Structural changes in quasi-one-dimensional many-electron systems: From linear to zigzag and beyond

Many-electron systems confined to a quasi-one-dimensional geometry by a cylindrical distribution of positive charge have been investigated by density functional computations in the unrestricted local spin density approximation. Our investigations have been focused on the low-density regime, in which electrons are localized. The results reveal a wide variety of different charge and spin configurations, including linear and zig-zag chains, single-and double-strand helices, and twisted chains of dimers. The spin-spin coupling turns from weakly antiferromagnetic at relatively high density, to weakly ferromagnetic at the lowest densities considered in our computations. The stability of linear chains of localized charge has been investigated by analyzing the radial dependence of the self-consistent potential and by computing the dispersion relation of low-energy harmonic excitations.

Split slot ring spatial quasi-circulator for RCS characterisation

A prototype X-band scale model for a quasi-optical three-port circulator utilising a double-layer circularly polarising frequency selective surface is proposed. The operating principles and measured characteristics of the device are discussed. A prototype device operating at 9.9 GHz has been built and validated experimentally. The port 1 to port 2 insertion loss of the quasi-circulator has been measured to be 2 dB, while port 1 to port 3 isolation is 16 dB. It is demonstrated that port 1 to 3 isolation can be increased to 25 dB by embedding the quasi-circulator in a feedforward setup.

Quasi-classical model of non-destructive wavepacket manipulation by intense ultrashort nonresonant laser pulses

A quasi-classical model (QCM) of nuclear wavepacket generation, modification and imaging by three intense ultrafast near-infrared laser pulses has been developed. Intensities in excess of 10(13) W cm(-2) are studied, the laser radiation is non-resonant and pulse durations are in the few-cycle regime, hence significantly removed from the conditions typical of coherent control and femtochemistry. The 1s sigma ground state of the D-2 precursor is projected onto the available electronic states in D-2(+) (1s sigma(g) ground and 2p sigma(u) dissociative) and D+ + D+ (Coulomb explosion) by tunnel ionization by an ultrashort 'pump' pulse, and relative populations are found numerically. A generalized non-adiabatic treatment allows the dependence of the initial vibrational population distribution on laser intensity to be calculated. The wavepacket is approximated as a classical ensemble of particles moving on the 1s sigma(g) potential energy surface (PES), and hence follow trajectories of different amplitudes and frequencies depending on the initial vibrational state. The 'control' pulse introduces a time-dependent polarization of the molecular orbital, causing the PES to be modified according to the dynamic Stark effect and the transition dipole. The trajectories adjust in amplitude, frequency and phase-offset as work is done on or by the resulting force; comparing the perturbed and unperturbed trajectories allows the final vibrational state populations and phases to be determined. The action of the 'probe' pulse is represented by a discrete internuclear boundary, such that elements of the ensemble at a larger internuclear separation are assumed to be photodissociated. The vibrational populations predicted by the QCM are compared to recent quantum simulations (Niederhausen and Thumm 2008 Phys. Rev. A 77 013404), and a remarkable agreement has been found. The applicability of this model to femtosecond and attosecond time-scale experiments is discussed and the relation to established femtochemistry and coherent control techniques are explored.

“Superluminal” transmission via entanglement, superoscillations, and quasi-Dirac distributions

We analyze a system inwhich, due to entanglement between the spin and spatial degrees of freedom, the reduced transmitted state has the shape of the freely propagating pulse translated in the complex coordinate plane. In the case an apparently “superluminal” advancement of the pulse, the delay amplitude distribution is found to be a peculiar approximation to the Dirac d function, and the transmission coefficient exhibits a well-defined superoscillatory window. Analogies with potential tunneling and Wheeler’s delayed choice experiment are highlighted.

The Touching of the Touch – performance as itching and scratching a quasi-incestuous object

Issue: Mediated Bodies: Locating Corporeality in a ?Pixilated World.

Generation and control of ultrafast pulse trains for quasi-phase-matching high-harmonic generation

Two techniques are demonstrated to produce ultrashort pulse trains capable of quasi-phase-matching high-harmonic generation. The first technique makes use of an array of birefringent crystals and is shown to generate high-contrast pulse trains with constant pulse spacing. The second technique employs a grating-pair stretcher, a multiple-order wave plate, and a linear polarizer. Trains of up to 100 pulses are demonstrated with this technique, with almost constant inter-pulse separation. It is shown that arbitrary pulse separation can be achieved by introducing the appropriate dispersion. This principle is demonstrated by using an acousto-optic programmable dispersive filter to introduce third-and fourth-order dispersions leading to a linear and quadratic variation of the separation of pulses through the train. Chirped-pulse trains of this type may be used to quasi-phase-match high-harmonic generation in situations where the coherence length varies through the medium. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America