Elastic properties of the Ta–V system: bcc Ta0.33V0.67 and C15 TaV2

Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy was used to measure the elastic constants of bcc Ta_0.33V_0.67 over the temperature range 3.5–300?K; the results were compared to earlier measurements on C15 TaV₂. The temperature dependence of the polycrystalline shear modulus is completely different in the two phases; that of the bcc phase decreases with temperature whereas that of the C15 phases increases in an anomalous fashion. This difference is consistent with a model involving doubly-degenerate levels at the X point of the Brillouin zone in the C15 phase with the Fermi level lying near the doubly degenerate level. This model accounted for the unusual behaviour of the C15 phase. Debye temperatures were determined from the ultrasonic measurements: 295?K for the C15 phase and 315?K for the bcc phase.     

On the optical conductivity of high-T c superconductors

We have solved the self-consistent equation for self-energy of a hole in a quantum antiferromagnet. The optical conductivity is estimated. The results are in good agreement with experiments and numerical simulations.     

Magnetic moments of compound states in dysprosium

Magnetic moments of neutron resonances in dysprosium have been measured by determining the neutron transmission through a polarized target.     

Nonmonotonic field dependence of damping and reappearance of Rabi oscillations in quantum dots

The dynamics of strongly confined laser driven semiconductor quantum dots coupled to phonons is studied theoretically by calculating the time evolution of the reduced density matrix using a numerical path integral method. We explore the cases of long pulses, strong dot-phonon and dot-laser coupling, and high temperatures, which, up to now, have been inaccessible. We find that the phonon-induced damping of Rabi rotations is a nonmonotonic function of the laser field that is increasing at low fields and decreasing at high fields. This results in a reappearance of Rabi rotations at high fields. This phenomenon is of a general nature which occurs for all temperatures and carrier-phonon coupling strengths.     

Lattice fluctuations at a double phonon frequency with and without squeezing: an exactly solvable model of an optically excited quantum dot

Time-dependent lattice fluctuations of an optically excited strongly confined quantum dot are investigated with the aim to analyze the characteristics commonly used for identifying the presence of squeezed phonon states. It is demonstrated that the appearance of fluctuations oscillating with twice the phonon frequency, commonly regarded as a clear indication of squeezed states, cannot be considered as such. The source of the discrepancy with earlier investigations is discussed. Conditions for generating a squeezed state by using a two-pulse excitation are analyzed.