Quantum correlations close to a square pattern forming instability

We analyze the quantum fluctuations of the degenerate optical parametric oscillator close to an instability for the formation of a square pattern. While strong correlations between the fluctuations of the signal modes emitted at the critical wave number and with opposite wave vector are present both below and above threshold, no features signaling the square character of the pattern forming above threshold have been identified below threshold in the spatio-temporal second-order coherence. We also explore in which regimes a reduced few mode model gives meaningful results. Received 17 September 2002 / Received in final form 11 November 2002 Published online 26 February 2003     

Distribution of eigenfrequencies for vibrating plates

Acoustic spectra of free plates with a chaotic billiard shape have been measured, and all resonance frequencies in the range 0-500 kHz have been identified. The spectral fluctuations are analyzed and compared to predictions of the Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble (GOE) of random matrices. The best agreement is found with a superposition of two independent GOE spectra with equal density which indicates that two types of eigenmodes contribute to the same extent. To explain and predict these results a detailed theoretical analysis is carried out below the first cut-off frequency where only flexural and in-plane vibrations are possible. Using three-dimensional plate dispersion relations and two-dimensional models for flexural and in-plane vibrations we obtained two first terms of the asymptotic expansion of the counting function of these eigenmodes. The contribution of edge modes is also discussed. The results are in a very good agreement with the experimentally measured number of modes. The analysis shows that the two types of modes have almost equal level density in the measured frequency interval, and this explains the observed spectral statistics. For a plate with broken symmetry in the up-down direction (where flexural and in-plane modes are strongly coupled) experimentally observed spectral fluctuations correspond to a single GOE spectrum. Above the first cut-off frequency a greater complexity of the spectral fluctuations is expected since a larger number of types of modes will contribute to the spectrum. Received 5 January 1999 and Received in final form 5 September 1999     

Properties of pulsed entangled two-photon fields

The dependence of one- and two-photon characteristics of pulsed entangled two-photon fields generated in spontaneous parametric down-conversion on the pump-pulse properties (shape of the pump-pulse spectrum and its internal structure) is examined. It is shown that entangled two-photon fields with defined properties can be generated. A general relation between the spectra of the down-converted fields is established. As a special case the interference of two partially overlapping pulsed two-photon fields is studied. The fourth-order interference pattern of entangled two-photon fields is investigated in the polarization analog of the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer. Received: 23 December 1998 / Received in final form: 14 April 1999     

Photon entanglement in the phase-space Q representation of quantum optics

Several examples of photon entanglement are studied in the Q representation of quantum optics. In particular, the entangled states produced in parametric downconversion are studied in detail, and we determine the conditions for the violation of Bell's inequality. Our approach shows that photon entanglement is related to the existence of correlations between the quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field associated to different modes. Received 10 August 2002 / Received in final form 7 November 2002 Published online 4 February 2003     

Quantum images in non degenerate optical parametric oscillators

Quantum images, that is inhomogeneous field distributions purely generated by quantum fluctuations, persist when passing from the degenerate to the non-degenerate case of optical parametric oscillators (OPO). Below the threshold for parametric oscillation where the near-field distributions are homogeneous both in intensity and phase, appropriate spatial correlation functions anticipate the transverse spatial pattern that appears above threshold. In particular, the angular dependence of the far field spatial correlation function is able to reveal the travelling-wave nature of the phase pattern above threshold typical of nondegenerate OPOs. Cross-correlation functions between signal and idler intensities show clear evidence of the non-classical nature of the output light. Received 8 October 1999     

Pattern selection and stabilization in an annular CO laser

The formation and stabilization of spatio-temporal patterns in an annular CO₂ laser is studied. We give experimental and numerical evidence of the role of a small spatial perturbation (consisting of a thin metallic wire inserted in the optical cavity) in the selection and stabilization of patterns. Received 15 December 1999     

Quantum Zeno effect in two coupled nonlinear optical processes

Consecutive nonlinear optical interactions consisting of two coupled parametric processes, namely, the nondegenerate spontaneous parametric down-conversion and up-conversion, are analyzed. The vacuum state of the input light is considered to be an unstable state decaying into a reservoir of down-converted modes, with one of the modes generated being continuously measured using the up-conversion process. Mean photon numbers at interacting frequencies are studied. Special attention is paid to the case where the nonlinear coupling coefficient for the up-conversion process is much larger than that for the nondegenerate spontaneous parametric down-conversion. It is shown that in this case the result of such consecutive interactions can be interpreted from the viewpoint of the quantum Zeno effect.     

Magnetic interaction between coupled quantum dots

We study the magnetic coupling in artificial molecules composed of two and four laterally coupled quantum dots. The electronic ground-state configurations of such systems are determined by applying current spin density functional theory which allows to include effects of magnetic fields. While the ground-state of a two-dot molecule with strong enough inter-dot coupling tends to be antiferromagnetic with respect to the spins of the single dot components, we find that a square lattice of four dots has a ferromagnetic ground state. Received 17 February 1999 and Received in final form 1 June 1999     

On the measurement of photon flux in parametric down-conversion

We report the measurement of the photons flux produced in parametric down-conversion, performed in photon counting regime with actively quenched silicon avalanche photodiodes as single photon detectors. Measurements are done with the detector in a well defined geometrical and spectral situation. By comparison of the experimental data with the theory, a value for the second order susceptibilities of the non linear crystal can be inferred. Received 2 July 1999 and Received in final form 2 August 1999     

Numerical simulation of spatial fluctuations in parametric image amplification

We study the properties of the spatial fluctuations in the far-field parametric fluorescence output of a type 1 degenerate traveling-wave parametric amplifier. Results of a semi-classical simulation are compared with experiments in a LBO crystal. This simulation is then used to predict amplified images of a continuous background, in a phase-sensitive as well as in a phase-insensitive configuration. Received 12 March 2001     

Plateau transitions in fractional quantum Hall liquids

Effects of backward scattering between fractional quantum Hall (FQH) edge modes are studied. Based on the edge-state picture for hierarchical FQH liquids, we discuss the possibility of the transitions between different plateaux of the tunneling conductance G. We find a selection rule for the sequence which begins with a conductance (m: integer, p: even integer) in units of e ²/h. The shot-noise spectrum as well as the scaling behavior of the tunneling current is calculated explicitly. Received 5 October 1999 and Received in final form 19 November 1999     

Spatio-temporal imaging of voltage pulses with a laser-gated photoconductive sampling probe

We report on the fabrication process of a scanning force microscopy (SFM) cantilever probe suitable for the investigation of ultrafast transient signals in microwave integrated circuits. High temporal resolution is achieved by integrating a laser-gated photoconductive switch within a coplanar waveguide structure onto a low-temperature GaAs cantilever. This is demonstrated by temporal and spatio-temporal measurements performed on a coplanar strip line. Received: 17 February 1999 / Revised version: 22 April 1999 / Published online: 29 July 1999     

Quantum theory of fluctuations in a cold damped accelerometer

We present a quantum network approach to real high sensitivity measurements. Thermal and quantum fluctuations due to active as well as passive elements are taken into account. The method is applied to the analysis of the capacitive accelerometer using the cold damping technique, developed for fundamental physics in space by ONERA and the ultimate limits of this instrument are discussed. It is confirmed in this quantum analysis that the cold damping technique allows one to control efficiently the test mass motion without degrading the noise level. Received 20 April 1999 and Received in final form 2 July 1999     

Discrete nonlinear Schrödinger breathers in a phonon bath

We study the dynamics of the discrete nonlinear Schr?dinger lattice initialized such that a very long transitory period of time in which standard Boltzmann statistics is insufficient is reached. Our study of the nonlinear system locked in this non-Gibbsian state focuses on the dynamics of discrete breathers (also called intrinsic localized modes). It is found that part of the energy spontaneously condenses into several discrete breathers. Although these discrete breathers are extremely long lived, their total number is found to decrease as the evolution progresses. Even though the total number of discrete breathers decreases we report the surprising observation that the energy content in the discrete breather population increases. We interpret these observations in the perspective of discrete breather creation and annihilation and find that the death of a discrete breather cause effective energy transfer to a spatially nearby discrete breather. It is found that the concepts of a multi-frequency discrete breather and of internal modes is crucial for this process. Finally, we find that the existence of a discrete breather tends to soften the lattice in its immediate neighborhood, resulting in high amplitude thermal fluctuation close to an existing discrete breather. This in turn nucleates discrete breather creation close to a already existing discrete breather. Received 21 January 1999 and Received in final form 20 September 1999     

Two-dimensional Thomas-Fermi parabolic quantum dot in a weak magnetic field

The Thomas-Fermi equation, in conjunction with the Poisson equation is solved exactly for the problem of the two-dimensional circular parabolic quantum dot in the presence of a weak magnetic field, in the framework of the local spin-density approximation. The total energy, chemical potential, differential capacitance, degree of polarization, and diamagnetic susceptibility were calculated. Asymptotic solutions were obtained for the limits of strong and weak confinement. Received 19 February 1999 and Received in final form 26 July 1999     

Interband collective electronic excitations in resonant Raman scattering of two-subband quantum wires

Using the bosonization technique, a theory for the collective excitations of the interacting electrons in quantum wires with two subbands occupied is developed. The dispersion relations for the inter-subband charge and spin density excitations are determined. The results are used to interpret the features observed in recent measurements of the Raman spectra of AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wires, particularly for photon energies near band gap resonance. It is shown that peaks previously identified as “single particle excitations” are signatures of higher order collective spin density excitations. Predictions about the observability of the interband modes are made. Received 8 February 1999     

Experimental characterization of intermittency regimesin the Couette-Taylor system

We investigate experimentally the properties of spatio-temporal intermittency states (turbulent bursts and spiral turbulence) in the counter-rotating Couette-Taylor system. The mean turbulent fraction increases continuously from turbulent bursts to spiral turbulence and depends on the angular velocity of both cylinders. The axial velocity of turbulent spirals, which depends only on the outer cylinder, is smaller than the azimuthal component. Received 15 December 1999 and Received in final form 19 October 2000     

Binary mixtures of Bose-Einstein condensates: Phase dynamics and spatial dynamics

We investigate the relative phase coherence properties and the occurrence of demixing instabilities for two mutually interacting and time evolving Bose-Einstein condensates in traps. Our treatment naturally includes the additional decoherence effect due to fluctuations in the total number of particles. Analytical results are presented for the breathe-together solution, an extension of previously known scaling solution to the case of a binary mixture of condensates. When the three coupling constants describing the elastic interactions among the atoms in the two states are close to each other, a dramatic increase of the phase coherence time is predicted. Numerical results are presented for the parameters of the recent JILA experiments. Received 23 April 1999 and Received in final form 21 September 1999     

Quantum state of an injected TROPO above threshold: purity,Glauber function and photon number distribution

In this paper, we investigate several properties of the full signal-idler-pump mode quantum state generated by a triply resonant non-degenerate Optical Parametric Oscillator operating above threshold, with an injected wave on the signal and idler modes in order to lock the phase diffusion process. We determine and discuss the spectral purity of this state, which turns out not to be always equal to 1 even though the three interacting modes have been taken into account at the quantum level. We have seen that the purity is essentially dependent on the weak intensity of the injected light and on an asymmetry of the synchronization. We then derive the expression of its total three-mode Glauber P-function, and calculate the joint signal-idler photon number probability distribution and investigate their dependence on the injection.