The graviton one-loop effective action in cosmological space-times with constant deceleration

We consider the quantum Friedmann equations which include one-loop vacuum fluctuations due to gravitons and scalar field matter in a FLRW background with constant . After several field redefinitions, to remove the mixing between the gravitational and matter degrees of freedom, we can construct the one-loop correction to the Friedmann equations. Due to cosmological particle creation, the propagators needed in such a calculation are typically infrared divergent. In this paper we construct the graviton and matter propagators, making use of the recent construction of the infrared finite scalar propagators calculated on a compact spatial manifold in Janssen et al. (2008) [1]. The resulting correction to the Friedman equations is suppressed with respect to the tree level contribution by a factor of and shows no secular growth.     

Schrieffer–Wolff transformation for quantum many-body systems

The Schrieffer–Wolff (SW) method is a version of degenerate perturbation theory in which the low-energy effective Hamiltonian is obtained from the exact Hamiltonian by a unitary transformation decoupling the low-energy and high-energy subspaces. We give a self-contained summary of the SW method with a focus on rigorous results. We begin with an exact definition of the SW transformation in terms of the so-called direct rotation between linear subspaces. From this we obtain elementary proofs of several important properties of such as the linked cluster theorem. We then study the perturbative version of the SW transformation obtained from a Taylor series representation of the direct rotation. Our perturbative approach provides a systematic diagram technique for computing high-order corrections to . We then specialize the SW method to quantum spin lattices with short-range interactions. We establish unitary equivalence between effective low-energy Hamiltonians obtained using two different versions of the SW method studied in the literature. Finally, we derive an upper bound on the precision up to which the ground state energy of the nth-order effective Hamiltonian approximates the exact ground state energy.     

Estimation of dissociation energy of NiC molecule

The experimental potential-energy curve for the electronic ground state of an astrophysically important NiC molecule is constructed by applying the Rydberg-Klein-Rees method as modified by Vanderslice et al. The ground state dissociation energy is estimated by a curve-fitting technique using the modified Lippincott potential function, and this estimated value of is in good agreement with the value of reported by Brugh and Morse.     

Polariton kinetics for bosonic condensation in CdTe-microcavities for various Rabi splittings and detunings

The applied Boltzmann relaxation kinetics for stationary and ps-pulsed nonresonant pumping takes the polariton-acoustic phonon and the polariton-polariton scattering into account. For cavities with a vacuum Rabi splitting around , we find for ps-pulse excitation a transient bosonic condensation in the ground state. For microcavities with a large vacuum Rabi splitting of we find for zero detuning, due to the steep increase of radiative losses, a condensation with a macroscopically occupied state in the wavenumber region at which the Bragg mirrors become transparent. With positive detunings which increase the scattering rates, the finite-size Bose-Einstein condensation in the ground state is restored.     

Deexcitation of sputtered metastable aluminum atoms

An experimental system was set up incorporating pulsed ion beam sputtering, two Nd:YAG pumped dye lasers and an imaging time-of-flight (TOF) analysis system. The system was used to perform state-selective analyses of neutral atoms sputtered from surfaces using resonant one-color and two-color ionization schemes. We have measured, for the first time, TOF mass spectra of Al atoms sputtered into the ground state and first excited state (with an excitation energy of 0.014 eV) from single crystals of Ni₃Al and NiAl. The population ratio of the first excited state to the ground state in the sputtered flux was estimated to be 0.91 for Ni₃Al and 0.95 for NiAl, respectively. This indicates that the magnitude of the excitation energy plays an important role even in the deexcitation rate of sputtered metastable state atoms with an open outer shell.     

The microwave spectrum of the FeS radical

The rotational spectrum of the iron monosulfide radical, FeS, was measured in the frequency region of 220-390 GHz with a source-modulated millimeter/submillimeter-wave spectrometer. The radical was efficiently produced in a free space absorption cell by a dc discharge in a mixture of Ar and H₂S with a stainless-steel hollow cathode. Several series of paramagnetic lines were detected with intervals of about 12 GHz. The four series having relatively strong intensity were assigned to FeS in the vibrationally ground state of the X⁵Δ_i electronic state, two series to that in the vibrationally excited state, and five series presumably to FeS in the electronically excited state, . The effective molecular constants were determined for FeS in the X⁵Δ_i electronic state. The components of the vibrationally ground state showed an apparent shift from the typical pattern of the state. In addition, the fine structure of the state was found to be far from a regular pattern expected for a state. A trial analysis including electronic interaction between the and states was carried out, but it was not possible to explain the spectral lines of both electronic states simultaneously. Reasons for the heavily perturbed spectral patterns are discussed.     

Laser spectroscopy of the A9-X8 transition of holmium monochloride

Using laser excitation spectroscopy, 18 red-degraded bands belonging to a single electronic transition of holmium monochloride have been observed in the 615-670 nm region. Thirteen of the bands, with vibrational levels 0?v^′?3 and 0?v″?4 have been obtained at high resolution and rotationally analyzed. Observation of the first lines in some of the bands has shown that Ω=8 in the ground state and Ω=9 in the upper state. By analogy with HoF, this transition has been labeled as A9-X8. The Ω=8 assignment for the X state establishes the ground state configuration of HoCl as Ho⁺(4f¹⁰6s²)Cl⁻, in accord with predictions of Ligand Field Theory. From the rotational analysis, the main equilibrium molecular constants of , for the upper state and , for the ground state have been obtained.     

Measurement of the F5/2 and H(2)9/2 manifold lifetime in Nd:YLiF4

We present direct measurements of the lifetime of the ⁴F_5/2 and ²H(2)_9/2 manifold in Nd³⁺:YLiF₄, using a fluorescence pump-probe technique. The technique populates the ⁴F_5/2 and ²H(2)_9/2 manifold directly with a pump pulse. Via excited state absorption from this excited manifold, the ²F(2)_5/2 manifold of Nd³⁺ is populated with a delayed probe pulse. The population in the ⁴F_5/2 and ²H(2)_9/2 manifold is monitored as a function of time by observing the change in integrated UV fluorescence from the ²F(2)_5/2 manifold for each time delay between pump and probe pulses. The pump and probe beams come from the fundamental and second harmonic wavelengths of a femtosecond Ti:sapphire regenerative amplifier. The measured lifetime agrees well with the energy gap law, based on other nonradiative lifetime measurements from the literature for Nd³⁺:YLiF₄.     

On the magnetic and thermodynamic properties of Americium-II: A hybrid density functional theoretic study

The ground states of the actinides have been matters of considerable controversies, theory often contradicting experiment specifically in regards to the magnetic nature. To resolve this discrepancy, we present here hybrid density functional theory (HYB-DFT) based studies of the structural, magnetic, electronic, and thermodynamic properties of Americium-II. Three configurations of non-magnetic (NM), anti-ferromagnetic (AFM), and ferromagnetic (FM) with and without spin-orbit coupling (SOC) have been considered to determine the ground state of Am-II. We find that the experimental NM ground state configuration is indeed obtained for Am-II at a level of 40% Hartree-Fock (HF) exchange with SOC and the computed structural properties and the electronic density of states are in good agreement with experimental observations. We also find that HBY-DFT with NSOC fails to predict the correct magnetic and electronic structures for Am-II, indicating the importance of the inclusion of SOC for studies of strongly correlated materials. The phonon related thermodynamic properties of Am-II are presented for the NM ground state configuration and the computed heat capacity and entropy are found to be in good agreement with the experimental measurements. The lattice constant, bulk modulus, heat capacity, and entropy of AM-II are predicted to be 9.44 a.u., 21.7 GPa, , and , respectively.     

Rotational spectrum of HCBr produced by 193-nm laser photolysis of bromoform

The pure rotational spectrum of bromomethylene (HCBr) was studied by kinetic microwave spectroscopy between 420 and 472 GHz. The HCBr radical was produced by 193-nm ArF laser photolysis of bromoform (CHBr₃). More than 130 rotational transitions for both and species in the ground vibrational state were measured involving 1?J?33 and 0?K_a?5. The spectra were well described by an S-reduced Watson Hamiltonian in the I^r representation including the nuclear quadrupole and spin-rotation hyperfine terms. Rotational, centrifugal distortion, nuclear quadrupole and spin-rotation coupling constants were derived for both and species in the ground vibrational state.     

Direct nanosecond Nd→Ce nonradiative energy transfer in cerium trifluoride laser crystals

Using third harmonics of LiF:F₂⁺ tunable color center laser excitation and selective fluorescence detection the temperature and concentration dependencies of fluorescence decay curves of the high-lying manifold of the Nd³⁺ ion were measured in CeF₃ crystals. As a result the temperature dependence of energy transfer kinetics from the manifold of the Nd³⁺ donor ions to the manifold of the acceptor Ce³⁺ ions in the ordered practically 100% filled crystal lattice was determined for 13-. Based on the temperature dependence the mechanisms and the channels of the Nd→Ce nonradiative energy transfer have been recognized. The net growth of the resonance Nd→Ce energy transfer rate in the temperature range from 25 to is found to be almost 3 orders of magnitude from 9.0×10⁴ to .In a crystal a significant contribution of the Nd→Nd resonance energy transfer to the manifold quenching is found for 20- and its channel and mechanism are suggested.Discussion of the possibility of subpicosecond and picosecond nonradiative energy transfer in rare-earth doped laser crystals is provided.     

On the spreading and localization of risky information in social networks

We propose a model for the localization of risky information in social (scale free) networks where we assume that risky information can propagate only between “mutually trusted nodes” (MTN). We propose an algorithm to construct the MTN network and show that there is a critical value of trusted nodes below which information localizes. This critical value increases drastically if a fraction p of nodes does not transfer information at all. We study the fraction of initial messengers needed to inform a desired fraction of the network as a function of the average number of trusted nodes and discuss possible applications of the model also to marketing and to the spreading of a disease with very short incubation time.     

Measurement of the 4d-photoionization cross section via two-photon and two-step excitation in sodium

We present a comparison of the photoionization cross sections of the 4d excited levels of sodium by using the two-step resonant laser excitation and by two-photon non-resonant excitation from the ground state. Dye lasers, pumped with a Nd: YAG laser, have been used in conjunction with a thermionic diode ion detector to measure cross sections and the atomic densities as a function of laser energy. By applying the saturation technique, the measured values of the cross sections and atomic densities for the 4d level by two-photon excitation are 12.2(2.4) Mb and , respectively. Where as in the case of two-step excitation, the cross section and number density for the 4d level via 3p level and for the 4d levels via 3p level are determined as 9.6(1.9) Mb, and 12.8(2.5) Mb, , respectively.     

Terahertz spectroscopy of oxygen, O2, in its Σg and Δ electronic states : THz Spectroscopy of O2

High precision rotational spectra of isotopic oxygen O₂ (with or ) in its electronic ground state have been measured in selected frequency regions between 0.4 and 2.0 THz. The main isotopic species, , was also investigated in its first excited electronic state . The new data, analyzed together with previous measurements, yielded improved spectroscopic parameters.     

Can the nuclear matrix elements of neutrinoless double beta decay be measured?

A proposal which allows one in principle to measure the neutrinoless double beta decay Fermi matrix element is briefly described. By making use of the isospin conservation by strong interaction, the Fermi 0νββ nuclear matrix element can be transformed to acquire the form of an energy-weighted double Fermi transition matrix element. This allows one to reconstruct the total provided that a small isospin-breaking Fermi matrix element between the isobaric analog state in the intermediate nucleus and the ground state of the daughter nucleus could be measured, for example by charge-exchange reactions. Such a measurement could help to discriminate between the different nuclear structure models in which the calculated may differ by as much as a factor of 5.