Quantum graph vertices with permutation-symmetric scattering probabilities

Boundary conditions in quantum graph vertices are generally given in terms of a unitary matrix U. Observing that if U has at most two eigenvalues, then the scattering matrix S(k) of the vertex is a linear combination of the identity matrix and a fixed Hermitian unitary matrix, we construct vertex couplings with this property: For all momenta k, the transmission probability from the j-th edge to ?-th edge is independent of (j,?), and all the reflection probabilities are equal. We classify these couplings according to their scattering properties, which leads to the concept of generalized δ- and δ^′-couplings.     

Ground-state properties and quantum entanglement in rung-dimerized spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic ladder

The ground-state properties and quantum entanglement of the two-leg rung-dimerized spin-1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnetic ladders are investigated based on the Green? function combined with the Bond mean-field theory. Numerical results show that the ground-state energies do not change with the rung dimerization, and the ground-state gaps are almost proportionate to the rung dimerization coefficient δ and coupling strength α  . Magnetization curves and entanglement measurements demonstrate that there are five magnetic phases, which are identified in the h–δ$h\text{–}\delta$ phase diagram. Entanglement measurements in different phases exhibit distinct behaviors, implying the fundamental differences of the five magnetic phases.     

Potential-controlled filtering in quantum star graphs

We study the scattering in a quantum star graph with a Fülöp–Tsutsui coupling in its vertex and with external potentials on the lines. We find certain special couplings for which the probability of the transmission between two given lines of the graph is strongly influenced by the potential applied on another line. On the basis of this phenomenon we design a tunable quantum band-pass spectral filter. The transmission from the input to the output line is governed by a potential added on the controlling line. The strength of the potential directly determines the passband position, which allows to control the filter in a macroscopic manner. Generalization of this concept to quantum devices with multiple controlling lines proves possible. It enables the construction of spectral filters with more controllable parameters or with more operation modes. In particular, we design a band-pass filter with independently adjustable multiple passbands. We also address the problem of the physical realization of Fülöp–Tsutsui couplings and demonstrate that the couplings needed for the construction of the proposed quantum devices can be approximated by simple graphs carrying only δ$\delta$ potentials.     

Fulop-Tsutsui interactions on quantum graphs

We examine scale invariant Fulop-Tsutsui couplings in a quantum vertex of a general degree n. We demonstrate that essentially same scattering amplitudes as for the free coupling can be achieved for two (n−1)-parameter Fulop-Tsutsui subfamilies if n is odd, and for three (n−1)-parameter Fulop-Tsutsui subfamilies if n is even. We also work up an approximation scheme for a general Fulop-Tsutsui vertex, using only n δ function potentials.     

Approximations of Quantum-Graph Vertex Couplings by Singularly Scaled Rank-One Operators

We investigate approximations of the vertex coupling on a star-shaped graph by families of operators with singularly scaled rank-one interactions. We find a family of vertex couplings, generalizing the δ′-interaction on the line, and show that with a suitable choice of the parameters they can be approximated in this way in the norm-resolvent sense. We also analyze spectral properties of the involved operators and demonstrate the convergence of the corresponding on-shell scattering matrices.     

Boundary correlation functions of the six and nineteen vertex models with domain wall boundary conditions

Boundary correlation functions of the six and nineteen vertex models on an N×N lattice with domain wall boundary conditions are studied. The general expression of the boundary correlation functions is obtained for the six vertex model by the use of the quantum inverse scattering method. For the nineteen vertex model, the boundary correlation functions are shown to be expressed in terms of those for the six vertex model.     

Memory-function conductivity formula and transport coefficients in underdoped cuprates

The two-band memory-function conductivity formula is derived from the quantum kinetic equation in the pseudogap state of underdoped cuprates. The conduction electrons are described by using the adiabatic version of the nested Fermi liquid model, and the effects of Mott correlations are taken into account phenomenologically. The linear dependence of the low-temperature effective number of conduction electrons on the doping level δ (for not too large δ) is found to be in agreement with experimental observation. The momentum distribution function turns out to play an important role in describing temperature effects. The closing of the antiferromagnetic pseudogap at temperatures of the order of room temperature is shown to be a direct consequence of a relatively large width of the quasiparticle peak in this distribution function. The coupling of conduction electrons to external magnetic fields is included in the two-band transport equations in the usual semiclassical way. It is shown that the low-temperature Hall number is proportional to δ as well (again for not too large δ) and that it exhibits singular behaviour when the Fermi surface changes from the hole-like shape into the electron-like shape.     

Causal Set Dynamics and Elementary Particles

A causal set is considered a finite, acyclic oriented graph with special restrictions: each vertex has two incident edges directed to this vertex and two incident edges directed from this vertex. This graph is called a causal graph. The vertex with incident edges is called an X-structure. Quantum measurements are discussed. A dynamics of the causal graph is a random sequence of elementary interactions of edges that is described by complex amplitudes. These amplitudes correspond to each pair of interacting edges. The edges are elementary particles. The mass of a particle is a probability of the interaction. An equation of particles is proposed. In a simple case this equation for X-structure is the Dirac's equation. The edges are fermions with the spin 1/2.     

Infrared effects on the axial gauge quark propagator

The axial gauge quark propagator is studied when only the most singular infrared part of the gluon propagator is retained in the Dyson-Schwinger equation. With a new representation for the quark-gluon vertex a simple configuration space propagator and a momentum space form valid for all values of the gauge variable n · p are obtained. The propagator has no poles. The effective potential is minimized when there is no chiral symmetry breaking.     

Localization on Quantum Graphs with Random Edge Lengths

The spectral properties of the Laplacian on a class of quantum graphs with random metric structure are studied. Namely, we consider quantum graphs spanned by the simple ${\mathbb Z^d}$ -lattice with δ-type boundary conditions at the vertices, and we assume that the edge lengths are randomly independently identically distributed. Under the assumption that the coupling constant at the vertices does not vanish, we show that the operator exhibits the Anderson localization near the spectral edges situated outside a certain forbidden set.     

On the ground state of quantum graphs with attractive δ-coupling

We study relations between the ground-state energy of a quantum graph Hamiltonian with attractive δ coupling at the vertices and the graph geometry. We derive a necessary and sufficient condition under which the energy increases with the increase of graph edge lengths. We show that this is always the case if the graph has no branchings while both energy increase and decrease are possible for graphs with a more complicated topology.     

Site segregation in size-mismatched nanoalloys: Application to Cu-Ag

In order to determine the energetic driving forces for surface segregation in bimetallic clusters, we use a combined approach coupling numerical simulations within an N-body interatomic potential and a lattice-gas model. This approach, which has been used successfully to study both the superficial segregation in semi-infinite alloys and the intergranular segregation, allows us to determine the relative contributions of the three elementary driving forces for the different sites of the cluster surface (vertices, edges and facets) in both dilute limits for the Cu-Ag system. We show that the segregation hierarchy based on broken-bond arguments (preferential segregation to the vertex sites, less to edge sites, and least to facet sites) is not at all universal. In particular, unusual hierarchies are predicted when the sizes of the constituents are strongly different. Furthermore, we compare the segregation driving forces for cubo-octahedral and icosahedral clusters. They are similar for the vertex sites and edge sites, whereas they differ significantly for the sites of the triangular facets. The segregation of the species with the largest atomic radius (Ag) is indeed largely enhanced in the icosahedral structure due to dilations of the orthoradial distances.     

The effect of singular potentials on the harmonic oscillator

We address the problem of a quantum particle moving under interactions presenting singularities. The self-adjoint extension approach is used to guarantee that the Hamiltonian is self-adjoint and to fix the choice of boundary conditions. We specifically look at the harmonic oscillator added of either a δ-function potential or a Coulomb potential (which is singular at the origin). The results are applied to Landau levels in the presence of a topological defect, the Calogero model and to the quantum motion on the noncommutative plane.     

Neumann Casimir effect: A singular boundary-interaction approach

Dirichlet boundary conditions on a surface can be imposed on a scalar field, by coupling it quadratically to a δ-like potential, the strength of which tends to infinity. Neumann conditions, on the other hand, require the introduction of an even more singular term, which renders the reflection and transmission coefficients ill-defined because of UV divergences. We present a possible procedure to tame those divergences, by introducing a minimum length scale, related to the nonzero ‘width’ of a nonlocal term. We then use this setup to reach (either exact or imperfect) Neumann conditions, by taking the appropriate limits. After defining meaningful reflection coefficients, we calculate the Casimir energies for flat parallel mirrors, presenting also the extension of the procedure to the case of arbitrary surfaces. Finally, we discuss briefly how to generalize the worldline approach to the nonlocal case, what is potentially useful in order to compute Casimir energies in theories containing nonlocal potentials; in particular, those which we use to reproduce Neumann boundary conditions.     

Coherent hole-burnings induced by a bichromatic laser field

In a Doppler-broadened three-level Λ-type system driven simultaneously by a coupling laser and two equal-amplitude saturating laser fields with a frequency difference 2δ, the absorption spectrum of a weak probe laser exhibits multiple deep spectral holes through coherent hole-burning CHB with controllable numbers, widths, depths, and positions. More significant, changing δ or lasers directions, CHBs can degenerate into narrower and deeper spectral holes where the slope of the refractive index is very steep. The multiple narrow spectral holes in a single absorption profile are expected to have potential applications in high density storage, optical information processes, and slow-light.     

Hadronic shifts

Shifts δ_H in hadronic levels are produced by coupling to real or virtual decay channels. Using the P-matrix formalism, a simple approximate expression for δ_H is obtained. An application is made to the Δ-multiplet.     

Reconnection dynamics for quantized vortices

By analyzing trajectories of solid hydrogen tracers in superfluid ⁴He, we identify tens of thousands of individual reconnection events between quantized vortices. We characterize the dynamics by the minimum separation distance δ(t) between the two reconnecting vortices both before and after the events. Applying dimensional arguments, this separation has been predicted to behave asymptotically as δ(t)≈A(κ|t−t₀|)^1/2, where κ=h/m is the quantum of circulation. The major finding of the experiments and their analysis is strong support for this asymptotic form with κ as the dominant controlling feature, although there are significant event to event fluctuations. At the three-parameter level the dynamics may be about equally well-fit by two modified expressions: (a) an arbitrary power-law expression of the form δ(t)=B|t−t₀|^α and (b) a correction-factor expression δ(t)=A(κ|t−t₀|)^1/2(1+c|t−t₀|). The measured frequency distribution of α is peaked at the predicted value α=0.5, although the half-height values are α=0.35 and 0.80 and there is marked variation in all fitted quantities. Accepting (b) the amplitude A has mean values of 1.24±0.01 and half height values of 0.8 and 1.6 while the c distribution is peaked close to c=0 with a half-height range of −0.9 s⁻¹ to 1.5 s⁻¹. In light of possible physical interpretations we regard the correction-factor expression (b), which attributes the observed deviations from the predicted asymptotic form to fluctuations in the local environment and in boundary conditions, as best describing our experimental data. The observed dynamics appear statistically time-reversible, which suggests that an effective equilibrium has been established in quantum turbulence on the time scales (≤0.25 s) investigated. We discuss the impact of reconnection on velocity statistics in quantum turbulence and, as regards classical turbulence, we argue that forms analogous to (b) could well provide an alternative interpretation of the observed deviations from Kolmogorov scaling exponents of the longitudinal structure functions.     

Room temperature magnetocaloric effect of La-deficient bulk perovskite manganite La0.7MnO3−δ

Room temperature magnetocaloric effect in La-deficient bulk perovskite manganite La_0.7MnO_3−δ prepared by conventional solid-state reaction has been reported. The maximum value of the magnetic entropy change (about−1.32 J/kg K) and the refrigerant capacity (approximately close to 37 J/kg) had been obtained at 290 K corresponding to a magnetic field variation of 1 T for La_0.7MnO_3−δ. It is the strong Jahn-Teller coupling that changes Mn-O bond length and Mn-O-Mn bond angles and then the canted spin arrangement and induces the strong double-exchange coupling to a comparatively high magnetic transition temperature. This Curie temperature near room temperature with easy fabrication and higher chemical stability makes La_0.7MnO_3−δ a potential candidate as a working substance in magnetic refrigeration technology.     

Vertex correction of the anisotropic magnetic impurities to the spin polarization of 2D electron gas

In terms of Kubo's formula and Green's function method, for the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC), we study the spin polarization due to the effect from magnetic impurities with anisotropic spin dependent delta type coupling to electrons when an external dc electric field in plane is applied. The vertex correction of impurities in ladder approximation is carried out in the limit of EF?1/τ, Δ. We find that the strength of spin polarization can be significantly modified by vertex correction and the spin polarization is relevant to the anisotropy coefficient γ, but the direction of net spin polarization cannot be changed.