An analytical model for probing ion dynamics in clays with broadband dielectric spectroscopy

A simple two-state model is proposed to explicitly derive the ionic contribution to the frequency-dependent dielectric permittivity of clay. This model is based on a separation of time scales and accounts for two possible solvation modes (inner/outer-sphere complexes) for ions in the interlayer spacing and a possible chemical exchange between both forms. The influence on the permittivity of thermodynamic (distribution constant K(d)) and dynamic (diffusion coefficient, chemical relaxation rate) parameters is discussed. In turn, this model is used to analyze experimental data obtained with Na-montmorillonite for two relative humidities. The values of the parameters extracted from these measurements, and their variation with water content, show that the proposed model is at least reasonable.     

Superconductivity in the americium metal as a function of pressure: probing the Mott transition

High-pressure measurements of the resistivity of americium metal are reported to 27 GPa and down to temperatures of 0.4 K. The unusual dependence of the superconducting temperature (T(c)) on pressure is deduced. The critical field [H(c)(0) extrapolated to T=0] increases dramatically from 0.05 to approximately 1 T as the pressure is increased, suggesting that the type of superconductivity is changing as pressure increases. At pressures of approximately 16 GPa the 5f electrons of Am are changing from localized to itinerant, and the crystal structure also transforms to a complex one. The role of a Mott-type transition in the development of the peak in T(c) above 16 GPa is postulated.     

Robust quantum communication using a polarization-entangled photon pair

Noise and imperfection of realistic devices are major obstacles for implementing quantum cryptography. In particular, birefringence in optical fibers leads to decoherence of qubits encoded in photon polarization. We show how to overcome this problem by doing single qubit quantum communication without a shared spatial reference frame and precise timing. Quantum information will be encoded in pairs of photons using tag operations, which corresponds to the time delay of one of the polarization modes. This method is robust against the phase instability of the interferometers despite the use of time bins. Moreover synchronized clocks are not required in the ideal no photon loss case as they are necessary only to label the different encoded qubits.     

Investigation into factors affecting precision in ion trap mass spectrometry using different scan directions and axial modulation potential amplitudes

Electrospray ionization mass spectra obtained from different scan directions are observed to be dependent on the axial modulation potential amplitudes used for resonant ejection and on the positive deviation caused by higher even-multipole fields present in most commercial ion traps. The axial modulation voltage influences the dissociation of ions during resonant ejection and the observed mass shifts. The higher even-multipole fields in commercial ion traps are known to influence resonant ejection from the ion trap and can cause a loss in mass resolution for peaks in reverse scan mass spectra compared with that obtained by the forward scan. However, along with the dissociation of ions during resonant ejection causing a loss in resolution, the possibility of resolving an isotopic distribution is also shown to be influenced by the mass shifts caused by the space charge. These mass shifts differ depending on the scan direction employed. A significant loss in resolution can also result from resonant ejection using non-optimal axial modulation voltages. We also present results showing the ejection of ions at betaz = 1/2 using the reverse scan mode without the axial modulation voltage. Ion ejection at betaz = 1/2 is uncommon in commercial (stretched ion traps) with the conventional analytical scan without the use of a frequency of the axial modulation voltage corresponding to this non-linear resonance.     

Global Well-Posedness for the KP-I Equation on the Background of a Non-Localized Solution

We prove that the Cauchy problem for the KP-I equation is globally well-posed for initial data which are localized perturbations (of arbitrary size) of a non-localized (i.e. not decaying in all directions) traveling wave solution (e.g. the KdV line solitary wave or the Zaitsev solitary waves which are localized in x and y periodic or conversely).     

The effect of parasitic boron doping on P-type piezoresistors

Absolute piezoresistive pressure sensors often use direct wafer bonding of SOI with the etched bulk silicon to provide us with sensitive membranes and sealed cavities. The advantage of such a process is that we can easily obtain a thin, monocrystalline silicon membrane with controlled thickness and a vacuum sealed cavity. However, few works have been reported on the electrical quality of this N-type membrane and its influence on performance of the P-type gauges. The problem of parasitic Boron appearance at the Si/SiO₂ interface was only recently shown in BESOI wafers, but it becomes much more significant when creating the component at the bottom side of the device layer, like in the case of an absolute piezoresistive pressure sensor.     

Use of the mark-tracking method for optical fiber characterization

The mark-tracking method was used in the uniaxial tensile test to determine the elastic properties of optical fibers. The mark-tracking method is based on the follow-up of two markers on the specimen with the help of an image processing technique. It allows us to determine the true strain with respect to the small strains assumption (≤1%) or the finite strains (>1%) without any impact of the rigid solid movement or pulley fiber sliding on the measured strain. Both coated optical fiber and stripped fiber were subjected to the uniaxial tensile test and the cantilever beam bending test. The Young’ modulus results of the stripped fiber were found to be very similar for both tests. Thus, the mark-tracking method is adaptable to the tensile test of optical fibers and the elastic behaviors of both coated optical fiber and stripped fiber are found to be non-linear. Their Young's moduli are 22 and 79 GPa, respectively. These results revealed that those coatings play a mechanical role in fiber elongation.     

Direct observation of two protons in the decay of 54Zn

The two protons emitted in the decay of 54Zn have been individually observed for the first time in a time projection chamber. The total decay energy and the half-life measured in this work agree with the results obtained in a previous experiment. Angular and energy correlations between the two protons are determined and compared to theoretical distributions of a three-body model. Within the shell model framework, the relative decay probabilities show a strong contribution of the p2 configuration for the two-proton emission. After 45Fe, the present result on 54Zn constitutes only the second case of a direct observation of the ground state two-proton decay of a long-lived isotope.     

Dispersive blow-up for nonlinear Schrödinger equations revisited

The possibility of finite-time, dispersive blow-up for nonlinear equations of Schrödinger type is revisited. This mathematical phenomena is one of the conceivable explanations for oceanic and optical rogue waves. In dimension one, the fact that dispersive blow up does occur for nonlinear Schrödinger equations already appears in [9]. In the present work, the existing results are extended in several ways. In one direction, the theory is broadened to include the Davey–Stewartson and Gross–Pitaevskii equations. In another, dispersive blow up is shown to obtain for nonlinear Schrödinger equations in spatial dimensions larger than one and for more general power-law nonlinearities. As a by-product of our analysis, a sharp global smoothing estimate for the integral term appearing in Duhamel's formula is obtained.