Fringe contrast in three grating Mach-Zehnder atomic interferometers

Several three-grating Mach-Zehnder atomic interferometers have been built and operated in recent years but no general theory of the contrast of the fringes produced by these apparatus is available. The purpose of this paper is to develop this theory, based on the Fresnel-Kirchoff approximate treatment of diffraction. Such a theory has been developed by Turchette et al. [JOSA B 9, 1601 (1992)] but because the necessary multiple integrals were evaluated in a purely numerical way, this treatment was not fully general. We show here how to reduce the computation by analytic means and we are thus able to calculate the contrast with a modest numerical effort. Moreover, we get a simple insight of the contrast reduction related to several defects of a real apparatus. We apply our calculations to existing interferometers as well as to an apparatus working with lithium which is under construction in our laboratory. Received: 24 April 1998 / Revised: 25 October 1998 / Accepted: 11 December 1998     

Phase diagram of randomly polymerized membrane

Using a replica formalism, a generalization of a recent mean field model corresponding to the observed wrinkling transition in randomly polymerized membranes is presented. In this model we study the effects of global fluctuations of the surface normals to the flat membrane, which can be introduced by a random local field. In absence of these global fluctuations, we show that, the model exhibits both continuous and discontinuous transitions between flat and wrinkled phases, contrary to what has been predicted by Bensimon et al. and Attal et al. Phase diagrams both in replica symmetry and in breaking of replica symmetry in sense of Almeida and Thouless are given. We have also investigated the effects of global fluctuations on the replica symmetry phase diagram. We show that, the wrinkled phase is favored and the flat phase is unstable. For large global fluctuations, the transition between wrinkled and flat phases becomes first order. Received: 3 December 1997 / Revised: 31 March 1998 / Accepted: 3 August 1998     

Classical dynamical simulation of spontaneous alloying

“Spontaneous alloying” observed by Yasuda, Mori et al. for metallic small clusters is simulated using classical Hamiltonian dynamics. Very rapid alloying occurs homogeneously and cooperatively starting from the solid phase of the cluster if the heat of solution is negative and the size of cluster is less than a critical size. Analysis of 2D models reveals that the alloying rate obeys an Arrhenius-type law, which predicts the alloying time much less than second at room temperature. Evidences manifesting that the spontaneous alloying proceeds in the solid phase without melting are also presented. The simulation reproduces the essential features of the experiments. Received: 2 March 1998 / Revised: 21 May 1998 / Accepted: 28 May 1998     

Electron angular distributions in double photoionization: Use of effective Sommerfeld parameters

We present calculations of the fivefold differential cross-section (FDCS) for double photoionization of helium at excess energies of 6 and 20 eV above threshold. Our results are obtained using for the final double-continuum state a product of three Coulomb wave functions, with the Sommerfeld parameters modified to describe the strength of interaction of any two particles affected by the third particle. Our calculations are compared with recent absolute measurements by D?rner et al. (Phys. Rev. A 57, 1074 (1998)), both in coplanar and non-coplanar geometries. Very good agreement is obtained for the shape of the angular distributions, and differences in the absolute magnitude exist in comparison with the standard choice of Sommerfeld parameters. Received: 17 July 1998 / Received in final form and Accepted: 23 October 1998     

Quantitative Brewster angle microscopy measurements of chiral symmetry breaking and chiral boundaries in fatty acid Langmuir monolayers

Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) measurements of the low temperature region of the phase diagram of eicosanoic acid monolayers at an acidic subphase are performed. The existence of a new chiral I phase intervening between the L₂ and L ₂ ' phase recently discovered by Durbin et al. [M.K. Durbin, A. Malik, A.G. Richter, R. Ghastkadvi, T. Gog, P. Dutta, J. Chem. Phys. 106, 8216 (1997)] using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) is confirmed. Chiral symmetry breaking within the monolayers creates characteristic boundaries separating domains of opposite handedness. These disclination lines are associated with a jump in the tilt azimuth of the director, while the underlying hexatic orientation is continuous across the boundary. The disclination lines are observed with the Brewster angle microscope and analyzed as a function of surface pressure. The jump in tilt azimuth is determined. Agreement with an extended Landau theory proposed by Durbin is achieved. Received: 26 January 1998 / Revised: 3 August 1998 / Accepted: 7 August 1998     

Elastic scattering of low-energy electrons by NO

We report elastic integral, momentum transfer and differential cross sections for electron scattering by N₂O for energies up to 50 eV. These results were obtained at the static-exchange approximation with the Schwinger Multichannel Method with Pseudopotentials [M.H.F. Bettega, L.G. Ferreira and M.A.P. Lima, Phys. Rev. A 47, 1111 (1993)]. In general our results show good agreement with experimental data and with other theoretical results but some discrepancies are found. We have also found a shape resonance around 4 eV in agreement with previous calculations using the R-matrix Method of Sarpal et al. [J. Phys. B 29, 857 (1996)]. On the other hand, the existence of a resonance at about 13 eV, clearly seen by the Schwinger Variational Iterative Method [Michelin et al., J. Phys. B 29, 2115 (1996)], can not be confirmed by our calculations. At this energy, our cross sections show a broad bump with no clear resonant behavior given by the eigenphase sum. Received: 13 November 1997 / Revised: 13 March 1998 / Accepted: 9 April 1998     

Force distribution in an inhomogeneous sandpile

The force perturbation field in a two-dimensional pile of frictionless gravity-loaded discs or spheres arising from lattice distortions is derived to first order. The starting point is the model proposed by Liffman et al. (Powder Technology (1992) pp. 255-267) and Hong (Phys. Rev. E 47, 760-762 (1993)) in which discs of uniform size are arranged on a regular lattice: this predicts a uniform normal stress distribution at the base of the pile. The analysis is applied to two problems: (i) deformable (rather than rigid) grains that undergo Hertzian deformation at the points of contact; (ii) a pile containing a gradient in particle size from the centre to the free surfaces. The former results in the classical pressure dip at the centre; the latter also produces a dip if the larger particles are at the centre. Received 29 January 1998 and Received in final form 7 September 1998     

Fermi liquid theory: a renormalization group approach

We show how Fermi liquid theory results can be systematically recovered using a renormalization group (RG) approach. Considering a two-dimensional system with a circular Fermi surface, we derive RG equations at one-loop order for the two-particle vertex function in the limit of small momentum () and energy () transfer and obtain the equation which determines the collective modes of a Fermi liquid. The density-density response function is also calculated. The Landau function (or, equivalently, the Landau parameters F _l ^s and F _l ^a ) is determined by the fixed point value of the -limit of the two-particle vertex function (). We show how the results obtained at one-loop order can be extended to all orders in a loop expansion. Calculating the quasi-particle life-time and renormalization factor at two-loop order, we reproduce the results obtained from two-dimensional bosonization or Ward Identities. We discuss the zero-temperature limit of the RG equations and the difference between the Field Theory and the Kadanoff-Wilson formulations of the RG. We point out the importance of n-body () interactions in the latter. Received: 27 June 1997 / Received in final form: 17 December 1997 / Accepted: 26 January 1998     

Twin-correlations in atoms

We discuss the possibility of preparing an atomic sample of atoms with minimum fluctuations in the difference between populations of two levels. A first scheme involves absorption of twin beams of light, and it presents a variant of a recent proposal for atomic spin squeezing within an excited state manifold [Kuzmich et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 4782 (1997)]. A second scheme involves atoms with two stable states, and we suggest that by use of quantum non-demolition detection and feed-back optical pumping, we may ensure a perfect agreement between the number of atoms in these two states. Received: 14 May 1998 / Revised: 10 August 1998 / Accepted: 8 October 1998     

Rupture energy of a pendular liquid bridge

We propose a simple expression for the rupture energy of a pendular liquid bridge between two spheres, taking into account capillary and viscous (lubrication) forces. In the case of capillary forces only, the results are in accordance with curve fitting expressions proposed by Simons et al. [2] and Willett et al. [5]. We performed accurate measurements of the force exerted by liquid bridges between two spheres. Experimental results are found to be close to theoretical values. A reasonable agreement is also found in the presence of viscous forces. Finally, for small bridge volumes, the rupture criterion given by Lian et al. [10] is modified, taking into account additional viscous effects. Received 18 September 2000 and Received in final form 10 June 2001     

The determination of the lifetime of hot electrons in metals by time-resolved two-photon photoemission: the role of transport effects, virtual states, and transient excitons

Experience has shown that theoretically determined lifetimes of bulk states of hot electrons in real metals agree quantitatively with the experimental ones, if theory fully takes into account the crystal structure and many-body effects of the investigated metal, i.e., if the Dyson equation is solved at the ab initio level and the effective electron–electron interaction is determined beyond the plasmon-pole approximation. Therefore the hitherto invoked transport effect [Knoesel et al.: Phys. Rev. B 57, 12812 (1998)] does not seem to exist. In this paper we show that likewise neither virtual states [Hertel: et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 535 (1996)] nor damped band-gap states [Ogawa: et al.: Phys. Rev. B 55, 10869 (1997)] exist, but that the hitherto unexplained d-band catastrophe in Cu [Cu(111), Cu(110)] can be naturally resolved by the concept of the transient exciton. This is a new quasiparticle in metals, which owes its existence to the dynamical character of dielectric screening at the microscopic level. This means that excitons, though they do not exist under stationary conditions, can be observed under ultrafast experimental conditions. Received: 30 March 2000 / Accepted: 2 September 2000 / Published online: 12 October 2000     

Perturbation expansion, Bogoliubov inequality and integral representations in nonextensive Tsallis statistics

By using integral representations the perturbation expansion and the Bogoliubov inequality in nonextensive Tsallis statistics are investigated in a unified way. This procedure extends the analysis performed recently by Lenzi et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 218 (1998)] to the quantum (discrete spectra) case, for q<1. An example is presented in order to illustrate the method. Received 19 November 1998     

Instabilities in foam clusters related to the pressures in the bubbles

We reinterpret an instability in a two-dimensional free foam cluster previously discussed by Weaire et al. (Eur. Phys. J. E 7, 123 (2002)) in terms of the excess pressure in the bubbles. We conclude that in a free foam cluster no bubble can have a pressure below that of the surrounding gas. Received: 20 September 2002 / Accepted: 5 May 2003 / Published online: 27 May 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: fatima.vaz@ist.utl.pt     

Free energy of semiflexible polymers and structure of interfaces

The free energy of semiflexible polymers is calculated as a functional of the compositional scalar order parameter and the orientational order parameter of second-rank tensor S_ij on the basis of a microscopic model of wormlike chains with variable segment lengths. We use a density functional theory and a gradient expansion to evaluate the entropic part of the free energy, which is given in a power series of .The interaction term of the free energy is derived with a random phase approximation. For the rigid rod limit, the nematic-isotropic transition point is given by , N and w being the degree of polymerization and the anisotropic interaction parameter, respectively, and the degree of ordering at the transition point is 0.33448. We also find that the contour length of polymer chains becomes larger in a nematic phase than in an isotropic phase. Interface profiles are obtained numerically for some typical cases. In the neighborhood of isotropic-isotropic interfaces, polymer chains tend to align parallel to the interface on the polymer-rich side and perpendicular on the poor side. When an isotropic region and a nematic region coexist, orientational order parallel to the interface is preferred in the nematic region. Received: 28 May 1998 / Revised: 12 August 1998 / Accepted: 8 September 1998     

Some remarks on Yang-Baxter algebras

We point out the existence of an alternative algebraic structure in Yang-Baxter algebra with trigonometric R-matrix, which appears to be the generalization of the Yangian in Yang-Baxter algebras with rational R-matrix and which is described most naturally by q-commutators. Some properties are presented, in particular in the case of the well-known symmetric six-vertex model. Received: 13 February 1998 / Revised: 16 March 1998 / Accepted: 17 April 1998     

Chain length dependence of anomalous swelling in multilamellar lipid vesicles

Using small-angle X-ray scattering, the repeat distance vs. temperature is measured for a homologous series of multilamellar vesicles of lecithins with varying acyl chain length in excess water condition around the lipid main transition. A systematic chain length dependence is found which is in accordance with a bending rigidity renormalization and critical unbinding of the lamellae close to the transition, as previously suggested in H?nger et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 72, 3911 (1994)]. Received 13 January 1999 and Received in final form 6 September 1999     

Melting of columnar hexagonal DNA liquid crystals

The persistence length DNA hexagonal-cholesteric phase transition upon dilution and/or increase in solvent ionic strength is investigated with polarized light microscopy. The ionic strength dependence of the transition follows Lindemann criterion , i.e., the hexagonal lattice melts when the root-mean-square fluctuations in transverse order exceed 10% of the interaxial spacing. The spacings are derived from density and the fluctuations are estimated with a theory of undulation enhanced electrostatic interactions. Additional support for this theory is given by the DNA equation of state and anisotropic neutron radiation scattering from magnetically aligned cholesteric samples just below the phase transition. Received: 17 November 1997 / Revised: 21 January 1998 / Accepted: 25 February 1998     

A geometric generalization of field theory to manifolds of arbitrary dimension

We introduce a generalization of the O(N) field theory to N-colored membranes of arbitrary inner dimension D. The O(N) model is obtained for , while leads to self-avoiding tethered membranes (as the O(N) model reduces to self-avoiding polymers). The model is studied perturbatively by a 1-loop renormalization group analysis, and exactly as .Freedom to choose the expansion point D, leads to precise estimates of critical exponents of the O(N) model. Insights gained from this generalization include a conjecture on the nature of droplets dominating the 3d-Ising model at criticality; and the fixed point governing the random bond Ising model. Received: 15 October 1998 / Accepted: 4 November 1998     

Correlated transport and non-Fermi-liquid behavior in single-wall carbon nanotubes

We derive the effective low-energy theory for single-wall carbon nanotubes including the Coulomb interactions among electrons. The generic model found here consists of two spin-fermion chains which are coupled by the interaction. We analyze the theory using bosonization, renormalization-group techniques, and Majorana refermionization. Several experimentally relevant consequences of the breakdown of Fermi liquid theory observed here are discussed in detail, e.g., magnetic instabilities, anomalous conductance laws, and impurity screening profiles. Received: 12 December 1997 / Revised: 9 March 1998 / Accepted: 12 March 1998