Optically detected nuclear magnetic resonance at the sub-micron scale

Nuclear magnetic resonance is arguably one of the most powerful techniques available today to characterize diverse systems. However, the low sensitivity of the standard detection method constrains the applicability of this technique to samples having effective dimensions not less than a few microns. Here, we propose a novel scheme and device for the indirect detection of the nuclear spin signal at a submicroscopic scale. This approach--for which the name Dipolar Field Microscopy is suggested--is based on the manipulation of the long-range nuclear dipolar interaction created between the sample and a semiconductor tip located close to its surface. After a preparation interval, the local magnetization of the sample is used to modulate the nuclear magnetization in the semiconductor tip, which, in turn is determined by an optical inspection. Based on results previously reported, it is shown that, in principle, images and/or localized high-resolution spectra of the sample can be retrieved with spatial resolution proportional to the size of the tip.     

Extended structures and new infinite-dimensional hidden symmetries for the Einstein–Maxwell-dilaton-axion theory with multiple vector fields

A so-called extended elliptical-complex (EEC) function method is proposed and used to further study the Einstein–Maxwell-dilaton-axion theory with p vector fields (EMDA-p theory, for brevity) for . An Ernst-like matrix EEC potential is introduced and the motion equations of the stationary axisymmetric EMDA-p theory are written as a so-called Hauser–Ernst-like self-dual relation for the EEC matrix potential. In particular, for the EMDA-2 theory, two Hauser–Ernst-type EEC linear systems are established and based on their solutions some new parametrized symmetry transformations are explicitly constructed. These hidden symmetries are verified to constitute an infinite-dimensional Lie algebra, which is the semidirect product of the Kac–Moody algebra and Virasoro algebra (without centre charges). These results show that the studied EMDA-p theories possess very rich symmetry structures and the EEC function method is necessary and effective.     

Thomson scattering induced by gravitational waves

We investigate the effects of a weak gravitational wave, modelled as a gaussian wavepacket, on the polarization state of an electromagnetic field enclosed in a cavity. Our approach is semiclassical, in that the electromagnetic field is described as a quantum field, while the gravitational perturbation is treated classically, as a slightly curved background spacetime. Assuming that before the interaction the electromagnetic field has been prepared in a given polarization state, we show that – due to the gravitational scattering with the wave – some photons having different polarization states are found in the cavity at late times. Such polarization scattering has some resemblance with Thomson scattering, well-known in Quantum Electrodynamics: hence the motivation for the title. We give a numerical estimate of the resulting photon polarization spreading in the case of a typical gravitational burst from a final supernova rebound. We also briefly comment about the possible influence of such gravitational scattering on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarization.     

On the Path of a Quasi-static Crack in Mode III

A method for finding the path of a quasi-static crack growing in a brittle body is presented. The propagation process is modelled by a sequence of discrete steps optimizing the elastic energy released. An explicit relationship between the optimal growing direction and the parameters defining the local elastic field around the tip is obtained for an anti-plane field. This allows to describe a simple algorithm to compute the crack path. Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000) 74R05, 74B05, 74G70.Gerardo E. Oleaga: Supported by EU-Project Front Singularities University of Leipzig and the Max Planck Institute MIS. Partial support was also provided by the Spanish DGES project BFM2000-0605.     

On splitting of totally singular quadratic forms

In this note we completely study the standard splitting of quasi-Pfister forms and their neighbors, and we include some general results on standard splitting towers of totally singular quadratic forms. The author was supported by the European research network HPRN-CT-2002-00287 “AlgebraicK-Theory, Linear Algebraic Groups and Related Structures”.     

The Spectrum of Two-Particle Bound States for the Transfer Matrices of Gibbs Fields (an Isolated Bound State)

This paper initiates a general study of the spectrum of two-particle bound states of transfer matrices for a fairly wide class of Gibbs fields at high temperature T. In the present first part of this study, a detailed statement of the problem is given and the existence of a so-called "isolated level" lying at a distance 1/T ² from the boundary of the continuous spectrum is established for all values of the total quasimomentum of the system. In the concluding part of the paper, we prove that there are no other bound states provided that is far from certain singular values. In the second part, we will consider bound states for close to the singular values. The distance from these states (adjacent levels, in the authors' terminology) to the continuous spectrum is at most of the order of 1/T ⁴.     

Gauge-Invariant Regularization of Quantum Field Theory on the Light Front

We briefly describe problems of the Hamiltonian approach for quantizing gauge fields on the light front for space–time bounded by the inequality |x ^–|L with periodic boundary conditions in the variable x ^– imposed on all fields (the DLCQ method). With these restrictions, we consider the gauge-invariant ultraviolet regularization by passing to a lattice in transverse coordinates. We remove the remaining ultraviolet divergences in the longitudinal momentum p _– by imposing a gauge-invariant finite-mode regularization. It turns out that the canonical formalism on the light front with such a regularization imposed does not contain the usual most complicated second-class constraints between zero and nonzero modes of fields. The described scheme can be used both to regularize the standard gauge theory and to provide a gauge-invariant formulation of effective low-energy models on the light front. Because the manifest Lorentz invariance is broken in our formalism, the vacuum state is poorly defined. We discuss this problem, in particular, in relation to the problem of passing to the continuous space limit.     

On the Computation of Square Roots in Finite Fields

In this paper, two improvements for computing square roots in finite fields are presented. Firstly, we give a simple extension of a method by O. Atkin, which requires two exponentiations in FM _q , when q9 mod 16. Our second method gives a major improvement to the Cipolla–Lehmer algorithm, which is both easier to implement and also much faster. While our method is independent of the power of 2 in q–1, its expected running time is equivalent to 1.33 as many multiplications as exponentiation via square and multiply. Several numerical examples are given that show the speed-up of the proposed methods, compared to the routines employed by Mathematica, Maple, respectively Magma.     

On the Representation of Primes by Cubic Polynomials in Two Variables

In an earlier paper (see Proc. London Math. Soc. (3) 84 (2002)257–288) we showed that an irreducible integral binarycubic form f(x, y) attains infinitely many prime values, providingthat it has no fixed prime divisor. We now extend this resultby showing that f(m, n) still attains infinitely many primevalues if m and n are restricted by arbitrary congruence conditions,providing that there is still no fixed prime divisor. Two immediate consequences for the solvability of diagonal cubicDiophantine equations are given. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification11N32 (primary), 11N36, 11R44 (secondary).