysterious. Here we show that the 7SK small nuclear RNA (snRNA) inhibits enhancer transcription by modulating nucleosome position. 7SK occupies enhancers and super enhancers genome-wide in mouse and human cells, and 7SK is required to limit eRNA initiation and synthesis in a manner distinct from promoter pausing. Clustered elements at super enhancers uniquely require 7SK to prevent convergent transcription and DNA damage signaling. 7SK physically interacts with the BAF chromatin remodeling complex, recruit BAF to enhancers, and inhibits enhancer transcription by modulating chromatin structure. In turn, 7SK occupancy at enhancers coincides with Brd4 and is exquisitely sensitive to the bromodomain inhibitor JQ1. Thus, 7SK employs distinct mechanisms to counteract diverse consequences of pervasive transcription that distinguish super enhancers, enhancers, and promoters. PMID:26878240

Atmospheric neutrino oscillation analysis with external constraints in Super-Kamiokande I-IV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abe, K.; Bronner, C.; Haga, Y.; Hayato, Y.; Ikeda, M.; Iyogi, K.; Kameda, J.; Kato, Y.; Kishimoto, Y.; Marti, Ll.; Miura, M.; Moriyama, S.; Nakahata, M.; Nakajima, T.; Nakano, Y.; Nakayama, S.; Okajima, Y.; Orii, A.; Pronost, G.; Sekiya, H.; Shiozawa, M.; Sonoda, Y.; Takeda, A.; Takenaka, A.; Tanaka, H.; Tasaka, S.; Tomura, T.; Akutsu, R.; Irvine, T.; Kajita, T.; Kametani, I.; Kaneyuki, K.; Nishimura, Y.; Okumura, K.; Richard, E.; Tsui, K. M.; Labarga, L.; Fernandez, P.; Blaszczyk, F. d. M.; Gustafson, J.; Kachulis, C.; Kearns, E.; Raaf, J. L.; Stone, J. L.; Sulak, L. R.; Berkman, S.; Tobayama, S.; Goldhaber, M.; Carminati, G.; Elnimr, M.; Kropp, W. R.; Mine, S.; Locke, S.; Renshaw, A.; Smy, M. B.; Sobel, H. W.; Takhistov, V.; Weatherly, P.; Ganezer, K. S.; Hartfiel, B. L.; Hill, J.; Hong, N.; Kim, J. Y.; Lim, I. T.; Park, R. G.; Akiri, T.; Himmel, A.; Li, Z.; O'Sullivan, E.; Scholberg, K.; Walter, C. W.; Wongjirad, T.; Ishizuka, T.; Nakamura, T.; Jang, J. S.; Choi, K.; Learned, J. G.; Matsuno, S.; Smith, S. N.; Amey, J.; Litchfield, R. P.; Ma, W. Y.; Uchida, Y.; Wascko, M. O.; Cao, S.; Friend, M.; Hasegawa, T.; Ishida, T.; Ishii, T.; Kobayashi, T.; Nakadaira, T.; Nakamura, K.; Oyama, Y.; Sakashita, K.; Sekiguchi, T.; Tsukamoto, T.; Abe, KE.; Hasegawa, M.; Suzuki, A. T.; Takeuchi, Y.; Yano, T.; Hayashino, T.; Hirota, S.; Huang, K.; Ieki, K.; Jiang, M.; Kikawa, T.; Nakamura, KE.; Nakaya, T.; Patel, N. D.; Suzuki, K.; Takahashi, S.; Wendell, R. A.; Anthony, L. H. V.; McCauley, N.; Pritchard, A.; Fukuda, Y.; Itow, Y.; Mitsuka, G.; Murase, M.; Muto, F.; Suzuki, T.; Mijakowski, P.; Frankiewicz, K.; Hignight, J.; Imber, J.; Jung, C. K.; Li, X.; Palomino, J. L.; Santucci, G.; Vilela, C.; Wilking, M. J.; Yanagisawa, C.; Ito, S.; Fukuda, D.; Ishino, H.; Kayano, T.; Kibayashi, A.; Koshio, Y.; Mori, T.; Nagata, H.; Sakuda, M.; Xu, C.; Kuno, Y.; Wark, D.; Di Lodovico, F.; Richards, B.; Tacik, R.; Kim, S. B.; Cole, A.; Thompson, L.; Okazawa, H.; Choi, Y.; Ito, K.; Nishijima, K.; Koshiba, M.; Totsuka, Y.; Suda, Y.; Yokoyama, M.; Calland, R. G.; Hartz, M.; Martens, K.; Quilain, B.; Simpson, C.; Suzuki, Y.; Vagins, M. R.; Hamabe, D.; Kuze, M.; Yoshida, T.; Ishitsuka, M.; Martin, J. F.; Nantais, C. M.; de Perio, P.; Tanaka, H. A.; Konaka, A.; Chen, S.; Wan, L.; Zhang, Y.; Wilkes, R. J.; Minamino, A.; Super-Kamiokande Collaboration

2018-04-01

An analysis of atmospheric neutrino data from all four run periods of Super-Kamiokande optimized for sensitivity to the neutrino mass hierarchy is presented. Confidence intervals for Δ m322 , sin2θ23, sin2θ13 and δC P are presented for normal neutrino mass hierarchy and inverted neutrino mass hierarchy hypotheses, based on atmospheric neutrino data alone. Additional constraints from reactor data on θ13 and from published binned T2K data on muon neutrino disappearance and electron neutrino appearance are added to the atmospheric neutrino fit to give enhanced constraints on the above parameters. Over the range of parameters allowed at 90% confidence level, the normal mass hierarchy is favored by between 91.9% and 94.5% based on the combined Super-Kamiokande plus T2K result.

Cooperative single-photon subradiant states in a three-dimensional atomic array

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jen, H.H., E-mail: sappyjen@gmail.com

2016-11-15

We propose a complete superradiant and subradiant states that can be manipulated and prepared in a three-dimensional atomic array. These subradiant states can be realized by absorbing a single photon and imprinting the spatially-dependent phases on the atomic system. We find that the collective decay rates and associated cooperative Lamb shifts are highly dependent on the phases we manage to imprint, and the subradiant state of long lifetime can be found for various lattice spacings and atom numbers. We also investigate both optically thin and thick atomic arrays, which can serve for systematic studies of super- and sub-radiance. Our proposal offers an alternative schememore » for quantum memory of light in a three-dimensional array of two-level atoms, which is applicable and potentially advantageous in quantum information processing. - Highlights: • Cooperative single-photon subradiant states in a three-dimensional atomic array. • Subradiant state manipulation via spatially-increasing phase imprinting. • Quantum storage of light in the subradiant state in two-level atoms.« less

Fermi-edge superfluorescence from a quantum-degenerate electron-hole gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ji-Hee; , G. Timothy Noe, II; McGill, Stephen A.; Wang, Yongrui; Wójcik, Aleksander K.; Belyanin, Alexey A.; Kono, Junichiro

2013-11-01

Nonequilibrium can be a source of order. This rather counterintuitive statement has been proven to be true through a variety of fluctuation-driven, self-organization behaviors exhibited by out-of-equilibrium, many-body systems in nature (physical, chemical, and biological), resulting in the spontaneous appearance of macroscopic coherence. Here, we report on the observation of spontaneous bursts of coherent radiation from a quantum-degenerate gas of nonequilibrium electron-hole pairs in semiconductor quantum wells. Unlike typical spontaneous emission from semiconductors, which occurs at the band edge, the observed emission occurs at the quasi-Fermi edge of the carrier distribution. As the carriers are consumed by recombination, the quasi-Fermi energy goes down toward the band edge, and we observe a continuously red-shifting streak. We interpret this emission as cooperative spontaneous recombination of electron-hole pairs, or superfluorescence (SF), which is enhanced by Coulomb interactions near the Fermi edge. This novel many-body enhancement allows the magnitude of the spontaneously developed macroscopic polarization to exceed the maximum value for ordinary SF, making electron-hole SF even more ``super'' than atomic SF.

Enhancement of quantum-enhanced LADAR receiver in nonideal phase-sensitive amplification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shuan; Liu, Hongjun; Huang, Nan; Wang, Zhaolu; Han, Jing

2017-07-01

The phase-sensitive amplification (PSA) with an injected squeezed vacuum field is theoretically investigated in quantum-enhanced laser detection and ranging (LADAR) receiver. The theoretical model of the amplified process is derived to investigate the quantum fluctuations in detail. A new method of mitigating the unflat gain of nonideal PSA is proposed by adjusting the squeezed angle of the squeezed vacuum field. The simulation results indicate that signal-noise ratio (SNR) of system can be efficiently improved and close to the ideal case by this method. This research will provide an important potential in the applications of quantum-enhanced LADAR receiver.

CdS/CdSe quantum dot shell decorated vertical ZnO nanowire arrays by spin-coating-based SILAR for photoelectrochemical cells and quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Ran; Luo, Qiu-Ping; Chen, Hong-Yan; Yu, Xiao-Yun; Kuang, Dai-Bin; Su, Cheng-Yong

2012-04-23

A CdS/CdSe composite shell is assembled onto the surface of ZnO nanowire arrays with a simple spin-coating-based successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method. The as-prepared photoelectrode exhibit a high photocurrent density in photoelectrochemical cells and also generates good power conversion efficiency in quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: CH4 and hot methane continuum hybrid line list (Yurchenko+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yurchenko, S. N.; Amundsen, D. S.; Tennyson, J.; Waldmann, I. P.

2017-07-01

The states file ch4_e50.dat contains a list of rovibrational states. Each state is labelled with: nine normal mode vibrational quantum numbers and the vibrational symmetry; three rotational quantum numbers including the total angular momentum J and rotational symmetry; the total symmetry quantum number Gamma and the running number in the same (J,Gamma) block. In addition there are nine local mode vibrational numbers and the largest coefficient used to assign the state in question. Each rovibrational state has a unique number, which is the number of the row in which it appears in the file. This number is the means by which the state is related to the second part of the data system, the transitions files. The total degeneracy is also given to facilitate the intensity calculations. Because of their size, the transitions are listed in 120 separate files, each containing all the transitions in a 100cm-1 frequency range. These transition files t_*.dat contain the strong methane lines lines consisting of three columns: the reference number in the energy file of the upper state, that of the lower state, the Einstein A coefficient of the transition and the transition wavenumber. These entries are ordered by increasing frequency. The name of the file includes the lowest frequency in the range; thus the t-00500.dat file contains all the transitions in the frequency range 500-600cm-1. 19 histograms xYYYYK.dat files contain CH4_ super-lines representing the continuum computed at the temperature T=YYYYK using R=1000000 (7090081 super-lines each) covering the wavenumber range from 10 to 12000cm-1. The energy file, the transitions files and the histograms files are bzipped, and need to be extracted before use. The pressure broadening parameters used in the calculations are listed in broad.dat. A programme ExoCross to generate synthetic spectra from these line lists can be obtained at www.exomol.com. (4 data files).

Negative differential conductance and super-Poissonian shot noise in single-molecule magnet junctions

PubMed Central

Xue, Hai-Bin; Liang, Jiu-Qing; Liu, Wu-Ming

2015-01-01

Molecular spintroinic device based on a single-molecule magnet is one of the ultimate goals of semiconductor nanofabrication technologies. It is thus necessary to understand the electron transport properties of a single-molecule magnet junction. Here we study the negative differential conductance and super-Poissonian shot noise properties of electron transport through a single-molecule magnet weakly coupled to two electrodes with either one or both of them being ferromagnetic. We predict that the negative differential conductance and super-Poissonian shot noise, which can be tuned by a gate voltage, depend sensitively on the spin polarization of the source and drain electrodes. In particular, the shot noise in the negative differential conductance region can be enhanced or decreased originating from the different formation mechanisms of negative differential conductance. The effective competition between fast and slow transport channels is responsible for the observed negative differential conductance and super-Poissonian shot noise. In addition, we further discuss the skewness and kurtosis properties of transport current in the super-Poissonian shot noise regions. Our findings suggest a tunable negative differential conductance molecular device, and the predicted properties of high-order current cumulants are very interesting for a better understanding of electron transport through single-molecule magnet junctions. PMID:25736094

Negative differential conductance and super-Poissonian shot noise in single-molecule magnet junctions.

PubMed

Xue, Hai-Bin; Liang, Jiu-Qing; Liu, Wu-Ming

2015-03-04

Molecular spintroinic device based on a single-molecule magnet is one of the ultimate goals of semiconductor nanofabrication technologies. It is thus necessary to understand the electron transport properties of a single-molecule magnet junction. Here we study the negative differential conductance and super-Poissonian shot noise properties of electron transport through a single-molecule magnet weakly coupled to two electrodes with either one or both of them being ferromagnetic. We predict that the negative differential conductance and super-Poissonian shot noise, which can be tuned by a gate voltage, depend sensitively on the spin polarization of the source and drain electrodes. In particular, the shot noise in the negative differential conductance region can be enhanced or decreased originating from the different formation mechanisms of negative differential conductance. The effective competition between fast and slow transport channels is responsible for the observed negative differential conductance and super-Poissonian shot noise. In addition, we further discuss the skewness and kurtosis properties of transport current in the super-Poissonian shot noise regions. Our findings suggest a tunable negative differential conductance molecular device, and the predicted properties of high-order current cumulants are very interesting for a better understanding of electron transport through single-molecule magnet junctions.

Temperature Sensitivity of Water-Soluble CdTe and CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots Incorporated into Biopolymer Submicron Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slyusarenko, N. V.; Gerasimova, M. A.; Slabko, V. V.; Slyusareva, E. A.

2017-07-01

Polymer particles with sizes 0.3-0.4 μm are synthesized based on chitosan and chondroitin sulfate with incorporated CdTe (core) and CdSe/ZnS (core-shell) quantum dots. Their morphological and spectral properties are investigated by the methods of dynamic scattering, electron microscopy, and absorption and luminescence spectroscopy at temperatures from 10 to 80°C. Spectral effects associated with a change in temperature (a red shift and a decrease in the amplitude of the photoluminescence spectrum) can be explained by the temperature expansion of the quantum dots and activation of surface traps. It is shown that the temperature sensitivity of spectra of the quantum dots incorporated into the biopolymer particles is not less than in water. To develop an optical temperature sensor, the core quantum dots are more preferable than the core-shell quantum dots.

Highly photostable "super"-photoacids for ultrasensitive fluorescence spectroscopy.

PubMed

Finkler, Björn; Spies, Christian; Vester, Michael; Walte, Frederick; Omlor, Kathrin; Riemann, Iris; Zimmer, Manuel; Stracke, Frank; Gerhards, Markus; Jung, Gregor

2014-03-01

The photoacid 8-hydroxypyren-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (HPTS, pyranine) is a widely used model compound for the examination of excited state proton transfer (ESPT). We synthesized five "super"-photoacids with varying hydrophilicity and acidity on the basis of HPTS. By chemical modification of the three sulfonic acid substituents, the photoacidity is enhanced by up to more than five logarithmic units from pK*≈ 1.4 to ∼-3.9 for the most acidic compound. As a result, nearly quantitative ESPT in DMSO can be observed. The novel photoacids were characterized by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence techniques showing distinctively red shifted spectra compared to HPTS while maintaining a high quantum yield near 90%. Photostability of the compounds was checked by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and was found to be adequately high for ultrasensitive fluorescence spectroscopy. The described photoacids present a valuable palette for a wide range of applications, especially when the properties of HPTS, i.e. highly charged, low photostability and only moderate excited state acidity, are limiting.

Experimental assessment and analysis of super-resolution in fluorescence microscopy based on multiple-point spread function fitting of spectrally demultiplexed images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishimura, Takahiro; Kimura, Hitoshi; Ogura, Yusuke; Tanida, Jun

2018-06-01

This paper presents an experimental assessment and analysis of super-resolution microscopy based on multiple-point spread function fitting of spectrally demultiplexed images using a designed DNA structure as a test target. For the purpose, a DNA structure was designed to have binding sites at a certain interval that is smaller than the diffraction limit. The structure was labeled with several types of quantum dots (QDs) to acquire their spatial information as spectrally encoded images. The obtained images are analyzed with a point spread function multifitting algorithm to determine the QD locations that indicate the binding site positions. The experimental results show that the labeled locations can be observed beyond the diffraction-limited resolution using three-colored fluorescence images that were obtained with a confocal fluorescence microscope. Numerical simulations show that labeling with eight types of QDs enables the positions aligned at 27.2-nm pitches on the DNA structure to be resolved with high accuracy.

SuperCDMS Underground Detector Fabrication Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Platt, M.; Mahapatra, R.; Bunker, Raymond A.

The SuperCDMS SNOLAB dark matter experiment processes Ge and Si crystals into fully tested phonon and ionization detectors at surface fabrication and test facilities. If not mitigated, it is anticipated that trace-level production of radioisotopes in the crystals due to exposure to cosmic rays at (or above) sea level will result in the dominant source of background events in future dark matter searches using the current SuperCDMS detector technology. Fabrication and testing of detectors in underground facilities shielded from cosmic radiation is one way to directly reduce production of trace levels of radioisotopes, thereby improving experimental sensitivity for the discoverymore » of dark matter beyond the level of the current experiment. In this report, we investigate the cost and feasibility to establish a complete detector fabrication processing chain in an underground location to mitigate cosmogenic activation of the Ge and Si detector substrates. For a specific and concrete evaluation, we explore options for such a facility located at SNOLAB, an underground laboratory in Sudbury, Canada hosting the current and future experimental phases of SuperCDMS.« less

Single photon detection of 1.5 THz radiation with the quantum capacitance detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echternach, P. M.; Pepper, B. J.; Reck, T.; Bradford, C. M.

2018-01-01

Far-infrared spectroscopy can reveal secrets of galaxy evolution and heavy-element enrichment throughout cosmic time, prompting astronomers worldwide to design cryogenic space telescopes for far-infrared spectroscopy. The most challenging aspect is a far-infrared detector that is both exquisitely sensitive (limited by the zodiacal-light noise in a narrow wavelength band, λ/Δλ 1,000) and array-able to tens of thousands of pixels. We present the quantum capacitance detector, a superconducting device adapted from quantum computing applications in which photon-produced free electrons in a superconductor tunnel into a small capacitive island embedded in a resonant circuit. The quantum capacitance detector has an optically measured noise equivalent power below 10-20 W Hz-1/2 at 1.5 THz, making it the most sensitive far-infrared detector ever demonstrated. We further demonstrate individual far-infrared photon counting, confirming the excellent sensitivity and suitability for cryogenic space astrophysics.

A Study of Solar Flare Effects on Mid and High Latitude Radio Wave Propagation using SuperDARN.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruohoniemi, J. M.; Chakraborty, S.; Baker, J. B.

2017-12-01

Over the Horizon (OTH) communication is strongly dependent on the state of the ionosphere, which is sensitive to solar X-ray flares. The Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN), whose working principle is dependent on trans-ionospheric radio communication, uses HF radio waves to remotely sense the ionosphere. The backscatter returns from the terrestrial surface (also known as ground-scatter) transit the ionosphere four times and simulate the operation of an HF communications link. SuperDARN backscatter signal properties are altered (strongly attenuated and changes apparent phase) during a sudden ionospheric disturbance following a solar flare, commonly known as Short-Wave Fadeout or SWF. During an SWF the number of SuperDARN backscatter echoes drops suddenly (≈1 min) and sharply, often to near zero, and recovers within 30 minutes to an hour. In this study HF propagation data (SuperDARN backscatter) obtained during SWF events are analyzed for the purpose of validating and improving the performance of HF absorption models, such as, Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) D-region Absorption model (DRAP) and CCMC physics based AbbyNormal model. We will also present preliminary results from a physics based model for the mid and high latitude ionospheric response to flare-driven space weather anomalies, which can be used to estimate different physical parameters of the ionosphere such as electron density, collision frequency, absorption coefficients, response time of D-region etc.

Quantum-Noise-Limited Sensitivity Enhancement of a Passive Optical Cavity by a Fast-Light Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, David D.; Luckay, H. A.; Chang, Hongrok; Myneni, Krishna

2016-01-01

We demonstrate for a passive optical cavity containing a dispersive atomic medium, the increase in scale factor near the critical anomalous dispersion is not cancelled by mode broadening or attenuation, resulting in an overall increase in the predicted quantum-noise-limited sensitivity. Enhancements of over two orders of magnitude are measured in the scale factor, which translates to greater than an order-of-magnitude enhancement in the predicted quantum-noise-limited measurement precision, by temperature tuning a low-pressure vapor of non-interacting atoms in a low-finesse cavity close to the critical anomalous dispersion condition. The predicted enhancement in sensitivity is confirmed through Monte-Carlo numerical simulations.

High-Density Quantum Sensing with Dissipative First Order Transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raghunandan, Meghana; Wrachtrup, Jörg; Weimer, Hendrik

2018-04-01

The sensing of external fields using quantum systems is a prime example of an emergent quantum technology. Generically, the sensitivity of a quantum sensor consisting of N independent particles is proportional to √{N }. However, interactions invariably occurring at high densities lead to a breakdown of the assumption of independence between the particles, posing a severe challenge for quantum sensors operating at the nanoscale. Here, we show that interactions in quantum sensors can be transformed from a nuisance into an advantage when strong interactions trigger a dissipative phase transition in an open quantum system. We demonstrate this behavior by analyzing dissipative quantum sensors based upon nitrogen-vacancy defect centers in diamond. Using both a variational method and a numerical simulation of the master equation describing the open quantum many-body system, we establish the existence of a dissipative first order transition that can be used for quantum sensing. We investigate the properties of this phase transition for two- and three-dimensional setups, demonstrating that the transition can be observed using current experimental technology. Finally, we show that quantum sensors based on dissipative phase transitions are particularly robust against imperfections such as disorder or decoherence, with the sensitivity of the sensor not being limited by the T2 coherence time of the device. Our results can readily be applied to other applications in quantum sensing and quantum metrology where interactions are currently a limiting factor.

High-Density Quantum Sensing with Dissipative First Order Transitions.

PubMed

Raghunandan, Meghana; Wrachtrup, Jörg; Weimer, Hendrik

2018-04-13

The sensing of external fields using quantum systems is a prime example of an emergent quantum technology. Generically, the sensitivity of a quantum sensor consisting of N independent particles is proportional to sqrt[N]. However, interactions invariably occurring at high densities lead to a breakdown of the assumption of independence between the particles, posing a severe challenge for quantum sensors operating at the nanoscale. Here, we show that interactions in quantum sensors can be transformed from a nuisance into an advantage when strong interactions trigger a dissipative phase transition in an open quantum system. We demonstrate this behavior by analyzing dissipative quantum sensors based upon nitrogen-vacancy defect centers in diamond. Using both a variational method and a numerical simulation of the master equation describing the open quantum many-body system, we establish the existence of a dissipative first order transition that can be used for quantum sensing. We investigate the properties of this phase transition for two- and three-dimensional setups, demonstrating that the transition can be observed using current experimental technology. Finally, we show that quantum sensors based on dissipative phase transitions are particularly robust against imperfections such as disorder or decoherence, with the sensitivity of the sensor not being limited by the T_{2} coherence time of the device. Our results can readily be applied to other applications in quantum sensing and quantum metrology where interactions are currently a limiting factor.

Nanodiamonds and silicon quantum dots: ultrastable and biocompatible luminescent nanoprobes for long-term bioimaging.

PubMed

Montalti, M; Cantelli, A; Battistelli, G

2015-07-21

Fluorescence bioimaging is a powerful, versatile, method for investigating, both in vivo and in vitro, the complex structures and functions of living organisms in real time and space, also using super-resolution techniques. Being poorly invasive, fluorescence bioimaging is suitable for long-term observation of biological processes. Long-term detection is partially prevented by photobleaching of organic fluorescent probes. Semiconductor quantum dots, in contrast, are ultrastable, fluorescent contrast agents detectable even at the single nanoparticle level. Emission color of quantum dots is size dependent and nanoprobes emitting in the near infrared (NIR) region are ideal for low back-ground in vivo imaging. Biocompatibility of nanoparticles, containing toxic elements, is debated. Recent safety concerns enforced the search for alternative ultrastable luminescent nanoprobes. Most recent results demonstrated that optimized silicon quantum dots (Si QDs) and fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) show almost no photobleaching in a physiological environment. Moreover in vitro and in vivo toxicity studies demonstrated their unique biocompatibility. Si QDs and FNDs are hence ideal diagnostic tools and promising non-toxic vectors for the delivery of therapeutic cargos. Most relevant examples of applications of Si QDs and FNDs to long-term bioimaging are discussed in this review comparing the toxicity and the stability of different nanoprobes.

Dynamical sensitivity control of a single-spin quantum sensor.

PubMed

Lazariev, Andrii; Arroyo-Camejo, Silvia; Rahane, Ganesh; Kavatamane, Vinaya Kumar; Balasubramanian, Gopalakrishnan

2017-07-26

The Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) defect in diamond is a unique quantum system that offers precision sensing of nanoscale physical quantities at room temperature beyond the current state-of-the-art. The benchmark parameters for nanoscale magnetometry applications are sensitivity, spectral resolution, and dynamic range. Under realistic conditions the NV sensors controlled by conventional sensing schemes suffer from limitations of these parameters. Here we experimentally show a new method called dynamical sensitivity control (DYSCO) that boost the benchmark parameters and thus extends the practical applicability of the NV spin for nanoscale sensing. In contrast to conventional dynamical decoupling schemes, where π pulse trains toggle the spin precession abruptly, the DYSCO method allows for a smooth, analog modulation of the quantum probe's sensitivity. Our method decouples frequency selectivity and spectral resolution unconstrained over the bandwidth (1.85 MHz-392 Hz in our experiments). Using DYSCO we demonstrate high-accuracy NV magnetometry without |2π| ambiguities, an enhancement of the dynamic range by a factor of 4 · 10 3 , and interrogation times exceeding 2 ms in off-the-shelf diamond. In a broader perspective the DYSCO method provides a handle on the inherent dynamics of quantum systems offering decisive advantages for NV centre based applications notably in quantum information and single molecule NMR/MRI.

A Novel Quantum Dots-Based Point of Care Test for Syphilis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hao; Li, Ding; He, Rong; Guo, Qin; Wang, Kan; Zhang, Xueqing; Huang, Peng; Cui, Daxiang

2010-05-01

One-step lateral flow test is recommended as the first line screening of syphilis for primary healthcare settings in developing countries. However, it generally shows low sensitivity. We describe here the development of a novel fluorescent POC (Point Of Care) test method to be used for screening for syphilis. The method was designed to combine the rapidness of lateral flow test and sensitiveness of fluorescent method. 50 syphilis-positive specimens and 50 healthy specimens conformed by Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) were tested with Quantum Dot-labeled and colloidal gold-labeled lateral flow test strips, respectively. The results showed that both sensitivity and specificity of the quantum dots-based method reached up to 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91-100%), while those of the colloidal gold-based method were 82% (95% CI, 68-91%) and 100% (95% CI, 91-100%), respectively. In addition, the naked-eye detection limit of quantum dot-based method could achieve 2 ng/ml of anti-TP47 polyclonal antibodies purified by affinity chromatography with TP47 antigen, which was tenfold higher than that of colloidal gold-based method. In conclusion, the quantum dots were found to be suitable for labels of lateral flow test strip. Its ease of use, sensitiveness and low cost make it well-suited for population-based on-the-site syphilis screening.

Quantum Sensing Beyond the Shot-Noise Limit with Plasmonic Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dowran, Mohammadjavad; Kumar, Ashok; Lawrie, Benjamin; Pooser, Raphael; Marino, Alberto

2017-04-01

The use of quantum resources offers the possibility of enhancing the sensitivity of a device beyond the shot noise limit and promises to revolutionize the field of metrology through the development of quantum enhanced sensors. In particular, plasmonic sensors, which are widely used in bio-chemical sensing applications, provide a unique opportunity to bring such an enhancement to real-life devices. Resonance plasmonic sensors respond to changes in refractive index through a shift of their characteristic transmission spectrum. We show that the use of quantum squeezed states to probe plasmonic sensors can enhance their sensitivity by lowering the noise floor and allowing the detection of smaller changes in refractive index. In our experiment, we use one of the beams of a two-mode squeezed state generated via four-wave-mixing in Rb atoms to probe the sensor. A squeezing level of 4 dB is obtained after transduction through the plasmonic sensor, which consists of a triangular nano-hole array in a thin silver film and exhibits a sensitivity of the order of 10-10 RIU /√{ Hz} . The use of quantum states leads to 40 % enhancement in the sensitivity of the plasmonic sensor with respect to the shot noise limit. Work supported by the W.M. Keck Foundation.

Ti Porous Film-Supported NiCo₂S₄ Nanotubes Counter Electrode for Quantum-Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells.

PubMed

Deng, Jianping; Wang, Minqiang; Song, Xiaohui; Yang, Zhi; Yuan, Zhaolin

2018-04-17

In this paper, a novel Ti porous film-supported NiCo₂S₄ nanotube was fabricated by the acid etching and two-step hydrothermal method and then used as a counter electrode in a CdS/CdSe quantum-dot-sensitized solar cell. Measurements of the cyclic voltammetry, Tafel polarization curves, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of the symmetric cells revealed that compared with the conventional FTO (fluorine doped tin oxide)/Pt counter electrode, Ti porous film-supported NiCo₂S₄ nanotubes counter electrode exhibited greater electrocatalytic activity toward polysulfide electrolyte and lower charge-transfer resistance at the interface between electrolyte and counter electrode, which remarkably improved the fill factor, short-circuit current density, and power conversion efficiency of the quantum-dot-sensitized solar cell. Under illumination of one sun (100 mW/cm²), the quantum-dot-sensitized solar cell based on Ti porous film-supported NiCo₂S₄ nanotubes counter electrode achieved a power conversion efficiency of 3.14%, which is superior to the cell based on FTO/Pt counter electrode (1.3%).

Incorporation of Mn2+ into CdSe quantum dots by chemical bath co-deposition method for photovoltaic enhancement of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chenguang; Liu, Shaowen; Liu, Xingwei; Deng, Fei; Xiong, Yan; Tsai, Fang-Chang

2018-03-01

A photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.9% was obtained under 100 mW cm-2 illumination by quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using a CdS/Mn : CdSe sensitizer. CdS quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on a TiO2 mesoporous oxide film by successive ionic layer absorption and reaction. Mn2+ doping into CdSe QDs is an innovative and simple method-chemical bath co-deposition, that is, mixing the Mn ion source with CdSe precursor solution for Mn : CdSe QD deposition. Compared with the CdS/CdSe sensitizer without Mn2+ incorporation, the PCE was increased from 3.4% to 4.9%. The effects of Mn2+ doping on the chemical, physical and photovoltaic properties of the QDSSCs were investigated by energy dispersive spectrometry, absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent density-voltage characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Mn-doped CdSe QDs in QDSSCs can obtain superior light absorption, faster electron transport and slower charge recombination than CdSe QDs.

Incorporation of Mn2+ into CdSe quantum dots by chemical bath co-deposition method for photovoltaic enhancement of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Chenguang; Liu, Shaowen; Liu, Xingwei; Deng, Fei; Xiong, Yan; Tsai, Fang-Chang

2018-03-01

A photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.9% was obtained under 100 mW cm -2 illumination by quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using a CdS/Mn : CdSe sensitizer. CdS quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on a TiO 2 mesoporous oxide film by successive ionic layer absorption and reaction. Mn 2+ doping into CdSe QDs is an innovative and simple method-chemical bath co-deposition, that is, mixing the Mn ion source with CdSe precursor solution for Mn : CdSe QD deposition. Compared with the CdS/CdSe sensitizer without Mn 2+ incorporation, the PCE was increased from 3.4% to 4.9%. The effects of Mn 2+ doping on the chemical, physical and photovoltaic properties of the QDSSCs were investigated by energy dispersive spectrometry, absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent density-voltage characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Mn-doped CdSe QDs in QDSSCs can obtain superior light absorption, faster electron transport and slower charge recombination than CdSe QDs.

Incorporation of Mn2+ into CdSe quantum dots by chemical bath co-deposition method for photovoltaic enhancement of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chenguang; Liu, Shaowen; Liu, Xingwei; Deng, Fei

2018-01-01

A photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.9% was obtained under 100 mW cm−2 illumination by quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using a CdS/Mn : CdSe sensitizer. CdS quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on a TiO2 mesoporous oxide film by successive ionic layer absorption and reaction. Mn2+ doping into CdSe QDs is an innovative and simple method—chemical bath co-deposition, that is, mixing the Mn ion source with CdSe precursor solution for Mn : CdSe QD deposition. Compared with the CdS/CdSe sensitizer without Mn2+ incorporation, the PCE was increased from 3.4% to 4.9%. The effects of Mn2+ doping on the chemical, physical and photovoltaic properties of the QDSSCs were investigated by energy dispersive spectrometry, absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent density–voltage characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Mn-doped CdSe QDs in QDSSCs can obtain superior light absorption, faster electron transport and slower charge recombination than CdSe QDs. PMID:29657776

Usage of the Upgraded Vassilissa Separator for Synthesis of Super-Heavy Elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeremin, A. V.; Malyshev, O. N.; Popeko, A. G.; Sagaidak, R. N.; Chepigin, V. I.; Kabachenko, A. P.; Belozerov, A. V.; Chelnokov, M. L.; Gorshkov, V. A.; Svirikhin, A. I.; Korotkov, S. P.; Rohach, J.; Brida, I.; Berek, G.

2002-12-01

Electrostatic separator VASSILISSA is used for exploring complete fussion nuclear reactions. The magnetic analyzer, based on D37 dipole magnet, was installed after the second triplet of quadrupole lenses of the separator for the mass identification of evaporation residues. Mass identification is an powerful tool for identification of recoil atoms of super-heavy elements. The new detection system consisting of the time-of-fiight system and 32-strips position-sensitive detector array was installed in the focal plane of the separator. The mass resolution of the separator after upgrade was found to be about 2.5 %.

Spectroscopic Studies of Double Beta Decays and MOON

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ejiri, H.; Nuclear Science, Czech Technical University, Brehova, Prague, Czech Republic, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, 263-8555

2007-10-12

This is a brief review of future spectroscopic experiments of neutrino-less double beta decays (0{nu}{beta}{beta}) and the MOON (Mo Observatory Of Neutrinos) project. Spectroscopic 0{nu}{beta}{beta} experiments of MOON, SuperNEMO and DCBA are planned to study Majorana masses in the quasi-degenerate (QD) and inverted mass hierarchy (IH) regions. MOON aims at 0{nu}{beta}{beta} studies with the {nu}-mass sensitivities of 100-30 meV by means of a super ensemble of multi-layer modules, each being consist of a scintillator plate, two tracking detector planes and a thin {beta}{beta} source film.

Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmstrom, Axel F.; Santra, Pralay K.; Bent, Stacey F.

2015-07-01

Nanostructured materials offer key advantages for third-generation photovoltaics, such as the ability to achieve high optical absorption together with enhanced charge carrier collection using low cost components. However, the extensive interfacial areas in nanostructured photovoltaic devices can cause high recombination rates and a high density of surface electronic states. In this feature article, we provide a brief review of some nanostructured photovoltaic technologies including dye-sensitized, quantum dot sensitized and colloidal quantum dot solar cells. We then introduce the technique of atomic layer deposition (ALD), which is a vapor phase deposition method using a sequence of self-limiting surface reaction steps to grow thin, uniform and conformal films. We discuss how ALD has established itself as a promising tool for addressing different aspects of nanostructured photovoltaics. Examples include the use of ALD to synthesize absorber materials for both quantum dot and plasmonic solar cells, to grow barrier layers for dye and quantum dot sensitized solar cells, and to infiltrate coatings into colloidal quantum dot solar cell to improve charge carrier mobilities as well as stability. We also provide an example of monolayer surface modification in which adsorbed ligand molecules on quantum dots are used to tune the band structure of colloidal quantum dot solar cells for improved charge collection. Finally, we comment on the present challenges and future outlook of the use of ALD for nanostructured photovoltaics.

Quantum mechanics in complex systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoehn, Ross Douglas

This document should be considered in its separation; there are three distinct topics contained within and three distinct chapters within the body of works. In a similar fashion, this abstract should be considered in three parts. Firstly, we explored the existence of multiply-charged atomic ions by having developed a new set of dimensional scaling equations as well as a series of relativistic augmentations to the standard dimensional scaling procedure and to the self-consistent field calculations. Secondly, we propose a novel method of predicting drug efficacy in hopes to facilitate the discovery of new small molecule therapeutics by modeling the agonist-protein system as being similar to the process of Inelastic Electron Tunneling Spectroscopy. Finally, we facilitate the instruction in basic quantum mechanical topics through the use of quantum games; this method of approach allows for the generation of exercises with the intent of conveying the fundamental concepts within a first year quantum mechanics classroom. Furthermore, no to be mentioned within the body of the text, yet presented in appendix form, certain works modeling the proliferation of cells types within the confines of man-made lattices for the purpose of facilitating artificial vascular transplants. In Chapter 2, we present a theoretical framework which describes multiply-charged atomic ions, their stability within super-intense laser fields, also lay corrections to the systems due to relativistic effects. Dimensional scaling calculations with relativistic corrections for systems: H, H-, H 2-, He, He-, He2-, He3- within super-intense laser fields were completed. Also completed were three-dimensional self consistent field calculations to verify the dimensionally scaled quantities. With the aforementioned methods the system's ability to stably bind 'additional' electrons through the development of multiple isolated regions of high potential energy leading to nodes of high electron density is shown. These nodes are spaced far enough from each other to minimized the electronic repulsion of the electrons, while still providing adequate enough attraction so as to bind the excess elections into orbitals. We have found that even with relativistic considerations these species are stably bound within the field. It was also found that performing the dimensional scaling calculations for systems within the confines of laser fields to be a much simpler and more cost-effective method than the supporting D=3 SCF method. The dimensional scaling method is general and can be extended to include relativistic corrections to describe the stability of simple molecular systems in super-intense laser fields. Chapter 3, we delineate the model, and aspects therein, of inelastic electron tunneling and map this model to the protein environment. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute a large family of receptors that sense molecules outside of a cell and activate signal transduction pathways inside the cell. Modeling how an agonist activates such a receptor is important for understanding a wide variety of physiological processes and it is of tremendous value for pharmacology and drug design. Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) has been proposed as the mechanism by which olfactory GPCRs are activated by an encapsulated agonist. In this note we apply this notion to GPCRs within the mammalian nervous system using ab initio quantum chemical modeling. We found that non-endogenous agonists of the serotonin receptor share a singular IET spectral aspect both amongst each other and with the serotonin molecule: a peak that scales in intensity with the known agonist activities. We propose an experiential validation of this model by utilizing lysergic acid dimethylamide (DAM-57), an ergot derivative, and its isotopologues in which hydrogen atoms are replaced by deuterium. If validated our theory may provide new avenues for guided drug design and better in silico prediction of efficacies. Our final chapter, explores methods which may be explored to assist in the early instruction in quantum mechanics. The learning of quantum mechanics is contingent upon an understanding of the physical significance of the mathematics that one must perform. Concepts such as normalization, superposition, interference, probability amplitude and entanglement can prove challenging for the beginning student. This paper outlines several class exercises that use a non-classical version of tic-tac-toe to instruct several topics in an undergraduate quantum mechanics course. Quantum tic-tac-toe (QTTT) is a quantum analogue of classical tic-tac-toe (CTTT) benefiting from the use of superposition in movement, qualitative (and later quantitative) displays of entanglement and state collapse due to observation. QTTT can be used for the benefit of the students understanding in several other topics with the aid of proper discussion.

Quantum metrology with a transmon qutrit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shlyakhov, A. R.; Zemlyanov, V. V.; Suslov, M. V.; Lebedev, A. V.; Paraoanu, G. S.; Lesovik, G. B.; Blatter, G.

2018-02-01

Making use of coherence and entanglement as metrological quantum resources allows us to improve the measurement precision from the shot-noise or quantum limit to the Heisenberg limit. Quantum metrology then relies on the availability of quantum engineered systems that involve controllable quantum degrees of freedom which are sensitive to the measured quantity. Sensors operating in the qubit mode and exploiting their coherence in a phase-sensitive measurement have been shown to approach the Heisenberg scaling in precision. Here, we show that this result can be further improved by operating the quantum sensor in the qudit mode, i.e., by exploiting d rather than two levels. Specifically, we describe the metrological algorithm for using a superconducting transmon device operating in a qutrit mode as a magnetometer. The algorithm is based on the base-3 semiquantum Fourier transformation and enhances the quantum theoretical performance of the sensor by a factor of 2. Even more, the practical gain of our qutrit implementation is found in a reduction of the number of iteration steps of the quantum Fourier transformation by the factor ln(2 )/ln(3 )≈0.63 compared to the qubit mode. We show that a two-tone capacitively coupled radio-frequency signal is sufficient for implementation of the algorithm.

Nucleus-acoustic Solitons in Self-gravitating Magnetized Quantum Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saaduzzaman, Dewan Mohammad; Amina, Moriom; Mamun, Abdullah Al

2018-03-01

The basic properties of the nucleus-acoustic (NA) solitary waves (SWs) are investigated in a super-dense self-gravitating magnetized quantum plasma (SDSGMQP) system in the presence of an external magnetic field, whose constituents are the non-degenerate light as well as heavy nuclei, and non-/ultra-relativistically degenerate electrons. The Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation has been derived by employing the reductive perturbation method. The NA SWs are formed with negative (positive) electrostatic (self-gravitational) potential. It is also observed that the effects of non-/ultra-relativistically degenerate electron pressure and the obliqueness of the external magnetic field significantly change the basic properties (e.g., amplitude, width, and speed) of NA SWs. The implications of the findings of our present investigation in explaining the physics behind the formation of the NA SWs in astrophysical compact objects like neutron stars are briefly discussed.

Super-high color rendering properties of color temperature tunable white LEDs based on high quality InP/ZnS quantum dots via myristic acid passivation and Ag doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Wu; Zhang, Wanlu; Zhang, Guilin; Zhu, Jiatao; He, Guoxing; Guo, Ruiqian

2018-07-01

We reported two types of tunable white LEDs (WLEDs) based on high quality the single emissive InP/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and the dual emissive Ag:InP/ZnS QDs via myristic acid (MA) passivation and Ag doping. The WLEDs with three color InP/ZnS QDs could realize color rendering indices (CRIs) of 97-98, color quality scales (CQSs) of 94-98, and limited luminous efficacies (LLEs) of 238-246 lm/W at correlated color temperatures (CCTs) of 2700 K to 6500 K, and the WLEDs with dual emissive Ag:InP/ZnS and red emissive InP/ZnS QDs could realize CRIs of 90-93, CQSs of 90-93, and LLEs of 223-242 lm/W at CCTs of 2700 K to 4000 K. Finally, their luminous efficacies were estimated.

Blocking-state influence on shot noise and conductance in quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harabula, M.-C.; Ranjan, V.; Haller, R.; Fülöp, G.; Schönenberger, C.

2018-03-01

Quantum dots (QDs) investigated through electron transport measurements often exhibit varying, state-dependent tunnel couplings to the leads. Under specific conditions, weakly coupled states can result in a strong suppression of the electrical current, and they are correspondingly called blocking states. Using the combination of conductance and shot noise measurements, we investigate blocking states in carbon nanotube (CNT) QDs. We report negative differential conductance and super-Poissonian noise. The enhanced noise is the signature of electron bunching, which originates from random switches between the strongly and weakly conducting states of the QD. Negative differential conductance appears here when the blocking state is an excited state. In this case, at the threshold voltage where the blocking state becomes populated, the current is reduced. Using a master equation approach, we provide numerical simulations reproducing both the conductance and the shot noise pattern observed in our measurements.

Full counting statistics and shot noise of cotunneling in quantum dots and single-molecule transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaasbjerg, Kristen; Belzig, Wolfgang

2015-06-01

We develop a conceptually simple scheme based on a master-equation approach to evaluate the full-counting statistics (FCS) of elastic and inelastic off-resonant tunneling (cotunneling) in quantum dots (QDs) and molecules. We demonstrate the method by showing that it reproduces known results for the FCS and shot noise in the cotunneling regime. For a QD with an excited state, we obtain an analytic expression for the cumulant generating function (CGF) taking into account elastic and inelastic cotunneling. From the CGF we find that the shot noise above the inelastic threshold in the cotunneling regime is inherently super-Poissonian when external relaxation is weak. Furthermore, a complete picture of the shot noise across the different transport regimes is given. In the case where the excited state is a blocking state, strongly enhanced shot noise is predicted both in the resonant and cotunneling regimes.

Quantum tunneling and quasinormal modes in the spacetime of the Alcubierre warp drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jusufi, Kimet; Sakallı, İzzet; Övgün, Ali

2018-01-01

In a seminal paper, Alcubierre showed that Einstein's theory of general relativity appears to allow a super-luminal motion. In the present study, we use a recent eternal-warp-drive solution found by Alcubierre to study the effect of Hawking radiation upon an observer located within the warp drive in the framework of the quantum tunneling method. We find the same expression for the Hawking temperatures associated with the tunneling of both massive vector and scalar particles, and show this expression to be proportional to the velocity of the warp drive. On the other hand, since the discovery of gravitational waves, the quasinormal modes (QNMs) of black holes have also been extensively studied. With this purpose in mind, we perform a QNM analysis of massive scalar field perturbations in the background of the eternal-Alcubierre-warp-drive spacetime. Our analytical analysis shows that massive scalar perturbations lead to stable QNMs.

Potential Effects of a Scenario Earthquake on the Economy of Southern California: Labor Market Exposure and Sensitivity Analysis to a Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sherrouse, Benson C.; Hester, David J.; Wein, Anne M.

2008-01-01

The Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project (MHDP) is a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and various partners from the public and private sectors and academia, meant to improve Southern California's resiliency to natural hazards (Jones and others, 2007). In support of the MHDP objectives, the ShakeOut Scenario was developed. It describes a magnitude 7.8 (M7.8) earthquake along the southernmost 300 kilometers (200 miles) of the San Andreas Fault, identified by geoscientists as a plausible event that will cause moderate to strong shaking over much of the eight-county (Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura) Southern California region. This report contains an exposure and sensitivity analysis of economic Super Sectors in terms of labor and employment statistics. Exposure is measured as the absolute counts of labor market variables anticipated to experience each level of Instrumental Intensity (a proxy measure of damage). Sensitivity is the percentage of the exposure of each Super Sector to each Instrumental Intensity level. The analysis concerns the direct effect of the scenario earthquake on economic sectors and provides a baseline for the indirect and interactive analysis of an input-output model of the regional economy. The analysis is inspired by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report that analyzed the labor market losses (exposure) of a M6.9 earthquake on the Hayward fault by overlaying geocoded labor market data on Instrumental Intensity values. The method used here is influenced by the ZIP-code-level data provided by the California Employment Development Department (CA EDD), which requires the assignment of Instrumental Intensities to ZIP codes. The ZIP-code-level labor market data includes the number of business establishments, employees, and quarterly payroll categorized by the North American Industry Classification System. According to the analysis results, nearly 225,000 business establishments, or 44 percent of all establishments, would experience Instrumental Intensities between VII (7) and X (10). This represents more than 4 million employees earning over $45 billion in quarterly payroll. Over 57,000 of these establishments, employing over 1 million employees earning over $10 billion in quarterly payroll, would experience Instrumental Intensities of IX (9) or X (10). Based upon absolute counts and percentages, the Trade, Transportation, and Utilities Super Sector and the Manufacturing Super Sector are estimated to have the greatest exposure and sensitivity respectively. The Information and the Natural Resources and Mining Super Sectors are estimated to be the least impacted. Areas estimated to experience an Instrumental Intensity of X (10) account for approximately 3 percent of the region's labor market.

Extended performance gas Cherenkov detector for gamma-ray detection in high-energy density experiments.

PubMed

Herrmann, H W; Kim, Y H; Young, C S; Fatherley, V E; Lopez, F E; Oertel, J A; Malone, R M; Rubery, M S; Horsfield, C J; Stoeffl, W; Zylstra, A B; Shmayda, W T; Batha, S H

2014-11-01

A new Gas Cherenkov Detector (GCD) with low-energy threshold and high sensitivity, currently known as Super GCD (or GCD-3 at OMEGA), is being developed for use at the OMEGA Laser Facility and the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Super GCD is designed to be pressurized to ≤400 psi (absolute) and uses all metal seals to allow the use of fluorinated gases inside the target chamber. This will allow the gamma energy threshold to be run as low at 1.8 MeV with 400 psi (absolute) of C2F6, opening up a new portion of the gamma ray spectrum. Super GCD operating at 20 cm from TCC will be ∼400 × more efficient at detecting DT fusion gammas at 16.7 MeV than the Gamma Reaction History diagnostic at NIF (GRH-6m) when operated at their minimum thresholds.

The Effects of Ionizing Radiation and Oxidizing Species on Strains of Deinococcus Radiodurans Lacking Endogenous Oxidative Protection Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

Deinococcus radiodurans. In addition to radiation the mutated strains were also exposed to paraquat, an oxidizing herbicide . Strains missing manganese super-oxide dismutase and bacillithiol synthesis showed increased sensitivity.

Broadband energy transfer to sensitizing dyes by mobile quantum dot mediators in solar cells

PubMed Central

Adhyaksa, Gede Widia Pratama; Lee, Ga In; Baek, Se-Woong; Lee, Jung-Yong; Kang, Jeung Ku

2013-01-01

The efficiency of solar cells depends on absorption intensity of the photon collectors. Herein, mobile quantum dots (QDs) functionalized with thiol ligands in electrolyte are utilized into dye–sensitized solar cells. The QDs serve as mediators to receive and re–transmit energy to sensitized dyes, thus amplifying photon collection of sensitizing dyes in the visible range and enabling up–conversion of low-energy photons to higher-energy photons for dye absorption. The cell efficiency is boosted by dispersing QDs in electrolyte, thereby obviating the need for light scattering1 or plasmonic2 structures. Furthermore, optical spectroscopy and external quantum efficiency data reveal that resonance energy transfer due to the overlap between QD emission and dye absorption spectra becomes dominant when the QD bandgap is higher than the first excitonic peak of the dye, while co–sensitization resulting in a fast reduction of oxidized dyes is pronounced in the case of lower QD band gaps. PMID:24048384

Study on the Fabrication of Paint-Type Si Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Hyunwoong; Son, Min-Kyu; Kim, Hee-Je; Wang, Yuting; Uchida, Giichiro; Kamataki, Kunihiro; Itagaki, Naho; Koga, Kazunori; Shiratani, Masaharu

2013-10-01

Quantum dots (QDs) have attracted much attention with their quantum characteristics in the research field of photochemical solar cells. Si QD was introduced as one of alternatives to conventional QD materials. However, their large particles could not penetrate inside TiO2 layer. Therefore, this work proposed the paint-type Si QD-sensitized solar cell. Its heat durability was suitable for the fabrication of paint-type solar cell. Si QDs were fabricated by multihollow discharge plasma chemical vapor deposition and characterized. The paste type, sintering temperature, and Si ratio were controlled and analyzed for better performance. Finally, its performance was enhanced by ZnS surface modification and the whole process was much simplified without sensitizing process.

Quasiparticle breakdown in a quantum spin liquid.

PubMed

Stone, Matthew B; Zaliznyak, Igor A; Hong, Tao; Broholm, Collin L; Reich, Daniel H

2006-03-09

Much of modern condensed matter physics is understood in terms of elementary excitations, or quasiparticles--fundamental quanta of energy and momentum. Various strongly interacting atomic systems are successfully treated as a collection of quasiparticles with weak or no interactions. However, there are interesting limitations to this description: in some systems the very existence of quasiparticles cannot be taken for granted. Like unstable elementary particles, quasiparticles cannot survive beyond a threshold where certain decay channels become allowed by conservation laws; their spectrum terminates at this threshold. Such quasiparticle breakdown was first predicted for an exotic state of matter--super-fluid 4He at temperatures close to absolute zero, a quantum Bose liquid where zero-point atomic motion precludes crystallization. Here we show, using neutron scattering, that quasiparticle breakdown can also occur in a quantum magnet and, by implication, in other systems with Bose quasiparticles. We have measured spin excitations in a two-dimensional quantum magnet, piperazinium hexachlorodicuprate (PHCC), in which spin-1/2 copper ions form a non-magnetic quantum spin liquid, and find remarkable similarities with excitations in superfluid 4He. We observe a threshold momentum beyond which the quasiparticle peak merges with the two-quasiparticle continuum. It then acquires a finite energy width and becomes indistinguishable from a leading-edge singularity, so that excited states are no longer quasiparticles but occupy a wide band of energy. Our findings have important ramifications for understanding excitations with gapped spectra in many condensed matter systems, ranging from band insulators to high-transition-temperature superconductors.

Preparation and photovoltaic properties of CdS quantum dot-sensitized solar cell based on zinc tin mixed metal oxides.

PubMed

Cao, Jiupeng; Zhao, Yifan; Zhu, Yatong; Yang, Xiaoyu; Shi, Peng; Xiao, Hongdi; Du, Na; Hou, Wanguo; Qi, Genggeng; Liu, Jianqiang

2017-07-15

The present study reports a new type of quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using the zinc tin mixed metal oxides (MMO) as the anode materials, which were obtained from the layered double hydroxide (LDH) precursor. The successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method is applied to deposit CdS quantum dots. The effects of sensitizing cycles on the performance of CdS QDSSC are studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are used to identify the surface profile and crystal structure of the mixed metal oxides anode. The photovoltaic performance of the QDSSC is studied by the electrochemical method. The new CdS QDSSC exhibits power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 0.48% when the anode was sensitized for eight cycles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and study of charge sensors for fast charge detection in quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thalakulam, Madhu

Charge detection at microsecond time-scales has far reaching consequences in both technology and in our understanding of electron dynamics in nanoscale devices such as quantum dots. Radio-frequency superconducting single electron transistors (RF-SET) and quantum point contacts (QPC) are ultra sensitive charge sensors operating near the quantum limit. The operation of RF-SETs outside the superconducting gap has been a topic of study; the sub-gap operation, especially in the presence of large quantum fluctuations of quasiparticles remains largely unexplored, both theoretically and experimentally. We have investigated the effects of quantum fluctuations of quasiparticles on the operation of RF-SETs for large values of the quasiparticle cotunneling parameter alpha = 8EJ/Ec, where EJ and Ec are the Josephson and charging energies. We find that, for alpha > 1, sub-gap RF-SET operation is still feasible despite quantum fluctuations that wash out quasiparticle tunneling thresholds. Such RF-SETs show linearity and signal-to-noise ratio superior to those obtained when quantum fluctuations are weak, while still demonstrating excellent charge sensitivity. We have operated a QPC charge detector in a radio frequency mode that allows fast charge detection in a bandwidth of several megahertz. The noise limiting the sensitivity of the charge detector is not the noise of a secondary amplifier, but the non-equilibrium device noise of the QPC itself. The noise power averaged over a measurement bandwidth of about 10MHz around the carrier frequency is in agreement with the theory of photon-assisted shot noise. Frequency-resolved measurements, however show several significant discrepancies with the theoretical predictions. The measurement techniques developed can also be used to investigate the noise of other semiconductor nanostructures such as quantum dots in the Kondo regime. A study of the noise characteristics alone can not determine whether the device is operating at the quantum limit; a characterization of back action is also necessary. The inelastic current through a double quantum dot system (DQD) is sensitive to the spectral density of voltage fluctuations in its electromagnetic environment. Electrical transport studies on a DQD system electrostatically coupled to an SET shows qualitative evidence of back-action of SET. The design and fabrication of a few electron DQD device with integrated RF-SET and QPC charge sensors for the study of back action of the sensors and real-time electron dynamics in the DQD are also discussed.

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Isolated from Super-Shedder and Low-Shedder Cattle

PubMed Central

Munns, Krysty D.; Zaheer, Rahat; Xu, Yong; Stanford, Kim; Laing, Chad R.; Gannon, Victor P. J.; Selinger, L. Brent; McAllister, Tim A.

2016-01-01

Cattle are the primary reservoir of the foodborne pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7, with the concentration and frequency of E. coli O157:H7 shedding varying substantially among individual hosts. The term ‘‘super-shedder” has been applied to cattle that shed ≥104 cfu E. coli O157:H7/g of feces. Super-shedders have been reported to be responsible for the majority of E. coli O157:H7 shed into the environment. The objective of this study was to determine if there are phenotypic and/or genotypic differences between E. coli O157:H7 isolates obtained from super-shedder compared to low-shedder cattle. From a total of 784 isolates, four were selected from low-shedder steers and six isolates from super-shedder steers (4.01–8.45 log cfu/g feces) for whole genome sequencing. Isolates were phage and clade typed, screened for substrate utilization, pH sensitivity, virulence gene profiles and Stx bacteriophage insertion (SBI) sites. A range of 89–2473 total single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified when sequenced strains were compared to E. coli O157:H7 strain Sakai. More non-synonymous SNP mutations were observed in low-shedder isolates. Pan-genomic and SNPs comparisons did not identify genetic segregation between super-shedder or low-shedder isolates. All super-shedder isolates and 3 of 4 of low-shedder isolates were typed as phage type 14a, SBI cluster 3 and SNP clade 2. Super-shedder isolates displayed increased utilization of galactitol, thymidine and 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-arabinose when compared to low-shedder isolates, but no differences in SNPs were observed in genes encoding for proteins involved in the metabolism of these substrates. While genetic traits specific to super-shedder isolates were not identified in this study, differences in the level of gene expression or genes of unknown function may still contribute to some strains of E. coli O157:H7 reaching high densities within bovine feces. PMID:27018858

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Isolated from Super-Shedder and Low-Shedder Cattle.

PubMed

Munns, Krysty D; Zaheer, Rahat; Xu, Yong; Stanford, Kim; Laing, Chad R; Gannon, Victor P J; Selinger, L Brent; McAllister, Tim A

2016-01-01

Cattle are the primary reservoir of the foodborne pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7, with the concentration and frequency of E. coli O157:H7 shedding varying substantially among individual hosts. The term ''super-shedder" has been applied to cattle that shed ≥10(4) cfu E. coli O157:H7/g of feces. Super-shedders have been reported to be responsible for the majority of E. coli O157:H7 shed into the environment. The objective of this study was to determine if there are phenotypic and/or genotypic differences between E. coli O157:H7 isolates obtained from super-shedder compared to low-shedder cattle. From a total of 784 isolates, four were selected from low-shedder steers and six isolates from super-shedder steers (4.01-8.45 log cfu/g feces) for whole genome sequencing. Isolates were phage and clade typed, screened for substrate utilization, pH sensitivity, virulence gene profiles and Stx bacteriophage insertion (SBI) sites. A range of 89-2473 total single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified when sequenced strains were compared to E. coli O157:H7 strain Sakai. More non-synonymous SNP mutations were observed in low-shedder isolates. Pan-genomic and SNPs comparisons did not identify genetic segregation between super-shedder or low-shedder isolates. All super-shedder isolates and 3 of 4 of low-shedder isolates were typed as phage type 14a, SBI cluster 3 and SNP clade 2. Super-shedder isolates displayed increased utilization of galactitol, thymidine and 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-arabinose when compared to low-shedder isolates, but no differences in SNPs were observed in genes encoding for proteins involved in the metabolism of these substrates. While genetic traits specific to super-shedder isolates were not identified in this study, differences in the level of gene expression or genes of unknown function may still contribute to some strains of E. coli O157:H7 reaching high densities within bovine feces.

Searching for dark absorption with direct detection experiments

DOE PAGES

Bloch, Itay M.; Essig, Rouven; Tobioka, Kohsaku; ...

2017-06-16

We consider the absorption by bound electrons of dark matter in the form of dark photons and axion-like particles, as well as of dark photons from the Sun, in current and next-generation direct detection experiments. Experiments sensitive to electron recoils can detect such particles with masses between a few eV to more than 10 keV. For dark photon dark matter, we update a previous bound based on XENON10 data and derive new bounds based on data from XENON100 and CDMSlite. We find these experiments to disfavor previously allowed parameter space. Moreover, we derive sensitivity projections for SuperCDMS at SNOLAB formore » silicon and germanium targets, as well as for various possible experiments with scintillating targets (cesium iodide, sodium iodide, and gallium arsenide). The projected sensitivity can probe large new regions of parameter space. For axion-like particles, the same current direction detection data improves on previously known direct-detection constraints but does not bound new parameter space beyond known stellar cooling bounds. However, projected sensitivities of the upcoming SuperCDMS SNOLAB using germanium can go beyond these and even probe parameter space consistent with possible hints from the white dwarf luminosity function. We find similar results for dark photons from the sun. For all cases, direct-detection experiments can have unprecedented sensitivity to dark-sector particles.« less

Searching for dark absorption with direct detection experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bloch, Itay M.; Essig, Rouven; Tobioka, Kohsaku

We consider the absorption by bound electrons of dark matter in the form of dark photons and axion-like particles, as well as of dark photons from the Sun, in current and next-generation direct detection experiments. Experiments sensitive to electron recoils can detect such particles with masses between a few eV to more than 10 keV. For dark photon dark matter, we update a previous bound based on XENON10 data and derive new bounds based on data from XENON100 and CDMSlite. We find these experiments to disfavor previously allowed parameter space. Moreover, we derive sensitivity projections for SuperCDMS at SNOLAB formore » silicon and germanium targets, as well as for various possible experiments with scintillating targets (cesium iodide, sodium iodide, and gallium arsenide). The projected sensitivity can probe large new regions of parameter space. For axion-like particles, the same current direction detection data improves on previously known direct-detection constraints but does not bound new parameter space beyond known stellar cooling bounds. However, projected sensitivities of the upcoming SuperCDMS SNOLAB using germanium can go beyond these and even probe parameter space consistent with possible hints from the white dwarf luminosity function. We find similar results for dark photons from the sun. For all cases, direct-detection experiments can have unprecedented sensitivity to dark-sector particles.« less

Heterodyne Arrays for Terahertz/Sub-millimeter Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kloosterman, Jenna; Walker, C. K.; SORAL; SRON; TU-Delft; JPL; APL; ASU; MIT

2014-01-01

The clouds of gas and dust that constitute the Interstellar Medium (ISM) within the Milky Way and other galaxies can be studied through the emission from atoms and molecules such as CO, [CI], [CII], [NII], and [OI]. Spectroscopic surveys of these tracers are necessary to disentangle large-scale structure and kinematics within the ISM. Each of these tracers has transitions in the Terahertz (THz) region of the electromagnetic spectrum, loosely defined as 0.3 - 3 THz, thus creating a need for large format THz heterodyne arrays. My dissertation research in radio instrumentation has focused on three main projects. The first, the Superheterodyne Camera (SuperCam), is a ground-based instrument for the Sub-millimeter Telescope (SMT) on Mt. Graham, Arizona. The receiver contains 64 heterodyne pixels designed to detect the J=3-2 rotational line of CO at 345 GHz. SuperCam had its first engineering run in Spring 2012 and its commissioning run in Spring 2013. The second project, the Stratospheric Terahertz Observatory (STO), is a balloon-borne, 0.8 m telescope, designed to observe the fine structure lines of [NII] and [CII] at 1.46 and 1.9 THz from an altitude of ~120,000 ft. STO had its first flight around Antarctica in January 2012 and is scheduled to have a second flight (as STO-2) in 2015. The last project is the building of a 4.74 THz heterodyne receiver to look for the fine structure line of the high density tracer [OI]. With an 815 K double sideband noise temperature (e.g. ~7 times the quantum noise limit), this is the most sensitive heterodyne receiver reported above 3 THz. It will be flown on STO-2 and was developed as part of the Galactic/extra-galactic Ultra-Long Duration Stratospheric Spectroscopic THz Observatory (GUSSTO) concept study. This dissertation talk will briefly cover the results of these instrumentation efforts and the science that drives them.

Quantum Metrology beyond the Classical Limit under the Effect of Dephasing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuzaki, Yuichiro; Benjamin, Simon; Nakayama, Shojun; Saito, Shiro; Munro, William J.

2018-04-01

Quantum sensors have the potential to outperform their classical counterparts. For classical sensing, the uncertainty of the estimation of the target fields scales inversely with the square root of the measurement time T . On the other hand, by using quantum resources, we can reduce this scaling of the uncertainty with time to 1 /T . However, as quantum states are susceptible to dephasing, it has not been clear whether we can achieve sensitivities with a scaling of 1 /T for a measurement time longer than the coherence time. Here, we propose a scheme that estimates the amplitude of globally applied fields with the uncertainty of 1 /T for an arbitrary time scale under the effect of dephasing. We use one-way quantum-computing-based teleportation between qubits to prevent any increase in the correlation between the quantum state and its local environment from building up and have shown that such a teleportation protocol can suppress the local dephasing while the information from the target fields keeps growing. Our method has the potential to realize a quantum sensor with a sensitivity far beyond that of any classical sensor.

Dynamic strain-mediated coupling of a single diamond spin to a mechanical resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovartchaiyapong, Preeti; Lee, Kenneth W.; Myers, Bryan A.; Jayich, Ania C. Bleszynski

2014-07-01

The development of hybrid quantum systems is central to the advancement of emerging quantum technologies, including quantum information science and quantum-assisted sensing. The recent demonstration of high-quality single-crystal diamond resonators has led to significant interest in a hybrid system consisting of nitrogen-vacancy centre spins that interact with the resonant phonon modes of a macroscopic mechanical resonator through crystal strain. However, the nitrogen-vacancy spin-strain interaction has not been well characterized. Here, we demonstrate dynamic, strain-mediated coupling of the mechanical motion of a diamond cantilever to the spin of an embedded nitrogen-vacancy centre. Via quantum control of the spin, we quantitatively characterize the axial and transverse strain sensitivities of the nitrogen-vacancy ground-state spin. The nitrogen-vacancy centre is an atomic scale sensor and we demonstrate spin-based strain imaging with a strain sensitivity of 3 × 10-6 strain Hz-1/2. Finally, we show how this spin-resonator system could enable coherent spin-phonon interactions in the quantum regime.

Unconditional violation of the shot-noise limit in photonic quantum metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slussarenko, Sergei; Weston, Morgan M.; Chrzanowski, Helen M.; Shalm, Lynden K.; Verma, Varun B.; Nam, Sae Woo; Pryde, Geoff J.

2017-11-01

Interferometric phase measurement is widely used to precisely determine quantities such as length, speed and material properties1-3. Without quantum correlations, the best phase sensitivity Δ ϕ achievable using n photons is the shot-noise limit, Δ ϕ =1 /√{n }. Quantum-enhanced metrology promises better sensitivity, but, despite theoretical proposals stretching back decades3,4, no measurement using photonic (that is, definite photon number) quantum states has truly surpassed the shot-noise limit. Instead, all such demonstrations, by discounting photon loss, detector inefficiency or other imperfections, have considered only a subset of the photons used. Here, we use an ultrahigh-efficiency photon source and detectors to perform unconditional entanglement-enhanced photonic interferometry. Sampling a birefringent phase shift, we demonstrate precision beyond the shot-noise limit without artificially correcting our results for loss and imperfections. Our results enable quantum-enhanced phase measurements at low photon flux and open the door to the next generation of optical quantum metrology advances.

The effect of selective photosuppression of sensitized pathogenic microflora: Part II. Experimental validation on animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masychev, Viktor I.; Risovannaya, Olga N.

2005-03-01

Results of in vivo experiments have shown the maximum effectiveness of combined use of photo sensitizer 0,1% gel Radachlorine simultaneously with continuous and super pulse low energy irradiation of the diode laser with energy density 400 J/cm2, and power 1W. Given parameters have lead to complete elimination of Streptococcus pyogenes from inflammation foci in oral cavity of experimental animals.

Storing quantum information in spins and high-sensitivity ESR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morton, John J. L.; Bertet, Patrice

2018-02-01

Quantum information, encoded within the states of quantum systems, represents a novel and rich form of information which has inspired new types of computers and communications systems. Many diverse electron spin systems have been studied with a view to storing quantum information, including molecular radicals, point defects and impurities in inorganic systems, and quantum dots in semiconductor devices. In these systems, spin coherence times can exceed seconds, single spins can be addressed through electrical and optical methods, and new spin systems with advantageous properties continue to be identified. Spin ensembles strongly coupled to microwave resonators can, in principle, be used to store the coherent states of single microwave photons, enabling so-called microwave quantum memories. We discuss key requirements in realising such memories, including considerations for superconducting resonators whose frequency can be tuned onto resonance with the spins. Finally, progress towards microwave quantum memories and other developments in the field of superconducting quantum devices are being used to push the limits of sensitivity of inductively-detected electron spin resonance. The state-of-the-art currently stands at around 65 spins per √{ Hz } , with prospects to scale down to even fewer spins.

Storing quantum information in spins and high-sensitivity ESR.

PubMed

Morton, John J L; Bertet, Patrice

2018-02-01

Quantum information, encoded within the states of quantum systems, represents a novel and rich form of information which has inspired new types of computers and communications systems. Many diverse electron spin systems have been studied with a view to storing quantum information, including molecular radicals, point defects and impurities in inorganic systems, and quantum dots in semiconductor devices. In these systems, spin coherence times can exceed seconds, single spins can be addressed through electrical and optical methods, and new spin systems with advantageous properties continue to be identified. Spin ensembles strongly coupled to microwave resonators can, in principle, be used to store the coherent states of single microwave photons, enabling so-called microwave quantum memories. We discuss key requirements in realising such memories, including considerations for superconducting resonators whose frequency can be tuned onto resonance with the spins. Finally, progress towards microwave quantum memories and other developments in the field of superconducting quantum devices are being used to push the limits of sensitivity of inductively-detected electron spin resonance. The state-of-the-art currently stands at around 65 spins per Hz, with prospects to scale down to even fewer spins. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Study of Nonclassical Fields in Phase-Sensitive Reservoirs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Myung Shik; Imoto, Nobuyuki

1996-01-01

We show that the reservoir influence can be modeled by an infinite array of beam splitters. The superposition of the input fields in the beam splitter is discussed with the convolution laws for their quasiprobabilities. We derive the Fokker-Planck equation for the cavity field coupled with a phase-sensitive reservoir using the convolution law. We also analyze the amplification in the phase-sensitive reservoir with use of the modified beam splitter model. We show the similarities and differences between the dissipation and amplification models. We show that a super-Poissonian input field cannot become sub-Poissonian by the phase-sensitive amplification.

Quantum metrology with a single spin-3/2 defect in silicon carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soykal, Oney O.; Reinecke, Thomas L.

We show that implementations for quantum sensing with exceptional sensitivity and spatial resolution can be made using the novel features of semiconductor high half-spin multiplet defects with easy-to-implement optical detection protocols. To achieve this, we use the spin- 3 / 2 silicon monovacancy deep center in hexagonal silicon carbide based on our rigorous derivation of this defect's ground state and of its electronic and optical properties. For a single VSi- defect, we obtain magnetic field sensitivities capable of detecting individual nuclear magnetic moments. We also show that its zero-field splitting has an exceptional strain and temperature sensitivity within the technologically desirable near-infrared window of biological systems. Other point defects, i.e. 3d transition metal or rare-earth impurities in semiconductors, may also provide similar opportunities in quantum sensing due to their similar high spin (S >= 3 / 2) configurations. This work was supported in part by ONR and by the Office of Secretary of Defense, Quantum Science and Engineering Program.

Weak value amplification: a view from quantum estimation theory that highlights what it is and what isn’t

PubMed Central

Torres, Juan P.; Salazar-Serrano, Luis José

2016-01-01

Weak value amplification (WVA) is a concept that has been extensively used in a myriad of applications with the aim of rendering measurable tiny changes of a variable of interest. In spite of this, there is still an on-going debate about its true nature and whether is really needed for achieving high sensitivity. Here we aim at helping to clarify the puzzle, using a specific example and some basic concepts from quantum estimation theory, highlighting what the use of the WVA concept can offer and what it can not. While WVA cannot be used to go beyond some fundamental sensitivity limits that arise from considering the full nature of the quantum states, WVA can notwithstanding enhance the sensitivity of real and specific detection schemes that are limited by many other things apart from the quantum nature of the states involved, i.e. technical noise. Importantly, it can do that in a straightforward and easily accessible manner. PMID:26833327

Sensitivity enhancements in MQ-MAS NMR of spin-5/2 nuclei using modulated rf mixing pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vosegaard, Thomas; Massiot, Dominique; Grandinetti, Philip J.

2000-08-01

An X- overlineX pulse train with stepped modulation frequency was employed to enhance the multiple-quantum to single-quantum coherence transfer in the mixing period of the multiple-quantum magic-angle spinning (MQ-MAS) experiment for spin I=5/2 nuclei. Two MQ-MAS pulse sequences employing this mixing scheme for the triple-to-single and quintuple-to-single quantum coherence transfers have been designed and their performance is demonstrated for 27Al on samples of NaSi 3AlO 8 and 9Al 2O 3·2B 2O 3 . Compared to the standard single-pulse mixing sequences, the sensitivity is approximately doubled in the present experiments.

Quantum gyroscope based on Berry phase of spins in diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Xuerui; Wang, Liujun; Diao, Wenting; Duan, Chongdi

2018-02-01

Gyroscope is the crucial sensor of the inertial navigation system, there is always high demand to improve the sensitivity and reduce the size of the gyroscopes. Using the NV center electronic spin and nuclear spin qubits in diamond, we introduce the research of new types of quantum gyroscopes based on the Berry phase shifts of the spin states during the rotation of the sensor systems. Compared with the performance of the traditional MEMS gyroscope, the sensitivity of the new types of quantum gyroscopes was highly improved and the spatial resolution was reduced to nano-scale. With the help of micro-manufacturing technology in the semiconductor industry, the quantum gyroscopes introduced here can be further integrated into chip-scale sensors.

Optimizing the choice of spin-squeezed states for detecting and characterizing quantum processes

DOE PAGES

Rozema, Lee A.; Mahler, Dylan H.; Blume-Kohout, Robin; ...

2014-11-07

Quantum metrology uses quantum states with no classical counterpart to measure a physical quantity with extraordinary sensitivity or precision. Most such schemes characterize a dynamical process by probing it with a specially designed quantum state. The success of such a scheme usually relies on the process belonging to a particular one-parameter family. If this assumption is violated, or if the goal is to measure more than one parameter, a different quantum state may perform better. In the most extreme case, we know nothing about the process and wish to learn everything. This requires quantum process tomography, which demands an informationallymore » complete set of probe states. It is very convenient if this set is group covariant—i.e., each element is generated by applying an element of the quantum system’s natural symmetry group to a single fixed fiducial state. In this paper, we consider metrology with 2-photon (“biphoton”) states and report experimental studies of different states’ sensitivity to small, unknown collective SU( 2) rotations [“ SU( 2) jitter”]. Maximally entangled N00 N states are the most sensitive detectors of such a rotation, yet they are also among the worst at fully characterizing an a priori unknown process. We identify (and confirm experimentally) the best SU( 2)-covariant set for process tomography; these states are all less entangled than the N00 N state, and are characterized by the fact that they form a 2-design.« less

A real-time spectrum acquisition system design based on quantum dots-quantum well detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, S. H.; Guo, F. M.

2016-01-01

In this paper, we studied the structure characteristics of quantum dots-quantum well photodetector with response wavelength range from 400 nm to 1000 nm. It has the characteristics of high sensitivity, low dark current and the high conductance gain. According to the properties of the quantum dots-quantum well photodetectors, we designed a new type of capacitive transimpedence amplifier (CTIA) readout circuit structure with the advantages of adjustable gain, wide bandwidth and high driving ability. We have implemented the chip packaging between CTIA-CDS structure readout circuit and quantum dots detector and tested the readout response characteristics. According to the timing signals requirements of our readout circuit, we designed a real-time spectral data acquisition system based on FPGA and ARM. Parallel processing mode of programmable devices makes the system has high sensitivity and high transmission rate. In addition, we realized blind pixel compensation and smoothing filter algorithm processing to the real time spectrum data by using C++. Through the fluorescence spectrum measurement of carbon quantum dots and the signal acquisition system and computer software system to realize the collection of the spectrum signal processing and analysis, we verified the excellent characteristics of detector. It meets the design requirements of quantum dot spectrum acquisition system with the characteristics of short integration time, real-time and portability.

Synthesis of Bi2S3 quantum dots for sensitized solar cells by reverse SILAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Navjot; Sharma, J.; Tripathi, S. K.

2016-05-01

Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar cells (QDSSC) have great potential to replace silicon-based solar cells. Quantum dots of various materials and sizes could be used to convert most of the visible light into the electrical current. This paper put emphasis on the synthesis of Bismuth Sulphide quantum dots and selectivity of the anionic precursor by Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption Reaction (SILAR). Bismuth Sulfide (Bi2S3) (group V - Vi semiconductor) is strong contestant for cadmium free solar cells due to its optimum band gap for light harvesting. Optical, structural and electrical measurements are reported and discussed. Problem regarding the choice of precursor for anion extraction is discussed. Band gap of the synthesized quantum dots is 1.2 eV which does not match with the required energy band gap of bismuth sulfide that is 1.7eV.

Recent advances in nanoparticle based aptasensors for food contaminants.

PubMed

Sharma, Richa; Ragavan, K V; Thakur, M S; Raghavarao, K S M S

2015-12-15

Food safety and hazard analysis is a prime concern of human life, thus quality assessment of food and water is the need of the day. Recent advances in nano-biotechnology play a significant role in providing possible solutions for developing highly sensitive and affordable detection tools for food analysis. Nanomaterials based aptasensors hold great potential to overcome the drawbacks of conventional analytical techniques. Aptamers comprise a novel class of highly specific bio-recognition elements which are produced by SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) process. They bind to target molecules by folding into 3D structures that can discriminate different chiral compounds. The flexibility in making modifications in aptamers contribute to the design of biosensors, enabling the generation of bio-recognition elements for a wide variety of target molecules. Nanomaterials such as metal nanoparticles, metal nanoclusters, metal oxide nanoparticles, metal and carbon quantum dots, graphene, carbon nanotubes and nanocomposites enable higher sensitivity by signal amplification and introduce several novel transduction principles such as enhanced chemiluminescence, fluorescence, Raman signals, electrochemical signals, enhanced catalytic activity, and super-paramagnetic properties to the biosensor. Although there are a few reviews published recently which deal with the potential of aptamers in various fields, none are devoted exclusively to the potential of aptasensors based on nanomaterials for the analysis of food contaminants. Hence, the current review discusses several transduction systems and their principles used in aptamer based nanosensors which have been developed in the past five years, the challenges faced in their designing, along with their strengths and limitations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SuperB Simulation Production System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomassetti, L.; Bianchi, F.; Ciaschini, V.; Corvo, M.; Del Prete, D.; Di Simone, A.; Donvito, G.; Fella, A.; Franchini, P.; Giacomini, F.; Gianoli, A.; Longo, S.; Luitz, S.; Luppi, E.; Manzali, M.; Pardi, S.; Paolini, A.; Perez, A.; Rama, M.; Russo, G.; Santeramo, B.; Stroili, R.

2012-12-01

The SuperB asymmetric e+e- collider and detector to be built at the newly founded Nicola Cabibbo Lab will provide a uniquely sensitive probe of New Physics in the flavor sector of the Standard Model. Studying minute effects in the heavy quark and heavy lepton sectors requires a data sample of 75 ab-1 and a peak luminosity of 1036 cm-2 s-1. The SuperB Computing group is working on developing a simulation production framework capable to satisfy the experiment needs. It provides access to distributed resources in order to support both the detector design definition and its performance evaluation studies. During last year the framework has evolved from the point of view of job workflow, Grid services interfaces and technologies adoption. A complete code refactoring and sub-component language porting now permits the framework to sustain distributed production involving resources from two continents and Grid Flavors. In this paper we will report a complete description of the production system status of the art, its evolution and its integration with Grid services; in particular, we will focus on the utilization of new Grid component features as in LB and WMS version 3. Results from the last official SuperB production cycle will be reported.

Super-SERS-active and highly effective antimicrobial Ag nanodendrites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, H. B.; Liu, P.; Liang, Y.; Xiao, J.; Yang, G. W.

2012-07-01

We have developed simple and green electrochemistry to synthesize Ag nanostructures with high purity, good crystallinity and smooth surface for applications as super-SERS (surface-enhanced Raman scattering), SERS-active substrates and with highly effective antimicrobial activities. This synthesis takes place in a clean and slow reaction environment without any chemical additives, which ensures an ultrahigh active surface of the as-synthesized Ag nanostructures owing to their purity, good crystallinity and smooth morphology. Using this method, we synthesized nearly perfect Ag nanodendrites (NDs), which exhibit super-SERS sensitivity when they are used to detect the SERS spectra of rhodamine 6G at concentrations as low as 5 × 10-16 M, and have an ultrahigh electromagnetic (EM) enhancement factor of the order of 1013, breaking through the theoretical limit of EM enhancement. Meanwhile, the as-synthesized Ag NDs possess highly effective antimicrobial activities for Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus, which are over 10 times that of silver nanoparticles. Additionally, the basic physics and chemistry involved in the fabrication of Ag nanostructures are pursued. These investigations show that silver nanostructures with highly active surfaces can make the most of Ag nanostructures functioning as super-SERS-active substrates and multiple antibiotics.

Beyond the Quantum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieuwenhuizen, Theo M.; Mehmani, Bahar; Špička, Václav; Aghdami, Maryam J.; Khrennikov, Andrei Yu

2007-09-01

pt. A. Introductions. The mathematical basis for deterministic quantum mechanics / G.'t Hooft. What did we learn from quantum gravity? / A. Ashtekar. Bose-Einstein condensates and EPR quantum non-locality / F. Laloe. The quantum measurement process: lessons from an exactly solvable model / A.E. Allahverdyan, R. Balian and Th. M. Nieuwenhuizen -- pt. B. Quantum mechanics and quantum information. POVMs: a small but important step beyond standard quantum mechanics / W. M. de Muynck. State reduction by measurements with a null result / G. Nienhuis. Solving open questions in the Bose-Einstein condensation of an ideal gas via a hybrid mixture of laser and statistical physics / M. Kim, A. Svidzinsky and M.O. Scully. Twin-Photon light scattering and causality / G. Puentes, A. Aiello and J. P. Woerdman. Simultaneous measurement of non-commuting observables / G. Aquino and B. Mehmani. Quantum decoherence and gravitational waves / M.T. Jaekel ... [et al.]. Role of various entropies in the black hole information loss problem / Th. M. Nieuwenhuizen and I.V. Volovich. Quantum and super-quantum correlations / G.S. Jaeger -- pt. C. Long distance correlations and bell inequalities. Understanding long-distance quantum correlations / L. Marchildon. Connection of probability models to EPR experiments: probability spaces and Bell's theorem / K. Hess and W. Philipp. Fair sampling vs no-signalling principle in EPR experiments / G. Adenier and A. Yu. Khrennikov -- pt. D. Mathematical foundations. Where the mathematical structure of quantum mechanics comes from / G.M. D'Ariano. Phase space description of quantum mechanics and non-commutative geometry: Wigner-Moyal and Bohm in a wider context / B.J. Hiley. Quantum mechanics as simple algorithm for approximation of classical integrals / A. Yu. Khrennikov. Noncommutative quantum mechanics viewed from Feynman Formalism / J. Lages ... [et al.]. Beyond the quantum in Snyder space / J.F.S. van Huele and M. K. Transtrum -- pt. E. Stochastic electrodynamics. Some quantum experiments from the point of view of Stochastic electrodynamics / V. Spicka ... [et al.]. On the ergodic behaviour of atomic systems under the action of the zero-point radiation field / L. De La Peña and A. M. Cetto. Inertia and the vacuum-view on the emergence of the inertia reaction force / A. Rueda and H. Sunahata -- pt. F. Models for the electron. Rotating Hopf-Kinks: oscillators in the sense of de Broglie / U. Enz. Kerr-Newman particles: symmetries and other properties / H.I. Arcos and J.G. Pereira. Kerr geometry beyond the quantum theory / Th. M. Nieuwenhuizen -- pt. G. Philosophical considerations. Probability in non-collapse interpretations of a quantum mechanics / D. Dieks. The Schrödinger-Park paradox about the concept of "State" in quantum statistical mechanics and quantum information theory is still open: one more reason to go beyond? / G.P. Beretta. The conjecture that local realism is possible / E. Santos -- pt. H. The round table. Round table discussion / A.M. Cetto ... [et al.].

Quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Rühle, Sven; Shalom, Menny; Zaban, Arie

2010-08-02

Quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) are a promising low-cost alternative to existing photovoltaic technologies such as crystalline silicon and thin inorganic films. The absorption spectrum of quantum dots (QDs) can be tailored by controlling their size, and QDs can be produced by low-cost methods. Nanostructures such as mesoporous films, nanorods, nanowires, nanotubes and nanosheets with high microscopic surface area, redox electrolytes and solid-state hole conductors are borrowed from standard dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) to fabricate electron conductor/QD monolayer/hole conductor junctions with high optical absorbance. Herein we focus on recent developments in the field of mono- and polydisperse QDSCs. Stability issues are adressed, coating methods are presented, performance is reviewed and special emphasis is given to the importance of energy-level alignment to increase the light to electric power conversion efficiency.

NASA Tech Briefs, July 2003

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

Topics covered include: Real-Time, High-Frequency QRS Electrocardiograph; Software for Improved Extraction of Data From Tape Storage; Radio System for Locating Emergency Workers; Software for Displaying High-Frequency Test Data; Capacitor-Chain Successive-Approximation ADC; Simpler Alternative to an Optimum FQPSK-B Viterbi Receiver; Multilayer Patch Antenna Surrounded by a Metallic Wall; Software To Secure Distributed Propulsion Simulations; Explicit Pore Pressure Material Model in Carbon-Cloth Phenolic; Meshed-Pumpkin Super-Pressure Balloon Design; Corrosion Inhibitors as Penetrant Dyes for Radiography; Transparent Metal-Salt-Filled Polymeric Radiation Shields; Lightweight Energy Absorbers for Blast Containers; Brush-Wheel Samplers for Planetary Exploration; Dry Process for Making Polyimide/ Carbon-and-Boron-Fiber Tape; Relatively Inexpensive Rapid Prototyping of Small Parts; Magnetic Field Would Reduce Electron Backstreaming in Ion Thrusters; Alternative Electrochemical Systems for Ozonation of Water; Interferometer for Measuring Displacement to Within 20 pm; UV-Enhanced IR Raman System for Identifying Biohazards; Prognostics Methodology for Complex Systems; Algorithms for Haptic Rendering of 3D Objects; Modeling and Control of Aerothermoelastic Effects; Processing Digital Imagery to Enhance Perceptions of Realism; Analysis of Designs of Space Laboratories; Shields for Enhanced Protection Against High-Speed Debris; Study of Dislocation-Ordered In(x)Ga(1-x)As/GaAs Quantum Dots; and Tilt-Sensitivity Analysis for Space Telescopes.

Enrichment of ODMR-active nitrogen-vacancy centres in five-nanometre-sized detonation-synthesized nanodiamonds: Nanoprobes for temperature, angle and position.

PubMed

Sotoma, Shingo; Terada, Daiki; Segawa, Takuya F; Igarashi, Ryuji; Harada, Yoshie; Shirakawa, Masahiro

2018-04-03

The development of sensors to estimate physical properties, and their temporal and spatial variation, has been a central driving force in scientific breakthroughs. In recent years, nanosensors based on quantum measurements, such as nitrogen-vacancy centres (NVCs) in nanodiamonds, have been attracting much attention as ultrastable, sensitive, accurate and versatile physical sensors for quantitative cellular measurements. However, the nanodiamonds currently available for use as sensors have diameters of several tens of nanometres, much larger than the usual size of a protein. Therefore, their actual applications remain limited. Here we show that NVCs in an aggregation of 5-nm-sized detonation-synthesized nanodiamond treated by Krüger's surface reduction (termed DND-OH) retains the same characteristics as observed in larger diamonds. We show that the negative charge at the NVC are stabilized, have a relatively long T 2 spin relaxation time of up to 4 μs, and are applicable to thermosensing, one-degree orientation determination and nanometric super-resolution imaging. Our results clearly demonstrate the significant potential of DND-OH as a physical sensor. Thus, DND-OH will raise new possibilities for spatiotemporal monitoring of live cells and dynamic biomolecules in individual cells at single-molecule resolution.

The scalable implementation of quantum walks using classical light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goyal, Sandeep K.; Roux, F. S.; Forbes, Andrew; Konrad, Thomas

2014-02-01

A quantum walk is the quantum analog of the classical random walks. Despite their simple structure they form a universal platform to implement any algorithm of quantum computation. However, it is very hard to realize quantum walks with a sufficient number of iterations in quantum systems due to their sensitivity to environmental influences and subsequent loss of coherence. Here we present a scalable implementation scheme for one-dimensional quantum walks for arbitrary number of steps using the orbital angular momentum modes of classical light beams. Furthermore, we show that using the same setup with a minor adjustment we can also realize electric quantum walks.

Four S's to Turn Your "Sex Talk" into a Super Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Jay

1995-01-01

Selection of campus speakers on sexuality is discussed, including assessment of speaker qualifications, the importance of teaching style and tone, choice of subject, program design for a meaningful event, and the sensitivity of both the speaker and the institution. (MSE)

A superquenched DNAzyme-perylene complex: a convenient, universal and low-background strategy for fluorescence catalytic biosensors.

PubMed

Fu, Ting; Zhao, Xu-Hua; Bai, Hua-Rong; Zhao, Zi-Long; Hu, Rong; Kong, Rong-Mei; Zhang, Xiao-Bing; Tan, Weihong; Yu, Ru-Qin

2013-07-28

Taking advantage of the super-quenching effect of the cationic perylene derivative on adjacent fluorophores, we for the first time reported a DNAzyme-perylene complex-based strategy for constructing fluorescence catalytic biosensors with improved sensitivity.

Graphene quantum dots with visible light absorption of the carbon core: insights from single-particle spectroscopy and first principles based theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Siddharth; Awasthi, Manohar; Ghosh, Moumita; Seibt, Michael; Niehaus, Thomas A.

2016-12-01

Luminescent carbon nanodots (CND) are a recent addition to the family of carbon nanostructures. Interestingly, a large group of CNDs are fluorescent in the visible spectrum and possess single dipole emitters with potential applications in super-resolution microscopy, quantum information science, and optoelectronics. There is a large diversity of CND’s size as well as a strong variability of edge topology and functional groups in real samples. This hampers a direct comparison of experimental and theoretical findings that is necessary to understand the unusual photophysics of these systems. Here, we derive atomistic models of finite sized (<2.5 nm) CNDs from high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) which are studied using approximate time-dependent density functional theory. The atomistic models are found to be primarily two-dimensional (2D) and can hence be categorised as graphene quantum dots (GQD). The GQD model structures that are presented here show excitation energies in the visible spectrum matching previous single GQD level photoluminescence studies. We also present the effect of edge hydroxyl and carboxyl functional groups on the absorption spectrum. Overall, the study reveals the atomistic origin of CNDs photoluminescence in the visible range.

Quantum simulations and many-body physics with light.

PubMed

Noh, Changsuk; Angelakis, Dimitris G

2017-01-01

In this review we discuss the works in the area of quantum simulation and many-body physics with light, from the early proposals on equilibrium models to the more recent works in driven dissipative platforms. We start by describing the founding works on Jaynes-Cummings-Hubbard model and the corresponding photon-blockade induced Mott transitions and continue by discussing the proposals to simulate effective spin models and fractional quantum Hall states in coupled resonator arrays (CRAs). We also analyse the recent efforts to study out-of-equilibrium many-body effects using driven CRAs, including the predictions for photon fermionisation and crystallisation in driven rings of CRAs as well as other dynamical and transient phenomena. We try to summarise some of the relatively recent results predicting exotic phases such as super-solidity and Majorana like modes and then shift our attention to developments involving 1D nonlinear slow light setups. There the simulation of strongly correlated phases characterising Tonks-Girardeau gases, Luttinger liquids, and interacting relativistic fermionic models is described. We review the major theory results and also briefly outline recent developments in ongoing experimental efforts involving different platforms in circuit QED, photonic crystals and nanophotonic fibres interfaced with cold atoms.

Final Technical Report for Quantum Embedding for Correlated Electronic Structure in Large Systems and the Condensed Phase

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chan, Garnet Kin-Lic

2017-04-30

This is the final technical report. We briefly describe some selected results below. Developments in density matrix embedding. DMET is a quantum embedding theory that we introduced at the beginning of the last funding period, around 2012-2013. Since the first DMET papers, which demonstrated proof-of- principle calculations on the Hubbard model and hydrogen rings, we have carried out a number of different developments, including: Extending the DMET technology to compute broken symmetry phases, including magnetic phases and super- conductivity (Pub. 13); Calibrating the accuracy of DMET and its cluster size convergence against other methods, and formulation of a dynamical clustermore » analog (Pubs. 4, 10) (see Fig. 1); Implementing DMET for ab-initio molecular calculations, and exploring different self-consistency criteria (Pubs. 9, 14); Using embedding to defi ne quantum classical interfaces Pub. 2; Formulating DMET for spectral functions (Pub. 7) (see Fig. 1); Extending DMET to coupled fermion-boson problems (Pub. 12). Together with these embedding developments, we have also implemented a wide variety of impurity solvers within our DMET framework, including DMRG (Pub. 3), AFQMC (Pub. 10), and coupled cluster theory (CC) (Pub. 9).« less

Construction of a single atom trap for quantum information protocols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shea, Margaret E.; Baker, Paul M.; Gauthier, Daniel J.; Duke Physics Department Team

2016-05-01

The field of quantum information science addresses outstanding problems such as achieving fundamentally secure communication and solving computationally hard problems. Great progress has been made in the field, particularly using photons coupled to ions and super conducting qubits. Neutral atoms are also interesting for these applications and though the technology for control of neutrals lags behind that of trapped ions, they offer some key advantages: primarily coupling to optical frequencies closer to the telecom band than trapped ions or superconducting qubits. Here we report progress on constructing a single atom trap for 87 Rb. This system is a promising platform for studying the technical problems facing neutral atom quantum computing. For example, most protocols destroy the trap when reading out the neutral atom's state; we will investigate an alternative non-destructive state detection scheme. We detail the experimental systems involved and the challenges addressed in trapping a single atom. All of our hardware components are off the shelf and relatively inexpensive. Unlike many other systems, we place a high numerical aperture lens inside our vacuum system to increase photon collection efficiency. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the ARO through Grant # W911NF1520047.

Quantum noise limits to matter-wave interferometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scully, Marlan O.; Dowling, Jonathan P.

1994-01-01

We derive the quantum limits for an atomic interferometer in which the atoms obey either Bose-Einstein or Fermi-Dirac statistics. It is found that the limiting quantum noise is due to the uncertainty associated with the particle sorting between the two branches of the interferometer. As an example, the quantum-limited sensitivity of a matter-wave gyroscope is calculated and compared with that of laser gyroscopes.

Experimental Neutrino Physics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilkes, Richard Jeffrey

The University of Washington (UW) HEP neutrino group performed experimental research on the physics of neutrinos, using the capabilities offered by the T2K Experiment and the Super-Kamiokande Neutrino Observatory. The UW group included senior investigator R. J. Wilkes, two PhD students, four MS degree students, and a research engineer, all of whom are members of the international scientific collaborations for T2K and Super-Kamiokande. During the period of support, within T2K we pursued new precision studies sensitive to new physics, going beyond the limits of current measurements of the fundamental neutrino oscillation parameters (mass differences and mixing angles). We began effortsmore » to measure (or significantly determine the absence of) 1 the CP-violating phase parameter δCP and determine the neutrino mass hierarchy. Using the Super-Kamiokande (SK) detector we pursued newly increased precision in measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters with atmospheric neutrinos, and extended the current reach in searches for proton decay, in addition to running the most sensitive supernova watch instrument [Scholberg 2012], performing other astrophysical neutrino studies, and analyzing beam-induced events from T2K. Overall, the research addressed central questions in the field of particle physics. It included the training of graduate students (both PhD and professional MS degree students), and postdoctoral researchers. Undergraduate students also participated as laboratory assistants.« less

A Novel Quantum Solution to Privacy-Preserving Nearest Neighbor Query in Location-Based Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Zhen-yu; Shi, Run-hua; Xu, Min; Zhang, Shun

2018-04-01

We present a cheating-sensitive quantum protocol for Privacy-Preserving Nearest Neighbor Query based on Oblivious Quantum Key Distribution and Quantum Encryption. Compared with the classical related protocols, our proposed protocol has higher security, because the security of our protocol is based on basic physical principles of quantum mechanics, instead of difficulty assumptions. Especially, our protocol takes single photons as quantum resources and only needs to perform single-photon projective measurement. Therefore, it is feasible to implement this protocol with the present technologies.

Benchmarking gate-based quantum computers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michielsen, Kristel; Nocon, Madita; Willsch, Dennis; Jin, Fengping; Lippert, Thomas; De Raedt, Hans

2017-11-01

With the advent of public access to small gate-based quantum processors, it becomes necessary to develop a benchmarking methodology such that independent researchers can validate the operation of these processors. We explore the usefulness of a number of simple quantum circuits as benchmarks for gate-based quantum computing devices and show that circuits performing identity operations are very simple, scalable and sensitive to gate errors and are therefore very well suited for this task. We illustrate the procedure by presenting benchmark results for the IBM Quantum Experience, a cloud-based platform for gate-based quantum computing.

SiGe quantum wells for uncooled long wavelength infra-red radiation (LWIR) sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wissmar, S. G. E.; Radamsson, H. H.; Yamamoto, Y.; Tillack, B.; Vieider, C.; Andersson, J. Y.

2008-03-01

We demonstrate a novel single-crystalline high-performance thermistor material based on SiGe quantum well heterostructures. The SiGe/Si quantum wells are grown epitaxially on standard Si [001] substrates. Holes are used as charge carriers utilizing the discontinuities in the valence band structure. By optimizing design parameters such as the barrier height (by variation of the germanium content) and the fermi level Ef (by variation of the quantum well width and doping level) of the material, the layer structure can be tailored. Then a very high temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) can be obtained which is superior to the previous reported conventional thin film materials such as vanadium oxide and amorphous silicon. In addition, the high quality crystalline material promises very low 1/f-noise characteristics promoting an outstanding signal to noise ratio as well as well defined and uniform material properties. High-resolution X-ray diffraction was applied to characterize the thickness and Ge content of QWs. The results show sharp oscillations indicating an almost ideal super lattice with negligible relaxation and low defect density. The impact of growth temperature on the thermistor material properties was characterized by analyzing how the resulting strain primarily affects the performance of the TCR and 1/f noise. Results illustrate a value of 3.3 %/K for TCR with a low 1/f noise.

The Effect of Quantum Fluctuations in Compact Star Observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pósfay, P.; Barnaföldi, G. G.; Jakovác, A.

2018-05-01

Astrophysical measurements regarding compact stars are just ahead of a big evolution jump, since the NICER experiment deployed on ISS on 2017 June 14. This will provide soon data that would enable the determination of compact star radius with less than 10% error. This can be further constrained by the new observation of gravitational waves originated from merging neutron stars, GW170817. This poses new challenges to nuclear models aiming to explain the structure of super dense nuclear matter found in neutron stars. Detailed studies of the QCD phase diagram show the importance of bosonic quantum fluctuations in the cold dense matter equation of state. Here we used a demonstrative model with one bosonic and one fermionic degree of freedom coupled by Yukawa coupling, we show the effect of bosonic quantum fluctuations on compact star observables such as mass, radius, and compactness. We have also calculated the difference in the value of compressibility which is caused by quantum fluctuations. The above-mentioned quantities are calculated in the mean field, one-loop, and in high order many loop approximation. The results show that the magnitude of these effects is in the range of 4-5%, which place it into the region where modern measurements may detect it. This forms a base for further investigations that how these results carry over to more complicated models.

Non-singular cloaks allow mimesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diatta, André; Guenneau, Sébastien

2011-02-01

We design non-singular cloaks enabling objects to scatter waves like objects with smaller size and very different shapes. We consider the Schrödinger equation, which is valid, for example, in the contexts of geometrical and quantum optics. More precisely, we introduce a generalized non-singular transformation for star domains, and numerically demonstrate that an object of nearly any given shape surrounded by a given cloak scatters waves in exactly the same way as a smaller object of another shape. When a source is located inside the cloak, it scatters waves as if it were located some distance away from a small object. Moreover, the invisibility region actually hosts almost trapped eigenstates. Mimetism is numerically shown to break down for the quantified energies associated with confined modes. If we further allow for non-isomorphic transformations, our approach leads to the design of quantum super-scatterers: a small size object surrounded by a quantum cloak described by a negative anisotropic heterogeneous effective mass and a negative spatially varying potential scatters matter waves like a larger nano-object of different shape. Potential applications might be, for instance, in quantum dots probing. The results in this paper, as well as the corresponding derived constitutive tensors, are valid for cloaks with any arbitrary star-shaped boundary cross sections, although for numerical simulations we use examples with piecewise linear or elliptic boundaries.

Causality re-established.

PubMed

D'Ariano, Giacomo Mauro

2018-07-13

Causality has never gained the status of a 'law' or 'principle' in physics. Some recent literature has even popularized the false idea that causality is a notion that should be banned from theory. Such misconception relies on an alleged universality of the reversibility of the laws of physics, based either on the determinism of classical theory, or on the multiverse interpretation of quantum theory, in both cases motivated by mere interpretational requirements for realism of the theory. Here, I will show that a properly defined unambiguous notion of causality is a theorem of quantum theory, which is also a falsifiable proposition of the theory. Such a notion of causality appeared in the literature within the framework of operational probabilistic theories. It is a genuinely theoretical notion, corresponding to establishing a definite partial order among events, in the same way as we do by using the future causal cone on Minkowski space. The notion of causality is logically completely independent of the misidentified concept of 'determinism', and, being a consequence of quantum theory, is ubiquitous in physics. In addition, as classical theory can be regarded as a restriction of quantum theory, causality holds also in the classical case, although the determinism of the theory trivializes it. I then conclude by arguing that causality naturally establishes an arrow of time. This implies that the scenario of the 'block Universe' and the connected 'past hypothesis' are incompatible with causality, and thus with quantum theory: they are both doomed to remain mere interpretations and, as such, are not falsifiable, similar to the hypothesis of 'super-determinism'.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Foundations of quantum mechanics and their impact on contemporary society'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Electrical flicker-noise generated by filling and emptying of impurity states in injectors of quantum-cascade lasers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamanishi, Masamichi, E-mail: masamiya@crl.hpk.co.jp; Hirohata, Tooru; Hayashi, Syohei

2014-11-14

Free running line-widths (>100 kHz), much broader than intrinsic line-widths ∼100 Hz, of existing quantum-cascade lasers are governed by strong flicker frequency-noise originating from electrical flicker noise. Understanding of microscopic origins of the electrical flicker noises in quantum-cascade lasers is crucially important for the reduction of strength of flicker frequency-noise without assistances of any type of feedback schemes. In this article, an ad hoc model that is based on fluctuating charge-dipoles induced by electron trappings and de-trappings at indispensable impurity states in injector super-lattices of a quantum-cascade laser is proposed, developing theoretical framework based on the model. The validity of the presentmore » model is evaluated by comparing theoretical voltage-noise power spectral densities based on the model with experimental ones obtained by using mid-infrared quantum-cascade lasers with designed impurity-positioning. The obtained experimental results on flicker noises, in comparison with the theoretical ones, shed light on physical mechanisms, such as the inherent one due to impurity states in their injectors and extrinsic ones due to surface states on the ridge-walls and due to residual deep traps, for electrical flicker-noise generation in existing mid-infrared quantum-cascade lasers. It is shown theoretically that quasi-delta doping of impurities in their injectors leads to strong suppression of electrical flicker noise by minimization of the dipole length at a certain temperature, for instance ∼300 K and, in turn, is expected to result in substantial narrowing of the free running line-width down below 10 kHz.« less

Has the Sun Set on Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells?

DOE PAGES

Wrenn, Toshia L.; McBride, James R.; Smith, Nathanael J.; ...

2015-01-01

This is a reminder, a review and a look toward the future prospects for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells - a reminder of the highly viable, energy-efficient solar cells achievable. This is also a review of ground-breaking devices and their similarities to the near unity photon-to-electron mechanisms of photosynthesis; a look toward architectures that capitalize on the advances observed in previous work.

The millimeter wave super-Schottky diode detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silver, A. H.; Pedersen, R. J.; Mccoll, M.; Dickman, R. L.; Wilson, W. J.

1981-01-01

The 31 and 92 GHz measurements of the superconductor-Schottky diode extended to millimeter wavelengths by a redesign of the semiconductor interface are reported. Diodes were fabricated by pulse electroplating Pb on 2 x 10 to the 19th/cu cm p-Ga-As etched with HCl; a thin Au overplate is deposited to protect the Pb film from degradation and to improve its lifetime. The noise performance was almost ideal at 31 and 92 GHz; it was concluded that this diode is a quantum-limited-detector at 31 GHz, with excessive parasitic losses at 92 GHz.

AlGaInP light-emitting diodes with SACNTs as current-spreading layer

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Transparent conductive current-spreading layer is important for quantum efficiency and thermal performance of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The increasing demand for tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) caused the price to greatly increase. Super-aligned carbon nanotubes (SACNTs) and Au-coated SACNTs as current-spreading layer were applied on AlGaInP LEDs. The LEDs with Au-coated SACNTs showed good current spreading effect. The voltage bias at 20 mA dropped about 0.15 V, and the optical power increased about 10% compared with the LEDs without SACNTs. PMID:24712527

Reactive collisions of electrons with H2+ , HD+, BeH+, BeD+ and SH+

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pop, Nicolina; Iacob, Felix; Mezei, János Zsolt; Motapon, Ousmanou; Niyonzima, Sebastien; Kashinski, David O.; Talbi, Dahbia; Hickman, Albert Peet; Schneider, Ioan F.

2017-12-01

In numerous cold ionized gases the dissociative recombination (DR), the elastic collisions (EC), the vibrational excitation (VE) (inelastic collisions) and the vibrational de-excitation (VdE) (super-elastic collisions) of molecular cations with electrons are major elementary processes. Using a stepwise method based on the Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory (MQDT), cross sections and rate coefficients have been obtained for reactions induced on HD+, H2+, BeH+, BeD+ and SH+. Moreover, the relative importance of the different reaction mechanisms, direct vs. indirect and rotational vs. non-rotational, have been studied for these molecular systems.

Re-scan confocal microscopy: scanning twice for better resolution.

PubMed

De Luca, Giulia M R; Breedijk, Ronald M P; Brandt, Rick A J; Zeelenberg, Christiaan H C; de Jong, Babette E; Timmermans, Wendy; Azar, Leila Nahidi; Hoebe, Ron A; Stallinga, Sjoerd; Manders, Erik M M

2013-01-01

We present a new super-resolution technique, Re-scan Confocal Microscopy (RCM), based on standard confocal microscopy extended with an optical (re-scanning) unit that projects the image directly on a CCD-camera. This new microscope has improved lateral resolution and strongly improved sensitivity while maintaining the sectioning capability of a standard confocal microscope. This simple technology is typically useful for biological applications where the combination high-resolution and high-sensitivity is required.

Sensing of molecules using quantum dynamics

PubMed Central

Migliore, Agostino; Naaman, Ron; Beratan, David N.

2015-01-01

We design sensors where information is transferred between the sensing event and the actuator via quantum relaxation processes, through distances of a few nanometers. We thus explore the possibility of sensing using intrinsically quantum mechanical phenomena that are also at play in photobiology, bioenergetics, and information processing. Specifically, we analyze schemes for sensing based on charge transfer and polarization (electronic relaxation) processes. These devices can have surprising properties. Their sensitivity can increase with increasing separation between the sites of sensing (the receptor) and the actuator (often a solid-state substrate). This counterintuitive response and other quantum features give these devices favorable characteristics, such as enhanced sensitivity and selectivity. Using coherent phenomena at the core of molecular sensing presents technical challenges but also suggests appealing schemes for molecular sensing and information transfer in supramolecular structures. PMID:25911636

Quantum dot sensitized solar cells: Light harvesting versus charge recombination, a film thickness consideration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiu Wei; Wang, Ye Feng; Zeng, Jing Hui; Shi, Feng; Chen, Yu; Jiang, Jiaxing

2017-08-01

Sensitizer loading level is one of the key factors determined the performance of sensitized solar cells. In this work, we systemically studied the influence of photo-anode thicknesses on the performance of the quantum-dot sensitized solar cells. It is found that the photo-to-current conversion efficiency enhances with increased film thickness and peaks at around 20 μm. The optimal value is about twice as large as the dye counterparts. Here, we also uncover the underlying mechanism about the influence of film thickness over the photovoltaic performance of QDSSCs from the light harvesting and charge recombination viewpoint.

Layer-by-layer-assembled quantum dot multilayer sensitizers: how the number of layers affects the photovoltaic properties of one-dimensional ZnO nanowire electrodes.

PubMed

Jin, Ho; Choi, Sukyung; Lim, Sang-Hoon; Rhee, Shi-Woo; Lee, Hyo Joong; Kim, Sungjee

2014-01-13

Layer cake: Multilayered CdSe quantum dot (QD) sensitizers are layer-by-layer assembled onto ZnO nanowires by making use of electrostatic interactions to study the effect of the layer number on the photovoltaic properties. The photovoltaic performance of QD-sensitized solar cells critically depends on this number as a result of the balance between light-harvesting efficiency and carrier-recombination probability. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

SuperADAM: Upgraded polarized neutron reflectometer at the Institut Laue-Langevin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Devishvili, A.; Zhernenkov, K.; Institut Laue-Langevin, BP 156, 38042 Grenoble

2013-02-15

A new neutron reflectometer SuperADAM has recently been built and commissioned at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France. It replaces the previous neutron reflectometer ADAM. The new instrument uses a solid state polarizer/wavelength filter providing a highly polarized (up to 98.6%) monochromatic neutron flux of 8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 4} n cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} with monochromatization {Delta}{lambda}/{lambda}= 0.7% and angular divergence {Delta}{alpha}= 0.2 mrad. The instrument includes both single and position sensitive detectors. The position sensitive detector allows simultaneous measurement of specular reflection and off-specular scattering. Polarization analysis for both specular reflection and off-specular scattering is achieved using either mirror analyzersmore » or a {sup 3}He spin filter cell. High efficiency detectors, low background, and high flux provides a dynamic range of up to seven decades in reflectivity. Detailed specifications and the instrument capabilities are illustrated with examples of recently collected data in the fields of thin film magnetism and thin polymer films.« less

SuperADAM: Upgraded polarized neutron reflectometer at the Institut Laue-Langevin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devishvili, A.; Zhernenkov, K.; Dennison, A. J. C.; Toperverg, B. P.; Wolff, M.; Hjörvarsson, B.; Zabel, H.

2013-02-01

A new neutron reflectometer SuperADAM has recently been built and commissioned at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France. It replaces the previous neutron reflectometer ADAM. The new instrument uses a solid state polarizer/wavelength filter providing a highly polarized (up to 98.6%) monochromatic neutron flux of 8 × 104 n cm-2 s-1 with monochromatization Δλ/λ = 0.7% and angular divergence Δα = 0.2 mrad. The instrument includes both single and position sensitive detectors. The position sensitive detector allows simultaneous measurement of specular reflection and off-specular scattering. Polarization analysis for both specular reflection and off-specular scattering is achieved using either mirror analyzers or a 3He spin filter cell. High efficiency detectors, low background, and high flux provides a dynamic range of up to seven decades in reflectivity. Detailed specifications and the instrument capabilities are illustrated with examples of recently collected data in the fields of thin film magnetism and thin polymer films.

Super-Nernstian pH sensors based on WO3 nanosheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Chao-Yin; Wang, Shui-Jinn; Ko, Rong-Ming; Tseng, Hung-Hao

2018-04-01

The effects of the surface morphology of hydrothermally grown WO3 nanosheets (NSs) and sputtering WO3 film on the performance of pH sensing electrodes are presented and compared in the pH range of 2–12. Using a separated electrode of an extended-gate field-effect transistor (EGFET) configuration, the WO3 nanosheet (NS) pH sensor shows a sensitivity of 63.37 mV/pH, a good linearity of 0.9973, a low voltage hysteresis of 4.79 mV, and a low drift rate of 3.18 mV/h. In contrast, the film-type one shows a typical sensitivity of only 50.08 mV/pH and a linearity of 0.9932. The super-Nernstian response could be attributed to the significant increase in the number of surface ion adsorption sites of the NS structure and the occurrence of local electric field enhancement over the sharp edges and corners of WO3 NSs.

SuperADAM: upgraded polarized neutron reflectometer at the Institut Laue-Langevin.

PubMed

Devishvili, A; Zhernenkov, K; Dennison, A J C; Toperverg, B P; Wolff, M; Hjörvarsson, B; Zabel, H

2013-02-01

A new neutron reflectometer SuperADAM has recently been built and commissioned at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France. It replaces the previous neutron reflectometer ADAM. The new instrument uses a solid state polarizer/wavelength filter providing a highly polarized (up to 98.6%) monochromatic neutron flux of 8 × 10(4) n cm(-2) s(-1) with monochromatization Δλ∕λ = 0.7% and angular divergence Δα = 0.2 mrad. The instrument includes both single and position sensitive detectors. The position sensitive detector allows simultaneous measurement of specular reflection and off-specular scattering. Polarization analysis for both specular reflection and off-specular scattering is achieved using either mirror analyzers or a (3)He spin filter cell. High efficiency detectors, low background, and high flux provides a dynamic range of up to seven decades in reflectivity. Detailed specifications and the instrument capabilities are illustrated with examples of recently collected data in the fields of thin film magnetism and thin polymer films.

In vivo Three-Dimensional Superresolution Fluorescence Tracking using a Double-Helix Point Spread Function

PubMed Central

Lew, Matthew D.; Thompson, Michael A.; Badieirostami, Majid; Moerner, W. E.

2010-01-01

The point spread function (PSF) of a widefield fluorescence microscope is not suitable for three-dimensional super-resolution imaging. We characterize the localization precision of a unique method for 3D superresolution imaging featuring a double-helix point spread function (DH-PSF). The DH-PSF is designed to have two lobes that rotate about their midpoint in any transverse plane as a function of the axial position of the emitter. In effect, the PSF appears as a double helix in three dimensions. By comparing the Cramer-Rao bound of the DH-PSF with the standard PSF as a function of the axial position, we show that the DH-PSF has a higher and more uniform localization precision than the standard PSF throughout a 2 μm depth of field. Comparisons between the DH-PSF and other methods for 3D super-resolution are briefly discussed. We also illustrate the applicability of the DH-PSF for imaging weak emitters in biological systems by tracking the movement of quantum dots in glycerol and in live cells. PMID:20563317

Developing Photo Activated Localization Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, Harald

2015-03-01

Photo Activated Localization Microscopy, PALM, acquires super-resolution images by activating a subset of activatable fluorescent labels and estimating the center of the each molecular label to sub-diffractive accuracy. When this process is repeated thousands of times for different subsets of molecules, then an image can be rendered from all the center coordinates of the molecules. I will describe the circuitous story of its development that began with another super-resolution technique, NSOM, developed by my colleague Eric Betzig, who imaged single molecules at room temperature, and later we spectrally resolved individual luminescent centers of quantum wells. These two observations inspired a generalized path to localization microscopy, but that path was abandoned because no really useful fluorescent labels were available. After a decade of nonacademic industrial pursuits and the subsequent freedom of unemployment, we came across a class of genetically expressible fluorescent proteins that were switchable or convertible that enabled the concept to be implemented and be biologically promising. The past ten years have been very active with many groups exploring applications and enhancements of this concept. Demonstrating significant biological relevance will be the metric if its success.

Chem/bio sensing with non-classical light and integrated photonics.

PubMed

Haas, J; Schwartz, M; Rengstl, U; Jetter, M; Michler, P; Mizaikoff, B

2018-01-29

Modern quantum technology currently experiences extensive advances in applicability in communications, cryptography, computing, metrology and lithography. Harnessing this technology platform for chem/bio sensing scenarios is an appealing opportunity enabling ultra-sensitive detection schemes. This is further facilliated by the progress in fabrication, miniaturization and integration of visible and infrared quantum photonics. Especially, the combination of efficient single-photon sources together with waveguiding/sensing structures, serving as active optical transducer, as well as advanced detector materials is promising integrated quantum photonic chem/bio sensors. Besides the intrinsic molecular selectivity and non-destructive character of visible and infrared light based sensing schemes, chem/bio sensors taking advantage of non-classical light sources promise sensitivities beyond the standard quantum limit. In the present review, recent achievements towards on-chip chem/bio quantum photonic sensing platforms based on N00N states are discussed along with appropriate recognition chemistries, facilitating the detection of relevant (bio)analytes at ultra-trace concentration levels. After evaluating recent developments in this field, a perspective for a potentially promising sensor testbed is discussed for reaching integrated quantum sensing with two fiber-coupled GaAs chips together with semiconductor quantum dots serving as single-photon sources.

The Impact of SuperB on Flavor Physics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meadows, B.; Blanke, M.; Stocchi, A.

2012-02-16

This report provides a succinct summary of the physics programme of SuperB, and describes that potential in the context of experiments making measurements in flavour physics over the next 10 to 20 years. Detailed comparisons are made with Belle II and LHCb, the other B physics experiments that will run in this decade. SuperB will play a crucial role in defining the landscape of flavour physics over the next 20 years. SuperB is an approved high luminosity e{sup +}e{sup -} collider intended to search for indirect and some direct signs of new physics (NP) at low energy, while at themore » same time, enabling precision tests of the Standard Model (SM). This experiment will be built at a new laboratory on the Tor Vergata campus near Rome, Italy named after Nicola Cabibbo. The project has been described in a Conceptual Design Report, and more recently by a set of three white papers on the accelerator, detector, and physics programme. The main focus of the physics programme rests in the study of so-called Golden Modes, these are decay channels that provide access to measurements of theoretically clean observables that can provide both stringent constraints on models of NP, and precision tests of the SM. A number of ancillary measurements that remain important include those with observables that may not be theoretically clean, and those that can be used to provide stringent constraints on the SM but are not sensitive to NP. The remainder of this section introduces SuperB before discussing the golden modes for SuperB, precision CKM measurement modes, and an outline of the rest of this report.« less

Structural, optical and photovoltaic properties of co-doped CdTe QDs for quantum dots sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayyaswamy, Arivarasan; Ganapathy, Sasikala; Alsalme, Ali; Alghamdi, Abdulaziz; Ramasamy, Jayavel

2015-12-01

Zinc and sulfur alloyed CdTe quantum dots (QDs) sensitized TiO2 photoelectrodes have been fabricated for quantum dots sensitized solar cells. Alloyed CdTe QDs were prepared in aqueous phase using mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) as a capping agent. The influence of co-doping on the structural property of CdTe QDs was studied by XRD analysis. The enhanced optical absorption of alloyed CdTe QDs was studied using UV-vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectra. The capping of MSA molecules over CdTe QDs was confirmed by the FTIR and XPS analyses. Thermogravimetric analysis confirms that the prepared QDs were thermally stable up to 600 °C. The photovoltaic performance of alloyed CdTe QDs sensitized TiO2 photoelectrodes were studied using J-V characteristics under the illumination of light with 1 Sun intensity. These results show the highest photo conversion efficiency of η = 1.21%-5% Zn & S alloyed CdTe QDs.

Improving Broadband Displacement Detection with Quantum Correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kampel, N. S.; Peterson, R. W.; Fischer, R.; Yu, P.-L.; Cicak, K.; Simmonds, R. W.; Lehnert, K. W.; Regal, C. A.

2017-04-01

Interferometers enable ultrasensitive measurement in a wide array of applications from gravitational wave searches to force microscopes. The role of quantum mechanics in the metrological limits of interferometers has a rich history, and a large number of techniques to surpass conventional limits have been proposed. In a typical measurement configuration, the trade-off between the probe's shot noise (imprecision) and its quantum backaction results in what is known as the standard quantum limit (SQL). In this work, we investigate how quantum correlations accessed by modifying the readout of the interferometer can access physics beyond the SQL and improve displacement sensitivity. Specifically, we use an optical cavity to probe the motion of a silicon nitride membrane off mechanical resonance, as one would do in a broadband displacement or force measurement, and observe sensitivity better than the SQL dictates for our quantum efficiency. Our measurement illustrates the core idea behind a technique known as variational readout, in which the optical readout quadrature is changed as a function of frequency to improve broadband displacement detection. And, more generally, our result is a salient example of how correlations can aid sensing in the presence of backaction.

Neutron whispering gallery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nesvizhevsky, Valery V.; Voronin, Alexei Yu.; Cubitt, Robert; Protasov, Konstantin V.

2010-02-01

The `whispering gallery' effect has been known since ancient times for sound waves in air, later in water and more recently for a broad range of electromagnetic waves: radio, optics, Roentgen and so on. It consists of wave localization near a curved reflecting surface and is expected for waves of various natures, for instance, for atoms and neutrons. For matter waves, it would include a new feature: a massive particle would be settled in quantum states, with parameters depending on its mass. Here, we present for the first time the quantum whispering-gallery effect for cold neutrons. This phenomenon provides an example of an exactly solvable problem analogous to the `quantum bouncer'; it is complementary to the recently discovered gravitationally bound quantum states of neutrons . These two phenomena provide a direct demonstration of the weak equivalence principle for a massive particle in a pure quantum state. Deeply bound whispering-gallery states are long-living and weakly sensitive to surface potential; highly excited states are short-living and very sensitive to the wall potential shape. Therefore, they are a promising tool for studying fundamental neutron-matter interactions, quantum neutron optics and surface physics effects.

Orientation-dependent imaging of electronically excited quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Duc; Goings, Joshua J.; Nguyen, Huy A.; Lyding, Joseph; Li, Xiaosong; Gruebele, Martin

2018-02-01

We previously demonstrated that we can image electronic excitations of quantum dots by single-molecule absorption scanning tunneling microscopy (SMA-STM). With this technique, a modulated laser beam periodically saturates an electronic transition of a single nanoparticle, and the resulting tunneling current modulation ΔI(x0, y0) maps out the SMA-STM image. In this paper, we first derive the basic theory to calculate ΔI(x0, y0) in the one-electron approximation. For near-resonant tunneling through an empty orbital "i" of the nanostructure, the SMA-STM signal is approximately proportional to the electron density |φi) (x0,y0)|

Orientation-dependent imaging of electronically excited quantum dots.

PubMed

Nguyen, Duc; Goings, Joshua J; Nguyen, Huy A; Lyding, Joseph; Li, Xiaosong; Gruebele, Martin

2018-02-14

We previously demonstrated that we can image electronic excitations of quantum dots by single-molecule absorption scanning tunneling microscopy (SMA-STM). With this technique, a modulated laser beam periodically saturates an electronic transition of a single nanoparticle, and the resulting tunneling current modulation ΔI(x 0 , y 0 ) maps out the SMA-STM image. In this paper, we first derive the basic theory to calculate ΔI(x 0 , y 0 ) in the one-electron approximation. For near-resonant tunneling through an empty orbital "i" of the nanostructure, the SMA-STM signal is approximately proportional to the electron density φ i x 0 ,y 0 2 of the excited orbital in the tunneling region. Thus, the SMA-STM signal is approximated by an orbital density map (ODM) of the resonantly excited orbital at energy E i . The situation is more complex for correlated electron motion, but either way a slice through the excited electronic state structure in the tunneling region is imaged. We then show experimentally that we can nudge quantum dots on the surface and roll them, thus imaging excited state electronic structure of a single quantum dot at different orientations. We use density functional theory to model ODMs at various orientations, for qualitative comparison with the SMA-STM experiment. The model demonstrates that our experimentally observed signal monitors excited states, localized by defects near the surface of an individual quantum dot. The sub-nanometer super-resolution imaging technique demonstrated here could become useful for mapping out the three-dimensional structure of excited states localized by defects within nanomaterials.

Photons protect privacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham-Rowe, Duncan

2008-02-01

The idea of using quantum optics to protect the transmission of sensitive data is becoming a commercial reality and starting to be deployed. Duncan Graham-Rowe takes a look at recent progress in quantum cryptography.

The SuperNemo ββ0ν enriched 82Se source foils and their radiopurity measurement with the BiPo-3 detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loaiza, P.; SuperNemo Collaboration

2017-09-01

The SuperNemo collaboration is currently building the SuperNemo demonstrator at the Modane Underground Laboratory, as the proof of concept for the full SuperNemo program. The enriched ββ0ν source consisting of thin foils containing 7 kg of 82Se is enclosed by the gas tracker and the plastic scintillator calorimeter. The full reconstruction of the ββ0ν event topology ensures an excellent background rejection and points at a true zero-background search. One of the most critical sources of background is a contamination in the source foils. The required radiopurity is 208Tl < 2 µBq/kg and 214Bi < 10 µBq/kg to achieve the sensitivity T1/2(ββ0ν) > 1026 years. The collaboration has developed a dedicated detector to measure the ultra high natural radiopurities requested, the BiPo-3 detector, installed in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory. The experimental design and performances of BiPo-3 are presented. Dedicated background measurements have been performed. After an exposure of about 2 years.m2 the surface activities of the scintillators of A(208Tl) = 1.0 ± 0.2 µBq/m2 and A(214Bi) = 1.0 ± 0.3 µBq/m2 are measured. Results of the 208Tl and 214Bi activity measurements of the first enriched 82Se foils of SuperNemo are also presented.

Comparison of properties of tablets and energy profile of compaction of two spray-dried lactoses.

PubMed

Muzíková, Jitka; Sináglová, Pavla

2013-01-01

The paper compared two spray-dried lactoses Flowlac 100 and SuperTab 14SD from the standpoint of tensile strength and disintegration time of tablets, the effect of an addition of the lubricant magnesium stearate and silicified microcrystalline cellulose on these properties, and also from the standpoint of the energy profile of compression. The comparison of the values was performed at the compression force of 15 kN. The strength of tablets was higher in the case of SuperTab 14SD, an increase in the concentration of magnesium stearate did not decrease tablet strength. Prosolv SMCC 90 increased the strength of tablets and made it equal for both lactoses, but it also increased the sensitivity to the added lubricant. The disintegration time of tablets was shorter in the case of SuperTab 14SD, an increased concentration of magnesium stearate prolonged it, and an addition of Prosolv SMCC 90 shortened it and made it equal for both lactoses. From the energy standpoint, the maximal energy was higher in the case of SuperTab 14SD, an addition of Prosolv SMCC 90 increased it and again made it equal for both lactoses. The differences in the values of the maximal energy were primarily due to the values of the energy for friction and the energy accumulated by the tablet after compression, and there was no marked difference in the values of the energy of decompression. SuperTab 14SD showed a higher plasticity than Flowlac 100.

Super-sensitive time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for thyroid-stimulating hormone utilizing europium(III) nanoparticle labels achieved by protein corona stabilization, short binding time, and serum preprocessing.

PubMed

Näreoja, Tuomas; Rosenholm, Jessica M; Lamminmäki, Urpo; Hänninen, Pekka E

2017-05-01

Thyrotropin or thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is used as a marker for thyroid function. More precise and more sensitive immunoassays are needed to facilitate continuous monitoring of thyroid dysfunctions and to assess the efficacy of the selected therapy and dosage of medication. Moreover, most thyroid diseases are autoimmune diseases making TSH assays very prone to immunoassay interferences due to autoantibodies in the sample matrix. We have developed a super-sensitive TSH immunoassay utilizing nanoparticle labels with a detection limit of 60 nU L -1 in preprocessed serum samples by reducing nonspecific binding. The developed preprocessing step by affinity purification removed interfering compounds and improved the recovery of spiked TSH from serum. The sensitivity enhancement was achieved by stabilization of the protein corona of the nanoparticle bioconjugates and a spot-coated configuration of the active solid-phase that reduced sedimentation of the nanoparticle bioconjugates and their contact time with antibody-coated solid phase, thus making use of the higher association rate of specific binding due to high avidity nanoparticle bioconjugates. Graphical Abstract We were able to decrease the lowest limit of detection and increase sensitivity of TSH immunoassay using Eu(III)-nanoparticles. The improvement was achieved by decreasing binding time of nanoparticle bioconjugates by small capture area and fast circular rotation. Also, we applied a step to stabilize protein corona of the nanoparticles and a serum-preprocessing step with a structurally related antibody.

Quantum interpolation for high-resolution sensing

PubMed Central

Ajoy, Ashok; Liu, Yi-Xiang; Saha, Kasturi; Marseglia, Luca; Jaskula, Jean-Christophe; Bissbort, Ulf; Cappellaro, Paola

2017-01-01

Recent advances in engineering and control of nanoscale quantum sensors have opened new paradigms in precision metrology. Unfortunately, hardware restrictions often limit the sensor performance. In nanoscale magnetic resonance probes, for instance, finite sampling times greatly limit the achievable sensitivity and spectral resolution. Here we introduce a technique for coherent quantum interpolation that can overcome these problems. Using a quantum sensor associated with the nitrogen vacancy center in diamond, we experimentally demonstrate that quantum interpolation can achieve spectroscopy of classical magnetic fields and individual quantum spins with orders of magnitude finer frequency resolution than conventionally possible. Not only is quantum interpolation an enabling technique to extract structural and chemical information from single biomolecules, but it can be directly applied to other quantum systems for superresolution quantum spectroscopy. PMID:28196889

Quantum interpolation for high-resolution sensing.

PubMed

Ajoy, Ashok; Liu, Yi-Xiang; Saha, Kasturi; Marseglia, Luca; Jaskula, Jean-Christophe; Bissbort, Ulf; Cappellaro, Paola

2017-02-28

Recent advances in engineering and control of nanoscale quantum sensors have opened new paradigms in precision metrology. Unfortunately, hardware restrictions often limit the sensor performance. In nanoscale magnetic resonance probes, for instance, finite sampling times greatly limit the achievable sensitivity and spectral resolution. Here we introduce a technique for coherent quantum interpolation that can overcome these problems. Using a quantum sensor associated with the nitrogen vacancy center in diamond, we experimentally demonstrate that quantum interpolation can achieve spectroscopy of classical magnetic fields and individual quantum spins with orders of magnitude finer frequency resolution than conventionally possible. Not only is quantum interpolation an enabling technique to extract structural and chemical information from single biomolecules, but it can be directly applied to other quantum systems for superresolution quantum spectroscopy.

CdS/CdSe quantum dots and ZnPc dye co-sensitized solar cells with Au nanoparticles/graphene oxide as efficient modified layer.

PubMed

Chen, Cong; Cheng, Yu; Jin, Junjie; Dai, Qilin; Song, Hongwei

2016-10-15

Co-sensitization by using two or more sensitizers with complementary absorption spectra to expand the spectral response range is an effective approach to enhance device performance of quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). To improve the light-harvesting in the visible/near-infrared (NIR) region, organic dye zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) was combined with CdS/CdSe quantum dots (QDs) for co-sensitized solar cells based on ZnO inverse opals (IOs) as photoanode. The resulting co-sensitized device shows an efficient panchromatic spectral response feature to ∼750nm and presents an overall conversion efficiency of 4.01%, which is superior to that of the individual ZnPc-sensitized solar cells and CdS/CdSe-sensitized solar cells. Meanwhile, an Au nanoparticles/graphene oxide (Au NPs/GO) composite layer was successfully prepared to modify Cu2S counter electrode for the co-sensitized solar cells. Reducing the carrier recombination process by GO and catalytic process of Au NPs leads to increased power conversion efficiency(PCE) from 4.01 to 4.60% and sustainable stability remains ∼85% of its original value after 60min light exposure. In this paper, introduction of the organic dyes as co-sensitizer and Au NPs/GO as counter electrode modified layer has been proved to be an effective route to improve the performance of QDSSCs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantum metrology for gravitational wave astronomy.

PubMed

Schnabel, Roman; Mavalvala, Nergis; McClelland, David E; Lam, Ping K

2010-11-16

Einstein's general theory of relativity predicts that accelerating mass distributions produce gravitational radiation, analogous to electromagnetic radiation from accelerating charges. These gravitational waves (GWs) have not been directly detected to date, but are expected to open a new window to the Universe once the detectors, kilometre-scale laser interferometers measuring the distance between quasi-free-falling mirrors, have achieved adequate sensitivity. Recent advances in quantum metrology may now contribute to provide the required sensitivity boost. The so-called squeezed light is able to quantum entangle the high-power laser fields in the interferometer arms, and could have a key role in the realization of GW astronomy.

Quantum point contact displacement transducer for a mechanical resonator at sub-Kelvin temperatures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okazaki, Yuma; Mahboob, Imran; Onomitsu, Koji

Highly sensitive displacement transduction of a 1.67 MHz mechanical resonator with a quantum point contact (QPC) formed in a GaAs heterostructure is demonstrated. By positioning the QPC at the point of maximum mechanical strain on the resonator and operating at 80 mK, a displacement responsivity of 3.81 A/m is measured, which represents a two order of magnitude improvement on the previous QPC based devices. By further analyzing the QPC transport characteristics, a sub-Poisson-noise-limited displacement sensitivity of 25 fm/Hz{sup 1/2} is determined which corresponds to a position resolution that is 23 times the standard quantum limit.

Low-cost silver capped polystyrene nanotube arrays as super-hydrophobic substrates for SERS applications.

PubMed

Lovera, Pierre; Creedon, Niamh; Alatawi, Hanan; Mitchell, Micki; Burke, Micheal; Quinn, Aidan J; O'Riordan, Alan

2014-05-02

In this paper, we describe the fabrication, simulation and characterization of dense arrays of freestanding silver capped polystyrene nanotubes, and demonstrate their suitability for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications. Substrates are fabricated in a rapid, low-cost and scalable way by melt wetting of polystyrene (PS) in an anodized alumina (AAO) template, followed by silver evaporation. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that substrates are composed of a dense array of freestanding polystyrene nanotubes topped by silver nanocaps. SERS characterization of the substrates, employing a monolayer of 4-aminothiophenol (4-ABT) as a model molecule, exhibits an enhancement factor of ∼1.6 × 10(6), in agreement with 3D finite difference time domain simulations. Contact angle measurements of the substrates revealed super-hydrophobic properties, allowing pre-concentration of target analyte into a small volume. These super-hydrophobic properties of the samples are taken advantage of for sensitive detection of the organic pollutant crystal violet, with detection down to ∼400 ppt in a 2 μl aliquot demonstrated.

Label-free photoacoustic nanoscopy

PubMed Central

Danielli, Amos; Maslov, Konstantin; Garcia-Uribe, Alejandro; Winkler, Amy M.; Li, Chiye; Wang, Lidai; Chen, Yun; Dorn, Gerald W.; Wang, Lihong V.

2014-01-01

Abstract. Super-resolution microscopy techniques—capable of overcoming the diffraction limit of light—have opened new opportunities to explore subcellular structures and dynamics not resolvable in conventional far-field microscopy. However, relying on staining with exogenous fluorescent markers, these techniques can sometimes introduce undesired artifacts to the image, mainly due to large tagging agent sizes and insufficient or variable labeling densities. By contrast, the use of endogenous pigments allows imaging of the intrinsic structures of biological samples with unaltered molecular constituents. Here, we report label-free photoacoustic (PA) nanoscopy, which is exquisitely sensitive to optical absorption, with an 88 nm resolution. At each scanning position, multiple PA signals are successively excited with increasing laser pulse energy. Because of optical saturation or nonlinear thermal expansion, the PA amplitude depends on the nonlinear incident optical fluence. The high-order dependence, quantified by polynomial fitting, provides super-resolution imaging with optical sectioning. PA nanoscopy is capable of super-resolution imaging of either fluorescent or nonfluorescent molecules. PMID:25104412

DMD-based LED-illumination super-resolution and optical sectioning microscopy.

PubMed

Dan, Dan; Lei, Ming; Yao, Baoli; Wang, Wen; Winterhalder, Martin; Zumbusch, Andreas; Qi, Yujiao; Xia, Liang; Yan, Shaohui; Yang, Yanlong; Gao, Peng; Ye, Tong; Zhao, Wei

2013-01-01

Super-resolution three-dimensional (3D) optical microscopy has incomparable advantages over other high-resolution microscopic technologies, such as electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, in the study of biological molecules, pathways and events in live cells and tissues. We present a novel approach of structured illumination microscopy (SIM) by using a digital micromirror device (DMD) for fringe projection and a low-coherence LED light for illumination. The lateral resolution of 90 nm and the optical sectioning depth of 120 μm were achieved. The maximum acquisition speed for 3D imaging in the optical sectioning mode was 1.6×10(7) pixels/second, which was mainly limited by the sensitivity and speed of the CCD camera. In contrast to other SIM techniques, the DMD-based LED-illumination SIM is cost-effective, ease of multi-wavelength switchable and speckle-noise-free. The 2D super-resolution and 3D optical sectioning modalities can be easily switched and applied to either fluorescent or non-fluorescent specimens.

DMD-based LED-illumination Super-resolution and optical sectioning microscopy

PubMed Central

Dan, Dan; Lei, Ming; Yao, Baoli; Wang, Wen; Winterhalder, Martin; Zumbusch, Andreas; Qi, Yujiao; Xia, Liang; Yan, Shaohui; Yang, Yanlong; Gao, Peng; Ye, Tong; Zhao, Wei

2013-01-01

Super-resolution three-dimensional (3D) optical microscopy has incomparable advantages over other high-resolution microscopic technologies, such as electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, in the study of biological molecules, pathways and events in live cells and tissues. We present a novel approach of structured illumination microscopy (SIM) by using a digital micromirror device (DMD) for fringe projection and a low-coherence LED light for illumination. The lateral resolution of 90 nm and the optical sectioning depth of 120 μm were achieved. The maximum acquisition speed for 3D imaging in the optical sectioning mode was 1.6×107 pixels/second, which was mainly limited by the sensitivity and speed of the CCD camera. In contrast to other SIM techniques, the DMD-based LED-illumination SIM is cost-effective, ease of multi-wavelength switchable and speckle-noise-free. The 2D super-resolution and 3D optical sectioning modalities can be easily switched and applied to either fluorescent or non-fluorescent specimens. PMID:23346373

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Protein Biomarker Using a Portable Fluorescence Biosensor based on Quantum Dots and a Lateral Flow Test Strip

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Zhaohui; Wang, Ying; Wang, Jun

2010-08-15

A portable fluorescence biosensor with rapid and ultrasensitive response for trace protein has been built up with quantum dots and lateral flow test strip. The superior signal brightness and high photostability of quantum dots are combined with the promising advantages of lateral flow test strip and resulted in high sensitivity, selectivity and speedy for protein detection. Nitrated ceruloplasmin, a significant biomarker for cardiovascular disease, lung cancer and stress response to smoking, was used as model protein to demonstrate the good performances of this proposed Qdot-based lateral flow test strip. Quantitative detection of nitrated ceruloplasmin was realized by recording the fluorescencemore » intensity of quantum dots captured on the test line. Under optimal conditions, this portable fluorescence biosensor displays rapid responses for nitrated ceruloplasmin in wide dynamic range with a detection limit of 0.1ng/mL (S/N=3). Furthermore, the biosensor was successfully utilized for spiked human plasma sample detection with the concentration as low as 1ng/mL. The results demonstrate that the quantum dot-based lateral flow test strip is capable for rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection of nitrated ceruloplasmin and hold a great promise for point-of-care and in field analysis of other protein biomarkers.« less

The Lemur Conjecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanzagorta, Marco; Jitrik, Oliverio; Uhlmann, Jeffrey; Venegas-Andraca, Salvador E.

2017-05-01

In previous research we designed an interferometric quantum seismograph that uses entangled photon states to enhance sensitivity in an optomechanic device. However, a spatially-distributed array of such sensors, with each sensor measuring only nm-vibrations, may not provide sufficient sensitivity for the prediction of major earthquakes because it fails to exploit potentially critical phase information. We conjecture that relative phase information can explain the anecdotal observations that animals such as lemurs exhibit sensitivity to impending earthquakes earlier than can be done confidently with traditional seismic technology. More specifically, we propose that lemurs use their limbs as ground motion sensors and that relative phase differences are fused in the brain in a manner similar to a phased-array or synthetic-aperture radar. In this paper we will describe a lemur-inspired quantum sensor network for early warning of earthquakes. The system uses 4 interferometric quantum seismographs (e.g., analogous to a lemurs limbs) and then conducts phase and data fusion of the seismic information. Although we discuss a quantum-based technology, the principles described can also be applied to classical sensor arrays

Quantum noise reduction in intensity-sensitive surface-plasmon-resonance sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Joong-Sung; Huynh, Trung; Lee, Su-Yong; Lee, Kwang-Geol; Lee, Jinhyoung; Tame, Mark; Rockstuhl, Carsten; Lee, Changhyoup

2017-09-01

We investigate the use of twin-mode quantum states of light with symmetric statistical features in their photon number for improving intensity-sensitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors. For this purpose, one of the modes is sent into a prism setup where the Kretschmann configuration is employed as a sensing platform and the analyte to be measured influences the SPR excitation conditions. This influence modifies the output state of light that is subsequently analyzed by an intensity-difference measurement scheme. We show that quantum noise reduction is achieved not only as a result of the sub-Poissonian statistical nature of a single mode, but also as a result of the nonclassical correlation of the photon number between the two modes. When combined with the high sensitivity of the SPR sensor, we show that the use of twin-mode quantum states of light notably enhances the estimation precision of the refractive index of an analyte. With this we are able to identify a clear strategy to further boost the performance of SPR sensors, which are already a mature technology in biochemical and medical sensing applications.

Super-Resolution Enhancement From Multiple Overlapping Images: A Fractional Area Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michaels, Joshua A.

With the availability of large quantities of relatively low-resolution data from several decades of space borne imaging, methods of creating an accurate, higher-resolution image from the multiple lower-resolution images (i.e. super-resolution), have been developed almost since such imagery has been around. The fractional-area super-resolution technique developed in this thesis has never before been documented. Satellite orbits, like Landsat, have a quantifiable variation, which means each image is not centered on the exact same spot more than once and the overlapping information from these multiple images may be used for super-resolution enhancement. By splitting a single initial pixel into many smaller, desired pixels, a relationship can be created between them using the ratio of the area within the initial pixel. The ideal goal for this technique is to obtain smaller pixels with exact values and no error, yielding a better potential result than those methods that yield interpolated pixel values with consequential loss of spatial resolution. A Fortran 95 program was developed to perform all calculations associated with the fractional-area super-resolution technique. The fractional areas are calculated using traditional trigonometry and coordinate geometry and Linear Algebra Package (LAPACK; Anderson et al., 1999) is used to solve for the higher-resolution pixel values. In order to demonstrate proof-of-concept, a synthetic dataset was created using the intrinsic Fortran random number generator and Adobe Illustrator CS4 (for geometry). To test the real-life application, digital pictures from a Sony DSC-S600 digital point-and-shoot camera with a tripod were taken of a large US geological map under fluorescent lighting. While the fractional-area super-resolution technique works in perfect synthetic conditions, it did not successfully produce a reasonable or consistent solution in the digital photograph enhancement test. The prohibitive amount of processing time (up to 60 days for a relatively small enhancement area) severely limits the practical usefulness of fraction-area super-resolution. Fractional-area super-resolution is very sensitive to relative input image co-registration, which must be accurate to a sub-pixel degree. However, use of this technique, if input conditions permit, could be applied as a "pinpoint" super-resolution technique. Such an application could be possible by only applying it to only very small areas with very good input image co-registration.

Efficient full wave code for the coupling of large multirow multijunction LH grills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preinhaelter, Josef; Hillairet, Julien; Milanesio, Daniele; Maggiora, Riccardo; Urban, Jakub; Vahala, Linda; Vahala, George

2017-11-01

The full wave code OLGA, for determining the coupling of a single row lower hybrid launcher (waveguide grills) to the plasma, is extended to handle multirow multijunction active passive structures (like the C3 and C4 launchers on TORE SUPRA) by implementing the scattering matrix formalism. The extended code is still computationally fast because of the use of (i) 2D splines of the plasma surface admittance in the accessibility region of the k-space, (ii) high order Gaussian quadrature rules for the integration of the coupling elements and (iii) utilizing the symmetries of the coupling elements in the multiperiodic structures. The extended OLGA code is benchmarked against the ALOHA-1D, ALOHA-2D and TOPLHA codes for the coupling of the C3 and C4 TORE SUPRA launchers for several plasma configurations derived from reflectometry and interferometery. Unlike nearly all codes (except the ALOHA-1D code), OLGA does not require large computational resources and can be used for everyday usage in planning experimental runs. In particular, it is shown that the OLGA code correctly handles the coupling of the C3 and C4 launchers over a very wide range of plasma densities in front of the grill.

Re-scan confocal microscopy: scanning twice for better resolution

PubMed Central

De Luca, Giulia M.R.; Breedijk, Ronald M.P.; Brandt, Rick A.J.; Zeelenberg, Christiaan H.C.; de Jong, Babette E.; Timmermans, Wendy; Azar, Leila Nahidi; Hoebe, Ron A.; Stallinga, Sjoerd; Manders, Erik M.M.

2013-01-01

We present a new super-resolution technique, Re-scan Confocal Microscopy (RCM), based on standard confocal microscopy extended with an optical (re-scanning) unit that projects the image directly on a CCD-camera. This new microscope has improved lateral resolution and strongly improved sensitivity while maintaining the sectioning capability of a standard confocal microscope. This simple technology is typically useful for biological applications where the combination high-resolution and high-sensitivity is required. PMID:24298422

Photovoltaic driven multiple quantum well optical modulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maserjian, Joseph (Inventor)

1990-01-01

Multiple quantum well (MQW) structures (12) are utilized to provide real-time, reliable, high-performance, optically-addressed spatial-light modulators (SLM) (10). The optically-addressed SLM comprises a vertical stack of quantum well layers (12a) within the penetration depth of an optical write signal 18, a plurality of space charge barriers (12b) having predetermined tunneling times by control of doping and thickness. The material comprising the quantum well layers has a lower bandgap than that of the space charge barrier layers. The write signal modulates a read signal (20). The modulation sensitivity of the device is high and no external voltage source is required. In a preferred embodiment, the SLM having interleaved doped semiconductor layers for driving the MQW photovoltaically is characterized by the use of a shift analogous to the Moss-Burnstein shift caused by the filling of two-dimensional states in the multiple quantum wells, thus allowing high modulation sensitivity in very narrow wells. Arrays (30) may be formed with a plurality of the modulators.

Nanomechanical motion measured with an imprecision below that at the standard quantum limit.

PubMed

Teufel, J D; Donner, T; Castellanos-Beltran, M A; Harlow, J W; Lehnert, K W

2009-12-01

Nanomechanical oscillators are at the heart of ultrasensitive detectors of force, mass and motion. As these detectors progress to even better sensitivity, they will encounter measurement limits imposed by the laws of quantum mechanics. If the imprecision of a measurement of the displacement of an oscillator is pushed below a scale set by the standard quantum limit, the measurement must perturb the motion of the oscillator by an amount larger than that scale. Here we show a displacement measurement with an imprecision below the standard quantum limit scale. We achieve this imprecision by measuring the motion of a nanomechanical oscillator with a nearly shot-noise limited microwave interferometer. As the interferometer is naturally operated at cryogenic temperatures, the thermal motion of the oscillator is minimized, yielding an excellent force detector with a sensitivity of 0.51 aN Hz(-1/2). This measurement is a critical step towards observing quantum behaviour in a mechanical object.

Utilizing a CdTe quantum dots-enzyme hybrid system for the determination of both phenolic compounds and hydrogen peroxide.

PubMed

Yuan, Jipei; Guo, Weiwei; Wang, Erkang

2008-02-15

In this paper, we attempt to construct a simple and sensitive detection method for both phenolic compounds and hydrogen peroxide, with the successful combination of the unique property of quantum dots and the specificity of enzymatic reactions. In the presence of H2O2 and horseradish peroxidase, phenolic compounds can quench quantum dots' photoluminescence efficiently, and the extent of quenching is severalfold to more than 100-fold increase. Quinone intermediates produced from the enzymatic catalyzed oxidation of phenolic compounds were believed to play the main role in the photoluminescence quenching. Using a quantum dots-enzyme system, the detection limits for phenolic compounds and hydrogen peroxide were detected to be approximately 10(-7) mol L(-1). The coupling of efficient quenching of quantum dot photoluminescence by quinone and the effective enzymatic reactions make this a simple and sensitive method for phenolic compound detection and great potential in the development of H2O2 biosensors for various analytes.

Sensing of molecules using quantum dynamics

DOE PAGES

Migliore, Agostino; Naaman, Ron; Beratan, David N.

2015-04-24

In this study, we design sensors where information is transferred between the sensing event and the actuator via quantum relaxation processes, through distances of a few nanometers. We thus explore the possibility of sensing using intrinsically quantum mechanical phenomena that are also at play in photobiology, bioenergetics, and information processing. Specifically, we analyze schemes for sensing based on charge transfer and polarization (electronic relaxation) processes. These devices can have surprising properties. Their sensitivity can increase with increasing separation between the sites of sensing (the receptor) and the actuator (often a solid-state substrate). This counterintuitive response and other quantum features givemore » these devices favorable characteristics, such as enhanced sensitivity and selectivity. Finally, using coherent phenomena at the core of molecular sensing presents technical challenges but also suggests appealing schemes for molecular sensing and information transfer in supramolecular structures.« less

Towards prediction of correlated material properties using quantum Monte Carlo methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Lucas

Correlated electron systems offer a richness of physics far beyond noninteracting systems. If we would like to pursue the dream of designer correlated materials, or, even to set a more modest goal, to explain in detail the properties and effective physics of known materials, then accurate simulation methods are required. Using modern computational resources, quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) techniques offer a way to directly simulate electron correlations. I will show some recent results on a few extremely challenging materials including the metal-insulator transition of VO2, the ground state of the doped cuprates, and the pressure dependence of magnetic properties in FeSe. By using a relatively simple implementation of QMC, at least some properties of these materials can be described truly from first principles, without any adjustable parameters. Using the QMC platform, we have developed a way of systematically deriving effective lattice models from the simulation. This procedure is particularly attractive for correlated electron systems because the QMC methods treat the one-body and many-body components of the wave function and Hamiltonian on completely equal footing. I will show some examples of using this downfolding technique and the high accuracy of QMC to connect our intuitive ideas about interacting electron systems with high fidelity simulations. The work in this presentation was supported in part by NSF DMR 1206242, the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) program under Award Number FG02-12ER46875, and the Center for Emergent Superconductivity, Department of Energy Frontier Research Center under Grant No. DEAC0298CH1088. Computing resources were provided by a Blue Waters Illinois grant and INCITE PhotSuper and SuperMatSim allocations.

Quantum Structure of Space and Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duff, M. J.; Isham, C. J.

2012-07-01

Foreword Abdus Salam; Preface; List of participants; Part I. Quantum Gravity, Fields and Topology: 1. Some remarks on gravity and quantum mechanics Roger Penrose; 2. An experimental test of quantum gravity Don N. Page and C. D. Geilker; 3. Quantum mechanical origin of the sandwich theorem in classical gravitation theory Claudio Teitelboim; 4. θ-States induced by the diffeomorphism group in canonically quantized gravity C. J. Isham; 5. Strong coupling quantum gravity: an introduction Martin Pilati; 6. Quantizing fourth order gravity theories S. M. Christensen; 7. Green's functions, states and renormalisation M. R. Brown and A. C. Ottewill; 8. Introduction to quantum regge calculus Martin Roček and Ruth Williams; 9. Spontaneous symmetry breaking in curved space-time D. J. Toms; 10. Spontaneous symmetry breaking near a black hole M. S. Fawcett and B. F. Whiting; 11. Yang-Mills vacua in a general three-space G. Kunstatter; 12. Fermion fractionization in physics R. Jackiw; Part II. Supergravity: 13. The new minimal formulation of N=1 supergravity and its tensor calculus M. F. Sohnius and P. C. West; 14. A new deteriorated energy-momentum tensor M. J. Duff and P. K. Townsend; 15. Off-shell N=2 and N=4 supergravity in five dimensions P. Howe; 16. Supergravity in high dimensions P. van Niewenhuizen; 17. Building linearised extended supergravities J. G. Taylor; 18. (Super)gravity in the complex angular momentum plane M. T. Grisaru; 19. The multiplet structure of solitons in the O(2) supergravity theory G. W. Gibbons; 20. Ultra-violet properties of supersymmetric gauge theory S. Ferrara; 21. Extended supercurrents and the ultra-violet finiteness of N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories K. S. Stelle; 22. Duality rotations B. Zumino; Part III. Cosmology and the Early Universe: 23. Energy, stability and cosmological constant S. Deser; 24. Phase transitions in the early universe T. W. B. Kibble; 25. Complete cosmological theories L. P. Grishchuk and Ya. B. Zeldovich; 26. The cosmological constant and the weak anthropic principle S. W. Hawking.

Toward performing angular rotating measure of Heisenberg scaling by using the four-photon Holland-Burnett state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jiandong; Zhang, Zijing; Cen, Longzhu; Li, Shuo; Wang, Feng; Zhao, Yuan

2018-03-01

Quantum process tomography, as an advanced means of metrology, has a capacious range of applications for estimating numerous meaningful parameters. The parameter estimate precision of using coherent state and single photon state as probe are limited by the shot noise limit. Here we demonstrate a quantum enhanced rotating angle measure scheme based on the four-photon Holland-Burnett state can achieve the Heisenberg scaling by the coincidence counting technology. At the same time, the output signal of our scheme has an 8-fold super-resolution compared to the Malus law. In addition, the accuracy achieved by four photons is consistent with using 12 photons of single photon probe. That has incomparable preponderance in a situation in which only weak light can be exploited, like the measure of frangible biological specimens and photosensitive crystals. Moreover, the four-photon Holland-Burnett state can be generated by a polarization-entangled light source. These ensure that our scheme has a champaign application prospect.

Equations on knot polynomials and 3d/5d duality

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mironov, A.; Morozov, A.; ITEP, Moscow

2012-09-24

We briefly review the current situation with various relations between knot/braid polynomials (Chern-Simons correlation functions), ordinary and extended, considered as functions of the representation and of the knot topology. These include linear skein relations, quadratic Plucker relations, as well as 'differential' and (quantum) A-polynomial structures. We pay a special attention to identity between the A-polynomial equations for knots and Baxter equations for quantum relativistic integrable systems, related through Seiberg-Witten theory to 5d super-Yang-Mills models and through the AGT relation to the q-Virasoro algebra. This identity is an important ingredient of emerging a 3d- 5d generalization of the AGT relation. Themore » shape of the Baxter equation (including the values of coefficients) depend on the choice of the knot/braid. Thus, like the case of KP integrability, where (some, so far torus) knots parameterize particular points of the Universal Grassmannian, in this relation they parameterize particular points in the moduli space of many-body integrable systems of relativistic type.« less

Negative energy, superluminosity, and holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polchinski, Joseph; Susskind, Leonard; Toumbas, Nicolaos

1999-10-01

The holographic connection between large N super Yang-Mills (SYM) theory and gravity in anti-de Sitter (AdS) space requires unfamiliar behavior of the SYM theory in the limit that the curvature of the AdS geometry becomes small. The paradoxical behavior includes superluminal oscillations and negative energy density. These effects typically occur in the SYM description of events which take place far from the boundary of AdS when the signal from the event arrives at the boundary. The paradoxes can be resolved by assuming a very rich collection of hidden degrees of freedom of the SYM theory which store information but give rise to no local energy density. These degrees of freedom, called precursors, are needed to make possible sudden apparently acausal energy momentum flows. Such behavior would be impossible in classical field theory as a consequence of the positivity of the energy density. However we show that these effects are not only allowed in quantum field theory but that we can model them in free quantum field theory.

Quantum Wronskian approach to six-point gluon scattering amplitudes at strong coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatsuda, Yasuyuki; Ito, Katsushi; Satoh, Yuji; Suzuki, Junji

2014-08-01

We study the six-point gluon scattering amplitudes in = 4 super Yang-Mills theory at strong coupling based on the twisted ℤ4-symmetric integrable model. The lattice regularization allows us to derive the associated thermodynamic Bethe ansatz (TBA) equations as well as the functional relations among the Q-/T-/Y-functions. The quantum Wronskian relation for the Q-/T-functions plays an important role in determining a series of the expansion coefficients of the T-/Y-functions around the UV limit, including the dependence on the twist parameter. Studying the CFT limit of the TBA equations, we derive the leading analytic expansion of the remainder function for the general kinematics around the limit where the dual Wilson loops become regular-polygonal. We also compare the rescaled remainder functions at strong coupling with those at two, three and four loops, and find that they are close to each other along the trajectories parameterized by the scale parameter of the integrable model.

Modelling copper-phthalocyanine/cobalt-phthalocyanine chains: towards magnetic quantum metamaterials.

PubMed

Wu, Wei

2014-07-23

The magnetic properties of a theoretically designed molecular chain structure CuCoPc2, in which copper-phthalocyanine (CuPc) and cobalt-phthalocyanine (CoPc) alternate, have been investigated across a range of chain structures. The computed exchange interaction for the α-phase CuCoPc2 is ∼ 5 K (ferromagnetic), in strong contrast to the anti-ferromagnetic interaction recently observed in CuPc and CoPc. The computed exchange interactions are strongly dependent on the stacking angle but weakly on the sliding angle, and peak at 20 K (ferromagnetic). These ferromagnetic interactions are expected to arise from direct exchange with the strong suppression of super-exchange interaction. These first-principles calculations show that π-conjugated molecules, such as phthalocyanine, could be used as building blocks for the design of magnetic materials. This therefore extends the concept of quantum metamaterials further into magnetism. The resulting new magnetic materials could find applications in the studies such as organic spintronics.

Nanoscale probing of image-dipole interactions in a metallic nanostructure

PubMed Central

Ropp, Chad; Cummins, Zachary; Nah, Sanghee; Fourkas, John T.; Shapiro, Benjamin; Waks, Edo

2015-01-01

An emitter near a surface induces an image dipole that can modify the observed emission intensity and radiation pattern. These image-dipole effects are generally not taken into account in single-emitter tracking and super-resolved imaging applications. Here we show that the interference between an emitter and its image dipole induces a strong polarization anisotropy and a large spatial displacement of the observed emission pattern. We demonstrate these effects by tracking the emission of a single quantum dot along two orthogonal polarizations as it is deterministically positioned near a silver nanowire. The two orthogonally polarized diffraction spots can be displaced by up to 50 nm, which arises from a Young’s interference effect between the quantum dot and its induced image dipole. We show that the observed spatially varying interference fringe provides a useful measure for correcting image-dipole-induced distortions. These results provide a pathway towards probing and correcting image-dipole effects in near-field imaging applications. PMID:25790228

Quantum dot-engineered M13 virus layer-by-layer composite films for highly selective and sensitive turn-on TNT sensors.

PubMed

Jin, Ho; Won, Nayoun; Ahn, Boeun; Kwag, Jungheon; Heo, Kwang; Oh, Jin-Woo; Sun, Yintao; Cho, Soo Gyeong; Lee, Seung-Wuk; Kim, Sungjee

2013-07-11

We developed quantum dot-engineered M13 virus layer-by-layer hybrid composite films with incorporated fluorescence quenchers. TNT is designed to displace the quenchers and turn on the quantum dot fluorescence. TNT was detected at the sub ppb level with a high selectivity.

RF plasma based selective modification of hydrophilic regions on super hydrophobic surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jaehyun; Hwang, Sangyeon; Cho, Dae-Hyun; Hong, Jungwoo; Shin, Jennifer H.; Byun, Doyoung

2017-02-01

Selective modification and regional alterations of the surface property have gained a great deal of attention to many engineers. In this paper, we present a simple, a cost-effective, and amendable reforming method for disparate patterns of hydrophilic regions on super-hydrophobic surfaces. Uniform super-hydrophobic layer (Contact angle; CA > 150°, root mean square (RMS) roughness ∼0.28 nm) can be formed using the atmospheric radio frequency (RF) plasma on top of the selective hydrophilic (CA ∼ 70°, RMS roughness ∼0.34 nm) patterns imprinted by electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing technology with polar alcohols (butyl carbitol or ethanol). The wettability of the modified surface was investigated qualitatively utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and wavelength scanning interferometer (WSI). Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) analysis showed that the alcohol addiction reaction changed the types of radicals on the super-hydrophobic surface. The wettability was found to depend sensitively on chemical radicals on the surface, not on surface morphology (particle size and surface roughness). Furthermore, three different kinds of representative hydrophilic samples (polystyrene nano-particle aqueous solution, Salmonella bacteria medium, and poly(3,4-ethylenediocythiophene) ink) were tested for uniform deposition onto the desired hydrophilic regions. This simple strategy would have broad applications in various research fields that require selective deposition of target materials.

The mid-Cretaceous super plume, carbon dioxide, and global warming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caldeira, Ken; Rampino, Michael R.

1991-01-01

Carbon-dioxide releases associated with a mid-Cretaceous super plume and the emplacement of the Ontong-Java Plateau have been suggested as a principal cause of the mid-Cretaceous global warming. A carbonate-silicate cycle model is developed to quantify the possible climatic effects of these CO2 releases, utilizing four different formulations for the rate of silicate-rock weathering as a function of atmospheric CO2. CO2 emissions resulting from super-plume tectonics could have produced atmospheric CO2 levels from 3.7 to 14.7 times the modern preindustrial value of 285 ppm. Based on the temperature sensitivity to CO2 increases used in the weathering-rate formulations, this would cause a global warming of from 2.8 to 7.7 C over today's glogal mean temperature. Altered continental positions and higher sea level may have been contributed about 4.8 C to mid-Cretaceous warming. Thus, the combined effects of paleogeographic changes and super-plume related CO2 emissions could be in the range of 7.6 to 12.5 C, within the 6 to 14 C range previously estimated for mid-Cretaceous warming. CO2 releases from oceanic plateaus alone are unlikely to have been directly responsible for more than 20 percent of the mid-Cretaceous increase in atmospheric CO2.

Giant photocurrent enhancement by transition metal doping in quantum dot sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rimal, Gaurab; Pimachev, Artem K.; Yost, Andrew J.; Poudyal, Uma; Maloney, Scott; Wang, Wenyong; Chien, TeYu; Dahnovsky, Yuri; Tang, Jinke

2016-09-01

A huge enhancement in the incident photon-to-current efficiency of PbS quantum dot (QD) sensitized solar cells by manganese doping is observed. In the presence of Mn dopants with relatively small concentration (4 at. %), the photoelectric current increases by an average of 300% (up to 700%). This effect cannot be explained by the light absorption mechanism because both the experimental and theoretical absorption spectra demonstrate several times decreases in the absorption coefficient. To explain such dramatic increase in the photocurrent we propose the electron tunneling mechanism from the LUMO of the QD excited state to the Zn2SnO4 (ZTO) semiconductor photoanode. This change is due to the presence of the Mn instead of Pb atom at the QD/ZTO interface. The ab initio calculations confirm this mechanism. This work proposes an alternative route for a significant improvement of the efficiency for quantum dot sensitized solar cells.

Interferometric sensitivity and entanglement by scanning through quantum phase transitions in spinor Bose-Einstein condensates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feldmann, P.; Gessner, M.; Gabbrielli, M.; Klempt, C.; Santos, L.; Pezzè, L.; Smerzi, A.

2018-03-01

Recent experiments demonstrated the generation of entanglement by quasiadiabatically driving through quantum phase transitions of a ferromagnetic spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate in the presence of a tunable quadratic Zeeman shift. We analyze, in terms of the Fisher information, the interferometric value of the entanglement accessible by this approach. In addition to the Twin-Fock phase studied experimentally, we unveil a second regime, in the broken axisymmetry phase, which provides Heisenberg scaling of the quantum Fisher information and can be reached on shorter time scales. We identify optimal unitary transformations and an experimentally feasible optimal measurement prescription that maximize the interferometric sensitivity. We further ascertain that the Fisher information is robust with respect to nonadiabaticity and measurement noise. Finally, we show that the quasiadiabatic entanglement preparation schemes admit higher sensitivities than dynamical methods based on fast quenches.

Thermoelectricity in atom-sized junctions at room temperatures

PubMed Central

Tsutsui, Makusu; Morikawa, Takanori; Arima, Akihide; Taniguchi, Masateru

2013-01-01

Atomic and molecular junctions are an emerging class of thermoelectric materials that exploit quantum confinement effects to obtain an enhanced figure of merit. An important feature in such nanoscale systems is that the electron and heat transport become highly sensitive to the atomic configurations. Here we report the characterization of geometry-sensitive thermoelectricity in atom-sized junctions at room temperatures. We measured the electrical conductance and thermoelectric power of gold nanocontacts simultaneously down to the single atom size. We found junction conductance dependent thermoelectric voltage oscillations with period 2e2/h. We also observed quantum suppression of thermovoltage fluctuations in fully-transparent contacts. These quantum confinement effects appeared only statistically due to the geometry-sensitive nature of thermoelectricity in the atom-sized junctions. The present method can be applied to various nanomaterials including single-molecules or nanoparticles and thus may be used as a useful platform for developing low-dimensional thermoelectric building blocks. PMID:24270238

Explanation of the photocurrent generation of Cu2O quantum dots (QDs) sensitized p-CuSCN stable photoelectrochemical cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karunarathna, P. G. D. C. K.; Samarakoon, S. P. A. U. K.; Fernando, C. A. N.

2018-01-01

Fabrication of Cu2O quantum dots (QDs) sensitized p-CuSCN photoelectrode provides a significant photocurrent enhancement in photoelectrochemical medium for the first time. The variation of photocurrent quantum efficiency (Ф%) with Cu2O amount formed on p-CuSCN was presented. Here, two maxima of photocurrent could be observed in Cu/p-CuSCN/Cu2O photoelectrodes. The first photocurrent peak was due to the Cu2O QDs sensitization on p-CuSCN layer, and the second photocurrent peak was due to the formation of p-n junction. Time development of the photocurrent for Cu/p-CuSCN/n-Cu2O photoelectrodes and material characterization from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were done in this study in detailed.

On the photonic implementation of universal quantum gates, bell states preparation circuit and quantum LDPC encoders and decoders based on directional couplers and HNLF.

PubMed

Djordjevic, Ivan B

2010-04-12

The Bell states preparation circuit is a basic circuit required in quantum teleportation. We describe how to implement it in all-fiber technology. The basic building blocks for its implementation are directional couplers and highly nonlinear optical fiber (HNLF). Because the quantum information processing is based on delicate superposition states, it is sensitive to quantum errors. In order to enable fault-tolerant quantum computing the use of quantum error correction is unavoidable. We show how to implement in all-fiber technology encoders and decoders for sparse-graph quantum codes, and provide an illustrative example to demonstrate this implementation. We also show that arbitrary set of universal quantum gates can be implemented based on directional couplers and HNLFs.

The Influence of "Super-Diversity" on Pre-Service Teachers' Sensitivity to Cultural Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyatt, Tasha R.

2017-01-01

While many teachers in American pre-service programs struggle to develop experience and awareness of multicultural issues (Sleeter, 2001, "Preparing teachers for culturally diverse schools: Research and the overwhelming presence of Whiteness." "Journal of Teacher Education," 52(2), 94-106. doi:10.1177/0022487101052002002),…

Synthesis of SnS nanoparticles by SILAR method for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Tsukigase, Hiroki; Suzuki, Yoshikazu; Berger, Marie-Hélène; Sagawa, Takashi; Yoshikawa, Susumu

2011-03-01

SnS-sensitized TiO2 electrodes were applied in quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) which are environmentally more favorable than conventional Cd or Pb-chalcogenide-sensitized electrodes. SnS nanoparticles were well-distributed over the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. Deposited SnS nanoparticles had diameter about 3 nm. Under AM1.5 irradiation with 100 mW/cm2 light intensity (at 1 sun), the energy conversion efficiency of obtained cells reached a value of 0.21% (0.25 cm2) at SILAR coating cycles of 5. In addition, the photovoltaic performance was improved by additional ZnS coating on the surface of SnS-sensitized TiO2 electrodes.

Development of Advanced Signal Processing and Source Imaging Methods for Superparamagnetic Relaxometry

PubMed Central

Huang, Ming-Xiong; Anderson, Bill; Huang, Charles W.; Kunde, Gerd J.; Vreeland, Erika C.; Huang, Jeffrey W.; Matlashov, Andrei N.; Karaulanov, Todor; Nettles, Christopher P.; Gomez, Andrew; Minser, Kayla; Weldon, Caroline; Paciotti, Giulio; Harsh, Michael; Lee, Roland R.; Flynn, Edward R.

2017-01-01

Superparamagnetic Relaxometry (SPMR) is a highly sensitive technique for the in vivo detection of tumor cells and may improve early stage detection of cancers. SPMR employs superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION). After a brief magnetizing pulse is used to align the SPION, SPMR measures the time decay of SPION using Super-conducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) sensors. Substantial research has been carried out in developing the SQUID hardware and in improving the properties of the SPION. However, little research has been done in the pre-processing of sensor signals and post-processing source modeling in SPMR. In the present study, we illustrate new pre-processing tools that were developed to: 1) remove trials contaminated with artifacts, 2) evaluate and ensure that a single decay process associated with bounded SPION exists in the data, 3) automatically detect and correct flux jumps, and 4) accurately fit the sensor signals with different decay models. Furthermore, we developed an automated approach based on multi-start dipole imaging technique to obtain the locations and magnitudes of multiple magnetic sources, without initial guesses from the users. A regularization process was implemented to solve the ambiguity issue related to the SPMR source variables. A procedure based on reduced chi-square cost-function was introduced to objectively obtain the adequate number of dipoles that describe the data. The new pre-processing tools and multi-start source imaging approach have been successfully evaluated using phantom data. In conclusion, these tools and multi-start source modeling approach substantially enhance the accuracy and sensitivity in detecting and localizing sources from the SPMR signals. Furthermore, multi-start approach with regularization provided robust and accurate solutions for a poor SNR condition similar to the SPMR detection sensitivity in the order of 1000 cells. We believe such algorithms will help establishing the industrial standards for SPMR when applying the technique in pre-clinical and clinical settings. PMID:28072579

Platelike WO3 sensitized with CdS quantum dots heterostructures for photoelectrochemical dynamic sensing of H2O2 based on enzymatic etching.

PubMed

Wang, Yanhu; Gao, Chaomin; Ge, Shenguang; Yu, Jinghua; Yan, Mei

2016-11-15

A platelike tungsten trioxide (WO3) sensitized with CdS quantum dots (QDs) heterojunction is developed for solar-driven, real-time, and selective photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing of H2O2 in the living cells. The structure is synthesized by hydrothermally growing platelike WO3 on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) and subsequently sensitized with CdS QDs. The as-prepared WO3-CdS QDs heterojunction achieve significant photocurrent enhancement, which is remarkably beneficial for light absorption and charge carrier separation. Based on the enzymatic etching of CdS QDs enables the activation of quenching the charge transfer efficiency, thus leading to sensitive PEC recording of H2O2 level in buffer and cellular environments. The results indicated that the proposed method will pave the way for the development of excellent PEC sensing platform with the quantum dot sensitization. This study could also provide a new train of thought on designing of self-operating photoanode in PEC sensing, promoting the application of semiconductor nanomaterials in photoelectrochemistry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum dot-linked immunosorbent assay (QLISA) using orientation-directed antibodies.

PubMed

Suzuki, Miho; Udaka, Hikari; Fukuda, Takeshi

2017-09-05

An approach similar to the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with the advantage of saving time and effort but exhibiting high performance, was developed using orientation-directed half-part antibodies immobilized on CdSe/ZnS quantum dots. ELISA is a widely accepted assay used to detect the presence of a target substance. However, it takes time to quantify the target with specificity and sensitivity owing to signal amplification. In this study, CdSe/ZnS quantum dots are introduced as bright and photobleaching-tolerant fluorescent materials. Since hydrophilic surface coating of quantum dots rendered biocompatibility and functional groups for chemical reactions, the quantum dots were modified with half-sized antibodies after partial reduction. The half-sized antibody could be bound to a quantum dot through a unique thiol site to properly display the recognition domain for the core process of ELISA, which is an antigen-antibody interaction. The reducing conditions were investigated to generate efficient conjugates of quantum dots and half-sized antibodies. This was applied to IL-6 detection, as the quantification of IL-6 is significant owing to its close relationships with various biomedical phenomena that cause different diseases. An ELISA-like assay with CdSe/ZnS quantum dot institution (QLISA; Quantum dot-linked immunosorbent assay) was developed to detect 0.05ng/mL IL-6, which makes it sufficiently sensitive as an immunosorbent assay. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum-enhanced multiparameter estimation in multiarm interferometers

PubMed Central

Ciampini, Mario A.; Spagnolo, Nicolò; Vitelli, Chiara; Pezzè, Luca; Smerzi, Augusto; Sciarrino, Fabio

2016-01-01

Quantum metrology is the state-of-the-art measurement technology. It uses quantum resources to enhance the sensitivity of phase estimation over that achievable by classical physics. While single parameter estimation theory has been widely investigated, much less is known about the simultaneous estimation of multiple phases, which finds key applications in imaging and sensing. In this manuscript we provide conditions of useful particle (qudit) entanglement for multiphase estimation and adapt them to multiarm Mach-Zehnder interferometry. We theoretically discuss benchmark multimode Fock states containing useful qudit entanglement and overcoming the sensitivity of separable qudit states in three and four arm Mach-Zehnder-like interferometers - currently within the reach of integrated photonics technology. PMID:27381743

Analysis of single quantum-dot mobility inside 1D nanochannel devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, H. T.; Segers-Nolten, I. M.; Tas, N. R.; van Honschoten, J. W.; Subramaniam, V.; Elwenspoek, M. C.

2011-07-01

We visualized individual quantum dots using a combination of a confining nanochannel and an ultra-sensitive microscope system, equipped with a high numerical aperture lens and a highly sensitive camera. The diffusion coefficients of the confined quantum dots were determined from the experimentally recorded trajectories according to the classical diffusion theory for Brownian motion in two dimensions. The calculated diffusion coefficients were three times smaller than those in bulk solution. These observations confirm and extend the results of Eichmann et al (2008 Langmuir 24 714-21) to smaller particle diameters and more narrow confinement. A detailed analysis shows that the observed reduction in mobility cannot be explained by conventional hydrodynamic theory.

Photovoltaic and Impedance Spectroscopy Study of Screen-Printed TiO₂ Based CdS Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells.

PubMed

Atif, M; Farooq, W A; Fatehmulla, Amanullah; Aslam, M; Ali, Syed Mansoor

2015-01-19

Cadmium sulphide (CdS) quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) based on screen-printed TiO₂ were assembled using a screen-printing technique. The CdS quantum dots (QDs) were grown by using the Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method. The optical properties were studied by UV-Vis absorbance spectroscopy. Photovoltaic characteristics and impedance spectroscopic measurements of CdS QDSSCs were carried out under air mass 1.5 illuminations. The experimental results of capacitance against voltage indicate a trend from positive to negative capacitance because of the injection of electrons from the Fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode into TiO₂.

Semiconductor quantum dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Tian, Jianjun; Cao, Guozhong

2013-10-31

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been drawing great attention recently as a material for solar energy conversion due to their versatile optical and electrical properties. The QD-sensitized solar cell (QDSC) is one of the burgeoning semiconductor QD solar cells that shows promising developments for the next generation of solar cells. This article focuses on recent developments in QDSCs, including 1) the effect of quantum confinement on QDSCs, 2) the multiple exciton generation (MEG) of QDs, 3) fabrication methods of QDs, and 4) nanocrystalline photoelectrodes for solar cells. We also make suggestions for future research on QDSCs. Although the efficiency of QDSCs is still low, we think there will be major breakthroughs in developing QDSCs in the future.

Zinc sulfide quantum dots for photocatalytic and sensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergeev, Alexander A.; Leonov, Andrei A.; Zhuikova, Elena I.; Postnova, Irina V.; Voznesenskiy, Sergey S.

2017-09-01

Herein, we report the photocatalytic and sensing applications of pure and Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots. The quantum dots were prepared by a chemical precipitation in an aqueous solution in the presence of glutathione as a stabilizing agent. The synthesized quantum dots were used as effective photocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue dye. Interestingly, fully degradation of methylene blue dye was achieved in 5 min using pure ZnS quantum dots. Further, the synthesized quantum dots were used as efficient sensing element for methane fluorescent sensor. Interfering studies confirmed that the developed sensor possesses very good sensitivity and selectivity towards methane.

On-Chip, Amplification-Free Quantification of Nucleic Acid for Point-of-Care Diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yen, Tony Minghung

This dissertation demonstrates three physical device concepts to overcome limitations in point-of-care quantification of nucleic acids. Enabling sensitive, high throughput nucleic acid quantification on a chip, outside of hospital and centralized laboratory setting, is crucial for improving pathogen detection and cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Among existing platforms, microarray have the advantages of being amplification free, low instrument cost, and high throughput, but are generally less sensitive compared to sequencing and PCR assays. To bridge this performance gap, this dissertation presents theoretical and experimental progress to develop a platform nucleic acid quantification technology that is drastically more sensitive than current microarrays while compatible with microarray architecture. The first device concept explores on-chip nucleic acid enrichment by natural evaporation of nucleic acid solution droplet. Using a micro-patterned super-hydrophobic black silicon array device, evaporative enrichment is coupled with nano-liter droplet self-assembly workflow to produce a 50 aM concentration sensitivity, 6 orders of dynamic range, and rapid hybridization time at under 5 minutes. The second device concept focuses on improving target copy number sensitivity, instead of concentration sensitivity. A comprehensive microarray physical model taking into account of molecular transport, electrostatic intermolecular interactions, and reaction kinetics is considered to guide device optimization. Device pattern size and target copy number are optimized based on model prediction to achieve maximal hybridization efficiency. At a 100-mum pattern size, a quantum leap in detection limit of 570 copies is achieved using black silicon array device with self-assembled pico-liter droplet workflow. Despite its merits, evaporative enrichment on black silicon device suffers from coffee-ring effect at 100-mum pattern size, and thus not compatible with clinical patient samples. The third device concept utilizes an integrated optomechanical laser system and a Cytop microarray device to reverse coffee-ring effect during evaporative enrichment at 100-mum pattern size. This method, named "laser-induced differential evaporation" is expected to enable 570 copies detection limit for clinical samples in near future. While the work is ongoing as of the writing of this dissertation, a clear research plan is in place to implement this method on microarray platform toward clinical sample testing for disease applications and future commercialization.

Photoswitchable Fluorescent Diarylethene Derivatives with Thiophene 1,1-Dioxide Groups: Effect of Alkyl Substituents at the Reactive Carbons

PubMed Central

Sumi, Takaki; Irie, Masahiro

2017-01-01

Photoswitching and fluorescent properties of sulfone derivatives of 1,2-bis(2-alkyl-4-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene, 1–5, having methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, and i-butyl substituents at the reactive carbons (2- and 2′-positions) of the thiophene 1,1-dioxide rings were studied. Diarylethenes 1–5 underwent isomerization reactions between open-ring and closed-ring forms upon alternate irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) and visible light and showed fluorescence in the closed-ring forms. The alkyl substitution at the reactive carbons affects the fluorescent property of the closed-ring isomers. The closed-ring isomers 2b–5b with ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, and i-butyl substituents show higher fluorescence quantum yields than 1b with methyl substituents. In polar solvents, the fluorescence quantum yield of 1b markedly decreases, while 2b–5b maintain the relatively high fluorescence quantum yields. Although the cycloreversion quantum yields of the derivatives with methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, and i-propyl substituents are quite low and in the order of 10−5, introduction of i-butyl substituents was found to increase the yield up to the order of 10−3. These results indicate that appropriate alkyl substitution at the reactive carbons is indispensable for properly controlling the photoswitching and fluorescent properties of the photoswitchable fluorescent diarylethenes, which are potentially applicable to super-resolution fluorescence microscopies. PMID:28869489

Low-Mass Dark Matter Search Results and Radiogenic Backgrounds for the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pepin, Mark David

An ever-increasing amount of evidence suggests that approximately one quarter of the energy in the universe is composed of some non-luminous, and hitherto unknown, “dark matter”. Physicists from numerous sub-fields have been working on and trying to solve the dark matter problem for decades. The common solution is the existence of some new type of elementary particle with particular focus on weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). One avenue of dark matter research is to create an extremely sensitive particle detector with the goal of directly observing the interaction of WIMPs with standard matter. The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) projectmore » operated at the Soudan Underground Laboratory from 2003–2015, under the CDMS II and SuperCDMS Soudan experiments, with this goal of directly detecting dark matter. The next installation, SuperCDMS SNOLAB, is planned for near-future operation. The reason the dark-matter particle has not yet been observed in traditional particle physics experiments is that it must have very small cross sections, thus making such interactions extremely rare. In order to identify these rare events in the presence of a background of known particles and interactions, direct detection experiments employ various types and amounts of shielding to prevent known backgrounds from reaching the instrumented detector(s). CDMS utilized various gamma and neutron shielding to such an effect that the shielding, and other experimental components, themselves were sources of background. These radiogenic backgrounds must be understood to have confidence in any WIMP-search result. For this dissertation, radiogenic background studies and estimates were performed for various analyses covering CDMS II, SuperCDMS Soudan, and SuperCDMS SNOLAB. Lower-mass dark matter t c2 inent in the past few years. The CDMS detectors can be operated in an alternative, higher-biased, mode v to decrease their energy thresholds and correspondingly increase their sensitivity to low-mass WIMPs. This is the CDMS low ionization threshold experiment (CDMSlite), which has pushed the frontier at lower WIMP masses. This dissertation describes the second run of CDMSlite at Soudan: its hardware, operations, analysis, and results. The results include new WIMP mass-cross section upper limits on the spin-independent and spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon interactions. Thanks to the lower background and threshold in this run compared to the first CDMSlite run, these limits are the most sensitive in the world below WIMP masses of ~4 GeV/c 2. This demonstrates also the great promise and utility of the high-voltage operating mode in the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment.« less

Composite pulses for interferometry in a thermal cold atom cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunning, Alexander; Gregory, Rachel; Bateman, James; Cooper, Nathan; Himsworth, Matthew; Jones, Jonathan A.; Freegarde, Tim

2014-09-01

Atom interferometric sensors and quantum information processors must maintain coherence while the evolving quantum wave function is split, transformed, and recombined, but suffer from experimental inhomogeneities and uncertainties in the speeds and paths of these operations. Several error-correction techniques have been proposed to isolate the variable of interest. Here we apply composite pulse methods to velocity-sensitive Raman state manipulation in a freely expanding thermal atom cloud. We compare several established pulse sequences, and follow the state evolution within them. The agreement between measurements and simple predictions shows the underlying coherence of the atom ensemble, and the inversion infidelity in a ˜80μK atom cloud is halved. Composite pulse techniques, especially if tailored for atom interferometric applications, should allow greater interferometer areas, larger atomic samples, and longer interaction times, and hence improve the sensitivity of quantum technologies from inertial sensing and clocks to quantum information processors and tests of fundamental physics.

A fluorescent nanosensor based on graphene quantum dots-aptamer probe and graphene oxide platform for detection of lead (II) ion.

PubMed

Qian, Zhao Sheng; Shan, Xiao Yue; Chai, Lu Jing; Chen, Jian Rong; Feng, Hui

2015-06-15

The sensitive detection of heavy metal ions in the organism and aquatic ecosystem using nanosensors based on environment friendly and biocompatible materials still remains a challenge. A fluorescent turn-on nanosensor for lead (II) detection based on biocompatible graphene quantum dots and graphene oxide by employment of Pb(2+)-induced G-quadruplex formation was reported. Graphene quantum dots with high quantum yield, good biocompatibility were prepared and served as the fluorophore of Pb(2+) probe. Fluorescence turn-off of graphene quantum dots is easily achieved through efficient photoinduced electron transfer between graphene quantum dots and graphene oxide, and subsequent fluorescence turn-on process is due to the formation of G-quadraplex aptamer-Pb(2+) complex triggered by the addition of Pb(2+). This nanosensor can distinguish Pb(2+) ion from other ions with high sensitivity and good reproducibility. The detection method based on this nanosensor possesses a fast response time of one minute, a broad linear span of up to 400.0 nM and ultralow detection limit of 0.6 nM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reactively sputtered nickel nitride as electrocatalytic counter electrode for dye- and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soo Kang, Jin; Park, Min-Ah; Kim, Jae-Yup; Ha Park, Sun; Young Chung, Dong; Yu, Seung-Ho; Kim, Jin; Park, Jongwoo; Choi, Jung-Woo; Jae Lee, Kyung; Jeong, Juwon; Jae Ko, Min; Ahn, Kwang-Soon; Sung, Yung-Eun

2015-05-01

Nickel nitride electrodes were prepared by reactive sputtering of nickel under a N2 atmosphere at room temperature for application in mesoscopic dye- or quantum dot- sensitized solar cells. This facile and reliable method led to the formation of a Ni2N film with a cauliflower-like nanostructure and tetrahedral crystal lattice. The prepared nickel nitride electrodes exhibited an excellent chemical stability toward both iodide and polysulfide redox electrolytes. Compared to conventional Pt electrodes, the nickel nitride electrodes showed an inferior electrocatalytic activity for the iodide redox electrolyte; however, it displayed a considerably superior electrocatalytic activity for the polysulfide redox electrolyte. As a result, compared to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), with a conversion efficiency (η) = 7.62%, and CdSe-based quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs, η = 2.01%) employing Pt counter electrodes (CEs), the nickel nitride CEs exhibited a lower conversion efficiency (η = 3.75%) when applied to DSCs, but an enhanced conversion efficiency (η = 2.80%) when applied to CdSe-based QDSCs.

A quantum leap into the IED age

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patterson, R.C.

1996-11-01

The integration of pattern recognition, artificial intelligence and advanced communication technologies in utility substation IED`s (Intelligent Electronic Devices) has opened the door to practical and cost effective automation of power distribution systems. A major driver for the application of these new technologies has been the research directed toward the detection of high-impedance faults. The commercial products which embody these complex detection functions have already expanded to include most of the protection, control, and monitoring required at a utility substation. These new Super-IED`s enable major utility initiatives, such as power quality management, improved public safety, operation and maintenance productivity, and powermore » system automation.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geng, R.; Mayhew, N. T.; Nguyen, T. D., E-mail: ngtho@uga.edu

We report studies of magneto-conductance (MC) and magneto-electroluminescence (MEL) in polymer light-emitting electrochemical planar devices using “super-yellow” poly-(phenylene vinylene). We observed consistent negative MC while MEL becomes positive when electroluminescence quantum efficiency (ELQE) increases. At an optimal ELQE, the MC has a much narrower width than the MEL, indicating that the MC and MEL do not share a common origin. However, MC reverses and has the same width as MEL when exposed to a threshold laser power. We show that the e-h pair model can explain the positive MEL and MC while the negative MC can be explained by themore » bipolaron model.« less

A Strategy to Enhance the Efficiency of Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells by Decreasing Electron Recombination with Polyoxometalate/TiO2 as the Electronic Interface Layer.

PubMed

Chen, Li; Chen, Weilin; Li, Jianping; Wang, Jiabo; Wang, Enbo

2017-07-21

Electron recombination occurring at the TiO 2 /quantum dot sensitizer/electrolyte interface is the key reason for hindering further efficiency improvements to quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). Polyoxometalate (POM) can act as an electron-transfer medium to decrease electron recombination in a photoelectric device owing to its excellent oxidation/reduction properties and thermostability. A POM/TiO 2 electronic interface layer prepared by a simple layer-by-layer self-assembly method was added between fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and mesoporous TiO 2 in the photoanode of QDSCs, and the effect on the photovoltaic performance was systematically investigated. Photovoltaic experimental results and the electron transmission mechanism show that the POM/TiO 2 electronic interface layer in the QDSCs can clearly suppress electron recombination, increase the electron lifetime, and result in smoother electron transmission. In summary, the best conversion efficiency of QDSCs with POM/TiO 2 electronic interface layers increases to 8.02 %, which is an improvement of 25.1 % compared with QDSCs without POM/TiO 2 . This work first builds an electron-transfer bridge between FTO and the quantum dot sensitizer and paves the way for further improved efficiency of QDSCs. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Quantum Hooke's Law to classify pulse laser induced ultrafast melting

DOE PAGES

Hu, Hao; Ding, Hepeng; Liu, Feng

2015-02-03

Ultrafast crystal-to-liquid phase transition induced by femtosecond pulse laser excitation is an interesting material's behavior manifesting the complexity of light-matter interaction. There exist two types of such phase transitions: one occurs at a time scale shorter than a picosecond via a nonthermal process mediated by electron-hole plasma formation; the other at a longer time scale via a thermal melting process mediated by electron-phonon interaction. However, it remains unclear what material would undergo which process and why? Here, by exploiting the property of quantum electronic stress (QES) governed by quantum Hooke's law, we classify the transitions by two distinct classes ofmore » materials: the faster nonthermal process can only occur in materials like ice having an anomalous phase diagram characterized with dT m/dP < 0, where T m is the melting temperature and P is pressure, above a high threshold laser fluence; while the slower thermal process may occur in all materials. Especially, the nonthermal transition is shown to be induced by the QES, acting like a negative internal pressure, which drives the crystal into a “super pressing” state to spontaneously transform into a higher-density liquid phase. Our findings significantly advance fundamental understanding of ultrafast crystal-to-liquid phase transitions, enabling quantitative a priori predictions.« less

Quantum Hooke's Law to Classify Pulse Laser Induced Ultrafast Melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Hao; Ding, Hepeng; Liu, Feng

2015-02-01

Ultrafast crystal-to-liquid phase transition induced by femtosecond pulse laser excitation is an interesting material's behavior manifesting the complexity of light-matter interaction. There exist two types of such phase transitions: one occurs at a time scale shorter than a picosecond via a nonthermal process mediated by electron-hole plasma formation; the other at a longer time scale via a thermal melting process mediated by electron-phonon interaction. However, it remains unclear what material would undergo which process and why? Here, by exploiting the property of quantum electronic stress (QES) governed by quantum Hooke's law, we classify the transitions by two distinct classes of materials: the faster nonthermal process can only occur in materials like ice having an anomalous phase diagram characterized with dTm/dP < 0, where Tm is the melting temperature and P is pressure, above a high threshold laser fluence; while the slower thermal process may occur in all materials. Especially, the nonthermal transition is shown to be induced by the QES, acting like a negative internal pressure, which drives the crystal into a ``super pressing'' state to spontaneously transform into a higher-density liquid phase. Our findings significantly advance fundamental understanding of ultrafast crystal-to-liquid phase transitions, enabling quantitative a priori predictions.

Quantum Hooke's Law to Classify Pulse Laser Induced Ultrafast Melting

PubMed Central

Hu, Hao; Ding, Hepeng; Liu, Feng

2015-01-01

Ultrafast crystal-to-liquid phase transition induced by femtosecond pulse laser excitation is an interesting material's behavior manifesting the complexity of light-matter interaction. There exist two types of such phase transitions: one occurs at a time scale shorter than a picosecond via a nonthermal process mediated by electron-hole plasma formation; the other at a longer time scale via a thermal melting process mediated by electron-phonon interaction. However, it remains unclear what material would undergo which process and why? Here, by exploiting the property of quantum electronic stress (QES) governed by quantum Hooke's law, we classify the transitions by two distinct classes of materials: the faster nonthermal process can only occur in materials like ice having an anomalous phase diagram characterized with dTm/dP < 0, where Tm is the melting temperature and P is pressure, above a high threshold laser fluence; while the slower thermal process may occur in all materials. Especially, the nonthermal transition is shown to be induced by the QES, acting like a negative internal pressure, which drives the crystal into a “super pressing” state to spontaneously transform into a higher-density liquid phase. Our findings significantly advance fundamental understanding of ultrafast crystal-to-liquid phase transitions, enabling quantitative a priori predictions. PMID:25645258

Quantum Hooke's law to classify pulse laser induced ultrafast melting.

PubMed

Hu, Hao; Ding, Hepeng; Liu, Feng

2015-02-03

Ultrafast crystal-to-liquid phase transition induced by femtosecond pulse laser excitation is an interesting material's behavior manifesting the complexity of light-matter interaction. There exist two types of such phase transitions: one occurs at a time scale shorter than a picosecond via a nonthermal process mediated by electron-hole plasma formation; the other at a longer time scale via a thermal melting process mediated by electron-phonon interaction. However, it remains unclear what material would undergo which process and why? Here, by exploiting the property of quantum electronic stress (QES) governed by quantum Hooke's law, we classify the transitions by two distinct classes of materials: the faster nonthermal process can only occur in materials like ice having an anomalous phase diagram characterized with dTm/dP < 0, where Tm is the melting temperature and P is pressure, above a high threshold laser fluence; while the slower thermal process may occur in all materials. Especially, the nonthermal transition is shown to be induced by the QES, acting like a negative internal pressure, which drives the crystal into a "super pressing" state to spontaneously transform into a higher-density liquid phase. Our findings significantly advance fundamental understanding of ultrafast crystal-to-liquid phase transitions, enabling quantitative a priori predictions.

Stable Isotopes, Quantum Computing and Consciousness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berezin, Alexander A.

2000-10-01

Recent proposals of quantum computing/computers (QC) based on nuclear spins suggest that consciousness (CON) activity may be related (assisted) to subset of C13 atoms incorporated randomly, or quasirandomly, in neural structures. Consider two DNA chains. Even if they are completely identical chemically (same sequence of codons), patterns of 12C and 13C isotopes in them are different (possible origin of personal individuality). Perhaps it is subsystem of nuclear spins of 13C "sublattice" which forms dynamical system capable of QC and on which CON is "spanned". Some issues related to this hypothesis are: (1) existence of CON-driven positional correlations among C13 atoms, (2) motion (hopping) of C13 via enhanced neutron tunneling, cf. quantum "anti Zeno-effect", (3) possible optimization of concentration of QC-active C13 atoms above their standard isotopic abundance, (4) characteristic time-scales for operation of C13-based QC (perrhaps, broad range of scales), (5) reflection of QC dynamics of C13 on CON, (6) possibility that C13-based QC operates "above" level of "regular" CON (perhaps, Jungian sub/super-CON), (7) isotopicity as connector to universal Library of Patterns ("Platonic World"), (8) self-stabilization of coherence in C13 (sub)system. Some of this questions are, in principle, experimentally addressable through shifting of isotopic abundances.

Regulation of the neuropathy-associated Pmp22 gene by a distal super-enhancer.

PubMed

Pantera, Harrison; Moran, John J; Hung, Holly A; Pak, Evgenia; Dutra, Amalia; Svaren, John

2018-05-16

Peripheral nerve myelination is adversely affected in the most common form of the hereditary peripheral neuropathy called Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease. This form, classified as CMT1A, is caused by a 1.4 Mb duplication on chromosome 17, which includes the abundantly expressed Schwann cell myelin gene, Peripheral Myelin Protein 22 (PMP22). This is one of the most common copy number variants causing neurological disease. Overexpression of Pmp22 in rodent models recapitulates several aspects of neuropathy, and reduction of Pmp22 in such models results in amelioration of the neuropathy phenotype. Recently we identified a potential super-enhancer approximately 90-130 kb upstream of the Pmp22 transcription start sites. This super-enhancer encompasses a cluster of individual enhancers that have the acetylated histone H3K27 active enhancer mark, and coincides with smaller duplications identified in patients with milder CMT1A-like symptoms, where the PMP22 coding region itself was not part of the duplication. In this study, we have utilized genome editing to create a deletion of this super-enhancer to determine its role in Pmp22 regulation. Our data show a significant decrease in Pmp22 transcript expression using allele-specific internal controls. Moreover, the P2 promoter of the Pmp22 gene, which is used in other cell types, is affected, but we find that the Schwann cell-specific P1 promoter is disproportionately more sensitive to loss of the super-enhancer. These data show for the first time the requirement of these upstream enhancers for full Pmp22 expression.

Stabilization of flow past a rounded cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samtaney, Ravi; Zhang, Wei

2016-11-01

We perform global linear stability analysis on low-Re flow past a rounded cylinder. The cylinder corners are rounded with a radius R, normalized as R+ = R / D where D is the cylinder diameter, and its effect on the flow stability characteristics is investigated. We compute the critical Reynolds number (Recr) for the onset of first instability, and quantify the perturbation growth rate for the super-critical flows. It is found that the flow can be stabilized by partially rounding the cylinder. Compared with the square and circular cylinders, the partially rounded cylinder has a higher Recr , attaining a maximum at around R+ = 0 . 30 , and the perturbation growth rate of the super-critical flows is reduced for Re <= 100 . We perform sensitivity analysis to explore the source of the stabilization. The growth rate sensitivity to base flow modification has two different spatial structures: the growth rate is sensitive to the wake backflow in a large region for square-like cylinders (R+ -> 0 . 00), while only the near-wake backflow is crucial for circular-like cylinders (R+ -> 0 . 50). The stability analysis results are also verified with those of the direct simulations and very good agreement is achieved. Supported by the KAUST Office of Competitive Research Funds under Award No. URF/1/1394-01. The supercomputer Shaheen at KAUST was utilized for the simulations.

Quantum Dots and Their Multimodal Applications: A Review

PubMed Central

Bera, Debasis; Qian, Lei; Tseng, Teng-Kuan; Holloway, Paul H.

2010-01-01

Semiconducting quantum dots, whose particle sizes are in the nanometer range, have very unusual properties. The quantum dots have band gaps that depend in a complicated fashion upon a number of factors, described in the article. Processing-structure-properties-performance relationships are reviewed for compound semiconducting quantum dots. Various methods for synthesizing these quantum dots are discussed, as well as their resulting properties. Quantum states and confinement of their excitons may shift their optical absorption and emission energies. Such effects are important for tuning their luminescence stimulated by photons (photoluminescence) or electric field (electroluminescence). In this article, decoupling of quantum effects on excitation and emission are described, along with the use of quantum dots as sensitizers in phosphors. In addition, we reviewed the multimodal applications of quantum dots, including in electroluminescence device, solar cell and biological imaging.

Relativistic quantum private database queries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Si-Jia; Yang, Yu-Guang; Zhang, Ming-Ou

2015-04-01

Recently, Jakobi et al. (Phys Rev A 83, 022301, 2011) suggested the first practical private database query protocol (J-protocol) based on the Scarani et al. (Phys Rev Lett 92, 057901, 2004) quantum key distribution protocol. Unfortunately, the J-protocol is just a cheat-sensitive private database query protocol. In this paper, we present an idealized relativistic quantum private database query protocol based on Minkowski causality and the properties of quantum information. Also, we prove that the protocol is secure in terms of the user security and the database security.

Dissipative quantum error correction and application to quantum sensing with trapped ions.

PubMed

Reiter, F; Sørensen, A S; Zoller, P; Muschik, C A

2017-11-28

Quantum-enhanced measurements hold the promise to improve high-precision sensing ranging from the definition of time standards to the determination of fundamental constants of nature. However, quantum sensors lose their sensitivity in the presence of noise. To protect them, the use of quantum error-correcting codes has been proposed. Trapped ions are an excellent technological platform for both quantum sensing and quantum error correction. Here we present a quantum error correction scheme that harnesses dissipation to stabilize a trapped-ion qubit. In our approach, always-on couplings to an engineered environment protect the qubit against spin-flips or phase-flips. Our dissipative error correction scheme operates in a continuous manner without the need to perform measurements or feedback operations. We show that the resulting enhanced coherence time translates into a significantly enhanced precision for quantum measurements. Our work constitutes a stepping stone towards the paradigm of self-correcting quantum information processing.

High-performance Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based dye-sensitized solar cells: rational design of quantum dots for wide solar-spectrum utilization.

PubMed

Lee, Eunwoo; Kim, Chanhoi; Jang, Jyongsik

2013-07-29

High-performance Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been successfully fabricated through the optimized design of a CdSe/CdS quantum-dot (QD) donor and a dye acceptor. This simple approach enables quantum dots and dyes to simultaneously utilize the wide solar spectrum, thereby resulting in high conversion efficiency over a wide wavelength range. In addition, major parameters that affect the FRET interaction between donor and acceptor have been investigated including the fluorescent emission spectrum of QD, and the content of deposited QDs into the TiO2 matrix. By judicious control of these parameters, the FRET interaction can be readily optimized for high photovoltaic performance. In addition, the as-synthesized water-soluble quantum dots were highly dispersed in a nanoporous TiO2 matrix, thereby resulting in excellent contact between donors and acceptors. Importantly, high-performance FRET-based DSSCs can be prepared without any infrared (IR) dye synthetic procedures. This novel strategy offers great potential for applications of dye-sensitized solar cells. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improving the Power Conversion Efficiency of Carbon Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells by Growing the Dots on a TiO₂ Photoanode In Situ.

PubMed

Zhang, Quanxin; Zhang, Geping; Sun, Xiaofeng; Yin, Keyang; Li, Hongguang

2017-05-31

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are highly promising since they can potentially solve global energy issues. The development of new photosensitizers is the key to fully realizing perspectives proposed to DSSCs. Being cheap and nontoxic, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have emerged as attractive candidates for this purpose. However, current methodologies to build up CQD-sensitized solar cells (CQDSCs) result in an imperfect apparatus with extremely low power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). Herein, we present a simple strategy of growing carbon quantum dots (CQDs) onto TiO₂ surfaces in situ. The CQDs/TiO₂ hybridized photoanode was then used to construct solar cell with an improved PCE of 0.87%, which is higher than all of the reported CQDSCs adopting the simple post-adsorption method. This result indicates that an in situ growing strategy has great advantages in terms of optimizing the performance of CQDSCs. In addition, we have also found that the mechanisms dominating the performance of CQDSCs are different from those behind the solar cells using inorganic semiconductor quantum dots (ISQDs) as the photosensitizers, which re-confirms the conclusion that the characteristics of CQDs differ from those of ISQDs.

Progress in proton-detected solid-state NMR (SSNMR): Super-fast 2D SSNMR collection for nano-mole-scale proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, Yoshitaka; Wickramasinghe, Ayesha; Matsuda, Isamu; Endo, Yuki; Ishii, Yuji; Nishiyama, Yusuke; Nemoto, Takahiro; Kamihara, Takayuki

2018-01-01

Proton-detected solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy has attracted much attention due to its excellent sensitivity and effectiveness in the analysis of trace amounts of amyloid proteins and other important biological systems. In this perspective article, we present the recent sensitivity limit of 1H-detected SSNMR using "ultra-fast" magic-angle spinning (MAS) at a spinning rate (νR) of 80-100 kHz. It was demonstrated that the high sensitivity of 1H-detected SSNMR at νR of 100 kHz and fast recycling using the paramagnetic-assisted condensed data collection (PACC) approach permitted "super-fast" collection of 1H-detected 2D protein SSNMR. A 1H-detected 2D 1H-15N correlation SSNMR spectrum for ∼27 nmol of a uniformly 13C- and 15N-labeled GB1 protein sample in microcrystalline form was acquired in only 9 s with 50% non-uniform sampling and short recycle delays of 100 ms. Additional data suggests that it is now feasible to detect as little as 1 nmol of the protein in 5.9 h by 1H-detected 2D 1H-15N SSNMR at a nominal signal-to-noise ratio of five. The demonstrated sensitivity is comparable to that of modern solution protein NMR. Moreover, this article summarizes the influence of ultra-fast MAS and 1H-detection on the spectral resolution and sensitivity of protein SSNMR. Recent progress in signal assignment and structural elucidation by 1H-detected protein SSNMR is outlined with both theoretical and experimental aspects.

Effect of correlated decay on fault-tolerant quantum computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemberger, B.; Yavuz, D. D.

2017-12-01

We analyze noise in the circuit model of quantum computers when the qubits are coupled to a common bosonic bath and discuss the possible failure of scalability of quantum computation. Specifically, we investigate correlated (super-radiant) decay between the qubit energy levels from a two- or three-dimensional array of qubits without imposing any restrictions on the size of the sample. We first show that regardless of how the spacing between the qubits compares with the emission wavelength, correlated decay produces errors outside the applicability of the threshold theorem. This is because the sum of the norms of the two-body interaction Hamiltonians (which can be viewed as the upper bound on the single-qubit error) that decoheres each qubit scales with the total number of qubits and is unbounded. We then discuss two related results: (1) We show that the actual error (instead of the upper bound) on each qubit scales with the number of qubits. As a result, in the limit of large number of qubits in the computer, N →∞ , correlated decay causes each qubit in the computer to decohere in ever shorter time scales. (2) We find the complete eigenvalue spectrum of the exchange Hamiltonian that causes correlated decay in the same limit. We show that the spread of the eigenvalue distribution grows faster with N compared to the spectrum of the unperturbed system Hamiltonian. As a result, as N →∞ , quantum evolution becomes completely dominated by the noise due to correlated decay. These results argue that scalable quantum computing may not be possible in the circuit model in a two- or three- dimensional geometry when the qubits are coupled to a common bosonic bath.

Theory of coherent quantum phase slips in Josephson junction chains with periodic spatial modulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svetogorov, Aleksandr E.; Taguchi, Masahiko; Tokura, Yasuhiro; Basko, Denis M.; Hekking, Frank W. J.

2018-03-01

We study coherent quantum phase slips which lift the ground state degeneracy in a Josephson junction ring, pierced by a magnetic flux of the magnitude equal to half of a flux quantum. The quantum phase-slip amplitude is sensitive to the normal mode structure of superconducting phase oscillations in the ring (Mooij-Schön modes). These, in turn, are affected by spatial inhomogeneities in the ring. We analyze the case of weak periodic modulations of the system parameters and calculate the corresponding modification of the quantum phase-slip amplitude.

Toward real-time quantum imaging with a single pixel camera

DOE PAGES

Lawrie, B. J.; Pooser, R. C.

2013-03-19

In this paper, we present a workbench for the study of real-time quantum imaging by measuring the frame-by-frame quantum noise reduction of multi-spatial-mode twin beams generated by four wave mixing in Rb vapor. Exploiting the multiple spatial modes of this squeezed light source, we utilize spatial light modulators to selectively pass macropixels of quantum correlated modes from each of the twin beams to a high quantum efficiency balanced detector. Finally, in low-light-level imaging applications, the ability to measure the quantum correlations between individual spatial modes and macropixels of spatial modes with a single pixel camera will facilitate compressive quantum imagingmore » with sensitivity below the photon shot noise limit.« less

Coding Strategies and Implementations of Compressive Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Tsung-Han

This dissertation studies the coding strategies of computational imaging to overcome the limitation of conventional sensing techniques. The information capacity of conventional sensing is limited by the physical properties of optics, such as aperture size, detector pixels, quantum efficiency, and sampling rate. These parameters determine the spatial, depth, spectral, temporal, and polarization sensitivity of each imager. To increase sensitivity in any dimension can significantly compromise the others. This research implements various coding strategies subject to optical multidimensional imaging and acoustic sensing in order to extend their sensing abilities. The proposed coding strategies combine hardware modification and signal processing to exploiting bandwidth and sensitivity from conventional sensors. We discuss the hardware architecture, compression strategies, sensing process modeling, and reconstruction algorithm of each sensing system. Optical multidimensional imaging measures three or more dimensional information of the optical signal. Traditional multidimensional imagers acquire extra dimensional information at the cost of degrading temporal or spatial resolution. Compressive multidimensional imaging multiplexes the transverse spatial, spectral, temporal, and polarization information on a two-dimensional (2D) detector. The corresponding spectral, temporal and polarization coding strategies adapt optics, electronic devices, and designed modulation techniques for multiplex measurement. This computational imaging technique provides multispectral, temporal super-resolution, and polarization imaging abilities with minimal loss in spatial resolution and noise level while maintaining or gaining higher temporal resolution. The experimental results prove that the appropriate coding strategies may improve hundreds times more sensing capacity. Human auditory system has the astonishing ability in localizing, tracking, and filtering the selected sound sources or information from a noisy environment. Using engineering efforts to accomplish the same task usually requires multiple detectors, advanced computational algorithms, or artificial intelligence systems. Compressive acoustic sensing incorporates acoustic metamaterials in compressive sensing theory to emulate the abilities of sound localization and selective attention. This research investigates and optimizes the sensing capacity and the spatial sensitivity of the acoustic sensor. The well-modeled acoustic sensor allows localizing multiple speakers in both stationary and dynamic auditory scene; and distinguishing mixed conversations from independent sources with high audio recognition rate.

Dust-enshrouded super star-clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauvage, Marc; Plante, Stéphanie

2003-04-01

With the advent of either sensitive space-born infrared cameras, or their high-resolution ground-based siblings, we are uncovering a new category of star clusters: the dust-enshrouded super-star clusters. These manifest themselves only beyond a few microns, as their shroud of dust is able to block all light emitted by the stars themselves. Here we present our results on the spectacular cluster in SBS 0335-052, a very metal-poor galaxy. We also point to the growing number of galaxy analogs to SBS 0335-052, revealing the possibility that these clusters signal a major mode of star formation in starbursts. We conclude by listing a number of open points these clusters raise, in particular with respect to high-redshift counterparts.

Search for Dinucleon Decay into Kaons in Super-Kamiokande

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litos, M.; Abe, K.; Hayato, Y.; Iida, T.; Ikeda, M.; Iyogi, K.; Kameda, J.; Kobayashi, K.; Koshio, Y.; Kozuma, Y.; Miura, M.; Moriyama, S.; Nakahata, M.; Nakayama, S.; Obayashi, Y.; Ogawa, H.; Sekiya, H.; Shiozawa, M.; Suzuki, Y.; Takeda, A.; Takenaga, Y.; Takeuchi, Y.; Ueno, K.; Ueshima, K.; Watanabe, H.; Yamada, S.; Yokozawa, T.; Hazama, S.; Ishihara, C.; Kaji, H.; Kajita, T.; Kaneyuki, K.; McLachlan, T.; Okumura, K.; Shimizu, Y.; Tanimoto, N.; Vagins, M. R.; Kearns, E.; Stone, J. L.; Sulak, L. R.; Dufour, F.; Raaf, J. L.; Henning, B.; Goldhaber, M.; Bays, K.; Casper, D.; Cravens, J. P.; Kropp, W. R.; Mine, S.; Regis, C.; Smy, M. B.; Sobel, H. W.; Ganezer, K. S.; Hill, J.; Keig, W. E.; Jang, J. S.; Kim, J. Y.; Lim, I. T.; Albert, J. B.; Wongjirad, T.; Wendell, R.; Scholberg, K.; Walter, C. W.; Tasaka, S.; Learned, J. G.; Matsuno, S.; Watanabe, Y.; Hasegawa, T.; Ishida, T.; Ishii, T.; Kobayashi, T.; Nakadaira, T.; Nakamura, K.; Nishikawa, K.; Nishino, H.; Oyama, Y.; Sakashita, K.; Sekiguchi, T.; Tsukamoto, T.; Suzuki, A. T.; Minamino, A.; Nakaya, T.; Fukuda, Y.; Itow, Y.; Mitsuka, G.; Tanaka, T.; Jung, C. K.; Lopez, G.; McGrew, C.; Terri, R.; Yanagisawa, C.; Tamura, N.; Ishino, H.; Kibayashi, A.; Mino, S.; Mori, T.; Sakuda, M.; Toyota, H.; Kuno, Y.; Yoshida, M.; Kim, S. B.; Yang, B. S.; Ishizuka, T.; Okazawa, H.; Choi, Y.; Nishijima, K.; Yokosawa, Y.; Koshiba, M.; Yokoyama, M.; Totsuka, Y.; Chen, S.; Heng, Y.; Yang, Z.; Zhang, H.; Kielczewska, D.; Mijakowski, P.; Connolly, K.; Dziomba, M.; Thrane, E.; Wilkes, R. J.; Super-Kamiokande Collaboration

2014-04-01

A search for the dinucleon decay pp→K+K+ has been performed using 91.6 kton .yr data from Super-Kamiokande-I. This decay provides a sensitive probe of the R-parity-violating parameter λ112''. A boosted decision tree analysis found no signal candidates in the data. The expected background was 0.28±0.19 atmospheric neutrino induced events and the estimated signal detection efficiency was 12.6%±3.2%. A lower limit of 1.7×1032 years has been placed on the partial lifetime of the decay O16→C14K+K+ at 90% C.L. A corresponding upper limit of 7.8×10-9 has been placed on the parameter λ112''.

Fullerene-like hydrogenated carbon films with super-low friction and wear, and low sensitivity to environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Li; Li, Hongxuan; Zhao, Fei; Quan, Weilong; Chen, Jianmin; Zhou, Huidi

2010-01-01

A novel hydrogenated carbon film containing fullerene-like nanostructure was prepared by pulse bias-assisted plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition, and the fullerene-like arrangement in the film was characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The as-prepared hydrogenated carbon film exhibited super-low friction and wear in both dry N2 and humid ambient atmospheres, and was superior to the conventional hydrogenated carbon films. These excellent tribological properties could be attributed to the unique fullerene-like nanostructure, which endows the film with some special chemical and physical features, such as high chemical inertness, hardness and elastic recovery owing to the closed, curved and caged graphite planes, and hence, improves the tribological properties of the hydrogenated carbon film.

Performance and Results for Quartz Detector for the SuperHMS Spectrometer at Hall C Jefferson Lab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griego, Benjamin F., Jr.

A quartz detector has been constructed to be part of the trigger system for the Super High Momentum Spectrometer (SHMS). The SHMS will play a pivotal role in carrying out the 12 -- GeV physics program at Hal -- C Jefferson Lab. The quartz hodoscope consists of twenty one fused silica bars. Each bar is 125 cm long, 5.5 cm wide, 2.5 cm thick, and is viewed by a UV -- sensitive PMT on each end. The quartz hodoscope's task is to provide a clean detection of charged particles, a high level of background suppression, and an accurate tracking efficiency determination. Initial test results of the quartz detectors which include light yield and position resolution will be presented.

Quantum dot-fluorescence in situ hybridisation for Ectromelia virus detection based on biotin-streptavidin interactions.

PubMed

Wang, Ting; Zheng, Zhenhua; Zhang, Xian-En; Wang, Hanzhong

2016-09-01

Ectromelia virus (ECTV) is an pathogen that can lead to a lethal, acute toxic disease known as mousepox in mice. Prevention and control of ECTV infection requires the establishment of a rapid and sensitive diagnostic system for detecting the virus. In the present study, we developed a method of quantum-dot-fluorescence based in situ hybridisation for detecting ECTV genome DNA. Using biotin-dUTP to replace dTTP, biotin was incorporated into a DNA probe during polymerase chain reaction. High sensitivity and specificity of ECTV DNA detection were displayed by fluorescent quantum dots based on biotin-streptavidin interactions. ECTV DNA was then detected by streptavidin-conjugated quantum dots that bound the biotin-labelled probe. Results indicated that the established method can visualise ECTV genomic DNA in both infected cells and mouse tissues. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting quantum-dot-fluorescence based in situ hybridisation for the detection of viral nucleic acids, providing a reference for the identification and detection of other viruses. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Theoretical study of strain-dependent optical absorption in a doped self-assembled InAs/InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs quantum dot

PubMed Central

Tankasala, Archana; Hsueh, Yuling; Charles, James; Fonseca, Jim; Povolotskyi, Michael; Kim, Jun Oh; Krishna, Sanjay; Allen, Monica S; Allen, Jeffery W; Rahman, Rajib; Klimeck, Gerhard

2018-01-01

A detailed theoretical study of the optical absorption in doped self-assembled quantum dots is presented. A rigorous atomistic strain model as well as a sophisticated 20-band tight-binding model are used to ensure accurate prediction of the single particle states in these devices. We also show that for doped quantum dots, many-particle configuration interaction is also critical to accurately capture the optical transitions of the system. The sophisticated models presented in this work reproduce the experimental results for both undoped and doped quantum dot systems. The effects of alloy mole fraction of the strain controlling layer and quantum dot dimensions are discussed. Increasing the mole fraction of the strain controlling layer leads to a lower energy gap and a larger absorption wavelength. Surprisingly, the absorption wavelength is highly sensitive to the changes in the diameter, but almost insensitive to the changes in dot height. This behavior is explained by a detailed sensitivity analysis of different factors affecting the optical transition energy. PMID:29719758

CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dot-Labeled Lateral Flow Strips for Rapid and Quantitative Detection of Gastric Cancer Carbohydrate Antigen 72-4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Xinyu; Wang, Kan; Lu, Wenting; Qin, Weijian; Cui, Daxiang; He, Jinghua

2016-03-01

Carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4) is an important biomarker associated closely with diagnosis and prognosis of early gastric cancer. How to realize quick, sensitive, specific, and quantitative detection of CA72-4 in clinical specimens has become a great requirement. Herein, we reported a CdSe/ZnS quantum dot-labeled lateral flow test strip combined with a charge-coupled device (CCD)-based reader was developed for rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection of CA72-4. Two mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against CA72-4 were employed. One of them was coated as a test line, while another mAb was labeled with quantum dots and coated onto conjugate pad. The goat anti-mouse IgG was immobilized as a control line. After sample was added, a sandwich structure was formed with CA72-4 and these two mAbs. The fluorescent signal from quantum dots (QD)-labeled mAb in sandwich structure was related to the amount of detected CA72-4. A CCD-based reader was used to realize quantitative detection of CA72-4. Results showed that developed QD-labeled lateral flow strips to detect CA72-4 biomarker with the sensitivity of 2 IU/mL and 10 min detection time. One hundred sera samples from clinical patients with gastric cancer and healthy people were used to confirm specificity of this strip method; results showed that established strip method own 100 % reproducibility and 100 % specificity compared with Roche electrochemiluminescence assay results. In conclusion, CdSe/ZnS quantum dot-labeled lateral flow strips for detection of CA72-4 could realize rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of clinical samples and could own great potential in clinical translation in near future.

Extreme conditions magnetostriction study of the Shastry-Sutherland sample SCBO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grockowiak, Audrey; Wehinger, BjöRn; Coniglio, William; Ruegg, Chistian; Tozer, Stanley; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Team; Paul Scherrer Institute Collaboration

The Shasty-Sutherland model, which consists of a set of spin 1/2 dimers on a 2D square lattice, is simple and soluble but captures a central theme of condensed matter physics by sitting precariously on the quantum edge between isolated, gapped excitations and collective, ordered ground states. This model is realized in SrCu2(BO3)2. Recent x-ray diffraction data revealed a direct correlation of the lattice with magnetic susceptibility measurements at low temperatures. The variation of the lattice parameters with temperature is thus directly linked to the spin response of the system. Indeed, scattering intensities from the spin waves, measured by inelastic neutron scattering experiments, decay accordingly. The magnetic correlations can thus be monitored by the lattice parameters and are thus sensitive to magnetostriction. Ambient pressure magnetostriction up to 100.7 T show clear signatures related to the magnetization plateaus at 30, 40 and 80T. Together with total energy calculations these studies revealed a strong magneto elastic coupling driven by the super exchange angle CuOCu. Applying hydrostatic external pressure results in continuous and discontinuous quantum phase transitions. Zero field high pressure neutron spectroscopy measurements have revealed so far three phases : spin dimer from 0 to 2GPa, antiferromagnetic from 4 to 6 GPa, and a 4-spin plaquette singlet state was recently identified in the 2 to 4GPa region. We report here on high pressure (up to 2GPa), high magnetic field (up to 65T) and 3He temperature magnetostriction experiments, using FBGs. Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) Dilatometry permits to measure the magnetostriction of a sample in function of the response of an optical fiber to applied strain. This work was performed at the NHMFL, supported by the NSF Cooperative Agreement No. DMR-1157490 and the State of Florida, and the DOE NNSA DE-NA0001979 Grant.

1997 Report to the Congress on Ballistic Missile Defense.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-10-01

Infrared Arrays • Quantum Well Infrared Photodector (QWIP) Focal Plane Array (FPA) • Staring Si Impurity Band Conduction Extremely Sensitive Focal...to be flown on STRV lc/d include a Quantum Well Infrared Photometer (QWIP) sensor and a multifunctional compos- ite structure. The Space Technology...Peoples Republic of China Platinum Silicide Quick Reaction Program Quick Response Program Quantum Well Infrared Photometer Research and

The uncertainty principle in resonant gravitational wave antennae and quantum non-demolition measurement schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortini, Pierluigi; Onofrio, Roberto; Rioli, Alessandro

1993-01-01

A review of current efforts to approach and to surpass the fundamental limit in the sensitivity of the Weber type gravitational wave antennae is reported. Applications of quantum non-demolition techniques to the concrete example of an antenna resonant with the transducer are discussed in detail. Analogies and differences from the framework of the squeezed states in quantum optics are discussed.

Development of techniques for the in situ observation of OH and HO2 for studies of the impact of high-altitude supersonic aircraft on the stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, James G.

1994-01-01

This three-year project supported the construction, calibration, and deployment of a new instrument to measure the OH and HO2 radicals on the NASA ER-2 aircraft. The instrument has met and exceeded all of its design goals. The instrumentation represents a true quantum leap in performance over that achieved in previous HO(x) instruments built in our group. Sensitivity for OH was enhanced by over two orders of magnitude as the weight fell from approximately 1500 to less than 200 Kg. Reliability has been very high: HO(x) data are available for all flights during the first operational mission, the Stratospheric Photochemistry, Aerosols, and Dynamics Expedition (SPADE). The results of that experiment have been reported in the scientific literature and at conferences. Additionally, measurements of H2O and O3 were made and have been reported in the scientific literature. The measurements demonstrated the important role that OH and HO2 play in determining the concentration of ozone in the lower stratosphere. During the SPADE, campaign the measurements demonstrated that the catalytic removal is dominated by processes involving the odd-hydrogen and halogen radicals-and extremely important constraint for photochemical models that are being used to assess the potential deleterious effects of super-sonic aircraft effluent on the burden of stratospheric ozone.

Microstructural evolution and magnetic properties of ultrafine solute-atom particles formed in a Cu75-Ni20-Fe5 alloy on isothermal annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jun-Seop; Takeda, Mahoto; Bae, Dong-Sik

2016-12-01

Microstructural features strongly affect magnetism in nano-granular magnetic materials. In the present work we have investigated the relationship between the magnetic properties and the self-organized microstructure formed in a Cu75-Ni20-Fe5 alloy comprising ferromagnetic elements and copper atoms. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observations showed that on isothermal annealing at 873 K, nano-scale solute (Fe,Ni)-rich clusters initially formed with a random distribution in the Cu-rich matrix. Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurements revealed that these ultrafine solute clusters exhibited super-spinglass and superparamagnetic states. On further isothermal annealing the precipitates evolved to cubic or rectangular ferromagnetic particles and aligned along the <100> directions of the copper-rich matrix. Electron energy-band calculations based on the first-principle Korringa-Kohn-Rostocker (KKR) method were also implemented to investigate both the electronic structure and the magnetic properties of the alloy. Inputting compositions obtained experimentally by scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDS) analysis, the KKR calculation confirmed that ferromagnetic precipitates (of moment 1.07μB per atom) formed after annealing for 2 × 104 min. Magneto-thermogravimetric (MTG) analysis determined with high sensitivity the Curie temperatures and magnetic susceptibility above room temperature of samples containing nano-scale ferromagnetic particles.

Optimal Measurements for Simultaneous Quantum Estimation of Multiple Phases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pezzè, Luca; Ciampini, Mario A.; Spagnolo, Nicolò; Humphreys, Peter C.; Datta, Animesh; Walmsley, Ian A.; Barbieri, Marco; Sciarrino, Fabio; Smerzi, Augusto

2017-09-01

A quantum theory of multiphase estimation is crucial for quantum-enhanced sensing and imaging and may link quantum metrology to more complex quantum computation and communication protocols. In this Letter, we tackle one of the key difficulties of multiphase estimation: obtaining a measurement which saturates the fundamental sensitivity bounds. We derive necessary and sufficient conditions for projective measurements acting on pure states to saturate the ultimate theoretical bound on precision given by the quantum Fisher information matrix. We apply our theory to the specific example of interferometric phase estimation using photon number measurements, a convenient choice in the laboratory. Our results thus introduce concepts and methods relevant to the future theoretical and experimental development of multiparameter estimation.

Mn-doped quantum dot sensitized solar cells: a strategy to boost efficiency over 5%.

PubMed

Santra, Pralay K; Kamat, Prashant V

2012-02-08

To make Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells (QDSC) competitive, it is necessary to achieve power conversion efficiencies comparable to other emerging solar cell technologies. By employing Mn(2+) doping of CdS, we have now succeeded in significantly improving QDSC performance. QDSC constructed with Mn-doped-CdS/CdSe deposited on mesoscopic TiO(2) film as photoanode, Cu(2)S/Graphene Oxide composite electrode, and sulfide/polysulfide electrolyte deliver power conversion efficiency of 5.4%.

High sensitivity detection of NO2 employing cavity ringdown spectroscopy and an external cavity continuously tunable quantum cascade laser.

PubMed

Rao, Gottipaty N; Karpf, Andreas

2010-09-10

A trace gas sensor for the detection of nitrogen dioxide based on cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) and a continuous wave external cavity tunable quantum cascade laser operating at room temperature has been designed, and its features and performance characteristics are reported. By measuring the ringdown times of the cavity at different concentrations of NO(2), we report a sensitivity of 1.2 ppb for the detection of NO(2) in Zero Air.

Carrier transport dynamics in Mn-doped CdSe quantum dot sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poudyal, Uma; Maloney, Francis S.; Sapkota, Keshab; Wang, Wenyong

2017-10-01

In this work quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) were fabricated with CdSe and Mn-doped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) using the SILAR method. QDSSCs based on Mn-doped CdSe QDs exhibited improved incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency. Carrier transport dynamics in the QDSSCs were studied using the intensity modulated photocurrent/photovoltage spectroscopy technique, from which transport and recombination time constants could be derived. Compared to CdSe QDSSCs, Mn-CdSe QDSSCs exhibited shorter transport time constant, longer recombination time constant, longer diffusion length, and higher charge collection efficiency. These observations suggested that Mn doping in CdSe QDs could benefit the performance of solar cells based on such nanostructures.

Photocurrent spectrum study of a quantum dot single-photon detector based on resonant tunneling effect with near-infrared response

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weng, Q. C.; Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241; An, Z. H., E-mail: anzhenghua@fudan.edu.cn, E-mail: luwei@mail.sitp.ac.cn

We present the photocurrent spectrum study of a quantum dot (QD) single-photon detector using a reset technique which eliminates the QD's “memory effect.” By applying a proper reset frequency and keeping the detector in linear-response region, the detector's responses to different monochromatic light are resolved which reflects different detection efficiencies. We find the reset photocurrent tails up to 1.3 μm wavelength and near-infrared (∼1100 nm) single-photon sensitivity is demonstrated due to interband transition of electrons in QDs, indicating the device a promising candidate both in quantum information applications and highly sensitive imaging applications operating in relative high temperatures (>80 K).

Polarization variations in installed fibers and their influence on quantum key distribution systems.

PubMed

Ding, Yu-Yang; Chen, Hua; Wang, Shuang; He, De-Yong; Yin, Zhen-Qiang; Chen, Wei; Zhou, Zheng; Guo, Guang-Can; Han, Zheng-Fu

2017-10-30

Polarization variations in the installed fibers are complex and volatile, and would severely affect the performances of polarization-sensitive quantum key distribution (QKD) systems. Based on the recorded data about polarization variations of different installed fibers, we establish an analytical methodology to quantitatively evaluate the influence of polarization variations on polarization-sensitive QKD systems. Using the increased quantum bit error rate induced by polarization variations as a key criteria, we propose two parameters - polarization drift time and required tracking speed - to characterize polarization variations. For field buried and aerial fibers with different length, we quantitatively evaluate the influence of polarization variations, and also provide requirements and suggestions for polarization basis alignment modules of QKD systems deployed in different kind of fibers.

Spectrally Shaped DP-16QAM Super-Channel Transmission with Multi-Channel Digital Back-Propagation

PubMed Central

Maher, Robert; Xu, Tianhua; Galdino, Lidia; Sato, Masaki; Alvarado, Alex; Shi, Kai; Savory, Seb J.; Thomsen, Benn C.; Killey, Robert I.; Bayvel, Polina

2015-01-01

The achievable transmission capacity of conventional optical fibre communication systems is limited by nonlinear distortions due to the Kerr effect and the difficulty in modulating the optical field to effectively use the available fibre bandwidth. In order to achieve a high information spectral density (ISD), while simultaneously maintaining transmission reach, multi-channel fibre nonlinearity compensation and spectrally efficient data encoding must be utilised. In this work, we use a single coherent super-receiver to simultaneously receive a DP-16QAM super-channel, consisting of seven spectrally shaped 10GBd sub-carriers spaced at the Nyquist frequency. Effective nonlinearity mitigation is achieved using multi-channel digital back-propagation (MC-DBP) and this technique is combined with an optimised forward error correction implementation to demonstrate a record gain in transmission reach of 85%; increasing the maximum transmission distance from 3190 km to 5890 km, with an ISD of 6.60 b/s/Hz. In addition, this report outlines for the first time, the sensitivity of MC-DBP gain to linear transmission line impairments and defines a trade-off between performance and complexity. PMID:25645457

Super DIOS: Future X-ray Spectroscopic Mission to Search for Dark Baryons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, S.; Ohashi, T.; Ishisaki, Y.; Ezoe, Y.; Ichinohe, Y.; Kitazawa, S.; Kosaka, K.; Hayakawa, R.; Nunomura, K.; Mitsuda, K.; Yamasaki, N. Y.; Kikuchi, T.; Hayashi, T.; Muramatsu, H.; Nakashima, Y.; Tawara, Y.; Mitsuishi, I.; Babazaki, Y.; Seki, D.; Otsuka, K.; Ishihara, M.; Osato, K.; Ota, N.; Tomariguchi, M.; Nagai, D.; Lau, E.; Sato, K.

2018-04-01

The updated program of the future Japanese X-ray satellite mission Diffuse Intergalactic Oxygen Surveyor (DIOS), called as Super DIOS, is planned to search for dark baryons in the form of warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM) with high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy. The mission will detect redshifted emission lines from OVII, OVIII and other ions, leading to an overall understanding of the physical nature and spatial distribution of dark baryons as a function of cosmological timescale. We have started the conceptual design of the satellite and onboard instruments, focusing on the era of 2030s. The major change will be an improved angular resolution of the X-ray telescope. Super DIOS will have a 10-arcsec resolution, which is an improvement by a factor of about 20 over DIOS. With this resolution, most of the contaminating X-ray sources will be separated, and the level of the diffuse X-ray background will be much reduced after subtraction of point sources. This will give us higher sensitivity to map out the WHIM in emission.

Transcriptional Dysregulation of MYC Reveals Common Enhancer-Docking Mechanism.

PubMed

Schuijers, Jurian; Manteiga, John Colonnese; Weintraub, Abraham Selby; Day, Daniel Sindt; Zamudio, Alicia Viridiana; Hnisz, Denes; Lee, Tong Ihn; Young, Richard Allen

2018-04-10

Transcriptional dysregulation of the MYC oncogene is among the most frequent events in aggressive tumor cells, and this is generally accomplished by acquisition of a super-enhancer somewhere within the 2.8 Mb TAD where MYC resides. We find that these diverse cancer-specific super-enhancers, differing in size and location, interact with the MYC gene through a common and conserved CTCF binding site located 2 kb upstream of the MYC promoter. Genetic perturbation of this enhancer-docking site in tumor cells reduces CTCF binding, super-enhancer interaction, MYC gene expression, and cell proliferation. CTCF binding is highly sensitive to DNA methylation, and this enhancer-docking site, which is hypomethylated in diverse cancers, can be inactivated through epigenetic editing with dCas9-DNMT. Similar enhancer-docking sites occur at other genes, including genes with prominent roles in multiple cancers, suggesting a mechanism by which tumor cell oncogenes can generally hijack enhancers. These results provide insights into mechanisms that allow a single target gene to be regulated by diverse enhancer elements in different cell types. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Easy-DHPSF open-source software for three-dimensional localization of single molecules with precision beyond the optical diffraction limit.

PubMed

Lew, Matthew D; von Diezmann, Alexander R S; Moerner, W E

2013-02-25

Automated processing of double-helix (DH) microscope images of single molecules (SMs) streamlines the protocol required to obtain super-resolved three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of ultrastructures in biological samples by single-molecule active control microscopy. Here, we present a suite of MATLAB subroutines, bundled with an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI), that facilitates 3D localization of single emitters (e.g. SMs, fluorescent beads, or quantum dots) with precisions of tens of nanometers in multi-frame movies acquired using a wide-field DH epifluorescence microscope. The algorithmic approach is based upon template matching for SM recognition and least-squares fitting for 3D position measurement, both of which are computationally expedient and precise. Overlapping images of SMs are ignored, and the precision of least-squares fitting is not as high as maximum likelihood-based methods. However, once calibrated, the algorithm can fit 15-30 molecules per second on a 3 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo workstation, thereby producing a 3D super-resolution reconstruction of 100,000 molecules over a 20×20×2 μm field of view (processing 128×128 pixels × 20000 frames) in 75 min.

Combination of short-length TiO2 nanorod arrays and compact PbS quantum-dot thin films for efficient solid-state quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhengguo; Shi, Chengwu; Chen, Junjun; Xiao, Guannan; Li, Long

2017-07-01

Considering the balance of the hole diffusion length and the loading quantity of quantum-dots, the rutile TiO2 nanorod array with the length of 600 nm, the diameter of 20 nm, and the areal density of 500 μm-2 is successfully prepared by the hydrothermal method using the aqueous grown solution of 38 mM titanium isopropoxide and 6 M hydrochloric acid at 170 °C for 105 min. The compact PbS quantum-dot thin film on the TiO2 nanorod array is firstly obtained by the spin-coating-assisted successive ionic layer absorption and reaction with using 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT). The result reveals that the strong interaction between lead and EDT is very important to control the crystallite size of PbS quantum-dots and obtain the compact PbS quantum-dot thin film on the TiO2 nanorod array. The all solid-state sensitized solar cell with the combination of the short-length, high-density TiO2 nanorod array and the compact PbS quantum-dot thin film achieves the photoelectric conversion efficiency of 4.10%, along with an open-circuit voltage of 0.52 V, a short-circuit photocurrent density of 13.56 mA cm-2 and a fill factor of 0.58.

IN SITU ACCRETION OF HYDROGEN-RICH ATMOSPHERES ON SHORT-PERIOD SUPER-EARTHS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE KEPLER-11 PLANETS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ikoma, M.; Hori, Y., E-mail: ikoma@eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp, E-mail: yasunori.hori@nao.ac.jp

2012-07-01

Motivated by recent discoveries of low-density super-Earths with short orbital periods, we have investigated in situ accretion of H-He atmospheres on rocky bodies embedded in dissipating warm disks, by simulating quasi-static evolution of atmospheres that connect to the ambient disk. We have found that the atmospheric evolution has two distinctly different outcomes, depending on the rocky body's mass: while the atmospheres on massive rocky bodies undergo runaway disk-gas accretion, those on light rocky bodies undergo significant erosion during disk dispersal. In the atmospheric erosion, the heat content of the rocky body that was previously neglected plays an important role. Wemore » have also realized that the atmospheric mass is rather sensitive to disk temperature in the mass range of interest in this study. Our theory is applied to recently detected super-Earths orbiting Kepler-11 to examine the possibility that the planets are rock-dominated ones with relatively thick H-He atmospheres. The application suggests that the in situ formation of the relatively thick H-He atmospheres inferred by structure modeling is possible only under restricted conditions, namely, relatively slow disk dissipation and/or cool environments. This study demonstrates that low-density super-Earths provide important clues to understanding of planetary accretion and disk evolution.« less

Double-Sided Transparent TiO2 Nanotube/ITO Electrodes for Efficient CdS/CuInS2 Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chong; Ling, Lanyu; Li, Fumin

2017-01-01

In this paper, to improve the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) based on CdS-sensitized TiO2 nanotube (TNT) electrodes, two methods are employed on the basis of our previous work. First, by replacing the traditional single-sided working electrodes, double-sided transparent TNT/ITO (DTTO) electrodes are prepared to increase the loading amount of quantum dots (QDs) on the working electrodes. Second, to increase the light absorption of the CdS-sensitized DTTO electrodes and improve the efficiency of charge separation in CdS-sensitized QDSSCs, copper indium disulfide (CuInS2) is selected to cosensitize the DTTO electrodes with CdS, which has a complementary property of light absorption with CdS. The PCEs of QDSSCs based on these prepared QD-sensitized DTTO electrodes are measured. Our experimental results show that compared to those based on the CdS/DTTO electrodes without CuInS2, the PCEs of the QDSSCs based on CdS/CuInS2-sensitized DTTO electrode are significantly improved, which is mainly attributed to the increased light absorption and reduced charge recombination. Under simulated one-sun illumination, the best PCE of 1.42% is achieved for the QDSSCs based on CdS(10)/CuInS2/DTTO electrode, which is much higher than that (0.56%) of the QDSSCs based on CdS(10)/DTTO electrode.

Comparative study of polymer and liquid electrolytes in quantum dot sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poudyal, Uma; Wang, Wenyong

We present the study of CdS/CdSe quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) in which Zn2SnO4\\ nanowires on the conductive glass are used as photoanode. The CdS/CdSe quantum dots (QDs) are deposited in the Zn2SnO4 photoanode by the Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method. CdS is first deposited on the nanowires after which it is further coated with 5 cycles of CdSe QDs. Finally, ZnS is coated on the QDs as a passivation layer. The QD sensitized photoanode are then used to assemble a solar device with the polymer and liquid electrolytes. The Incident Photon to Current Efficiency (IPCE) spectra are obtained for the CdS/CdSe coated nanowires. Further, a stability test of these devices is performed, using the polymer and liquid electrolytes, which provides insight to determine the better working electrolyte in the CdS/CdSe QDSSCs. Department of Energy.

CdTe quantum dots for an application in the life sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thi Dieu Thuy, Ung; Toan, Pham Song; Chi, Tran Thi Kim; Duy Khang, Dinh; Quang Liem, Nguyen

2010-12-01

This report highlights the results of the preparation of semiconductor CdTe quantum dots (QDs) in the aqueous phase. The small size of a few nm and a very high luminescence quantum yield exceeding 60% of these materials make them promisingly applicable to bio-medicine labeling. Their strong, two-photon excitation luminescence is also a good characteristic for biolabeling without interference with the cell fluorescence. The primary results for the pH-sensitive CdTe QDs are presented in that fluorescence of CdTe QDs was used as a proton sensor to detect proton flux driven by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis in chromatophores. In other words, these QDs could work as pH-sensitive detectors. Therefore, the system of CdTe QDs on chromatophores prepared from the cells of Rhodospirillum rubrum and the antibodies against the beta-subunit of F0F1-ATPase could be a sensitive detector for the avian influenza virus subtype A/H5N1.

Dye-sensitization of CdS nano-cage - A density functional theory approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jain, Kalpna; Singh, Kh. S.; Kishor, Shyam

2016-05-23

Quantum dots a few nanometer in size exhibit unique properties in comparison to bulk due to quantum confinement. Their properties can be tuned according to their sizes. Dye sensitized quantum dot (DSQD) solar cells are based on the same principle with surface dangling bonds as a challenge. Researches have shown the existence and stability of nano-cages which are assembled such as to minimize the surface dangling bonds and hence maximize stability. Here, we report a first principles DFT study of optical and electronic properties of CdS-cage (Cd{sub 34}S{sub 34}) sensitized with nkx-2388 dye in three different geometric configurations of dyemore » attachment. A significant distortion is found to occur in the geometric structure of the cage when it interacts strongly with the dye. The relative positioning of dye and cage energy levels is found to be different in different configurations. The absorption spectrum has been analyzed with the help of natural transition orbitals (NTO).« less

On observation of neutron quantum states in the Earth's gravitational field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vankov, Anatoli Andrei

2010-03-01

Observation of neutron gravitational quantum states En=mgzn in the peV energy range (z1 is about 10μm in the vertical direction) in the experiment conducted at Laue-Langevin Institute, Grenoble, with ultracold neutrons was recently reported in a series of publications. The purpose of the present work is to analyze the experiment. The experimental apparatus is designed to measure a transmission function T(za), namely, a horizontal flux of relatively fast neutrons (k≫kz in wavelength terms) passing through a slit of variable height za of upper absorbing wall. The quantum states in question are defined by the so-called Airy functions, which are solutions to the stationary 1D equation for a neutron “bouncing” above the perfect mirror in a linear potential field. The Airy functions describe the quantum bouncer (QB), the concept of which is subject to theoretical study of toy 1D models of gravitationally bound particles in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics (QM). This is essentially different from the 3D nonstationary QM object, “the running QB,” investigated in the experiment. The authors assume that there is a connection between T(za) and the probability density distribution P(z,za) for QB states. They devised the “phenomenological model,” in which the quantum pattern should be visible in the transmission curve. We argue, however, that the measured curve T(za) is not sensitive to QB states. Instead, it is sensitive to dynamics of neutron horizontal transport inside the absorbing slit for neutrons of energy values about 105 times greater than eigenvalues En. The latter are related to the neutron transverse mode kz and cannot be termed “energies of neutron gravitational quantum states.” We conclude that the experiment setup and real conditions are not adequate to the claimed objective, and the methodology of measured data treatment is flawed. The authors’ claim that “neutron gravitational quantum states are observed” is neither theoretically nor experimentally substantiated. Final, statistically significant results of the experiment are consistent with our physical reasoning that the experiment is not sensitive to “neutron gravitational quantum states” (in terms of Airy mode) and does not prove even their existence in rigorous quantum-mechanical terms.

"Fluctuoscopy" of Superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varlamov, A. A.

Study of fluctuation phenomena in superconductors (SCs) is the subject of great fundamental and practical importance. Understanding of their physics allowed to clear up the fundamental properties of SC state. Being predicted in 1968, one of the fluctuation effects, namely paraconductivity, was experimentally observed almost simultaneously. Since this time, fluctuations became a noticeable part of research in the field of superconductivity, and a variety of fluctuation effects have been discovered. The new wave of interest to fluctuations (FL) in superconductors was generated by the discovery of cuprate oxide superconductors (high-temperature superconductors, HTS), where, due to extremely short coherence length and low effective dimensionality of the electron system, superconductive fluctuations manifest themselves in a wide range of temperatures. Moreover, anomalous properties of the normal state of HTS were attributed by many theorists to strong FL in these systems. Being studied in the framework of the phenomenological Ginzburg-Landau theory and, more extensively, in diagrammatic microscopic approach, SC FLs side by side with other quantum corrections (weak localization, etc.) became a new tool for investigation and characterization of such new systems as HTS, disordered electron systems, granular metals, Josephson structures, artificial super-lattices, etc. The characteristic feature of SC FL is their strong dependence on temperature and magnetic fields in the vicinity of phase transition. This allows one to definitely separate the fluctuation effects from other contributions and to use them as the source of information about the microscopic parameters of a material. By their origin, SC FLs are very sensitive to relaxation processes, which break phase coherence. This allows using them for versatile characterization of SC. Today, one can speak about the " fluctuoscopy" of superconductive systems. In review, we present the qualitative picture both of thermodynamic fluctuations close to critical temperature T c0and quantum fluctuations at zero temperature and in vicinity of the second critical field H c2(0). Then in the frameworks of the Ginzburg-Landau theory, we discuss the characteristic crossovers in fluctuation properties of superconductive nanoparticles and layered superconductors. We present the general expression for fluctuation magneto-conductivity valid through all phase diagram of superconductor and apply it to study of the quantum phase transition close to H c2(0). Fluctuation analysis of this transition allows us to present the scenario of fluctuation defragmentation of the Abrikosov lattice.

The uncertainty principle in resonant gravitational wave antennae and quantum non-demolition measurement schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortini, Pierluigi; Onofrio, Roberto; Rioli, Alessandro

1993-01-01

A review on the current efforts to approach and to surpass the fundamental limit in the sensitivity of the Weber type gravitational wave antennae is reported. Applications of quantum non-demolition techniques to the concrete example of an antenna resonant with the transducer are discussed in detail. Analogies and differences from the framework of the squeezed states in quantum optics are discussed.

Underlying Information Technology Tailored Quantum Error Correction

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-28

typically constructed by using an optical beam splitter . • We used a decoherence-free-subspace encoding to reduce the sensitivity of an optical Deutsch...simplification of design constraints in solid state QC (incl. quantum dots and superconducting qubits), hybrid quantum error correction and prevention methods...process tomography on one- and two-photon polarisation states, from full and partial data "• Accomplished complete two-photon QPT. "• Discovered surprising

Quantum confinement effects across two-dimensional planes in MoS{sub 2} quantum dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gan, Z. X.; Liu, L. Z.; Wu, H. Y.

2015-06-08

The low quantum yield (∼10{sup −5}) has restricted practical use of photoluminescence (PL) from MoS{sub 2} composed of a few layers, but the quantum confinement effects across two-dimensional planes are believed to be able to boost the PL intensity. In this work, PL from 2 to 9 nm MoS{sub 2} quantum dots (QDs) is excluded from the solvent and the absorption and PL spectra are shown to be consistent with the size distribution. PL from MoS{sub 2} QDs is also found to be sensitive to aggregation due to the size effect.

Quantum enhancement of momentum diffusion in the delta-kicked rotor.

PubMed

d'Arcy, M B; Godun, R M; Oberthaler, M K; Cassettari, D; Summy, G S

2001-08-13

We present detailed observations of the quantum delta-kicked rotor in the vicinity of a quantum resonance. Our experiment consists of an ensemble of cold cesium atoms subject to a pulsed off-resonant standing wave of light. We measure the mean energy and show clearly that at the quantum resonance it is a local maximum. We also examine the effect of noise on the system and find that the greatest sensitivity to this occurs at the resonances. This makes these regions ideal for examining quantum-classical correspondence. A picture based on diffraction is developed which allows the experiments to be readily understood.

A Spitzer search for transits of radial velocity detected super-Earths

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kammer, J. A.; Knutson, H. A.; Desert, J.-M.

2014-02-01

Unlike hot Jupiters or other gas giants, super-Earths are expected to have a wide variety of compositions, ranging from terrestrial bodies like our own to more gaseous planets like Neptune. Observations of transiting systems, which allow us to directly measure planet masses and radii and constrain atmospheric properties, are key to understanding the compositional diversity of the planets in this mass range. Although Kepler has discovered hundreds of transiting super-Earth candidates over the past 4 yr, the majority of these planets orbit stars that are too far away and too faint to allow for detailed atmospheric characterization and reliable massmore » estimates. Ground-based transit surveys focus on much brighter stars, but most lack the sensitivity to detect planets in this size range. One way to get around the difficulty of finding these smaller planets in transit is to start by choosing targets that are already known to host super-Earth sized bodies detected using the radial velocity (RV) technique. Here we present results from a Spitzer program to observe six of the most favorable RV-detected super-Earth systems, including HD 1461, HD 7924, HD 156668, HIP 57274, and GJ 876. We find no evidence for transits in any of their 4.5 μm flux light curves, and place limits on the allowed transit depths and corresponding planet radii that rule out even the most dense and iron-rich compositions for these objects. We also observed HD 97658, but the observation window was based on a possible ground-based transit detection that was later ruled out; thus the window did not include the predicted time for the transit detection recently made by the Microvariability and Oscillations of Stars space telescope.« less

Quantum-Noise-Limited Sensitivity-Enhancement of a Passive Optical Cavity by a Fast-Light Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, David D.; Luckay, H. A.; Chang, Hongrok; Myneni, Krishna

2016-01-01

We demonstrate for a passive optical cavity containing an intracavity dispersive atomic medium, the increase in scale factor near the critical anomalous dispersion is not cancelled by mode broadening or attenuation, resulting in an overall increase in the predicted quantum-noiselimited sensitivity. Enhancements of over two orders of magnitude are measured in the scale factor, which translates to greater than an order-of-magnitude enhancement in the predicted quantumnoise- limited measurement precision, by temperature tuning a low-pressure vapor of noninteracting atoms in a low-finesse cavity close to the critical anomalous dispersion condition. The predicted enhancement in sensitivity is confirmed through Monte-Carlo numerical simulations.

Double Beta Decays and Neutrinos - Experiments and MOON

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ejiri, H.; National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, 263-8555

2008-01-24

This is a brief review of the present and future experiments of neutrino-less double beta decays (0{nu}{beta}{beta}) and the MOON (Mo Observatory Of Neutrinos) project. High sensitivity 0{nu}{beta}{beta} experiments are unique and realistic probes for studying the Majorana nature of neutrinos and the absolute mass scale as suggested by neutrino oscillation experiments. MOON aims at spectroscopic 0{nu}{beta}{beta} studies with the {nu}-mass sensitivity of 100-30 meV by means of a super ensemble of multilayer modules of scintillator plates and tracking detector planes.

Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells Based on TiO2/AgInS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawar, Sachin A.; Jeong, Jae Pil; Patil, Dipali S.; More, Vivek M.; Lee, Rochelle S.; Shin, Jae Cheol; Choi, Won Jun

2018-05-01

Quantum dot heterojunctions with type-II band alignment can efficiently separate photogenerated electron-hole pairs and, hence, are useful for solar cell studies. In this study, a quantum dot sensitized solar cell (QDSSC) made of TiO2/AgInS2 is achieved to boost the photoconversion efficiency for the TiO2-based system by varying the AgInS2 layer's thickness. The TiO2 nanorods array film is prepared by using a simple hydrothermal technique. The formation of a AgInS2 QD-sensitized TiO2-nanorod photoelectrode is carried out by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique. The effect of the QD layer on the performance of the solar cell is studied by varying the SILAR cycles of the QD coating. The synthesized electrode materials are characterized by using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and solar cell performances. The results indicate that the nanocrystals have effectively covered the outer surfaces of the TiO2 nanorods. The interfacial structure of quantum dots (QDs)/TiO2 is also investigated, and the growth interface is verified. A careful comparison between TiO2/AgInS2 sensitized cells reveals that the trasfer of electrons and hole proceeds efficiently, the recombination is suppressed for the optimum thickness of the QD layer and light from the entire visible spectrum is utilised. Under AM 1.5G illumination, a high photocurrent of 1.36 mAcm-2 with an improved power conversion efficiency of 0.48% is obtained. The solar cell properties of our photoanodes suggest that the TiO2 nanorod array films co-sensitized by AgInS2 nanoclusters have potential applications in solar cells.

Quantum friction in two-dimensional topological materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farias, M. Belén; Kort-Kamp, Wilton J. M.; Dalvit, Diego A. R.

In this paper, we develop the theory of quantum friction in two-dimensional topological materials. The quantum drag force on a metallic nanoparticle moving above such systems is sensitive to the nontrivial topology of their electronic phases, shows a novel distance scaling law, and can be manipulated through doping or via the application of external fields. We use the developed framework to investigate quantum friction due to the quantum Hall effect in magnetic field biased graphene, and to topological phase transitions in the graphene family materials. Finally, it is shown that topologically nontrivial states in two-dimensional materials enable an increase ofmore » two orders of magnitude in the quantum drag force with respect to conventional neutral graphene systems.« less

Photosynthetic Energy Transfer at the Quantum/Classical Border.

PubMed

Keren, Nir; Paltiel, Yossi

2018-06-01

Quantum mechanics diverges from the classical description of our world when very small scales or very fast processes are involved. Unlike classical mechanics, quantum effects cannot be easily related to our everyday experience and are often counterintuitive to us. Nevertheless, the dimensions and time scales of the photosynthetic energy transfer processes puts them close to the quantum/classical border, bringing them into the range of measurable quantum effects. Here we review recent advances in the field and suggest that photosynthetic processes can take advantage of the sensitivity of quantum effects to the environmental 'noise' as means of tuning exciton energy transfer efficiency. If true, this design principle could be a base for 'nontrivial' coherent wave property nano-devices. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantum friction in two-dimensional topological materials

DOE PAGES

Farias, M. Belén; Kort-Kamp, Wilton J. M.; Dalvit, Diego A. R.

2018-04-24

In this paper, we develop the theory of quantum friction in two-dimensional topological materials. The quantum drag force on a metallic nanoparticle moving above such systems is sensitive to the nontrivial topology of their electronic phases, shows a novel distance scaling law, and can be manipulated through doping or via the application of external fields. We use the developed framework to investigate quantum friction due to the quantum Hall effect in magnetic field biased graphene, and to topological phase transitions in the graphene family materials. Finally, it is shown that topologically nontrivial states in two-dimensional materials enable an increase ofmore » two orders of magnitude in the quantum drag force with respect to conventional neutral graphene systems.« less

Quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells fabricated by the combined process of the direct attachment of colloidal CdSe quantum dots having a ZnS glue layer and spray pyrolysis deposition.

PubMed

Im, Sang Hyuk; Lee, Yong Hui; Seok, Sang Il; Kim, Sung Woo; Kim, Sang-Wook

2010-12-07

We were able to attach CdSe quantum dots (QDs) having a ZnS inorganic glue layer directly to a mesoporous TiO(2) (mp-TiO(2)) surface by spray coating and thermal annealing. Quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells based on CdSe QDs having ZnS as the inorganic glue layer could easily transport generated charge carriers because of the intimate bonding between CdSe and mp-TiO(2). The application of spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) to obtain additional CdSe layers improved the performance characteristics to V(oc) = 0.45 V, J(sc) = 10.7 mA/cm(2), fill factor = 35.8%, and power conversion efficiency = 1.7%. Furthermore, ZnS post-treatment improved the device performance to V(oc) = 0.57 V, J(sc) = 11.2 mA/cm(2), fill factor = 35.4%, and power conversion efficiency = 2.2%.

Highly sensitive humidity sensing properties of carbon quantum dots films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Xing; Ming, Hai; Liu, Ruihua

2013-02-15

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► A humidity sensing device was fabricated based on carbon quantum dots (CQDs) films. ► The conductivity of the CQDs films shows a linear and rapid response to atmosphere humidity. ► The humidity sensing property was due to the hydrogen bonds between the functional groups on CQDs. -- Abstract: We reported the fabrication of a humidity sensing device based on carbon quantum dots (CQDs) film. The conductivity of the CQDs film has a linear and rapid response to relative humidity, providing the opportunity for the fabrication of humidity sensing devices. The mechanism of our humiditymore » sensor was proposed to be the formation of hydrogen bonds between carbon quantum dots and water molecules in the humidity environment, which significantly promote the electrons migration. In a control experiment, this hypothesis was confirmed by comparing the humidity sensitivity of candle soot (i.e. carbon nanoparticles) with and without oxygen containing groups on the surfaces.« less

The influence of annealing temperature on the interface and photovoltaic properties of CdS/CdSe quantum dots sensitized ZnO nanorods solar cells.

PubMed

Qiu, Xiaofeng; Chen, Ling; Gong, Haibo; Zhu, Min; Han, Jun; Zi, Min; Yang, Xiaopeng; Ji, Changjian; Cao, Bingqiang

2014-09-15

Arrays of ZnO/CdS/CdSe core/shell nanocables with different annealing temperatures have been investigated for CdS/CdSe quantum dots sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). CdS/CdSe quantum dots were synthesized on the surface of ZnO nanorods that serve as the scaffold via a simple ion-exchange approach. The uniform microstructure was verified by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. UV-Visible absorption spectrum and Raman spectroscopy analysis indicated noticeable influence of annealing temperature on the interface structural and optical properties of the CdS/CdSe layers. Particularly, the relationship between annealing temperatures and photovoltaic performance of the corresponding QDSSCs was investigated employing photovoltaic conversion, quantum efficiency and electrochemical impedance spectra. It is demonstrated that higher cell efficiency can be obtained by optimizing the annealing temperature through extending the photoresponse range and improving QD layer crystal quality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sensitive fluorimetric assays for α-glucosidase activity and inhibitor screening based on β-cyclodextrin-coated quantum dots.

PubMed

Liu, Si-Yao; Wang, Huan; He, Tian; Qi, Liang; Zhang, Zhi-Qi

2016-02-01

A fluorescence method was established for a α-glucosidase activity assay and inhibitor screening based on β-cyclodextrin-coated quantum dots. p-Nitrophenol, the hydrolysis product of the α-glucosidase reaction, could quench the fluorescence of β-cyclodextrin-coated quantum dots via an electron transfer process, leading to fluorescence turn-off, whereas the fluorescence of the system turned on in the presence of α-glucosidase inhibitors. Taking advantage of the excellent properties of quantum dots, this method provided a very simple, rapid and sensitive screening method for α-glucosidase inhibitors. Two α-glucosidase inhibitors, 2,4,6-tribromophenol and acarbose, were used to evaluate the feasibility of this screening model, and IC50 values of 24 μM and 0.55 mM were obtained respectively, which were lower than those previously reported. The method may have potential application in screening α-glucosidase inhibitors. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantum-limited evanescent single molecule sensing.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowen, Warwick; Mauranyapin, Nicolas; Madsen, Lars; Taylor, Michael; Waleed, Muhammad

Sensors that are able to detect and track single unlabeled biomolecules are an important tool both to understand biomolecular dynamics and interactions, and for medical diagnostics operating at their ultimate detection limits. Recently, exceptional sensitivity has been achieved using the strongly enhanced evanescent fields provided by optical microcavities and plasmonic resonators. However, at high field intensities photodamage to the biological specimen becomes increasingly problematic. Here, we introduce a new approach that combines dark field illumination and heterodyne detection in an optical nanofibre. This allows operation at the fundamental precision limit introduced by quantisation of light. We achieve state-of-the-art sensitivity with a four order-of-magnitude reduction in optical intensity. This enables quantum noise limited tracking of single biomolecules as small as 3.5 nm and surface-molecule interactions to be montored over extended periods. By achieving quantum noise limited precision, our approach provides a pathway towards quantum-enhanced single-molecule biosensors. We acknkowledge financial support from AFOSR and AOARD.

Quasi-molecular bosonic complexes-a pathway to SQUID with controlled sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safavi-Naini, Arghavan; Capogrosso-Sansone, Barbara; Kuklov, Anatoly; Penna, Vittorio

2016-02-01

Recent experimental advances in realizing degenerate quantum dipolar gases in optical lattices and the flexibility of experimental setups in attaining various geometries offer the opportunity to explore exotic quantum many-body phases stabilized by anisotropic, long-range dipolar interaction. Moreover, the unprecedented control over the various physical properties of these systems, ranging from the quantum statistics of the particles, to the inter-particle interactions, allow one to engineer novel devices. In this paper, we consider dipolar bosons trapped in a stack of one-dimensional optical lattice layers, previously studied in (Safavi-Naini et al 2014 Phys. Rev. A 90 043604). Building on our prior results, we provide a description of the quantum phases stabilized in this system which include composite superfluids (CSFs), solids, and supercounterfluids, most of which are found to be threshold-less with respect to the dipolar interaction strength. We also demonstrate the effect of enhanced sensitivity to rotations of a SQUID-type device made of two CSF trapped in a ring-shaped optical lattice layer with weak links.

Large enhancement in photocurrent by Mn doping in CdSe/ZTO quantum dot sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Pimachev, Artem; Poudyal, Uma; Proshchenko, Vitaly; Wang, Wenyong; Dahnovsky, Yuri

2016-09-29

We find a large enhancement in the efficiency of CdSe quantum dot sensitized solar cells by doping with manganese. In the presence of Mn impurities in relatively small concentrations (2.3%) the photoelectric current increases by up to 190%. The average photocurrent enhancement is about 160%. This effect cannot be explained by a light absorption mechanism because the experimental and theoretical absorption spectra demonstrate that there is no change in the absorption coefficient in the presence of the Mn impurities. To explain such a large increase in the injection current we propose a tunneling mechanism of electron injection from the quantum dot LUMO state to the Zn 2 SnO 4 (ZTO) semiconductor photoanode. The calculated enhancement is approximately equal to 150% which is very close to the experimental average value of 160%. The relative discrepancy between the calculated and experimentally measured ratios of the IPCE currents is only 6.25%. For other mechanisms (such as electron trapping, etc.) the remaining 6.25% cannot explain the large change in the experimental IPCE. Thus we have indirectly proved that electron tunneling is the major mechanism of photocurrent enhancement. This work proposes a new approach for a significant improvement in the efficiency of quantum dot sensitized solar cells.

Supersensitization of CdS quantum dots with a near-infrared organic dye: toward the design of panchromatic hybrid-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Choi, Hyunbong; Nicolaescu, Roxana; Paek, Sanghyun; Ko, Jaejung; Kamat, Prashant V

2011-11-22

The photoresponse of quantum dot solar cells (QDSCs) has been successfully extended to the near-IR (NIR) region by sensitizing nanostructured TiO(2)-CdS films with a squaraine dye (JK-216). CdS nanoparticles anchored on mesoscopic TiO(2) films obtained by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) exhibit limited absorption below 500 nm with a net power conversion efficiency of ~1% when employed as a photoanode in QDSC. By depositing a thin barrier layer of Al(2)O(3), the TiO(2)-CdS films were further modified with a NIR absorbing squaraine dye. Quantum dot sensitized solar cells supersensitized with a squariand dye (JK-216) showed good stability during illumination with standard global AM 1.5 solar conditions, delivering a maximum overall power conversion efficiency (η) of 3.14%. Transient absorption and pulse radiolysis measurements provide further insight into the excited state interactions of squaraine dye with SiO(2), TiO(2), and TiO(2)/CdS/Al(2)O(3) films and interfacial electron transfer processes. The synergy of combining semiconductor quantum dots and NIR absorbing dye provides new opportunities to harvest photons from different regions of the solar spectrum. © 2011 American Chemical Society

My Child Is Gifted in Math--Now What?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Christy D.

2011-01-01

As chair of the Parent and Community Network, the author gets e-mails from parents asking how they should handle their gifted child. Concerns range from super sensitivity to enhancing content areas in which their children excel. Although differentiated instruction is a hot topic in the field of education, many parents find that the teacher with…

Nanosatellites for quantum science and technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oi, Daniel K. L.; Ling, Alex; Grieve, James A.; Jennewein, Thomas; Dinkelaker, Aline N.; Krutzik, Markus

2017-01-01

Bringing quantum science and technology to the space frontier offers exciting prospects for both fundamental physics and applications such as long-range secure communication and space-borne quantum probes for inertial sensing with enhanced accuracy and sensitivity. But despite important terrestrial pathfinding precursors on common microgravity platforms and promising proposals to exploit the significant advantages of space quantum missions, large-scale quantum test beds in space are yet to be realised due to the high costs and lead times of traditional 'Big Space' satellite development. But the 'small space' revolution, spearheaded by the rise of nanosatellites such as CubeSats, is an opportunity to greatly accelerate the progress of quantum space missions by providing easy and affordable access to space and encouraging agile development. We review space quantum science and technology, CubeSats and their rapidly developing capabilities and how they can be used to advance quantum satellite systems.

[Imaging of surface cell antigens on the tumor sections of lymph nodes using fluorescence quantum dots].

PubMed

Rafalovskaia-Orlovskaia, E P; Gorgidze, L A; Gladkikh, A A; Tauger, S M; Vorob'ev, I A

2012-01-01

The usefulness of quantum dots for the immunofluorescent detection of surface antigens on the lymphoid cells has been studied. To optimize quantum dots detection we have upgraded fluorescent microscope that allows obtaining multiple images from different quantum dots from one section. Specimens stained with quantum dots remained stable over two weeks and practically did not bleach under mercury lamp illumination during tens of minutes. Direct conjugates of primary mouse monoclonal antibodies with quantum dots demonstrated high specificity and sufficient sensitivity in the case of double staining on the frozen sections. Because of the high stability of quantum dots' fluorescence, this method allows to analyze antigen coexpression on the lymphoid tissue sections for diagnostic purposes. The spillover of fluorescent signals from quantum dots into adjacent fluorescent channels, with maxima differing by 40 nm, did not exceed 8%, which makes the spectral compensation is practically unnecessary.

Evidencing `Tight Bound States' in the Hydrogen Atom:. Empirical Manipulation of Large-Scale XD in Violation of QED

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amoroso, Richard L.; Vigier, Jean-Pierre

2013-09-01

In this work we extend Vigier's recent theory of `tight bound state' (TBS) physics and propose empirical protocols to test not only for their putative existence, but also that their existence if demonstrated provides the 1st empirical evidence of string theory because it occurs in the context of large-scale extra dimensionality (LSXD) cast in a unique M-Theoretic vacuum corresponding to the new Holographic Anthropic Multiverse (HAM) cosmological paradigm. Physicists generally consider spacetime as a stochastic foam containing a zero-point field (ZPF) from which virtual particles restricted by the quantum uncertainty principle (to the Planck time) wink in and out of existence. According to the extended de Broglie-Bohm-Vigier causal stochastic interpretation of quantum theory spacetime and the matter embedded within it is created annihilated and recreated as a virtual locus of reality with a continuous quantum evolution (de Broglie matter waves) governed by a pilot wave - a `super quantum potential' extended in HAM cosmology to be synonymous with the a `force of coherence' inherent in the Unified Field, UF. We consider this backcloth to be a covariant polarized vacuum of the (generally ignored by contemporary physicists) Dirac type. We discuss open questions of the physics of point particles (fermionic nilpotent singularities). We propose a new set of experiments to test for TBS in a Dirac covariant polarized vacuum LSXD hyperspace suggestive of a recently tested special case of the Lorentz Transformation put forth by Kowalski and Vigier. These protocols reach far beyond the recent battery of atomic spectral violations of QED performed through NIST.

Quantum dot-based western blot for sensitive detection of pig serum antibody to actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cişmileanu, Ana; Sima, Cornelia; Grigoriu, Constantin

2007-08-01

A quantum dot - immunoglobulin conjugate specific for pig IgG, was obtained by carbodiimide chemistry. We used a Western blot technique for detecting specific antibodies against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A. pp), which cause porcine pleuropneumonia. The antigen used in this technique was Apx haemolysin which is an important virulence factor of A. pp and it induces protective immunity in vaccined pigs. The detection on Western blot membrane was possible at 1/50 dilution of quantum dot conjugate at a dilution of pig serum till 1/6400. The results for pig serum demonstrated a higher sensitivity of QD-based Western blot technique for the presence of antibodies specific for Apx haemolysin in comparison with similar classical techniques (with coloured substrate for enzyme present in secondary antibody conjugate).

Nuclear magnetic resonance detection and spectroscopy of single proteins using quantum logic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovchinsky, I.; Sushkov, A. O.; Urbach, E.; de Leon, N. P.; Choi, S.; De Greve, K.; Evans, R.; Gertner, R.; Bersin, E.; Müller, C.; McGuinness, L.; Jelezko, F.; Walsworth, R. L.; Park, H.; Lukin, M. D.

2016-02-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a powerful tool for the structural analysis of organic compounds and biomolecules but typically requires macroscopic sample quantities. We use a sensor, which consists of two quantum bits corresponding to an electronic spin and an ancillary nuclear spin, to demonstrate room temperature magnetic resonance detection and spectroscopy of multiple nuclear species within individual ubiquitin proteins attached to the diamond surface. Using quantum logic to improve readout fidelity and a surface-treatment technique to extend the spin coherence time of shallow nitrogen-vacancy centers, we demonstrate magnetic field sensitivity sufficient to detect individual proton spins within 1 second of integration. This gain in sensitivity enables high-confidence detection of individual proteins and allows us to observe spectral features that reveal information about their chemical composition.