The checkerboard family of entangled states of two qutrits

By modifying the method of Bruß and Peres, we construct two new families of entangled two qutrit states. For all density matrices ρ in these families we have ρ _ij = 0 for i + j odd. The first family depends on 27 independent real parameters and includes both PPT and NPT states. The second family consists of PPT entangled states. The number of independent real parameters of this family is ≥ 11     

Tunneling ionization of a hydrogen atom in short and ultrashort laser pulses

The ionization of a hydrogen atom in a linearly polarized low-frequency electromagnetic field is investigated by direct numerical integration of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The data obtained for various ionization regimes and various initial atomic states are compared with the Keldysh and Perelomov-Popov-Terent’ev (PPT) theories. The validity ranges for the quasi-static model of tunneling ionization and the PPT theory in laser intensity and frequency are determined. The tunneling ionization of the excited 2s and 2p states is discussed. The ionization of a hydrogen atom in an ultrashort (on the order of one optical period) pulse is investigated.     

Separable States with Unique Decompositions

We search for faces of the convex set consisting of all separable states, which are affinely isomorphic to simplices, to get separable states with unique decompositions. In the two-qutrit case, we found that six product vectors spanning a five dimensional space give rise to a face isomorphic to the 5-dimensional simplex with six vertices, under a suitable linear independence assumption. If the partial conjugates of six product vectors also span a 5-dimensional space, then this face is inscribed in the face for PPT states whose boundary shares the fifteen 3-simplices on the boundary of the 5-simplex. The remaining boundary points consist of PPT entangled edge states of rank four. We also show that every edge state of rank four arises in this way. If the partial conjugates of the above six product vectors span a 6-dimensional space then we have a face isomorphic to 5-simplex, whose interior consists of separable states with unique decompositions, but with non-symmetric ranks. We also construct a face isomorphic to the 9-simplex. As applications, we give answers to questions in the literature Chen and Djokovi? (J Math Phys 54:022201, 2013) and Chen and Djokovi? (Commun Math Phys 323:241–284, 2013), and construct 3 ? 3PPT states of type (9,5). For the qubit-qudit cases with d ≥ 3, we also show that (d + 1)-dimensional subspaces give rise to faces isomorphic to the d-simplices, in most cases.     

Experimental detection of qubit-ququart pseudo-bound entanglement using three nuclear spins

In this work, we experimentally created and characterized a class of qubit-ququart PPT (positive under partial transpose) entangled states using three nuclear spins on an nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) quantum information processor. Entanglement detection and characterization for systems with a Hilbert space dimension $\ge 2?3$ is nontrivial since there are states in such systems which are both PPT as well as entangled. The experimental detection scheme that we devised for the detection of qubit-ququart PPT entanglement was based on the measurement of three Pauli operators with high precision, and is a key ingredient of the protocol in detecting entanglement. The family of PPT-entangled states considered in the current study are incoherent mixtures of five pure states. All the five states were prepared with high fidelities and the resulting PPT entangled states were prepared with mean fidelity ≥ 0.95. The entanglement thus detected was validated by carrying out full quantum state tomography (QST).     

Nonlocality for graph states

The possibility of preparing two-photon entangled states encoding three or more qubits in each photon leads to the following problem: If n quabits were distributed between two parties, which quantum pure states and qubit distributions would allow all-versus-nothing (or Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger-like) proofs of Bell’s theorem using only single-qubit measurements? We show a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of these proofs and provide all existing proofs up to n = 7 qubits. On the other hand, the possibility of preparing n-photon n-qubit graph states leads to the following problem: If n qubits were distributed between n parties, which would be the optimal Bell inequalities? We show all optimal n-party Bell inequalities for the perfect correlations of any graph state of n < 6 qubits. Optimal means that the ratio between the quantum violation and the bound for local hidden-variable theories is the maximum over all possible combinations of perfect correlations. This implies that the required detection efficiencies for loophole-free Bell tests are minimal.     

Photoionization cross sections of Fe XXI

Total and partial photoionization cross sections for (Fe XXI+hν→Fe XXII+e) are presented for the ground and excited bound states with n?10 and l?9. Fe XXI is prevalent in high-temperature astrophysical plasmas as well as in photoionized plasmas excited by hard X-rays. Results are reported for the first time for the high-energy photoionization with core excitations to n=2,3 states. Details of photoionization, especially the high-energy features that often dominate considerably over the low energy ones, are illustrated. These prominent features will affect the photoionization and the recombination rates in high-temperature plasmas. Calculations are carried out in the close coupling (CC) approximation using the R-matrix method. A large CC wavefunction expansion for Fe XXII which includes the ground and 28 excited core states from n=2 and 3 complexes and spans over a wide energy range is used. A total of 835 discrete bound states of Fe XXI in the singlet, triplet, and quintet symmetries are obtained. Total photoionization cross sections, σ_PI(nLS), for ionization into all 29 states are presented for all 835 final bound states and partial photoionization cross sections, σ_PI(g,nLS), for ionization into the ground ²P⁰ state of the core are presented for 685 states. While the n=2 core excitations are at relatively lower energy range (within 15 Ry from the ionization threshold), the n=3 excitations lie at considerably higher energy, 73 Ry and above, yet introduce resonant features and enhancements more prominent than those of n=2 states. Larger numbers of resonances are formed due to Rydberg series of autoionizing states converging on to the 29 core states. However, most noticeable structures are formed in the excited state cross sections by the photoexcitation-of-core (PEC) resonances in the photon energy range of 73-82 Ry. All these high-energy features are absent in the currently available results. The present results should enable more accurate modeling of the emission spectrum of highly excited plasma from the optical to far-ultraviolet region.     

Detection and study of Rb I Rydberg states

We describe the details of an experiment using an atomic beam of rubidium which allowed us to detect by field ionization techniques the np Rydberg states from n = 28 up to n = 78, to detect also ns and nd states using a Stark mixing, and for all of these detected states to check the classical law E_c = [16n^*4]^?1 concerning the critical ionizing electric field E_c. It turns out that for n as high as 65 this law is quite well verified.     

Transfer of a weakly bound electron in collisions of Rydberg atoms with neutral particles. II. Ion-pair formation and resonant quenching of the Rb(nl) and Ne(nl) States by Ca, Sr, and Ba atoms

Electron-transfer processes are studied in thermal collisions of Rydberg atoms with alkaline-earth Ca(4s ²), Sr(5s ²), and Ba(6s ²) atoms capable of forming negative ions with a weakly bound outermost p-electron. We consider the ion-pair formation and resonant quenching of highly excited atomic states caused by transitions between Rydberg covalent and ionic terms of a quasi-molecule produced in collisions of particles. The contributions of these reaction channels to the total depopulation cross section of Rydberg states of Rb(nl) and Ne(nl) atoms as functions of the principal quantum number n are compared for selectively excited nl-levels with l ? n and for states with large orbital quantum numbers l = n ? 1, n ? 2. It is shown that the contribution from resonant quenching dominates at small values of n, and the ion-pair formation process begins to dominate with increasing n. The values and positions of the maxima of cross sections for both processes strongly depend on the electron affinity of an alkaline-earth atom and on the orbital angular momentum l of a highly excited atom. It is shown that in the case of Rydberg atoms in states with large l ～ n ? 1, the rate constants of ion-pair formation and collisional quenching are considerably lower than those for nl-levels with l ? n.     

Constructing entanglement witness via real skew-symmetric operators

In this work, new types of EWs are introduced. They are constructed by using real skew-symmetric operators defined on a single party subsystem of a bipartite d⊗d system and a maximal entangled state in that system. A canonical form for these witnesses is proposed which is called canonical EW in corresponding to canonical real skew-symmetric operator. Also for each possible partition of the canonical real skew-symmetric operator corresponding EW is obtained. The method used for d⊗d case is extended to d₁⊗d₂ systems. It is shown that there exist C^d2 _d1 distinct possibilities to construct EWs for a given d₁⊗ d₂ Hilbert space. The optimality and nd-optimality problem is studied for each type of EWs. In each step, a large class of quantum PPT states is introduced. It is shown that among them there exist entangled PPT states which are detected by the constructed witnesses. Also the idea of canonical EWs is extended to obtain other EWs with greater PPT entanglement detection power.     

On the quantum density of states and partitioning an integer

This paper exploits the connection between the quantum many-particle density of states and the partitioning of an integer in number theory. For N bosons in a one-dimensional harmonic oscillator potential, it is well known that the asymptotic (N→∞) density of states is identical to the Hardy-Ramanujan formula for the partitions p(n), of a number n into a sum of integers. We show that the same statistical mechanics technique for the density of states of bosons in a power-law spectrum yields the partitioning formula for p^s(n), the latter being the number of partitions of n into a sum of sth powers of a set of integers. By making an appropriate modification of the statistical technique, we are also able to obtain d^s(n) for distinct partitions. We find that the distinct square partitions d²(n) show pronounced oscillations as a function of n about the smooth curve derived by us. The origin of these oscillations from the quantum point of view is discussed. After deriving the Erdos-Lehner formula for restricted partitions for the s=1 case, we use the modified technique to obtain a new formula for distinct restricted partitions.     

Synthesis and Structural, Magnetic and EPR Characterization of Discrete Finite Antiferromagnetic Chains

The synthesis, magnetic and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) characterisation of isolated, discrete, {Cr _n ^III } antiferromagnetically coupled chain complexes is reported for n = 6 and 7. Previous studies had reported supramolecular linked {Cr _n ^III } _x species. For n = 6, the lowest lying total spin state is diamagnetic with S = 1 and 2 first and second excited states, respectively; for n = 7, the lowest lying total spin state is S = 3/2 with S = 1/2 and 5/2 first and second excited states, respectively. The zero-field splittings of these states are well defined by low-temperature, multi-frequency EPR spectroscopy.     

Electronic structure of strained Sin/Gen(001) superlattices

Using the empirical tight binding method we have investigated the electronic properties of the Si_n/Ge_n(001) strained superlattices as a function of the superlattice periodicity and the band misfit. For n ≥ 4 we have found that first and second conduction band states are localized in Si. The hole states localized in Ge appear for n ≥ 4. The difference between the direct and indirect band gaps is reduced from 2.01 eV for bulk Si to 0.01 eV for n=6 which can be considered to be quasi-direct. For the cases n=6 and n=8, the band gap might become direct for large values of band misfit.     

A study of87Zr by (α,x n) reactions

The reactions⁸⁴Sr(α,n)⁸⁷Zr and⁸⁶Sr(α, 3n)⁸⁷Zr were used to populate excited states in⁸⁷Zr. The de-excitation of these states was studied by in-beamγ-ray spectroscopy. A number of new high-spin states were observed. Lifetime measurements were also performed. The results are discussed within the frame-works of the shell model and the particle-core coupling model.     

Dynamics of ‘quantumness’ measures in the decohering harmonic oscillator

We studied the behaviour under decoherence of four different measures of the distance between quantum states and classical states for the harmonic oscillator coupled to a linear Markovian bath. Three of these are relative measures, using different definitions of the distance between the given quantum states and the set of all classical states. The fourth measure is an absolute one, the negative volume of the Wigner function of the state. All four measures are found to agree, in general, with each other. When applied to the eigenstates |n〉, all four measures behave non-trivially as a function of time during dynamical decoherence. First, we find that the first set of classical states to which the set of eigenstate evolves is (by all measures used) closest to the initial set. That is, all the states decohere to classicality along the ‘shortest path’. Finding this closest classical set of states helps improve the behaviour of all the relative distance measures. Second, at each point in time before becoming classical, all measures have a state n^? with maximal quantum-classical distance; the value n^? decreases as a function of time. Finally, we explore the dynamics of these non-classicality measures for more general states.     

Advanced adiabatic approach to superlow-energy inelastic collisions of mesic atoms in excited states

The advanced adiabatic approach previously proposed for describing collision problems in atomic physics is extended to the specific case of mesic-atom collisions in the excited states n≥2. The method and the algorithm of the calculations are described. The calculations of the charge-exchange and Coulomb deexcitation rates in collisions of (pμ)_n, (dμ)_n, and (tμ)_n muonic atoms in the excited states n=3, 4, 5 with the hydrogen isotopes p, d, t are presented in comparison with the conventional adiabatic approach.     

Quantum Discord of 2<Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Superscript>-Dimensional Bell-Diagonal States

In this study, using the concept of relative entropy as a distance measure of correlations we investigate the important issue of evaluating quantum correlations such as entanglement, dissonance and classical correlations for 2 ⁿ -dimensional Bell-diagonal states. We provide an analytical technique, which describes how we find the closest classical states(CCS) and the closest separable states(CSS) for these states. Then analytical results are obtained for quantum discord of 2 ⁿ -dimensional Bell-diagonal states. As illustration, some special cases are examined. Finally, we investigate the additivity relation between the different correlations for the separable generalized Bloch sphere states.     

A Model of Competition Among More than Two Languages

We extend the Abrams–Strogatz model for competition between two languages (Abrams and Strogatz in Nature 424:900, 2003) to the case of n (≥2) competing states (i.e., languages). Although the Abrams–Strogatz model for n=2 can be interpreted as modeling either majority preference or minority aversion, the two mechanisms are distinct when n≥3. We find that the condition for the coexistence of different states is independent of n under the pure majority preference, whereas it depends on n under the pure minority aversion. We also show that the stable coexistence equilibrium and stable monopoly equilibria can be multistable under the minority aversion and not under the majority preference. Furthermore, we obtain the phase diagram of the model when the effects of the majority preference and minority aversion are mixed, under the condition that different states have the same attractiveness. We show that the multistability is a generic property of the model facilitated by large n.     

On positive maps in quantum information

Using the Grothendieck approach to the tensor product of locally convex spaces, we review a characterization of positive maps as well as Belavkin-Ohya characterization of PPT states. Moreover, within this scheme, a generalization of the idea of Choi matrices for genuine quantum systems will be presented.     

Sum rules involving coefficients of fractional parentage

Some sum rules involving the coefficients of fractional parentage are obtained. It is shown how these may be used to obtain expressions for the number of independent states in the (jⁿ)^J,T configuration.     

Rayleigh scattering fromn=3 states of hydrogenlike atoms

An exact analytic evaluation of the Kramers-Heisenberg matrix elements for Rayleigh scattering fromn=3 states of hydrogenlike atoms is performed in the nonrelativistic dipole approximation, using the Green's function method. The results are given separately for each subshell. The possibility of 3s?3d transitions is also considered. The dependence on the photon energy is contained in six invariant amplitudes. The formulas needed for the evaluation of the various cross sections are presented. The numerical results are contained in tables from which partial and total cross sections can be easily built, covering the energy range from zero up to 20 times theK threshold energy. In the vicinity of Balmerα frequency the cross section is large and comparable with that for excitedn=2 states, confirming an earlier hypothesis of Röhr. At other energies the cross sections forn=2 andn=3 states are comparable, too. The results should be useful in plasma diagnostics.