Entanglement as a Semantic Resource

The characteristic holistic features of the quantum theoretic formalism and the intriguing notion of entanglement can be applied to a field that is far from microphysics: logical semantics. Quantum computational logics are new forms of quantum logic that have been suggested by the theory of quantum logical gates in quantum computation. In the standard semantics of these logics, sentences denote quantum information quantities: systems of qubits (quregisters) or, more generally, mixtures of quregisters (qumixes), while logical connectives are interpreted as special quantum logical gates (which have a characteristic reversible and dynamic behavior). In this framework, states of knowledge may be entangled, in such a way that our information about the whole determines our information about the parts; and the procedure cannot be, generally, inverted. In spite of its appealing properties, the standard version of the quantum computational semantics is strongly “Hilbert-space dependent”. This certainly represents a shortcoming for all applications, where real and complex numbers do not generally play any significant role (as happens, for instance, in the case of natural and of artistic languages). We propose an abstract version of quantum computational semantics, where abstract qumixes, quregisters and registers are identified with some special objects (not necessarily living in a Hilbert space), while gates are reversible functions that transform qumixes into qumixes. In this framework, one can give an abstract definition of the notions of superposition and of entangled pieces of information, quite independently of any numerical values. We investigate three different forms of abstract holistic quantum computational logic.     

A fast solver for linear systems with displacement structure

We describe a fast solver for linear systems with reconstructible Cauchy-like structure, which requires O(rn ²) floating point operations and O(rn) memory locations, where n is the size of the matrix and r its displacement rank. The solver is based on the application of the generalized Schur algorithm to a suitable augmented matrix, under some assumptions on the knots of the Cauchy-like matrix. It includes various pivoting strategies, already discussed in the literature, and a new algorithm, which only requires reconstructibility. We have developed a software package, written in Matlab and C-MEX, which provides a robust implementation of the above method. Our package also includes solvers for Toeplitz(+Hankel)-like and Vandermonde-like linear systems, as these structures can be reduced to Cauchy-like by fast and stable transforms. Numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the software.     

Vortex–antivortex states in nanostructured superconductor–ferromagnet hybrids

The formation of vortex–antivortex states in a superconducting film with a square array of magnetic dipoles magnetized perpendicularly to the film is investigated in the framework of the time-dependent Ginzburg–Landau equations. It is shown that a possible route to obtain equilibrium states is obtained following an experimentally realizable field-cooling procedure. The states thus obtained demonstrate a rich variety of phases, depending on magnetic moment intensity and dipole array-to-superconducting film distance. For instance, in the region of the phase diagram where each dipoles is able to generate N = 2 vortex–antivortex pairs, the antivortices induced by the negative stray fields of the dipoles undergo two transitions before ultimately merging into doubly-quantized giant antivortices. For N = 4, a state consisting on a three-quanta giant vortex below each dipole and an interstitial vortex–antivortex molecule was observed. Such state is thermodynamically stable and is induced by the fourfold symmetry of the dipole array, similar to symmetry-induced vortex–antivortex molecules found in mesoscopic superconductors.     

A theoretical study of topomerization of imine systems: Inversion,rotation or mixed mechanisms?

The different mechanisms, rotation, inversion, or intermediate mechanism, by which occur the topomerization of imine systems R₂ CN X have been studied by applying ab initio, B3LYP, and MP2 methods. The effect of a wide variety of substituents R and X on the isomerization pathway have been examined by computing fully optimized structures of the ground and transition states (136 isomers belonging to different imine families were studied and more than 300 transition structures were determined at various levels of theory). Energy barriers have been also obtained and it was found that the groups R and X have a strong influence on the type of mechanism involved and the activation energies. Thus, and depending on the type of substituents, transition state structures related to the following kinds of processes were found: pure inversion, intermediate mechanisms, rotation, and enhanced rotation (hyper‐rotation). In turn, the corresponding activation energies range between very low (<10 kcal/mol) and extremely high (> 70 kcal/mol) values. A simple index that allows us to quantify the percentage of inversion or rotation mechanism is proposed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010     

A finite strain contact model for mixed lubricated surfaces in forming processes

For an accurate simulation of forming processes, it is of paramount importance to model the different lubrication regimes that can develop at the contact interface. These might vary from zone to zone of the forming piece, and from one regime to another, resulting in forces of different nature and magnitude. In these cases, the use of the classical Coulomb friction law will be clearly not sufficient to capture, in a suitable manner, the variety of forces applied on the forming piece.     

The alternative Daugavet property of C *‐algebras and JB *‐triples

A Banach space X is said to have the alternative Daugavet property if for every (bounded and linear) rank‐one operator T: X → X there exists a modulus one scalar ω such that ∥Id+ωT ∥ = 1 + ∥T ∥. We give geometric characterizations of this property in the setting of C *‐algebras, JB *‐triples, and of their isometric preduals. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)