Discrete gap solitons in a diffraction-managed waveguide array

A model including two nonlinear chains with linear and nonlinear couplings between them, and opposite signs of the discrete diffraction inside the chains, is introduced. In the case of the cubic [ χ⁽³⁾] nonlinearity, the model finds two different interpretations in terms of optical waveguide arrays, based on the diffraction-management concept. A continuum limit of the model is tantamount to a dual-core nonlinear optical fiber with opposite signs of dispersions in the two cores. Simultaneously, the system is equivalent to a formal discretization of the standard model of nonlinear optical fibers equipped with the Bragg grating. A straightforward discrete second-harmonic-generation [ χ⁽²⁾] model, with opposite signs of the diffraction at the fundamental and second harmonics, is introduced too. Starting from the anti-continuum (AC) limit, soliton solutions in the χ⁽³⁾ model are found, both above the phonon band and inside the gap. Solitons above the gap may be stable as long as they exist, but in the transition to the continuum limit they inevitably disappear. On the contrary, solitons inside the gap persist all the way up to the continuum limit. In the zero-mismatch case, they lose their stability long before reaching the continuum limit, but finite mismatch can have a stabilizing effect on them. A special procedure is developed to find discrete counterparts of the Bragg-grating gap solitons. It is concluded that they exist at all the values of the coupling constant, but are stable only in the AC and continuum limits. Solitons are also found in the χ⁽²⁾ model. They start as stable solutions, but then lose their stability. Direct numerical simulations in the cases of instability reveal a variety of scenarios, including spontaneous transformation of the solitons into breather-like states, destruction of one of the components (in favor of the other), and symmetry-breaking effects. Quasi-periodic, as well as more complex, time dependences of the soliton amplitudes are also observed as a result of the instability development. Received 14 September 2002 / Received in final form 4 February 2003 Published online 24 April 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: malomed@eng.tau.ac.il     

The role of pinning and instability in a class of non-equilibrium growth models

We study the dynamics of a growing crystalline facet where the growth mechanism is controlled by the geometry of the local curvature. A continuum model, in (2+1) dimensions, is developed in analogy with the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) model is considered for the purpose. Following standard coarse graining procedures, it is shown that in the large time, long distance limit, the continuum model predicts a curvature independent KPZ phase, thereby suppressing all explicit effects of curvature and local pinning in the system, in the “perturbative” limit. A direct numerical integration of this growth equation, in 1+1 dimensions, supports this observation below a critical parametric range, above which generic instabilities, in the form of isolated pillared structures lead to deviations from standard scaling behaviour. Possibilities of controlling this instability by introducing statistically “irrelevant" (in the sense of renormalisation groups) higher ordered nonlinearities have also been discussed. Received 23 April 2002 / Received in final form 24 July 2002 Published online 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: akc@mpipks-dresden.mpg.de     

Skyrmions on an elastic cylinder

For a spin-polarized electron gas on an elastic cylinder in an external axial magnetic field and an axial electric field we find that the corresponding Euler-Lagrange equation is the double sine-Gordon (DSG) equation with an exact 2π-skyrmion solution. The DSG skyrmion is stabilized, without Coulomb repulsion, by the curvature of the cylinder. It adopts a characteristic length ξ which is smaller than the radius of the cylinder. For an elastic cylinder this mismatch of length scales causes a deformation of the cylinder in the region of the skyrmion. Received 23 October 2001 / Received in final form 8 March 2002 Published online 2 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: rossen.dandoloff@ptm.u-cergy.fr     

Shrinking  as a recipe for revealing classical-like properties of optical-potential cross-sections

A simple recipe for revealing classical-like properties of optical-potential cross-sections is proposed. The recipe is based on the fact that the classical properties are not expected to depend on the actual value of . This allows us to identify the classical-like characteristics of an optical-potential cross-section by simply repeating the calculation with different values of , and observing which properties of the cross-section are invariant. The method is applied to the cross-sections of a few optical potentials used to describe the recent data of light heavy-ion elastic scattering. An improved near-side/far-side decomposition is used to separate the near-side and far-side components of the optical-potential cross-sections. Received: 4 September 2001 / Accepted: 3 June 2002 / Published online: 26 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: anni@le.infn.it Communicated by V. Vento     

Some geometric aspects of maps

In this talk we introduce a Weierstrass-like system of equations corresponding to CP N -1 fields in two dimensions. Then using this representation we introduce a vector in R N 2-1 and treating this vector as the radius vector of a surface immersed in R N 2-1 we discuss to what extent the associated metric describes the geometry of the CP N -1 maps. We show that for the holomorphic maps - the correspondence is exact; while for the more general fields we have to go beyond the Weierstrass system and add extra terms. Received 1st August 2001 / Received in final form 18 October 2001 Published online 2 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"Work done in collaboration with M. Grundland e-mail: w.j.zakrzewski@durham.ac.uk     

Mean field methods for atomic and nuclear reactions: The link between time–dependent and time–independent approaches

Abstact: Three variants of mean field methods for atomic and nuclear reactions are compared with respect to both conception and applicability: The time–dependent Hartree–Fock method solves the equation of motion for a Hermitian density operator as initial value problem, with the colliding fragments in a continuum state of relative motion. With no specification of the final state, the method is restricted to inclusive reactions. The time–dependent mean field method, as developed by Kerman, Levit and Negele as well as by Reinhardt, calculates the density for specific transitions and thus applies to exclusive reactions. It uses the Hubbard–Stratonovich transformation to express the full time-development operator with two–body interactions as functional integral over one–body densities. In stationary phase approximation and with Slater determinants as initial and final states, it defines non–Hermitian, time–dependent mean field equations to be solved self–consistently as boundary value problem in time. The time–independent mean field method of Giraud and Nagarajan is based on a Schwinger–type variational principle for the resolvent. It leads to a set of inhomogeneous, non-Hermitian equations of Hartree–Fock type to be solved for given total energy. All information about initial and final channels is contained in the inhomogeneities, hence the method is designed for exclusive reactions. A direct link is established between the time–dependent and time–independent versions. Their relation is non–trivial due to the non–linear nature of mean field methods. Received: 7 January 1998 / Revised version: 20 April 1998     

Candidates for chiral doublet bands in 136Nd

The even-even nucleus ¹³⁶Nd was studied via in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy using the ¹⁶O + ¹²⁵Te reaction at 100 MeV and the EUROBALL array. One new dipole band was observed. Together with a previously identified dipole band, whose position in the level scheme is revised, the new band forms a doublet structure similar to the recently observed chiral bands in the odd-odd neighboring nuclei. This would be the first case of a chiral doublet in an even-even nucleus. Received: 23 May 2002 / Accepted: 30 September 2002 / Published online: 27 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: costel.petrache@unicam.it RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung D-64291 Darmstadt, Germany. Communicated by C. Signorini     

Persistent currents in a lattice correlated electron ring with a magnetic impurity

The behavior of charge and spin persistent currents in an integrable lattice ring of strongly correlated electrons with a magnetic impurity is exactly studied. Our results manifest that the oscillations of charge and spin persistent currents are similar to the ones, earlier obtained for integrable continuum models with a magnetic impurity. The difference is due to two (instead of one) Fermi velocities of low-lying excitations. The form of oscillations in the ground state is “saw-tooth”-like, generic for any multi-particle coherent one-dimensional models. The integrable magnetic impurity introduces net charge and spin chiralities in the generic integrable lattice system, which determine the initial phase shifts of charge and spin persistent currents. We show that the magnitude of the charge persistent current in the generic Kondo situation does not depend on the parameters of the magnetic impurity, unlike the (magneto)resistivity of transport currents. Received 30 January 2003 / Received in final form 12 March 2003 Published online 11 April 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: zvyagin@fy.chalmers.se     

Cooling efficiency in collisions between Pd and He,Ne, Ar and Kr

The cooling of the metal cluster Pd₁₃ in an atmosphere of rare gas has been studied by means of computer simulation. By simulation, the average energy transfer in collisions between one cluster and one gas atom has been obtained. Emphasis has been placed on conditions when the temperatures of the colliding species are almost equal. All modes of motion, inclusive the translation, must be considered in order to obtain vanishing energy transfer at equilibrium. A simulation scheme is presented by which the energy transfer is zero to the cluster when the gas and the cluster temperatures are equal. At equilibrium the energy transfer does however not vanish for all impact parameters. In the collisions with Pd₁₃, the cluster is heated by collisions with a small impact parameter but equally cooled by collisions with a large impact parameter. Argon and krypton are found to cool Pd₁₃ equally efficiently while neon and helium are less efficient cooling agents. Received 28 September 2001 / Received in final form 8 August 2002 Published online 12 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: JanW@phc.gu.se     

Colloidal interactions in two-dimensional nematics

The interaction between two disks immersed in a 2D nematic is investigated i) analytically using the tensor order parameter formalism for the nematic configuration around isolated disks and ii) numerically using finite-element methods with adaptive meshing to minimize the corresponding Landau-de Gennes free energy. For strong homeotropic anchoring, each disk generates a pair of defects with one-half topological charge responsible for the 2D quadrupolar interaction between the disks at large distances. At short distance, the position of the defects may change, leading to unexpected complex interactions with the quadrupolar repulsive interactions becoming attractive. This short-range attraction in all directions is still anisotropic. As the distance between the disks decreases, their preferred relative orientation with respect to the far-field nematic director changes from oblique to perpendicular. Received 1 October 2002 and Received in final form 12 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: miko@cii.fc.ul.pt     

Neutron halos in hypernuclei

Properties of single- Λ and double- Λ hypernuclei for even-N Ca isotopes ranging from the proton dripline to the neutron dripline are studied using the relativistic continuum Hartree-Bogoliubov theory with a zero-range pairing interaction. Compared with ordinary nuclei, the addition of one or two Λ-hyperons lowers the Fermi level. The predicted neutron dripline nuclei are, respectively, ⁷⁵ _ΛCa and ⁷⁶ _2ΛCa, as the additional attractive force provided by the Λ-N interaction shifts nuclei from outside to inside the dripline. Therefore, the last bound hypernuclei have two more neutrons than the corresponding ordinary nuclei. Based on the analysis of two-neutron separation energies, neutron single-particle energy levels, the contribution of continuum and nucleon density distribution, giant halo phenomena due to the pairing correlation, and the contribution from the continuum are suggested to exist in Ca hypernuclei similar to those that appear in ordinary Ca isotopes. Received: 21 October 2002 / Accepted: 11 January 2003 / Published online: 8 April 2003     

Interactions and correlations of particulate inclusions in a columnar phase

We calculate the elastic-field-mediated interaction between macroscopic particles in a columnar hexagonal phase. The interaction is found to be long-ranged and non-central, with both attractive and repulsive parts. We show how the interaction modifies the particle correlations and the column fluctuations. We also calculate the interaction of particles with the topological defects of the columnar phase. The particle-defect interaction reduces the mobility of the defects. Received 14 March 2002 and Received in final form 13 August 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: rjoy@physics.iisc.ernet.in     

Towards finite-dimensional gelation

We consider the gelation of particles which are permanently connected by random crosslinks, drawn from an ensemble of finite-dimensional continuum percolation. To average over the randomness, we apply the replica trick, and interpret the replicated and crosslink-averaged model as an effective molecular fluid. A Mayer-cluster expansion for moments of the local static density fluctuations is set up. The simplest non-trivial contribution to this series leads back to mean-field theory. The central quantity of mean-field theory is the distribution of localization lengths, which we compute for all connectivities. The highly crosslinked gel is characterized by a one-to-one correspondence of connectivity and localization length. Taking into account higher contributions in the Mayer-cluster expansion, systematic corrections to mean-field can be included. The sol-gel transition shifts to a higher number of crosslinks per particle, as more compact structures are favored. The critical behavior of the model remains unchanged as long as finite truncations of the cluster expansion are considered. To complete the picture, we also discuss various geometrical properties of the crosslink network, e.g. connectivity correlations, and relate the studied crosslink ensemble to a wider class of ensembles, including the Deam-Edwards distribution. Received on 24 April 2002 Published online 14 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"deceased RID="b" ID="b"e-mail: weigt@theorie.physik.uni-goettingen.de     

Extended nature of coupled optical interface modes in Thue-Morse dielectric superlattices

We investigate coupled optical interface modes in Thue-Morse (TM) dielectric superlattices composed of two kinds of materials with frequency-dependent dielectric functions. Four basic transfer matrices are derived in the dielectric continuum approximation. By a standard matrix operation method, the trace map of the global transfer matrix in this configuration is obtained. Under Born-von Kármán boundary conditions, the frequency spectra are calculated and their branching rules together with the quartet property are elucidated. It is further proved rigorously that nearly all eigenmodes in this framework have extended nature. The quartet of the eigenmodes is illuminated analytically. The common features and pronounced differences compared with coupled optical interface modes in periodic and Fibonacci dielectric superlattices as well as with other collective elementary excitations in TM structures are also revealed. Received 24 September 2002 / Received in final form 11 January 2003 Published online 11 April 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: gjin@nju.edu.cn     

Rectangular to hexagonal columnar phase transition exhibited by a biforked mesogen

We present the structural study of a biforked compound exhibiting a Col_r-Col_h phase transition. This study was performed by means of DSC, optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, dilatometry and molecular modelling. The molecular packing within the two columnar mesophases of this compound is discussed. For the first time, it is shown that the clusters of adjacent molecules which form the elementary section of a column are tilted with respect to the columnar axis in the rectangular mesophase. From the whole set of experimental data, the number of molecules in a columnar section is found to be about 5 in the rectangular mesophase, and 4 in the hexagonal one. The transition between the two columnar mesophases is discussed with respect to its slow kinetics. Received 1st October 2002 Published online: 16 April 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: ribeiro@cii.fc.ul.pt RID="b" ID="b"UMR 7504     

High-spin study of odd- A 49In isotopes beyond the neutron mid-shell

The ^{115, 117, 119, 121}In nuclei have been produced as fission fragments in three reactions induced by heavy ions: ¹²C + ²³⁸U at 90MeV bombarding energy, ¹⁸O + ²⁰⁸Pb reaction at 85MeV, and ³¹P + ¹⁷⁶Yb at 152MeV. Their level schemes have been built from gamma-rays detected using the EUROBALL III and IV arrays. High-spin states of ^{117, 119, 121}In nuclei have been identified for the first time. Moreover, isomeric states lying around 2.5MeV have been established in ^{119, 121}In from the delayed coincidences between the fission fragment detector SAPhIR and the gamma array. Most of the observed states can be described by coupling a proton g _9/2 hole to a Sn core, while the intruder band based on an orbital from the π[g _7/2/d _5/2] sub-shells behaves as the ground-state band of neighbouring Cd isotopes. Received: 24 May 2002 / Accepted: 11 June 2002 / Published online: 19 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: porquet@csnsm.in2p3.fr RID="b" ID="b"Present address: CEA-DIF, DAM/DCRE/SDE/LDN, 91680 Bruyères-le-Chatel, France. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: CSNSM IN2P3-CNRS and Université Paris-Sud 91405 Orsay, France. RID="d" ID="d"Present address: CEA/Saclay, DSM/DAPNIA/SPhN, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France. Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Propagation of light-pulses at a negative group-velocity

This paper deals with the apparent superluminal propagation of electromagnetic pulses in a linear dispersive medium. One specifically examines the possibility that the pulse leaving the medium may be nearly identical to the incident one (low distortion) and in significant advance of it (strongly negative group-delays). Favourable conditions are obtained in a dilute medium where the required anomalous dispersion originates in an ensemble of narrow absorption or gain lines. Analytical expressions of the advancement of the pulse centre-of-gravity and of the lowest order distortion are established from the transfer-function of the medium. The experiments already achieved with arrangements involving a single absorption-line or a gain-doublet are analysed in detail and compared. The considerable difficulties to overcome in order to attain advancements comparable to the pulse width without important distortion are pointed out. New and promising schemes involving a narrow dip in a gain profile or absorption-doublets are proposed. Received 4 July 2002 / Received in final form 8 November 2002 Published online 4 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: bruno.macke@univ-lille1.fr RID="b" ID="b"Unité Mixte de Recherche de l'Université et du CNRS (UMR 8523)     

Line shape analysis of two-colour photoassociation spectra on the example of the Cs ground state

Two-photon photoassociation spectra in a Λ-type excitation scheme are analysed under the systematically varied experimental conditions of frequency detunings and laser intensities. Line shape fits are presented as well as the investigation of intensity and detuning dependent line shifts. From both we determine the attained spectroscopic precision, that is corrected for a systematic line shift due to the thermal distribution of atoms in the trap. An energy correction for this effect is given. Information about the feasibility of generating translationally cold molecules in a well defined rotational and vibrational level by the photoassociation process is derived from the analysis. Received 21 May 2002 Published online 15 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"Current address e-mail: christian.lisdat@ptb.de RID="b" ID="b"e-mail: pierre.pillet@lac.u-psud.fr     

Narrow α + <Superscript>28</Superscript>Si elastic-scattering states at high excitation in <Superscript>32</Superscript>S

The excitation function and angular distributions of elastic α-particle scattering on ²⁸Si have been measured in the laboratory energy range 6-28 MeV using a backscattering technique on a thick target, yielding a continuous energy distribution. More than 200 narrow states are observed, with widths in the range ∼ 30-100 keV at excitation energies E ^* = 13-32 MeV. Angular distributions at backward angles were measured, and angular momentum values of more than 83 states have been deduced. The analysis gives spin-parities J ^π, α-partial widths Γ_α and reduced widths of the narrow high-lying resonant states in ³²S. The experimentally observed states display both the negative- and the positive-parity rotational-like sequences with seemingly no parity splitting, a finding which is at variance with most potential-model predictions. The deduced effective moment of inertia indicates a more extended structure than the ground-state configuration. The observed strength of each ℓ-value is analyzed in terms of an underlying split doorway state of Lorentzian form, which yields an interpretation as fragmented rotational α + ²⁸Si states. Received: 26 June 2000 / Accepted: 16 September 2002 / Published online: 4 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: kkallman@abo.fi RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Swedish Polytechnic, FIN-65200 Vasa, Finland. Communicated by D. Guerreau     

Momentum transfer theory of ion transport under the influence of resonant charge transfer collisions: the case of argon and neon ions in parent gases

Transport properties of ion swarms in presence of Resonant Charge Transfer (RCT) collisions are studied using Momentum Transfer Theory (MTT). It was shown that, not surprisingly, RCT collisions may be represented as a special case of elastic scattering. Using the developed MTT we tested a previously available anisotropic set of cross-sections for Ar+Ar ⁺ collisions by making the comparisons with the available data for the transverse diffusion coefficient. We also developed an anisotropic set of Ne+Ne ⁺ integral cross-sections based on the available data for mobility, longitudinal and transverse diffusion. Anisotropic sets of cross-sections are needed for Monte Carlo simulations of ion transport and plasma models. Received 16 June 2002 / Received in final form 2nd August 2002 Published online 24 September 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: vrhovac@phy.bg.ac.yu RID="b" ID="b"e-mail: zoran@phy.bg.ac.yu