Noisy random Boolean formulae:a statistical physics perspective

Properties of computing Boolean circuits composed of noisy logical gates are studied using the statistical physics methodology. A formula-growth model that gives rise to random Boolean functions is mapped onto a spin system, which facilitates the study of their typical behavior in the presence of noise. Bounds on their performance, derived in the information theory literature for specific gates, are straightforwardly retrieved, generalized and identified as the corresponding macroscopic phase transitions. The framework is employed for deriving results on error-rates at various function-depths and function sensitivity, and their dependence on the gate-type and noise model used. These are difficult to obtain via the traditional methods used in this field.

On the robustness of random Boolean formulae

Random Boolean formulae, generated by a growth process of noisy logical gates are analyzed using the generating functional methodology of statistical physics. We study the type of functions generated for different input distributions, their robustness for a given level of gate error and its dependence on the formulae depth and complexity and the gates used. Bounds on their performance, derived in the information theory literature for specific gates, are straightforwardly retrieved, generalized and identified as the corresponding typical-case phase transitions. Results for error-rates, function-depth and sensitivity of the generated functions are obtained for various gate-type and noise models. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Statnote 9: The one-way analysis of variance (random effects model)

There is an alternative model of the 1-way ANOVA called the 'random effects' model or ‘nested’ design in which the objective is not to test specific effects but to estimate the degree of variation of a particular measurement and to compare different sources of variation that influence the measurement in space and/or time. The most important statistics from a random effects model are the components of variance which estimate the variance associated with each of the sources of variation influencing a measurement. The nested design is particularly useful in preliminary experiments designed to estimate different sources of variation and in the planning of appropriate sampling strategies.

Random distributed feedback fibre laser

The concept of random lasers making use of multiple scattering in amplifying disordered media to generate coherent light has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. Here, we demonstrate a fibre laser with a mirrorless open cavity that operates via Rayleigh scattering, amplified through the Raman effect. The fibre waveguide geometry provides transverse confinement and effectively one-dimensional random distributed feedback, leading to the generation of a stationary near-Gaussian beam with a narrow spectrum, and with efficiency and performance comparable to regular lasers. Rayleigh scattering due to inhomogeneities within the glass structure of the fibre is extremely weak, making the operation and properties of the proposed random distributed feedback lasers profoundly different from those of both traditional random lasers and conventional fibre lasers.

Appearance of bound states in random potentials with applications to soliton theory

We analyze the stochastic creation of a single bound state (BS) in a random potential with a compact support. We study both the Hermitian Schrödinger equation and non-Hermitian Zakharov-Shabat systems. These problems are of special interest in the inverse scattering method for Korteveg–de-Vries and the nonlinear Schrödinger equations since soliton solutions of these two equations correspond to the BSs of the two aforementioned linear eigenvalue problems. Analytical expressions for the average width of the potential required for the creation of the first BS are given in the approximation of delta-correlated Gaussian potential and additionally different scenarios of eigenvalue creation are discussed for the non-Hermitian case.

Contrast sensitivity for complex and random gratings

This thesis studied the effect of (i) the number of grating components and (ii) parameter randomisation on root-mean-square (r.m.s.) contrast sensitivity and spatial integration. The effectiveness of spatial integration without external spatial noise depended on the number of equally spaced orientation components in the sum of gratings. The critical area marking the saturation of spatial integration was found to decrease when the number of components increased from 1 to 5-6 but increased again at 8-16 components. The critical area behaved similarly as a function of the number of grating components when stimuli consisted of 3, 6 or 16 components with different orientations and/or phases embedded in spatial noise. Spatial integration seemed to depend on the global Fourier structure of the stimulus. Spatial integration was similar for sums of two vertical cosine or sine gratings with various Michelson contrasts in noise. The critical area for a grating sum was found to be a sum of logarithmic critical areas for the component gratings weighted by their relative Michelson contrasts. The human visual system was modelled as a simple image processor where the visual stimuli is first low-pass filtered by the optical modulation transfer function of the human eye and secondly high-pass filtered, up to the spatial cut-off frequency determined by the lowest neural sampling density, by the neural modulation transfer function of the visual pathways. The internal noise is then added before signal interpretation occurs in the brain. The detection is mediated by a local spatially windowed matched filter. The model was extended to include complex stimuli and its applicability to the data was found to be successful. The shape of spatial integration function was similar for non-randomised and randomised simple and complex gratings. However, orientation and/or phase randomised reduced r.m.s contrast sensitivity by a factor of 2. The effect of parameter randomisation on spatial integration was modelled under the assumption that human observers change the observer strategy from cross-correlation (i.e., a matched filter) to auto-correlation detection when uncertainty is introduced to the task. The model described the data accurately.

Incoherent fibre supercontinuum generation for all-optical random number generation

Random number generation is a central component of modern information technology, with crucial applications in ensuring communications and information security. The development of new physical mechanisms suitable to directly generate random bit sequences is thus a subject of intense current research, with particular interest in alloptical techniques suitable for the generation of data sequences with high bit rate. One such promising technique that has received much recent attention is the chaotic semiconductor laser systems producing high quality random output as a result of the intrinsic nonlinear dynamics of its architecture [1]. Here we propose a novel complementary concept of all-optical technique that might dramatically increase the generation rate of random bits by using simultaneously multiple spectral channels with uncorrelated signals - somewhat similar to use of wave-division-multiplexing in communications. We propose to exploit the intrinsic nonlinear dynamics of extreme spectral broadening and supercontinuum (SC) generation in optical fibre, a process known to be often associated with non-deterministic fluctuations [2]. In this paper, we report proof-of concept results indicating that the fluctuations in highly nonlinear fibre SC generation can potentially be used for random number generation.

Multi-wavelength erbium/Raman gain based random distributed feedback fiber laser

A multiwavelength generation in a random distributed feedback fiber laser based on hybrid Raman and erbium gain and a Lyot all-fiber spectral filter is demonstrated for the first time. The use of erbium-doped fiber allows a multi-wavelength generation to be achieved at lower pump powers in comparison with random fiber lasers based on Raman gain only. The operating bandwidth and flatness of power distribution between different lines in generation are also improved in the hybrid gain configuration.

Typical case behaviour of spin systems in random graph and composite ensembles

This thesis includes analysis of disordered spin ensembles corresponding to Exact Cover, a multi-access channel problem, and composite models combining sparse and dense interactions. The satisfiability problem in Exact Cover is addressed using a statistical analysis of a simple branch and bound algorithm. The algorithm can be formulated in the large system limit as a branching process, for which critical properties can be analysed. Far from the critical point a set of differential equations may be used to model the process, and these are solved by numerical integration and exact bounding methods. The multi-access channel problem is formulated as an equilibrium statistical physics problem for the case of bit transmission on a channel with power control and synchronisation. A sparse code division multiple access method is considered and the optimal detection properties are examined in typical case by use of the replica method, and compared to detection performance achieved by interactive decoding methods. These codes are found to have phenomena closely resembling the well-understood dense codes. The composite model is introduced as an abstraction of canonical sparse and dense disordered spin models. The model includes couplings due to both dense and sparse topologies simultaneously. The new type of codes are shown to outperform sparse and dense codes in some regimes both in optimal performance, and in performance achieved by iterative detection methods in finite systems.

Design of a flat-top fiber Bragg filter via quasi-random modulation of the refractive index

The statistics of the reflection spectrum of a short-correlated disordered fiber Bragg grating are studied. The averaged spectrum appears to be flat inside the bandgap and has significantly suppressed sidelobes compared to the uniform grating of the same bandwidth. This is due to the Anderson localization of the modes of a disordered grating. This observation prompts a new algorithm for designing passband reflection gratings. Using the stochastic invariant imbedding approach it is possible to obtain the probability distribution function for the random reflection coefficient inside the bandgap and obtain both the variance of the averaged reflectivity as well as the distribution of the time delay of the grating.

Random input problem for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation

We consider the random input problem for a nonlinear system modeled by the integrable one-dimensional self-focusing nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE). We concentrate on the properties obtained from the direct scattering problem associated with the NLSE. We discuss some general issues regarding soliton creation from random input. We also study the averaged spectral density of random quasilinear waves generated in the NLSE channel for two models of the disordered input field profile. The first model is symmetric complex Gaussian white noise and the second one is a real dichotomous (telegraph) process. For the former model, the closed-form expression for the averaged spectral density is obtained, while for the dichotomous real input we present the small noise perturbative expansion for the same quantity. In the case of the dichotomous input, we also obtain the distribution of minimal pulse width required for a soliton generation. The obtained results can be applied to a multitude of problems including random nonlinear Fraunhoffer diffraction, transmission properties of randomly apodized long period Fiber Bragg gratings, and the propagation of incoherent pulses in optical fibers.

Persistence in a random bond ising model of socio-econo dynamics

We study the persistence phenomenon in a socio-econo dynamics model using computer simulations at a nite temperature on hypercubic lattices in dimensions up to ve. The model includes a \social" local eld which contains the magnetization at time t. The nearest neighbour quenched interactions are drawn from a binary distribution which is a function of the bond concentration, p. The decay of the persistence probability in the model depends on both the spatial dimension and p. We nd no evidence of \blocking" in this model. We also discuss the implications of our results for possible applications in the social and economic elds. It is suggested that the absence, or otherwise, of blocking could be used as a criterion to decide on the validity of a given model in dierent scenarios.

The throughput order of multicast traffics with physical-layer network coding in random wireless ad hoc networks

This paper attempts to address the effectiveness of physical-layer network coding (PNC) on the throughput improvement for multi-hop multicast in random wireless ad hoc networks (WAHNs). We prove that the per session throughput order with PNC is tightly bounded as T((nvmR (n))-1) if m = O(R-2 (n)), where n is the total number of nodes, R(n) is the communication range, and m is the number of destinations for each multicast session. We also show that per-session throughput order with PNC is tight bounded as T(n-1), when m = O(R-2(n)). The results of this paper imply that PNC cannot improve the throughput order of multicast in random WAHNs, which is different from the intuition that PNC may improve the throughput order as it allows simultaneous signal access and combination.

From rogue waves to random walks:nonlinear instabilities in supercontinuum generation

The noise properties of supercontinuum generation continue to be a subject of wide interest within both pure and applied physics. Aside from immediate applications in supercontinuum source development, detailed studies of supercontinuum noise mechanisms have attracted interdisciplinary attention because of links with extreme instabilities in other physical systems, especially the infamous and destructive oceanic rogue waves. But the instabilities inherent in supercontinuum generation can also be interpreted in terms of natural links with the general field of random processes, and this raises new possibilities for applications in areas such as random number generation. In this contribution we will describe recent work where we interpret supercontinuum intensity and phase fluctuations in this way.

Tunable random fiber laser

An optical fiber is treated as a natural one-dimensional random system where lasing is possible due to a combination of Rayleigh scattering by refractive index inhomogeneities and distributed amplification through the Raman effect. We present such a random fiber laser that is tunable over a broad wavelength range with uniquely flat output power and high efficiency, which outperforms traditional lasers of the same category. Outstanding characteristics defined by deep underlying physics and the simplicity of the scheme make the demonstrated laser a very attractive light source both for fundamental science and practical applications.