Stochastic models of firstorder nonequilibrium phase transitions in chemical reactions

The steady states of a simple nonlinear chemical system kept far from equilibrium are analyzed. A standard macroscopic analysis shows that the nonlinearity introduces an instability causing a transition analogous to a thermodynamic first-order phase transition. Near this transition the system exhibits hysteresis between two alternative steady states. Fluctuations are introduced into this model using a stochastic master equation. The solution of this master equation is unique, preventing two alternative exactly stable states. However, a quasi-hysteresis occurs involving transitions between alternative metastable steady states on a time scale that is longer than that of the fluctuations around the mean steady state values by a factor of the forme , where ø is the height of a generalized thermodynamic potential barrier between the two states. In the thermodynamic limit this time scale tends to infinity and we have essentially two alternative stable steady states.     

Long-lived memory for mesoscopic quantum bits

We describe a technique to create long-lived quantum memory for quantum bits in mesoscopic systems. Specifically we show that electronic spin coherence can be reversibly mapped onto the collective state of the surrounding nuclei. The coherent transfer can be efficient and fast and it can be used, when combined with standard resonance techniques, to reversibly store coherent superpositions on the time scale of seconds. This method can also allow for "engineering" entangled states of nuclear ensembles and efficiently manipulating the stored states. We investigate the feasibility of this method through a detailed analysis of the coherence properties of the system.     

Super-Hydrodynamic Limit in Interacting Particle Systems

This paper is a follow-up of the work initiated in (Arab J Math, 2014), where we investigated the hydrodynamic limit of symmetric independent random walkers with birth at the origin and death at the rightmost occupied site. Here we obtain two further results: first we characterize the stationary states on the hydrodynamic time scale as a family of linear macroscopic profiles parameterized by their mass. Then we prove that beyond hydrodynamics there exists a longer time scale where the evolution becomes random. On such a super-hydrodynamic scale the particle system is at each time close to the stationary state with same mass and the mass fluctuates performing a Brownian motion reflected at the origin.     

Equilibrium Pure States and Nonequilibrium Chaos

We consider nonequilibrium systems such as the Edwards–Anderson Ising spin glass at a temperature where, in equilibrium, there are presumed to be (two or many) broken-symmetry pure states. Following a deep quench, we argue that as time t, although the system is usually in some pure state locally, either it never settles permanently on a fixed length scale into a single pure state, or it does, but then the pure state depends on both the initial spin configuration and the realization of the stochastic dynamics. But this latter case can occur only if there exists an uncountable number of pure states (for each coupling realization) with almost every pair having zero overlap. In both cases, almost no initial spin configuration is in the basin of attraction of a single pure state; that is, the configuration space (resulting from a deep quench) is all boundary (except for a set of measure zero). We prove that the former case holds for deeply quenched 2D ferromagnets. Our results raise the possibility that even if more than one pure state exists for an infinite system, time averages do not necessarily disagree with Boltzmann averages.     

d-Wave resonating valence bond states of fermionic atoms in optical lattices

We study controlled generation and measurement of superfluid d-wave resonating valence bond (RVB) states of fermionic atoms in 2D optical lattices. Starting from loading spatial and spin patterns of atoms in optical superlattices as pure quantum states from a Fermi gas, we adiabatically transform this state to an RVB state by a change of the lattice parameters. Results of exact time-dependent numerical studies for ladders systems are presented, suggesting generation of RVB states on a time scale smaller than typical experimental decoherence times.     

Interaction of pair coherent state with a three-level Λ-type atom and generation of a modified Bessel-Gaussian state with a vortex structure

The evolution of a system state is derived based on the nonresonant interaction of a three-level "Λ" type atom with two cavity modes at a pair coherent state and two classic fields, and a cavity field state is analysed in detail under conditional detecting. It is found that the quantized modified Bessel-Gaussian states as well as the superposition states consisting of the quantized vortex states with different weighted coefficients may be prepared through carefully preparing an initial atomic state and appropriately adjusting the interaction time. The scheme provides an additional choice to realize the two-mode quantized vortex state within the context of cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED).     

Very low temperature specific heat of crystalline zirconium in normal and superconducting states

Specific heat measurements of zirconium between 0.03 and 1.2 K in both normal and superconducting states are reported. In the normal state a purely linear electronic contribution is observed down to 0.1 K; at lower temperatures there appears the onset of a nuclear hyperfine contribution which is unobservable in the superconducting state within our experimental time scale.     

Dynamical Vacuum in Quantum Cosmology

By regarding the vacuum as a perfect fluid with equation of state p = -, de Sitter's cosmological model is quantized. Our treatment differs from previous ones in that it endows the vacuum with dynamical degrees of freedom, following modern ideas that the cosmological term is a manifestation of the vacuum energy. Instead of being postulated from the start, the cosmological constant arises from the degrees of freedom of the vacuum regarded as a dynamical entity, and a time variable can be naturally introduced. Taking the scale factor as the sole degree of freedom of the gravitational field, stationary and wave-packet solutions to the Wheeler-DeWitt equation are found, whose properties are studied. It is found that states of the Universe with a definite value of the cosmological constant do not exist. For the wave packets investigated, quantum effects are noticeable only for small values of the scale factor, a classical regime being attained at asymptotically large times.     

Nonlinear signal transduction network with multistate

Signal transduction is an important and basic mechanism to cell life activities. The stochastic state transition of receptor induces the release of signaling molecular, which triggers the state transition of other receptors. It constructs a nonlinear sigaling network, and leads to robust switchlike properties which are critical to biological function. Network architectures and state transitions of receptor affect the performance of this biological network. In this work, we perform a study of nonlinear signaling on biological polymorphic network by analyzing network dynamics of the Ca²⁺-induced Ca²⁺ release (CICR) mechanism, where fast and slow processes are involved and the receptor has four conformational states. Three types of networks, Erdös-Rényi (ER) network, Watts-Strogatz (WS) network, and BaraBási-Albert (BA) network, are considered with different parameters. The dynamics of the biological networks exhibit different patterns at different time scales. At short time scale, the second open state is essential to reproduce the quasi-bistable regime, which emerges at a critical strength of connection for all three states involved in the fast processes and disappears at another critical point. The pattern at short time scale is not sensitive to the network architecture. At long time scale, only monostable regime is observed, and difference of network architectures affects the results more seriously. Our finding identifies features of nonlinear signaling networks with multistate that may underlie their biological function.     

Phase shift analysis of modulated photocurrent: Determination of the energy scale

For the determination of the density of states in the mobility gap of amorphous semiconductors using the phase shift analysis of modulated photocurrent, this paper suggests that making use of the magnitude of the induced photocurrent helps to remove arbitrariness in the energy scale. The working equations for the density of states and the corresponding energy position are expressed in terms of the intensity of the photocurrent. A simulation is made for a specific distribution, to investigate the validity of the procedure. The results show that the profile of the energetic distribution of localized states and the exact energy position of each state are consistent with the original distribution considered.     

Metamorphosis of the quantum Hall ferromagnet at nu=2/5

We report on the dramatic evolution of the quantum Hall ferromagnet in the fractional quantum Hall regime at nu=2/5 filling. A large enhancement in the characteristic time scale gives rise to a dynamical transition into a novel quantized Hall state. The observed Hall state is determined to be a zero-temperature phase distinct from the spin-polarized and spin-unpolarized nu=2/5 fractional quantum Hall states. It is characterized by a strong temperature dependence and puzzling correlation between temperature and time.     

SU(1,1) Coherent States for the Generalized Two-Mode Time-Dependent Quadratic Hamiltonian System

The SU(1,1) coherent states, so-called Barut-Girardello coherent state and Perelomov coherent state, for the generalized two-mode time-dependent quadratic Hamiltonian system are investigated through SU(1,1) Lie algebraic formulation. Two-mode Schrödinger cat states defined as an eigenstate of $\hat{K}_{-}^{2}The SU(1,1) coherent states, so-called Barut-Girardello coherent state and Perelomov coherent state, for the generalized two-mode time-dependent quadratic Hamiltonian system are investigated through SU(1,1) Lie algebraic formulation. Two-mode Schr?dinger cat states defined as an eigenstate of are also studied. We applied our development to two-mode Caldirola-Kanai oscillator which is a typical example of the time-dependent quadratic Hamiltonian system. The time evolution of the quadrature distribution for the probability density in the coherent states are analyzed for the two-mode Caldirola-Kanai oscillator by plotting relevant figures.     

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.     

Time resolved collapse of a folding protein observed with small angle x-ray scattering

High-intensity, "pink" beam from an undulator was used in conjunction with microfabricated rapid-fluid mixing devices to monitor the early events in protein folding with time resolved small angle x-ray scattering. This Letter describes recent work on the protein bovine beta-lactoglobulin where collapse from an expanded to a compact set of states was directly observed on the millisecond time scale. The role of chain collapse, one of the initial stages of protein folding, is not currently understood. The characterization of transient, compact states is vital in assessing the validity of theories and models of the folding process.     

Isochoric heating of solid-density matter with an ultrafast proton beam

A new technique is described for the isochoric heating (i.e., heating at constant volume) of matter to high energy-density plasma states (>10(5) J/g) on a picosecond time scale (10(-12)sec). An intense, collimated, ultrashort-pulse beam of protons--generated by a high-intensity laser pulse--is used to isochorically heat a solid density material to a temperature of several eV. The duration of heating is shorter than the time scale for significant hydrodynamic expansion to occur; hence the material is heated to a solid density warm dense plasma state. Using spherically shaped laser targets, a focused proton beam is produced and used to heat a smaller volume to over 20 eV. The technique described of ultrafast proton heating provides a unique method for creating isochorically heated high-energy density plasma states.     

Optical parity gate and a wide range of entangled states generation

Generating entangled states efficiently is a hot topic in the area of quantum information science.With the approach presented in this paper,a general parity gate could be realized and a wide range of entangled states,including GHZ state,W state,Dicke state,arbitrary graph state and locally maximally entanglable states,can be generated flexibly.The generation of GHZ state,W state,and Dicke state is probabilistic but heralded and the total success probability is unit.In addition,the arbitrary graph state and locally maximally entanglable states generation is deterministic,flexible,and highly efficient.Especially,with the"simultaneous"generation pattern,the complexity of the graph state generation and locally maximally entanglable states generation could be reduced greatly,providing a more efficient and feasible way to generate the entangled states.     

Quantitative conditions for time evolution in terms of the von Neumann equation

The adiabatic theorem describes the time evolution of the pure state and gives an adiabatic approximate solution to the Schr ¨odinger equation by choosing a single eigenstate of the Hamiltonian as the initial state. In quantum systems, states are divided into pure states(unite vectors) and mixed states(density matrices, i.e., positive operators with trace one). Accordingly, mixed states have their own corresponding time evolution, which is described by the von Neumann equation. In this paper, we discuss the quantitative conditions for the time evolution of mixed states in terms of the von Neumann equation. First, we introduce the definitions for uniformly slowly evolving and δ-uniformly slowly evolving with respect to mixed states, then we present a necessary and sufficient condition for the Hamiltonian of the system to be uniformly slowly evolving and we obtain some upper bounds for the adiabatic approximate error. Lastly, we illustrate our results in an example.     

飞秒时间分辨拉曼光谱用于研究β-胡萝卜素单重激发态内转换和振动弛豫过程

搭建了飞秒时间分辨受激拉曼光谱(FSRS)装置,并用于研究全反式β-胡萝卜素单重电子激发态超快内转换和振动弛豫过程.基于三脉冲“抽运-探测”方案搭建的时间分辨受激拉曼光谱装置同时实现了150fs的时间分辨率和23.7cm^-1的光谱分辨率,光谱检测范围为300—4000cm^-1.对全反式β-胡萝卜素电子激发态的飞秒时间分辨拉曼光谱研究表明,β-胡萝卜素被激发到S₂态后,经由寿命约为0.3ps的中间态S_X态实 关键词： 飞秒时间分辨拉曼光谱 β-胡萝卜素 激发态内转换 振动弛豫     

Resonances for the AC-Stark effect

The resonance problem for the AC-Stark effect is discussed. We prove that all bound states of the system –(1/2) +V(x) will turn into resonances after an AC-electric field is switched on and the order of the imaginary part of a resonance is determined by the number of the photons it takes to ionize the bound state which is turning into the resonance; if two bound states have energy difference of the photon, there exists a state which oscillates between the two states for a long time.This work is supported by the U.S.N.S.F. under grant No. MCS-80-23339-A01     

基于绝热快速通道控制原子布居数及其相干性的研究

本文在理论上研究了纳秒数量级内，运用绝热快速通道（ARP）来控制基态原子的相干性及 其布居数在不同能态间的转移.理论计算结果表明抽运激光脉冲相对斯托克斯（Stokes）脉 冲延迟时间的微小改变会导致原子相干性及其布居数的显著变化.运用密度矩阵方程和麦克 斯韦方程联合的自洽方程数值解，我们找到了实现原子最大相干性及其布居数在不同能态间 完全转移的条件. 关键词： 绝热快速通道 布居数 原子相干