Prior-predictive value from fast growth simulations

Building on a variant of the Jarzynski equation we propose a new method to numerically determine the prior-predictive value in a Bayesian inference problem. The method generalizes thermodynamic integration and is not hampered by equilibration problems. We demonstrate its operation by applying it to two simple examples and elucidate its performance. In the case of multi-modal posterior distributions the performance is superior to thermodynamic integration.     

Stationary photon-atom entanglement and flow equation

A novel strategy for quantum-state engineering is presented by employing the method of flow equation. This strategy offers an optimal procedure for generating stationary entangled states of coupled systems of photons and atoms. To illustrate it, the Jaynes-Cummings model as a simple prototype example is analyzed to exhibit how stationary photon-atom entanglement is established. A nonlocal continuous unitary transformation is explicitly constructed and the associated positive operator-valued measures for the photons and atom are obtained. Then, flow of the entanglement entropy is analyzed. A comment is also made on implementing the unitary operation in the method.     

Theory of frustrated total internal reflection: Superluminal singularities of optical waveguides

Classical approach to frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) does not describe its temporal properties, that are additionally considered and their superluminal singularity is shown. The transition to quantum electrodynamics shows that momenta of photons are reduced at FTIR relative to energy, i.e. it is the tunnel process, the nonlocal manifestation of near field. The tunneling consists in the instantaneous jump of excitations (virtual photons) onto definite distance, and can be described by equation having certain instanton features. Thus, the possibility of signal transfer with superluminal group velocity via optical fibers is substantiated that conforms to certain supervisions. Such properties of FTIR near field may explain, in principle, some other observed phenomena.     

Characterizing dynamical transitions in bistable systems using a non-equilibrium measurement of work

We show how the Jarzynski relation can be exploited to analyze the nature of order-disorder, and a bifurcation type dynamical transition in terms of a response function derived on the basis of work distribution over non-equilibrium paths between two thermalized states. The validity of the response function extends over a linear as well as a nonlinear regime, and far from equilibrium situations.     

Beams of electromagnetic radiation carrying angular momentum: The Riemann-Silberstein vector and the classical-quantum correspondence

All beams of electromagnetic radiation are made of photons. Therefore, it is important to find a precise relationship between the classical properties of the beam and the quantum characteristics of the photons that make a particular beam. It is shown that this relationship is best expressed in terms of the Riemann-Silberstein vector - a complex combination of the electric and magnetic field vectors - that plays the role of the photon wave function. The Whittaker representation of this vector in terms of a single complex function satisfying the wave equation greatly simplifies the analysis. Bessel beams, exact Laguerre-Gauss beams, and other related beams of electromagnetic radiation can be described in a unified fashion. The appropriate photon quantum numbers for these beams are identified. Special emphasis is put on the angular momentum of a single photon and its connection with the angular momentum of the beam.     

Using the Uncharged Kerr Black Hole as a Gravitational Mirror

We extend the study of the possible use of the Schwarzschild black hole as a gravitational mirror to the more general case of an uncharged Kerr black hole. We use the null geodesic equation in the equatorial plane to prove a theorem concerning the conditions the impact parameter has to satisfy if boomerang photons are to exist. We derive an equation for these boomerang photons and an equation for the emission angle. Finally, the radial null geodesic equation is integrated numerically in order to illustrate boomerang photons.     

Limitations of the quantum Jarzynski estimator: boundary switching processes

The Jarzynski relation aims at an estimate of the free energy change along a finite isotherm. Its application in the quantum domain requires a proper choice of substitute processes combined with quantum mechanical (projective) measurements at the beginning and in the end. The Jarzynski relation can be violated by non-unitary processes like those generated by instantaneous constraint switching (boundary switching). For a complementary model space with a moving barrier of arbitrary, but finite height, the Jarzynski relation is fulfilled. However, its application may be limited due to bad statistics.     

Extremely selective modal oscillation of random lasing induced by strong multiple scattering

We report on a new physical aspect of random lasing, an extremely selective modal oscillation by using a two-dimensional calculation model. The developed model consists of two theoretical subsystems, two-dimensional scattering model for describing multiple scattering process and rate equation model for describing lasing process. Using this model, we show how emission spectrum behaves as the scattering state of photons inside the system changes. It is shown that specific and strong modal oscillation takes place in a closed loop path of emitted photons, efficiently supported by the background multiple scattering. With the increase of multiple scattering events around the closed loop path, the system starts to oscillate with an extremely strong mode without any ASE (amplified spontaneous emission) noise.     

Estimation of optical abnormalities in breast phantom by diffuse equation

Optical imaging is an emerging method for bio-imaging. The advantages of this imaging provide non-ionizing and safe radiation, non-invasive and functional medical imaging. Due to diffusion of photons inside biological tissues, its image processing is complicated. So in spite of these advantages, this imaging method has not been progressed like ultrasound imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Also, the penetration depth of photons inside biological phantom is low. To overcome this problem, the complicated diffusion of photons through tissue must be modeled. The diffuse equation can be applied to simulate photons through turbid media like biological tissues. In this paper, the diffuse equation is used to study propagation of diffuse photons. The green function method is applied to solve this equation, and then the optical properties of abnormalities in breast phantom are estimated. This fast method can be applied for image processing.     

Kinetic theory of radiation in non-equilibrium relativistic plasmas

Many-particle QED is applied to kinetic theory of radiative processes in many-component plasmas with relativistic electrons and non-relativistic heavy particles. Within the framework of non-equilibrium Green’s function technique, transport and mass-shell equations for fluctuations of the electromagnetic field are obtained. We show that the transverse field correlation functions can be decomposed into sharply peaked (non-Lorentzian) parts that describe resonant (propagating) photons and off-shell parts corresponding to virtual photons in plasmas. Analogous decompositions are found for the longitudinal field correlation functions and the correlation functions of relativistic electrons. As a novel result a kinetic equation for the resonant photons with a finite spectral width is derived. The off-shell parts of the particle and field correlation functions are shown to be essential to calculate the local radiating power in relativistic plasmas and recover the results of vacuum QED. The influence of plasma effects and collisional broadening of the relativistic quasiparticle spectral function on radiative processes is discussed.     

Stochastic thermodynamics: principles and perspectives

Stochastic thermodynamics provides a framework for describing small systems like colloids or biomolecules driven out of equilibrium but still in contact with a heat bath. Both, a first-law like energy balance involving exchanged heat and entropy production entering refinements of the second law can consistently be defined along single stochastic trajectories. Various exact relations involving the distribution of such quantities like integral and detailed fluctuation theorems for total entropy production and the Jarzynski relation follow from such an approach based on Langevin dynamics. Analogues of these relations can be proven for any system obeying a stochastic master equation like, in particular, (bio)chemically driven enzyms or whole reaction networks. The perspective of investigating such relations for stochastic field equations like the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation is sketched as well.     

Master and Langevin equations for electromagnetic dissipation and decoherence of density matrices

We set up a forward - backward path integral for a point particle in a bath of photons to derive a master equation for the density matrix which describes electromagnetic dissipation and decoherence. We also derive the associated Langevin equation. As an application, we recalculate the Wigner-Weisskopf formula for the natural line width of an atomic state at zero temperature and find, in addition, the temperature broadening caused by the decoherence term. Our master equation also yields the correct Lamb shift of atomic levels. The two equations may have applications to dilute interstellar gases or to few-particle systems in cavities. Received 29 November 2000 and Received in final form 11 February 2001     

Efficient Three-Party Quantum Secret Sharing with Single Photons

A scheme for three-party quantum secret sharing of a private key is presented with single photons. The agent Bob first prepares a sequence of single photons with two biased bases and then sends them to the boss Alice who checks the security of the transmission with measurements and produces some decoy photons by rearranging the orders of some sample photons. Alice encodes her bits with two unitary operations on the photons and then sends them to the other agent. The security of this scheme is equivalent to that in the modified Bennett Brassard 1984 quantum key distribution protocol. Moreover, each photon can carry one bit of the private key and the intrinsic efficiency for qubits and the total efficiency both approach the maximal value 100% when the number of the bits in the key is very large.     

Thermal dissipation effects of the entangled photon generated by a nonlinear ring resonator

We firstly analyze the thermal dissipation effects of the entangled photons generated by a nonlinear optical ring resonator. To obtain the corresponding equation of motion of the entangled photons generated by a four-wave mixing process within the system, we propose the Markov approximation to repel the reservoir operators. The system master equation in the interaction picture for both degenerate and non-degenerate cases is analyzed and obtained. The established system can be used to characterize the optimum entangled photons in some cases where the thermal dissipation effects may introduce noise into the system. In this work, the entangled photons can be generated into two forms, firstly, the two entangled photon states are generated and, the other, the four entangled photon states, can be easily obtained. Results obtained have shown that the optimum entangled photon in terms of entangled photon visibility can be compensated (i.e. unchanged) under thermal dissipation effects.     

Thermal dissipation effects of the entangled photon generated by four-wave mixing process in a nonlinear ring resonator

We firstly analyze the thermal dissipation effects of the entangled photons generated by a nonlinear optical ring resonator. To obtain the corresponding equation of motion of the entangled photons generated by a four-wave mixing process within the system, we propose the Markov approximation to repel the reservoir operators. The system master equation in the interaction picture for both degenerate and non-degenerate cases is analyzed and obtained. The established system can be used to characterize the optimum entangled photons in some cases where the thermal dissipation effects may be introduced noise into the system. In this work, the entangled photons can be generated into two forms, firstly, the two entangled photon states is generated, the other, the four entangled photon states can be easily obtained. Results obtained have shown that the optimum entangled photon in term of entangled photon visibility can be compensated (i.e. unchanged) under thermal dissipation effects.     

The probability of orbital angular momentum states of single photons with Z-tilt corrected residual aberration in a slant path turbulent atmosphere

With Rytov approximation and Kolmogorov spectrum model of index-of-refraction fluctuation, we study the effects of turbulence aberration on the orbital angular momentum of single photons in atmospheric communication channel. A theoretical model of measurement probabilities of orbital angular momentum states for single photons propagation under the Zernike tilt corrected slant path turbulent atmosphere channel is established. Our research shows that tilt-corrected residual aberration not only damage the initial OAM, but also induce new OAM. With the increasing of D/ρ₀, the number of the initial OAM photons will go down while the effective number of new OAM ascends. Meanwhile, the receiving probability of initial OAM photons declines, as the turbulence shifts from weak to strong. For Zernike tilt-corrected residual aberration, the receiving probability of initial OAM photons declines as the diameter of detector increases. The effect of Zernike tilt-corrected residual aberration on OAM of the photons is more larger than the effect of Zernike tilt turbulent aberration.     

Statistical characteristics of photon distributions in a semi-infinite turbid medium: Analytical expressions and their application to optical tomography

The paper focuses on the determination of statistical characteristics of photon distributions in a semi-infinite turbid medium, specifically the photon average trajectory and the root-mean-square deviation of photons from the average trajectory, with an approach based on the diffusion approximation to the radiative transfer equation. We show that the Dirichlet and Robin boundary conditions used for this purpose give close results. We derive exact analytical expressions for the case of the Dirichlet boundary condition. To demonstrate the practical value of our results we consider approximate solution of the inverse problem of time-domain diffuse optical tomography with the flat layer transmission geometry. The problem is solved with the method of photon average trajectories which are constructed with analytical expressions derived for a semi-infinite medium.     

Quantum Secret Sharing Protocol between Multiparty and Multiparty with Single Photons and Unitary Transformations

We propose a scheme of quantum secret sharing between Alice＇s group and Bob＇s group with single photons and unitary transformations. In the protocol, one member in Alice＇s group prepares a sequence of single photons in one of four different states, while other members directly encode their information on the sequence of single photons via unitary operations; after that, the last member sends the sequence of single photons to Bob＇s group. Then Bob＇s, except for the last one, do work similarly. Finally the last member in Bob＇s group measures the qubits. If the security of the quantum channel is guaranteed by some tests, then the qubit states sent by the last member of Alice＇s group can be used as key bits for secret sharing. It is shown that this scheme is safe.     

Work Measurement in OPEN Quantum System

Work is an important quantity in thermodynamics. In a closed quanutm system, the two-point energy measurements can be applied to measure the work but cannot be utilized in an open quantum system. With the two-point energy measurements, it has been shown that the work fluctuation satisfies the Jarzynski equality. We propose a scheme to measure the work in an open quantum system through the technique of reservoir engineering. Based on this scheme, we show that the work fluctuation in open quantum system may violate the Jarzynski equality. We apply our scheme to a two-level atom coupled to an engineered reservoir and numerically justify the general results, especially demonstrating that the second law of thermodynamics can be violated.     

Detection of VUV photons with large-area avalanche photodiodes

The room-temperature response of large-area avalanche photodiodes (LAAPDs) to 128- and 172-nm light pulses is investigated. The minimum detectable number of photons, which can produce a signal just above the noise level, is found to be around 1300 and 600 photons, respectively. The LAAPD relative statistical fluctuations in the detection of 15 000 photons of 128 nm and 25 500 photons of 172 nm were found to be about 3.9% and 2.2%, respectively. Both the minimum detectable number of photons and statistical fluctuations do not depend on the photon wavelength, but rather on the number of charge carriers produced by the light pulse in the LAAPD. For these light levels, good LAAPD performance is already achieved for gains as low as 30 to 60.