Study of superconducting state parameters of alkali–alkali binary alloys by a pseudopotential

A detailed study of the superconducting state parameters (SSP) viz. electron–phonon coupling strength λ, Coulomb pseudopotential μ^*, transition temperature T_C, isotope effect exponent and effective interaction strength N_OV of ten alkali–alkali binary alloys i.e. Li_1−xNa_x, Li_1−xK_x, Li_1−xRb_x, Li_1−xCs_x, Na_1−xK_x, Na_1−xRb_x, Na_1−xCs_x, K_1−xRb_x, K_1−xCs_x and Rb_1−xCs_x are made within the framework of the model potential formalism and employing the pseudo-alloy-atom (PAA) model for the first time. We use the Ashcroft’s empty core (EMC) model potential for evaluating the superconducting properties of alkali alloys. Five different forms of local field correction functions viz. Hartree (H), Taylor (T), Ichimaru–Utsumi (IU), Farid et al. (F) and Sarkar et al. (S) are used to incorporate the exchange and correlation effects. A considerable influence of various exchange and correlation functions on λ and μ^* is found from the present study. Reasonable agreement with the theoretical values of the SSP of pure components is found (corresponding to the concentration x = 0 or 1). It is also concluded that nature of the SSP strongly depends on the value of the atomic volume Ω₀ of alkali–alkali binary alloys.     

Regular Twists: Replicating Coulomb’s Wire-Torsion Experiments

I discuss our replication of the wire-torsion experiments that Charles Augustin Coulomb (1736–1806) reported in a session of the Paris Académie des Sciences in 1784. I first explain the nature and purpose of the replication method and then apply it to an analysis of Coulomb’s experiments. I conclude by placing Coulomb’s presentation of his memoir into its specific historical contest.     

Formation of a vortex lattice in a rotating BCS Fermi gas

We investigate theoretically the formation of a vortex lattice in a superfluid two-spin component Fermi gas in a rotating harmonic trap, in a BCS-type regime of condensed non-bosonic pairs. Our analytical solution of the superfluid hydrodynamic equations, both for the 2D BCS equation of state and for the 3D unitary quantum gas, predicts that the vortex free gas is subject to a dynamic instability for fast enough rotation. With a numerical solution of the full time dependent BCS equations in a 2D model, we confirm the existence of this dynamic instability and we show that it leads to the formation of a regular pattern of quantum vortices in the gas.     

Feedback control of quantum system

Feedback is a significant strategy for the control of quantum system. Information acquisition is the greatest difficulty in quantum feedback applications. After discussing several basic methods for information acquisition, we review three kinds of quantum feedback control strategies: quantum feedback control with measurement, coherent quantum feedback, and quantum feedback control based on cloning and recognition. The first feedback strategy can effectively acquire information, but it destroys the coherence in feedback loop. On the contrary, coherent quantum feedback does not destroy the coherence, but the capability of information acquisition is limited. However, the third feedback scheme gives a compromise between information acquisition and measurement disturbance.     

Out of Equilibrium Correlations in the XY Chain

We study the transversal spin–spin correlations in the non-equilibrium steady state of the XY chain constructed by coupling a finite cutout of the chain to the two infinite parts to its left and right acting as thermal reservoirs at different temperatures. We prove that the spatial decay of these correlations is at least exponentially fast.     

锥形透镜光纤聚焦特性研究

锥形透镜光纤(TLF)是实现光纤与平面光波光路(PLC)芯片高效耦合的核心元件。了解和掌握其聚焦特性是指导平面光波光路尾纤封装技术的关键。给出了表征锥形透镜光纤聚焦特性的两个参量出射光斑直径和远场发散角的理论分析模型,其误差小于1.14%;采用光束传播法数值模拟了锥形透镜光纤中的光波传输和模斑的演化,确定了锥形透镜光纤端面出射光斑的大小;优化锥形透镜光纤结构参量为:拉锥长度300μm,锥角0.733°,透镜曲率半径13.485μm;建立了基于数字摄像机的锥形透镜光纤出射光场测试系统,提出了物理光学反向推演法,计算出锥形透镜光纤聚焦光斑尺寸和远场发散角。理论与实验结果有着良好的一致:对于相同结构参量的锥形透镜光纤,实验反推法得到的出射光斑尺寸与理论值相比误差为3.15%,远场发散角误差为3.67%。     

Finite element acoustic simulation based shape optimization of a muffler

This paper describes a methodology which combines finite element analysis and Zoutendijk’s feasible directions method for mufflers shape design. The main goal is to obtain the dimensions of the acoustic muffler with the transmission loss (TL), being maximized in the frequency range of interest. The improved four parameters method is used for TL evaluations and the Helmholtz’s equation is solved numerically with the finite element method (FEM). The quadratic triangular finite element meshes are adequately constructed to control the pollution error and the optimization problem is solved using the Zoutendijk’s feasible directions method due to robustness and efficiency for problems with nonlinear constraints. Numeric experiments performed with circular expansion chambers with extended inlet and outlet show results for constrained and unconstrained shape optimization.     

A predissociative triplet Rydberg state of the nitrogen molecule studied by near-infrared diode laser kinetic spectroscopy

A new ³Π-³Σ band was observed in a discharge plasma of the nitrogen molecule and helium using near-infrared diode laser kinetic spectroscopy. All the lines in this band exhibited line broadening of more than 0.1 cm⁻¹. Rotational analysis revealed that the lower state of the transition was the state of N₂, which had already been studied in the D³Σ-E³Σ band. The term value and rotational constant suggested that the upper state is the G³Π_u Rydberg state with an electron configuration of (N₂⁺:X²Σ core)(3pπ_u). The line broadening is attributed to predissociation through a homogeneous interaction with a repulsive Π_u state.     

Test of the intercombination rules on the two excited states (0 and 1) potential parameters of the second group metal atoms perturbed by inert gases

A set of intercombination rules has been used to calculate the two excited (³0 and ³1) state potential parameters ε₁₂ and R₁₂ of Hg, Cd and Zn interacting with inert gases (Xe, Kr, Ar and Ne). The results obtained with these rules are compared with various experimental and theoretical results for these molecules. The rules can be very well used for determination of the position of the potential minimum for the two states of all molecules. Concerning the well depths of the two states (³0 and ³1) of these molecules, it is observed that for the more bounded excited state ³0 some of these rules give results that are in close agreement with experimental data especially for molecules consisting of heavy atoms but for the shallow excited state ³1 these rules cannot be used.     

Analysis of combined conduction and radiation heat transfer in presence of participating medium by the development of hybrid method

The current study addresses the mathematical modeling aspects of coupled conductive and radiative heat transfer in the presence of absorbing, emitting and isotropic scattering gray medium within two-dimensional square enclosure. A blended method where the concepts of modified differential approximation employed by combining discrete ordinate method and spherical harmonics method, has been developed for modeling the radiative transport equation. The gray participating medium is bounded by isothermal walls of two-dimensional enclosure which are considered to be opaque, diffuse and gray. The effect of various influencing parameters i.e., radiation-conduction parameter, surface emissivity, single scattering albedo and optical thickness has been illustrated. The adaptability of the present method has also been addressed.