On the dynamical Casimir effect in a one-dimensional contracting cavity

The dynamical Casimir effect is analyzed in the framework of the S-matrix formulation for a one-dimensional cavity that exhibits contraction at a constant rate over a finite time interval. The exact solution to the problem is presented. It is demonstrated that the efficiency of the creation of pairs nonmonotonically depends on the contraction time. This is due to the fact that the particles are only created at the moments corresponding to the acceleration and stopping of the moving boundary, so that the contributions of these processes on the number of the created particles interfere with each other. The parameters that correspond to the optimal creation of pairs and the stability of a vacuum are presented. The effect of the finiteness of the cavity-boundary acceleration on the results obtained is studied.     

Spinful fermionic ladders at incommensurate filling: Phase diagram,local perturbations,and ionic potentials

We study the effect of external potential on transport properties of the fermionic two-leg ladder model. The response of the system to a local perturbation is strongly dependent on the ground state properties of the system and especially on the dominant correlations. We categorize all phases and transitions in the model (for incommensurate filling) and introduce “hopping-driven transitions” that the system undergoes as the inter-chain hopping is increased from zero. We also describe the response of the system to an ionic potential. The physics of this effect is similar to that of the single impurity, except that the ionic potential can affect the bulk properties of the system and in particular induce true long range order.     

Optical spectra of (CdF2)0.9(InF3)0.1 semiconductor solid solutions

The differences in the optical spectra of CdF₂:In semiconductors with bistable DX centers (concentrated (CdF₂)_0.9(InF₃)_0.1 solid solutions) and “standard” samples with a lower impurity concentration used to record holograms are discussed. In contrast to the standard samples, in which complete decay of two-electron DX states and transfer of electrons to shallow donor levels may occur at low temperatures, long-term irradiation of a (CdF₂)_0.9(InF₃)_0.1 solid solution by UV or visible light leads to decay of no more than 20% deep centers. The experimental data and estimates of the statistical distribution of electrons over energy levels in this crystal give the total electron concentration, neutral donor concentration, and concentration of deep two-electron centers to be ～5 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3, ～9 × 10¹⁷ cm^?3, and more than 1 × 10²⁰ cm^?3, respectively. These estimates show that the majority of impurity ions are located in clusters and can form only deep two-electron states in CdF₂ crystals with a high indium content. In this case, In³⁺ ions in a limited concentration (In³⁺ (～9 × 10¹⁷ cm^?3) are statistically distributed in the “unperturbed” CdF₂ lattice and, as in low-concentrated samples, form DX centers, which possess both shallow hydrogen-like and deep two-electron states.     

Quantum dot version of topological phase: Half-integer orbital angular momenta

We show that there exists a topological phase equal to π for circular quantum dots with an odd number of electrons. The non-zero value of the topological phase is explained by axial symmetry and two-dimensionality of the system. Its particular value (π) is fixed by the Pauli exclusion principle and leads to half-integer values for the eigenvalues of the orbital angular momentum. Our conclusions agree with the experimental results of T. Schmidt et al., Phys. Rev. B 51, 5570 (1995), which can be considered as the first experimental evidence for the existence of the new topological phase and half-integer quantization of the orbital angular momentum in a system of an odd number of electrons in circular quantum dots. The article is published in the original.     

Creation of electron-positron plasma with superstrong laser field

We present a short review of recent progress in studying QED effects within the interaction of ultra-relativistic laser pulses with vacuum and e ^? e ⁺ plasma. Current development in laser technologies promises very rapid growth of laser intensities in the near future. Two exawatt class facilities (ELI and XCELS, Russia) in Europe are already in the planning stage. Realization of these projects will make available a laser intensity of ～ 10²⁶?W/cm² or even higher. Therefore, discussion of nonlinear optical effects in vacuum are becoming compelling for experimentalists and are currently gaining much attention. We show that, in spite of the fact that the expected field strength is still essentially less than E _S = m ² c ³/e? = 1.32 · 10¹⁶?V/cm, the nonlinear vacuum effects will be accessible for observation at the ELI and XCELS facilities. The most promissory effect for observation is pair creation by a laser pulse in vacuum. It is shown, that at intensities ～ 5 · 10²⁵?W/cm², creation even of a single pair is accompanied by the development of an avalanche QED cascade. There exists a distinctive feature of the laser-induced cascades, as compared with the air showers arising due primarily to cosmic rays entering the atmosphere. In our case the laser field plays not only the role of a target (similar to a nucleus in the case of air showers) but is also responsible for the acceleration of slow particles. It is shown that the effect of pair creation imposes a natural limit for the attainable laser intensity and, apparently, the field strength E ～ E _S is not accessible for a pair-creating electromagnetic field at all.     

Collapse and revival of electromagnetic cascades in focused intense laser pulses

We consider interaction of a high-energy electron beam with superstrong laser pulses. Nonlinear Compton scattering and electron–positron pair production by the emitted photons result in development of an electromagnetic “shower-type” cascade, which however collapses rather quickly due to energy losses by secondary particles. Nevertheless, the laser field accelerates the slowed down electrons and positrons, thus giving rise to development of electromagnetic cascade of another type (“avalanche-type”). This effect of cascade collapse and revival can be observed at the electron beam energy of the order of several GeV and laser pulses intensity ∼10²⁴ W/cm²$\sim {10}^{24}\text{W}/{\text{cm}}^2$. This means that it can be readily observed at the novel laser facilities which are either planned for the nearest future, or are already under construction. The proposed experimental setup provides the most realistic and promissory way to observe the “avalanche-type” cascades.     

On generation of boost pairs by a constant electric field

The problem of quantization of a complex scalar field in an external constant uniform electric field is considered in the basis of boost modes. The in- and out-regions in the Minkowski space are deter-mined, and the complete sets of in- and out boost modes describing particles and antiparticles are constructed. The number of boost pairs generated by the field from vacuum in each mode, as well as the total number of produced particles, is calculated.     

Fluctuation relations and rare realizations of transport observables

Fluctuation relations establish rigorous identities for the nonequilibrium averages of observables. Starting from a general transport master equation with time-dependent rates, we employ the stochastic path integral approach to study statistical fluctuations around such averages. We show how under nonequilibrium conditions, rare realizations of transport observables are crucial and imply massive fluctuations that may completely mask such identities. Quantitative estimates for these fluctuations are provided. We illustrate our results on the paradigmatic example of a mesoscopic RC circuit.     

Quantum processes in a two-mode laser field

The probabilities of the emission of a photon by an electron and e ⁺ e ^?-pair photoproduction in a field which is a superposition of two electromagnetic plane waves with different frequencies and propagating in the same direction are obtained. The case where the frequencies of the two modes are commensurate is studied in detail. This case is interesting primarily because of the existence of effects due to the interference of amplitudes, corresponding to a different number of photons absorbed from different modes but having the same total 4-momentum. It is shown that the optimal field for observing interference effects is a field such that the ratio of the mode frequencies is 3. The probabilities of radiation and pair-photoproduction processes in the field of a monochromatic plane wave and in a two-mode field, obtained by splitting the initial wave into two waves, are compared. It is shown that the total probability of the emission of a photon by an electron in a two-mode field is lower than and the probability of pair photoproduction is higher than the probabilities of the same processes in the initial wave. The increase in the pair-photoproduction probability is explained by the fact that additional channels for reactions which are forbidden in the initial monochromatic field open up in a two-mode field.