Coupled nonlinear size-dependent behaviour of microbeams

The nonlinear resonant behaviour of a microbeam, subject to a distributed harmonic excitation force, is investigated numerically taking into account the longitudinal as well as the transverse displacement. Hamilton’s principle is employed to derive the coupled longitudinal-transverse nonlinear partial differential equations of motion based on the modified couple stress theory. The discretized form of the equations of motion is obtained by applying the Galerkin technique. The pseudo-arclength continuation technique is then employed to solve the discretized equations of motion numerically. Different types of bifurcations as well as the stability of solution branches are determined. The numerical results are presented in the form of frequency-response and force-response curves for different sets of parameters. The effect of taking into account the longitudinal displacement is highlighted.     

On the geometry of master-slave synchronization

In 1990, Pecora and Carroll reported the observation that one can synchronize the orbits of two identical dynamical systems, which may be chaotic, by feeding state variables of one of them to the other one with no feedback, a phenomenon often called master-slave synchronization. We report here some results on the theory of master-slave synchronization for maps and flows, which are all inspired by a similar geometric and coordinate independent point of view to the one introduced in master-slave synchronization by Tresser, Worfolk, and Bass. Our results are variations on the theme that projection often can compensate for expansion.(c) 2002 American Institute of Physics.     

Remanent quantum correlations in dissipative qubits

Starting from the exact evolution of a Markovian dissipative quantum walk, a non-Markovian decoherence of two qubits interacting with a phonon thermal bath has been investigated analytically using quantum information tools. Concurrence and quantum discord are affected in a complex way, showing that entanglement decreases with dissipation. At the limit where dissipation dominates, quantum correlations survive in time as ∝t^−1/2$\propto t^{-1/2}$. Thus, even under the influence of dissipation, two qubits retain their quantumness for a long time. Quantum correlations could be therefore observed for a long time in related photonic experiments.     

Separation of Variables for Bi-Hamiltonian Systems

We address the problem of the separation of variables for the Hamilton–Jacobi equation within the theoretical scheme of bi-Hamiltonian geometry. We use the properties of a special class of bi-Hamiltonian manifolds, called N manifolds, to give intrisic tests of separability (and Stäckel separability) for Hamiltonian systems. The separation variables are naturally associated with the geometrical structures of the N manifold itself. We apply these results to bi-Hamiltonian systems of the Gel'fand–Zakharevich type and we give explicit procedures to find the separated coordinates and the separation relations.     

Magnesium nanoparticles with transition metal decoration for hydrogen storage

We report on the hydrogen storage behaviour of Mg nanoparticles (NPs) (size range 100 nm–1 μm) with metal-oxide core–shell morphology synthesized by inert gas condensation and decorated by transition metal (TM) (Pd or Ti) clusters via in situ vacuum deposition. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared and hydrogenated NPs is studied by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction including in situ experiments and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, in order to investigate the relationships with the hydrogen storage kinetics measured by the volumetric Sieverts method. With both Pd and Ti, the decoration deeply improves the hydrogen sorption properties: previously inert NPs exhibit complete hydrogenation with fast transformation kinetics, good stability and reversible gravimetric capacity that can attain 6 wt%. In the case of Pd-decoration, the occurrence of Mg–Pd alloying is observed at high temperatures and in dependence of the hydrogen pressure conditions. These structural transformations modify both the kinetics and thermodynamics of hydride formation, while Ti-decoration has an effect only on the kinetics. The experimental results are discussed in relation with key issues such as the amount of decoration, the heat of mixing between TM and Mg and the binding energy between TM and hydrogen.     

Pyroxene inclusions in paleo-Christian mosaic tesserae: a new tool for constraining the glass manufacturing temperature

The mineral inclusions of two orange glass tesserae from paleo-Christian mosaics were investigated in order to derive the melting temperature reached during their production (sourced from Padua and Vicenza, Veneto region, Italy). In particular, clinopyroxene crystals were studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe WDS analysis. The crystals show C2/c symmetry, typical of disordered Ca/Na and Mg/Al distributions indicating high-temperature of formation (>700°C). The cation site populations were obtained by combining results from the two experimental techniques enabled us to derive the following stoichiometric formula:

Deterministic controlled-NOT gate for single-photon two-qubit quantum logic

We demonstrate a robust implementation of a deterministic linear-optical controlled-not gate for single-photon two-qubit quantum logic. A polarization Sagnac interferometer with an embedded 45 degrees -oriented dove prism is used to enable the polarization control qubit to act on the momentum (spatial) target qubit of the same photon. The optical controlled-not gate requires no active stabilization because the two spatial modes share a common path, and it is used to entangle the polarization and momentum qubits.     

Non-phase-matched enhancement of second-harmonic generation in multilayer nonlinear structures with internal reflections

Traditional notions of second-harmonic generation rely on phase matching or quasi phase matching to achieve good conversion efficiencies. We present an entirely new concept for efficient second-harmonic generation that is based on the interference of counterpropagating waves in multilayer structures. Conversion efficiencies are an order of magnitude larger than with phase-matched second-harmonic generation in similar multilayer structures.     

Numerical study on schramm-loewner evolution in nonminimal conformal field theories

The Schramm-Loewner evolution (SLE) is a powerful tool to describe fractal interfaces in 2D critical statistical systems, yet the application of SLE is well established for statistical systems described by quantum field theories satisfying only conformal invariance, the so-called minimal conformal field theories (CFTs). We consider interfaces in Z(N) spin models at their self-dual critical point for N = 4 and N = 5. These lattice models are described in the continuum limit by nonminimal CFTs where the role of a ZN symmetry, in addition to the conformal one, should be taken into account. We provide numerical results on the fractal dimension of the interfaces which are SLE candidates for nonminimal CFTs. Our results are in excellent agreement with some recent theoretical predictions.     

Giant spin splitting through surface alloying

The long-range ordered surface alloy Bi/Ag(111) is found to exhibit a giant spin splitting of its surface electronic structure due to spin-orbit coupling, as is determined by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. First-principles electronic structure calculations fully confirm the experimental findings. The effect is brought about by a strong in-plane gradient of the crystal potential in the surface layer, in interplay with the structural asymmetry due to the surface-potential barrier. As a result, the spin polarization of the surface states is considerably rotated out of the surface plane.