Monotonic return to steady nonequilibrium

We propose and analyze a new candidate Lyapunov function for relaxation towards general nonequilibrium steady states. The proposed functional is obtained from the large time asymptotics of time-symmetric fluctuations. For driven Markov jump or diffusion processes it measures an excess in dynamical activity rates. We present numerical evidence and we report on a rigorous argument for its monotonic time dependence close to the steady nonequilibrium or in general after a long enough time. This is in contrast with the behavior of approximate Lyapunov functions based on entropy production that when driven far from equilibrium often keep exhibiting temporal oscillations even close to stationarity.     

Internet of Things: The Optimal Generation Rates under Preemption Strategy in a Multi-Source Queuing System

With the rapid development and wide application of the Internet of Things (IoT), how to provide timely and fresh information for strategic analysis and decision-making has become a key issue. Recent studies have shown that preemption strategies are of great importance to the improvement of information freshness. In view of this, we focus on the multi-source preemptive queuing model and investigate how to control the generation rate of each source to achieve the optimal overall information freshness. Specifically, we consider two typical preemption strategies: self-preemption strategy and global-preemption strategy. Noting that the urgency requirements of the systems on the data of each source are different, we propose the weighted average age of information (AoI) to characterize the overall information freshness of the system. For the self-preemption strategy, we prove that the optimal generation rate allocation is a convex problem and present an efficient algorithm to find the optimal solution. Additionally, we also derive a closed-form approximate optimal solution under light load cases to meet the demands for rapid deployment. For the global-preemption strategy, we directly derive the closed-form optimal solution of the corresponding problem. By comparing the optimized weighted average AoIs, the performance achieved by the global-preemption system was better than that achieved by the self-preemption system in terms of the overall timeliness. The numerical analysis verified the correctness of the theoretical analysis and that the proposed approximate solution had high accuracy not only under light load cases but also under other cases.     

伊辛模型的四分支临界面及其临界行为

本文通过等标度同普适类变换理论,使严格的重正化群递推方程得以直接应用。对伊辛模型的计算产生了四个不动点、四支临界面。对应于铁磁及反铁磁相变,其结果与已知的严格解及最好近似解一致。对于超反铁磁相变,本文提出临界曲面方程为—ch(h)=sh(2K_x)sh(2K_y)。 关键词：     

Study of the influence of processing baths on the modulation profile of volume holographic gratings

Over the last 20 years, dichromated gelatin has been considered to be the best holographic recording material. However, the non-reproducibility of results in relation to light sensitivity, for a large number of experimental factors, restricted the use of this material. In this work, we consider the refractive index modulation profile and its stability. We propose a mixed method using Kogelnik's coupled wave theory (an approximate theory) and an alternative theory of diffraction in modulated media (an exact theory). The aim of this contribution is to use this mixed method in order to study the evolution of the modulation profile in correlation with the modification of the chemical environment during the final stage of processing. In our study we compare the effect of different kinds of final processing baths on the refractive index modulation profile. In order to characterize our holograms we have developed an experimental set-up for diffractive elements analysis. The experimental results are compared with the theoretical ones. For the numerical study we have carried out a complete set of numerical computations by using our own programs. These programs are based on a complete and exact solution of the Maxwell equations.     

Comparison between semiclassical and full quantum transport analysis of THz quantum cascade lasers

We implement and compare two theoretical models for stationary electron transport in quantum cascade lasers and Stark ladders. The first one, the nonequilibrium Green's function method is a very general scheme to include coherent quantum mechanics and incoherent scattering with phonons and device imperfections self-consistently. However, it is numerically very demanding and cannot be used for systematic device parameter scans. For this reason, we also implement the approximate, numerically efficient ensemble Monte Carlo method and assess its applicability on the above mentioned transport problems. We identify a transport regime in which results of both methods quantitatively agree. In this regime, the ensemble Monte Carlo method is well suited to propose design improvements.     

Noise-Induced Phase Transition: Zero-Dimensional Brownian Particles Varying between Ergodicity and Nonergodicity

We study in phase space a zero-dimensional system of Brownian particles which move in a periodic potential and subject to an internal time derivative Ornstein-Uhlenbeck noise. To resolve the Fokker-Planck equation in such a case, we propose an approximate analytical method. The theoretical predictions exhibit a second order noise-induced nonequilibrium phase transition, which is confirmed by numerical simulation results. The phase transition brings the system from an ergodicity to a nonergodicity phase as the potential barrier height decreases.     

Quantum Deletion of Copies of Two Non-orthogonal Quantum States via Weak Measurement

We propose a scenario to increase the probability of probabilistic quantum deletion and to enhance the fidelity of approximate quantum deletion for two non-orthogonal states via weak measurement.More interestingly,by pretreating the given non-orthogonal states,the probability of probabilistic quantum deletion and fidelity of approximate quantum deletion can reach 1.Since outcomes of the weak measurement that we required are probabilistic,we perform the subsequent deleting process only when the outcome of weak measurement is "yes" Remarkably,we find that our scenario has better performance in quantum information process;for example,it costs less quantum resources and time.     

Sequential data assimilation with multiple models

Data assimilation is an essential tool for predicting the behavior of real physical systems given approximate simulation models and limited observations. For many complex systems, there may exist several models, each with different properties and predictive capabilities. It is desirable to incorporate multiple models into the assimilation procedure in order to obtain a more accurate prediction of the physics than any model alone can provide. In this paper, we propose a framework for conducting sequential data assimilation with multiple models and sources of data. The assimilated solution is a linear combination of all model predictions and data. One notable feature is that the combination takes the most general form with matrix weights. By doing so the method can readily utilize different weights in different sections of the solution state vectors, allow the models and data to have different dimensions, and deal with the case of a singular state covariance. We prove that the proposed assimilation method, termed direct assimilation, minimizes a variational functional, a generalized version of the one used in the classical Kalman filter. We also propose an efficient iterative assimilation method that assimilates two models at a time until all models and data are assimilated. The mathematical equivalence of the iterative method and the direct method is established. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new method.     

All-optical generation of states for "Encoding a qubit in an oscillator"

Most quantum computation schemes propose encoding qubits in two-level systems. Others exploit the use of an infinite-dimensional system. In "Encoding a qubit in an oscillator" [Phys. Rev. A 64, 012310 (2001)], Gottesman, Kitaev, and Preskill (GKP) combined these approaches when they proposed a fault-tolerant quantum computation scheme in which a qubit is encoded in the continuous position and momentum degrees of freedom of an oscillator. One advantage of this scheme is that it can be performed by use of relatively simple linear optical devices, squeezing, and homodyne detection. However, we lack a practical method to prepare the initial GKP states. Here we propose the generation of an approximate GKP state by using superpositions of optical coherent states (sometimes called "Schr?dinger cat states"), squeezing, linear optical devices, and homodyne detection.     

Differential transform method for solving linear and non-linear systems of partial differential equations

In this Letter, we propose a reliable algorithm to develop exact and approximate solutions for the linear and non-linear systems of partial differential equations. The approach rest mainly on two-dimensional differential transform method which is one of the approximate methods. The method can easily be applied to many linear and non-linear problems and is capable of reducing the size of computational work. Exact solutions can also be achieved by the known forms of the series solutions. Several illustrative examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the present method.     

Design of robust differential microphone arrays with the Jacobi–Anger expansion

Due to their small size, differential microphone arrays (DMAs) are very attractive. Moreover, they have been effective in combating noise and reverberation. Recently, a new class of DMAs of different orders have been developed with the MacLaurin’s series and the frequency-independent patterns. However, the MacLaurin’s series does not approximate well the exponential function, which appears in the general definition of the beampattern, when the intersensor spacing is not small enough. To circumvent this problem, we propose in this paper to approximate the exponential function with the Jacobi–Anger expansion. Based on this approximation and the frequency-independent Chebyshev patterns, we derive first-, second-, and third-order DMAs. Furthermore, in order to improve the robustness of DMAs against white noise amplification, we propose to use more microphones combined with minimum-norm filters. It is also shown that the Jacobi–Anger expansion is optimal from a mean-squared error perspective. Simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed DMAs.     

基于改进变分法对原子激发态精确波函数的研究

传统的利用变分原理求解Schrfidinger方程获得原子激发态波函数的方法是基于HUM理论(HylleraasUndheim and MacDonald theorem),在有限的N维Hilbert空间中,通过求解久期方程的高阶根获得激发态的近似波函数.在我们前期的工作中已指出,由于HUM方法的几个内禀缺陷限制,它将导致在相同的函数空间中,由传统变分法得到的激发态波函数的‘质量’远差于足够好的基态波函数.进一步地,为了避免基于HUM方法的变分缺陷,本文提出了新的变分函数,并证明其试探激发态波函数在其本征态处具有局域极小值,因而可以通过变分极小无限制的逼近该本征态.在此基础上,利用广义的Laguerre类型轨道(GLTO)在组态相互作用的框架下,分别编写了基于传统HUM理论和新变分函数的关于求解原子近似波函数的计算程序,并且利用该程序计算了氦原子(He)在1S(e),1P(o)态下相应的基态及激发态近似波函数及对应的能量值和径向平均值,并与已有文献中结果进行比较,计算结果显示了HUM理论的缺陷及新变分函数优越性,并就进一步提高激发态的精度指明了方向.     

Determining reflections for beam propagation algorithms

Reflections occur whenever different waveguide sections are concatenated. In this paper, we will give approximate formulas for determining the reflection coefficient. Starting with generalized transmission line equations we will derive general formulas where suitable approximations are introduced. These approximations allow the determination of the reflections with low numerical effort. The expressions were implemented in an FD-BPM algorithm to determine the field distribution in waveguide devices. For an application in CAD systems the reflection coefficient of the fundamental mode was computed with the approximate formulas. Numerical results were obtained for various concatenations of different waveguide sections. A comparison with the method of lines, a semi-analytic algorithm, shows a good agreement.     

Multiple-scale analysis of open quantum systems

In this work, we present a multiple-scale perturbation technique suitable for the study of open quantum systems, which is easy to implement and in few iterative steps allows us to find excellent approximate solutions. For any time-local quantum master equation, whether markovian or non-markovian, in Lindblad form or not, we give a general procedure to construct analytical approximations to the corresponding dynamical map and, consequently, to the temporal evolution of the density matrix. As a simple illustrative example of the implementation of the method, we study an atom-cavity system described by a dissipative Jaynes-Cummings model. Performing a multiple-scale analysis we obtain approximate analytical expressions for the strong and weak coupling regimes that allow us to identify characteristic time scales in the state of the physical system.     

Energy Content of Colliding Plane Waves Using Approximate Noether Symmetries

We study the energy content of colliding plane waves using approximate Noether symmetries. For this purpose, we use the approximate Lie symmetry method for Lagrangians for differential equations. We formulate the first-order perturbed Lagrangian for colliding plane electromagnetic and gravitational waves. In both cases, we show that no nontrivial first-order approximate symmetry generator exists.     

Conservative method for simulation of a high-order nonlinear Schrdinger equation with a trapped term

We propose a new scheme for simulation of a high-order nonlinear Schrodinger equation with a trapped term by using the mid-point rule and Fourier pseudospectral method to approximate time and space derivatives, respectively. The method is proved to be both charge- and energy-conserved. Various numerical experiments for the equation in different cases are conducted. From the numerical evidence, we see the present method provides an accurate solution and conserves the discrete charge and energy invariants to machine accuracy which are consistent with the theoretical analysis.     

On measuring the neutron coherent scattering length with ultrahigh precision

We propose an order of magnitude improvement in the present five parts in 10⁵ precision of a nondispersive interferometric measurement of the neutron coherent scattering lengthb _c. For this purpose we make a judicious selection of the Bragg angle for the interferometer and the sample thickness. The precision is further improved by an optimal choice of the Bragg reflection (and a consequent neutron wavelength). By performing the experiment in vacuum, errors arising from possible variations in the pressure, composition or humidity of the ambient air can be eliminated. On attaining such precision, we ought to account for the neutron beam refraction at the sample-ambient interfaces, to infer the correctb _c from the observed phase. The formula for the phase used hitherto is approximate and would significantly overestimateb _c. The refractive index for neutrons can thus be determined to a phenomenal precision of a few parts in 10¹².     

Elimination of the intermediate colloidal product in models of periodic precipitation patterns

Periodic precipitation phenomena constitute a good example of self-organization in chemical systems. In order to simplify models of periodic precipitation as much as possible, we propose here two approximate schemes that eliminate the dynamics of the intermediate colloidal product explicitly: a steady-state elimination scheme and a local chemical equilibrium one.     

Antiferromagnetism in a doped spin-Peierls model: Classical and quantum behaviors

We investigate the sequential cracking of thin brittle coatings attached adhesively to substrates. The focus of our study are uniaxial tensile loading conditions, where we monitor the behavior in a continuous picture and the coating strength follows a two-parameter Weibull distribution. For fracture well under way we derive an approximate analytical expression for the distribution of fragment lengths. We recover that the distribution scales with the average fragment length and that is a power function of the applied strain , i.e. , where depends on the distribution of the strength of the coating and on the adhesive's nonlinearity. Furthermore we compare our approximate analytical expression with numerical solutions and with simulations' findings. Received 16 February 2000     

Generalized moment expansion for nonadiabatic transition reaction

We discuss the generalized moments of the nonadiabatic transition reaction by using the stochastic Liouville equation for the study of outer-sphere electron transfer in polar solvents characterized by Debye dielectric relaxation. We obtain an approximate expression for the generalized moments which incorporates the width of the transition with arbitrary initial condition far from equilibrium. For low barriers, we derive an analytical expression for the rate corresponding to harmonic potential surfaces in the overdamped regime. For Fokker-Planck operators of Smoluchowski type, we introduce a new method to solve all of the generalized moments by using the eigenfunction expansion method.