Feasibility of self-correcting quantum memory and thermal stability of topological order

Recently, it has become apparent that the thermal stability of topologically ordered systems at finite temperature, as discussed in condensed matter physics, can be studied by addressing the feasibility of self-correcting quantum memory, as discussed in quantum information science. Here, with this correspondence in mind, we propose a model of quantum codes that may cover a large class of physically realizable quantum memory. The model is supported by a certain class of gapped spin Hamiltonians, called stabilizer Hamiltonians, with translation symmetries and a small number of ground states that does not grow with the system size. We show that the model does not work as self-correcting quantum memory due to a certain topological constraint on geometric shapes of its logical operators. This quantum coding theoretical result implies that systems covered or approximated by the model cannot have thermally stable topological order, meaning that systems cannot be stable against both thermal fluctuations and local perturbations simultaneously in two and three spatial dimensions.     

Classification of quantum phases and topology of logical operators in an exactly solved model of quantum codes

Searches for possible new quantum phases and classifications of quantum phases have been central problems in physics. Yet, they are indeed challenging problems due to the computational difficulties in analyzing quantum many-body systems and the lack of a general framework for classifications. While frustration-free Hamiltonians, which appear as fixed point Hamiltonians of renormalization group transformations, may serve as representatives of quantum phases, it is still difficult to analyze and classify quantum phases of arbitrary frustration-free Hamiltonians exhaustively. Here, we address these problems by sharpening our considerations to a certain subclass of frustration-free Hamiltonians, called stabilizer Hamiltonians, which have been actively studied in quantum information science. We propose a model of frustration-free Hamiltonians which covers a large class of physically realistic stabilizer Hamiltonians, constrained to only three physical conditions; the locality of interaction terms, translation symmetries and scale symmetries, meaning that the number of ground states does not grow with the system size. We show that quantum phases arising in two-dimensional models can be classified exactly through certain quantum coding theoretical operators, called logical operators, by proving that two models with topologically distinct shapes of logical operators are always separated by quantum phase transitions.     

Nonperturbative gadget for topological quantum codes

Many-body entangled systems, in particular topologically ordered spin systems proposed as resources for quantum information processing tasks, often involve highly nonlocal interaction terms. While one may approximate such systems through two-body interactions perturbatively, these approaches have a number of drawbacks in practice. In this Letter, we propose a scheme to simulate many-body spin Hamiltonians with two-body Hamiltonians nonperturbatively. Unlike previous approaches, our Hamiltonians are not only exactly solvable with exact ground state degeneracy, but also support completely localized quasiparticle excitations, which are ideal for quantum information processing tasks. Our construction is limited to simulating the toric code and quantum double models, but generalizations to other nonlocal spin Hamiltonians may be possible.     

Contribution of individual flavonoids in Lysimachia species to the antioxidant capacity based on HPLC-DPPH assay

Quantitative phytochemical characterisation of the chief flavonoid aglycones in the hydrolysed Lysimachia extracts revealed the dominance of kaempferol, quercetin and myricetin in L. vulgaris, L. nummularia, L. punctata, L. christinae, L. ciliata and L. clethroides, respectively. Due to the significant radical scavenging capacity of the samples, the contribution of the individual aglycones to the total antioxidant activity became of interest. Therefore, a HPLC method coupled to pre-column DPPH scavenging assay was developed. Differences in the six Lysimachia species’ phenolic composition regarding their participation to the antioxidant activity were revealed. The participation of the three investigated flavonoids to the radical quenching activity was the highest (91.2%) in the L. vulgaris sample, the lowest in L. christinae sample with 29.6%. In L. vulgaris sample, the 76.3% contribution of quercetin to the scavenger capacity was the highest peak area decrement ratio among the investigated samples.     

Cystic fibrosis: a label-free detection approach based on thermally modulated electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common genetically inherited diseases in northern Europe, with the DF508 mutation being the most common, and among the Caucasian population being responsible for almost 70% of cases. In this work, we report on the use of thermally modulated electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for the discrimination of the DF508 mutation from the wild-type sequence. DNA probes (15 and 21 bases long) were immobilised on the surface of gold electrodes and the variation of the charge-transfer resistance was monitored as a function of hybridisation. Two sets of targets were used in this work: synthetic 15-mer sequences and two single-stranded synthetic analogues of PCR products 82 (mutant) and 85 (wild type) bases long. Hybridisation with short targets resulted in very sequence specific charge-transfer-resistance variation with a discrimination factor at room temperature between fully complementary and mismatched sequences of approximately fivefold. However, in the case of the single-stranded synthetic PCR product analogues, a lower discrimination factor was recorded (1.5-fold). The effect of temperature was investigated to improve discrimination and the use of a posthybridisation wash at elevated temperature resulted in a fivefold improvement in the discrimination factor. Using an electrode array with probes immobilised against each of the mutant and wild-type sequences, we achieved an unequivocal detection of the DF508 mutation.     

Fluorescence and photodissociation of rhodamine 575 cations in a quadrupole ion trap

The fluorescence and photodissociation of rhodamine 575 cations confined to a quadrupole ion trap are observed during laser irradiation at 488 nm. The kinetics of photodissociation is measured by time-dependent mass spectra and time-dependent fluorescence. The rhodamine ion signal and fluorescence decay are studied as functions of buffer gas pressure, laser fluence, and irradiation time. The decay rates of the ions in the mass spectra agree with decay rates of the fluorescence. Some of the fragment ions also fluoresce and further dissociate. The photodissociation rate is found to depend on the incident laser fluence and buffer gas pressure. The implications of rapid absorption/fluorescence cycling for photodissociation of dye-labeled biomolecular ions under continuous irradiation are discussed.     

Electrochromic cells with iridium oxide display electrodes

We report the fabrication and electrochromic behavior of iridium oxide film electrodes, including a specific display electrode design compatible with the high peak ion-insertion current densities accepted by this material and necessary for the shortest possible response time. The configuration of a complete two-terminal display cell, in which the high capacity counter electrode behaves as a pseudo-reference electrode, is presented. Cell performance, including the use of IR compensated constant-voltage address when response time is limited by impedances external to the iridium oxide itself, is reported.     

Nanofluid flow in a catheterized tapered artery

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the Newtonian nanofluid flow in a catheterized tapered artery through using a completely...     

The influence of ligand field effects on the magnetic exchange of high-spin Co(II)-semiquinonate complexes

[Co(Me(4)cyclam)(tropolonate)](PF(6)) was synthesised and structurally characterised. Its electronic and W-band EPR spectra have been analysed by means of the angular overlap calculation of the Spin Hamiltonian parameters that provided also a satisfactory reproduction of the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility. The present results can be interpreted assuming a pseudo-octahedral character for the Co(II) center. This prompted us to reconsider the model formerly used for the analysis of the magnetic coupling between hs-Co(II) and the paramagnetic o-semiquinonate ligand in the corresponding derivatives [Co(Me(4)cyclam)(PhenSQ)](PF(6)) and [Co(Me(4)cyclam)(DTBSQ)](PF(6)). These results indicate that the effect of the magnetic coupling is active only below 50 K and that a more refined model of exchange coupling between Co(II) and semiquinonato ligands is needed to quantitatively analyze the magnetic behaviour of this class of systems.