Demonstration of an optical quantum controlled-NOT gate without path interference

We report the first experimental demonstration of an optical quantum controlled-NOT gate without any path interference, where the two interacting path interferometers of the original proposals have been replaced by three partially polarizing beam splitters with suitable polarization dependent transmittance and reflectance. The performance of the device is evaluated using a recently proposed method, by which the quantum process fidelity and the entanglement capability can be estimated from the 32 measurement results of two classical truth tables, significantly less than the 256 measurement results required for full quantum tomography.     

Wavelet processing and digital interferometric contrast to improve reconstructions from X‐ray Gabor holograms

In this work, the application of an undecimated wavelet transformation together with digital interferometric contrast to improve the resulting reconstructions in a digital hard X‐ray Gabor holographic microscope is shown. Specifically, the starlet transform is used together with digital Zernike contrast. With this contrast, the results show that only a small set of scales from the hologram are, in effect, useful, and it is possible to enhance the details of the reconstruction.     

Adjacency Effect in the Atmospheric Correction of Satellite Remote Sensing Data: Evaluation of the Influence of Aerosol Extinction Profiles

In the atmospheric correction of satellite data in the visible and near-infrared bands, it is necessary to remove the adjacency effect due to the reflection from contiguous pixels. Evaluation of the influence of aerosol vertical distributions on the adjacency effect is done by calculating the single-scattering light intensity which, after the reflection at the ground surface, reaches the satellite sensor via a single scattering with a molecule or an aerosol particle. In the simulation, we assume aerosol vertical profiles similar to those used in the MODTRAN radiation transfer code, and those having a mixed layer with a uniform value of the aerosol extinction coefficient. We assume for the ground surface a simple model representing a border of land/sea surfaces. In spite of the single scattering approximation, it is confirmed that even if the optical thickness is the same, we have a larger adjacency effect when the extinction coefficient is large at higher altitudes. We also discuss the dependence of the adjacency effect on the aerosol optical thickness and that on the difference in the reflectances of the land and sea surfaces along the border.     

Hyperfine field and diffusion of μ+ in Fe single crystals

In recent positive-muon spin rotation experiment at TRIUMF on single crystal Fe, a clear temperature dependent change has been observed, for the first time, both in frequency and depolarization rates from 300 K down to 23 K. The μ⁺ depolarization was explained by the μ⁺ diffusion through inhomogeneous dipolar fields and the diffusion constant was found to obey an Arrhenius law (activation energy 17 meV) above 70 K but surprisingly deviated from this at lower temperatures, indicating quantum diffusion. We have also found that the μ⁺ hyperfine field has a temperature dependence slightly stronger than that of the magnetization.     

Discrete π Stack of a Tweezer-Shaped Naphthalenediimide–Anthracene Conjugate

The design and synthesis of a tweezer-shaped naphthalenediimide (NDI)–anthracene conjugate ( 2NDI ) are reported. In the structure of the closed form (π_NDI ⋅⋅⋅ π_NDI stack) of 2NDI , which was elucidated by single-crystal XRD, the existence of C−H ⋅⋅⋅ O hydrogen bonding involving the nearest carbonyl oxygen atom of an NDI unit was suggested. The tunability of π_NDI ⋅⋅⋅ π_NDI interactions was studied by means of UV/Vis absorption, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy and molecular modelling. This revealed that the π_NDI ⋅⋅⋅ π_NDI interactions in 2NDI affect the absorption and emission properties depending on the temperature. Furthermore, in polar solvents, 2NDI prefers the stronger π_NDI ⋅⋅⋅ π_NDI stack, whereas the π_NDI ⋅⋅⋅ π_NDI interaction is diminished in nonpolar solvents. Importantly, the conformational variations of 2NDI can be reversibly switched by variation in temperature, and this suggests potential application for fluorogenic molecular switches upon temperature changes.     

Superconductivity in heavy fermion systems

The heavy fermion state in the f-electron systems is due to competition between the RKKY interaction and the Kondo effect. The typical compound is CeCu₆. To understand the electronic state, we studied the Fermi surface properties via the de Haas–van Alphen (dHvA) experiment and energy band calculation for CeSn₃,CeRu₂Si₂,UPt₃, and nowadays, transuranium compounds. Pressure is also an important technique to control the electronic state. The Néel temperature T_N decreases with increasing pressure P and becomes zero at the critical pressure for . The typical compound is an antiferromagnet CeRhIn₅, which we studied from the dHvA experiment under pressure. A change of the 4f-electronic state from localized to itinerant is realized at , revealing the first-order phase transition, together with a divergent tendency of the cyclotron mass at P_c. It is stressed that appearance of superconductivity in CeRhIn₅ is closely related to the heavy fermion state. It is also noted that the parity-mixed novel superconducting state might be realized in a pressure-induced superconductor CeIrSi₃ without inversion symmetry in the crystal structure.     

Preparation of organic acid anion-modified magnesium hydroxides by coprecipitation: A novel material for the uptake of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions

New layered magnesium hydroxides whose brucite layers had been bridged with malate²⁻ and tartrate²⁻ were prepared by dropwise addition of Mg(NO₃)₂ to malate and tartrate solutions at a constant pH of 10.5. Malate²⁻ and tartrate²⁻ may have been also absorbed on the surfaces of hydroxides. In the case of using citrate solution, Mg(OH)₂ absorbed with citrate³⁻ was produced. These materials were found to take up Cu²⁺ rapidly from an aqueous solution at pH 5.0. Copper uptake by precipitates is attributed to the formation of chelate complexes of Cu²⁺ with citrate³⁻, malate²⁻, and tartrate²⁻.     

Molecular structure and puckering potential of gas-phase 1-pyrroline as determined by microwave and infrared spectroscopy

The microwave spectrum of 1-pyrroline has been measured from 8 to 48 GHz. The transitions have been assigned to those of the ground state and the four lowest excited states of the ring-puckering vibration of monomer, which is a five-membered ring molecule with one CN double bond. The trimer, which exists in the liquid phase, has not been detected in the gas phase. The geometrical structure of the monomer has been estimated by an ab initio calculation and the trimer by a molecular mechanics calculation. The former is consistent with the experimental rotational constants. A gas-phase infrared spectrum has also been measured, and the ring-puckering potential has been determined by an analysis of the combination bands of the ring-puckering mode and the ring-stretching modes. The potential is described using a puckering coordinate, z, as V(z) = az² + bz⁴, where $\text{a = ?3.358(16) × 10}{}^4\text{cm}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{A}\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{?2}}$ and $\text{b = 1.345(9) × 10}{}^6\text{cm}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{A}\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{?4}}$; these values are intermediate of the corresponding values for cyclopentene and 1-pyrazoline. The nuclear quadrupole coupling constants, χ_aa = ?4.39(10), χ_bb = 1.04(10), and χ_cc = 3.35(10) MHz, have been determined by an analysis of well-resolved hyperfine splittings. These constants have been reproduced by an ab initio calculation with a 4-31G(N¹) basis set.