Physics Commons^™

The Classical Limit Of Quantum Optics: Not What It Seems At First Sight, Yakir Aharonov, Alonso Botero, Shmuel Nussinov, Sandu Popescu, Jeff Tollaksen, Lev Vaidman

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

What light is and how to describe it has always been a central subject in physics. As our understanding has increased, so have our theories changed: geometrical optics, wave optics and quantum optics are increasingly sophisticated descriptions, each referring to a larger class of phenomena than its predecessor. But how exactly are these theories related? How and when wave optics reduces to geometric optics is a rather simple problem. Similarly, how quantum optics reduces to wave optics has also been considered to be a very simple business. It is not so. As we show here the classical limit of quantum …

Towards A Formulation Of Quantum Theory As A Causally Neutral Theory Of Bayesian Inference, Matthew S. Leifer, Robert W. Spekkens

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Quantum theory can be viewed as a generalization of classical probability theory, but the analogy as it has been developed so far is not complete. Whereas themanner in which inferences aremade in classical probability theory is independent of the causal relation that holds between the conditioned variable and the conditioning variable, in the conventional quantum formalism, there is a significant difference between how one treats experiments involving two systems at a single time and those involving a single system at two times. In this article, we develop the formalism of quantum conditional states, which provides a unified description of …

Maximally Epistemic Interpretations Of The Quantum State And Contextuality, Matthew S. Leifer, O. J. E. Maroney

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We examine the relationship between quantum contextuality (in both the standard Kochen-Specker sense and in the generalized sense proposed by Spekkens) and models of quantum theory in which the quantum state is maximally epistemic.We find that preparation noncontextual models must be maximally epistemic, and these in turn must be Kochen-Specker noncontextual. This implies that the Kochen-Specker theorem is sufficient to establish both the impossibility of maximally epistemic models and the impossibility of preparation noncontextual models. The implication from preparation noncontextual to maximally epistemic then also yields a proof of Bell’s theorem from an Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-like argument.

Effectiveness Of Flipping The Classroom In A Honors Level, Mechanics-Based Physics Class, Stephen J. Zownorega

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Transport In Correlated And Uncorrelated Random Media, With Applications To Molecularly Doped Polymers, Nilanka Praveena Gurusinghe

Doctoral Dissertations

"The commonly observed Poole-Frenkel field dependence; of the mobility of photo-injected charges in molecularly-doped polymers has been shown to arise from the spatially-correlated, Gaussian energy distribution of transport sites encountered by charges moving through the material. Experimental current-time transients obtained for molecularly-doped polymers exhibit universality with respect to electric field and a metal-insulator-like transition from non-dispersive to dispersive transport, features usually identified with multiple trapping models that assume an uncorrelated exponential distribution of trap energies. For materials that exhibit both sets of features the possibility arises that both kinds of disorder coexist. We study here, analytically and numerically, transport in …

Properties Of Cathodoluminescence For Cryogenic Applications Of Sio2-Based Space Observatory Optics And Coatings, Amberly Evans Jensen, Jr Dennison, Gregory Wilson, Justin Dekany, Charles Bpwers, Robert Meloy, James B. Heaney

Conference Proceedings

Disordered thin film SiO2/SiOx coatings undergoing electron-beam bombardment exhibit cathodoluminescence, which can produce deleterious stray background light in cryogenic space-based astronomical observatories exposed to high- energy electron fluxes from space plasmas. As future observatory missions push the envelope into more extreme environments and more complex and sensitive detection, a fundamental understanding of the dependencies of this cathodoluminescence becomes critical to meet performance objectives of these advanced space-based observatories. Measurements of absolute radiance and emission spectra as functions of incident electron energy, flux, and power typical of space environments are presented for thin (~60-200 nm) SiO2/SiOx optical coatings on reflective metal …

Gravitational Gauge Theory And The Existence Of Time, James Thomas Wheeler

All Physics Faculty Publications

General relativity may be formulated as a gauge theory more than one way using the quotient manifold approach. We contrast the structures that arise in four gravitational gauge theories, three of which give satisfactory gauge theoris of general relativity. Of particular interest is the quotient of the conformal group of a flat space by its Weyl subgroup, which always has natural symplectic and metric structures in addition to the requisite manifold. This quotient space admits canonically conjugate, orthogonal, metric submanifolds distinct from the original space if and only if the original flat space has signature n, -n or 0. In …

Search For Spin-Polarized Photoemission From Gaas Using Light With Orbital Angular Momentum, Nathan B. Clayburn, J. L. Mccarter, J. M. Dreiling, M. Poelker, D. M. Ryan, Timothy J. Gay

Timothy J. Gay Publications

Laser light with photon energy near the band gap of GaAs and in Laguerre-Gaussian modes with different amounts of orbital angular momentum was used to produce photoemission from unstrained GaAs. The degree of electron spin polarization was measured using a micro-Mott polarimeter and found to be consistent with zero with an upper limit of ∼3% for light with up to ±5h of orbital angular momentum. In contrast, the degree of spin polarization of 32.3 ± 1.4% using circularly polarized laser light at the as the same wavelength, which is typical for bulk GaAs photocathodes.

Threshold Alignment Reversal And Circularly Polarized Fluorescence In Rotationally Resolved H2, Jack W. Maseberg, Klaus Bartschat, Timothy J. Gay

Timothy J. Gay Publications

Using H₂ and D₂ targets, we have measured the polarization of Fulcher-band fluorescence resulting from spin-polarized electron-impact excitation of vibrationally and rotationally resolved d ³Π_u→ a ³ ∑_g⁺ transitions for incident electron energies from 14.3 to 28.5 eV. Near threshold, the linear polarization P₁ descends from positive values through zero to negative values, indicating a dynamic production of M_N = 0 states. The circular polarization P₃ is measured to be nonzero, indicating the orientation of rotationally resolved molecular states. For Q-branch transitions, P₃ is consistent with theory based …

Compact Inline Optical Electron Polarimeter, Munir Pirbhai, D. M. Ryan, G. Richards, Timothy J. Gay

Timothy J. Gay Publications

A compact optical electron polarimeter using a helium target is described. It offers a maximum fluorescence detection efficiency of ∼20 Hz/nA, which is an order of magnitude higher than that of earlier designs. With an argon target, this device is expected to have a polarimetric figure-of-merit of 270 Hz/nA. By relying on a magnetic field to guide a longitudinally spin-polarized electron beam, the present instrument employs fewer electrodes. It also uses a commercially available integrated photon counting module. These features allow it to occupy a smaller volume and make it easier to operate.

Two Novel Approaches For Electron Beam Polarization From Unstrained Gaas, James L. Mccarter, Nathan B. Clayburn, J. M. Dreiling, Timothy J. Gay, Dominic M. Ryan, John Hansknecht, Matt Poelker, Andrei Afanasev, Ara Kechiantz

Timothy J. Gay Publications

Two novel approaches to producing highly-polarized electron beams from unstrained GaAs were tested using a micro-Mott polarimeter. Based on a suggestion by Nakanishi [1]], twophoton photoemission with 1560 nm light was used with photocathodes of varying thickness: 625m, 0.32m, and 0.18m. For each of these photocathodes, the degree of spin polarization of the photoemitted beam was less than 50%. Polarization via two-photon absorption was highest from the thinnest photocathode sample and close to that obtained from one-photon absorption (using 778 nm light), with values 40.3±1.0% and 42.6±1.0%, respectively. The second attempt to produce highly-polarized electrons used one-photon emission with 778 …

Changing Molecular Band Offsets In Polymer Blends Of (P3ht/P(Vdf–Trfe)) Poly(3-Hexylthiophene) And Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride With Trifluoroethylene) Due To Ferroelectric Poling, Freddy Wong, Godohaldo Perez, Manuel Bonilla, Juan A. Colon-Santana, Xin Zhang, Pankaj Sharma, Alexei Gruverman, Peter A. Dowben, Luis G. Rosa

Peter Dowben Publications

Photoelectron emission and inverse photoemission spectroscopy studies of polymer blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride (70%) – trifluoroethylene (30%)) P(VDF–TrFE 70 : 30) and regio-regular poly(3- hexylthiophene) (P3HT) provide evidence of changes in the molecular band offsets as a result of changes in the ferroelectric polarization in P(VDF–TrFE). Investigation of the blends with higher concentrations of the semiconducting P3HT component revealed that the organic semiconductor component of the blend dominates the electronic structure in the vicinity of the chemical potential. Specifically, the states of P3HT at the conduction band minimum and valence band maximum fall within the HOMO–LUMO gap of the dielectric …

Induced Magneto-Electric Coupling In Ferroelectric/Ferromagnetic Heterostructures, Jeffery Carvell, Ruihua Cheng, Peter A. Dowben, Q Yang

Peter Dowben Publications

Using an external magnetic field, we have demonstrated room temperature control of the electric polarization of a ferroelectric polymer, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), in an artificial multiferroic structure. For ferroelectric PVDF polymer thin films in an iron-PVDF-iron heterostructure, both the ferroelectric coercivity and polarization display a hysteresis dependence on the external magnetic field. We also find that the thickness of the PVDF layer has an effect on the magnetoelectric coupling in our samples. We observe a giant magnetoelectric coupling with values as large as 3700 V/cm Oe to 41700 V/cm Oe.

Magnetoelectric Coupling At The Euo/Batio3 Interface, Shi Cao, P Liu, Jinke Tang, Haidong Lu, C W. Bark, Sangjin Ryu, Chang-Beom Eom, Alexei Gruverman, Peter A. Dowben

Peter Dowben Publications

Magnetization modulation by ferroelectric polarization switching is reported for the ferromagnetic-ferroelectric EuO/BaTiO₃heterostructure. The value of the magnetization critical exponent β is consistent with the expected Heisenberg-like ferromagnetism of EuO and reported Curie temperature. The critical exponent is seen to decrease with increased magnetic coupling. The results are discussed in the context of data obtained earlier for epitaxial La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃/BaTiO₃ heterostructures, where magnetization increases and critical exponent b also declines with ferroelectric polarization pointing away from ferromagnetic layer. The observed similarity between two systems illustrates an importance of charge doping in magnetoelectric coupling, …

Reversible Mn Segregation At The Polar Surface Of Lithium Tetraborate, Christina Dugan, Robert L. Hengehold, Steve R. Mchale, Juan A. Colon Santana, John W. Mcclory, V T. Adamiv, Ya V. Burak, Yaroslav B. Losovyj, Peter A. Dowben

Peter Dowben Publications

We find Mn surface segregation for single crystals of Mn doped Li₂B₄O₇, nominally Li_1.95Mn_0.05 B₄O₇(001), but as the temperature increases, evidence of this Mn surface segregation diminishes significantly. At room temperature, the surface photovoltaic charging is significant for this pyroelectric material but is quenched at a temperature well below that seen for the undoped Li₂B₄O₇ samples. The suppression of surface charging in the region of 120°C that accompanies the temperature of Mn dissolution in the bulk of Li₂B₄O …

Grand Challenges In Condensed Matter Physics: From Knowledge To Innovation, Evgeny Y. Tsymbal, Peter A. Dowben

Peter Dowben Publications

Condensed Matter Physics (CMP) explores the fundamental properties of matter and their origins resulting from the interactions of a large number of atoms and electrons. The intricate nature of these interactions results in properties and associated phenomena that often hint at a rich vein of underlying physics. Although the perspective is changing constantly with new discoveries, the basic challenges in CMP are to predict and observe new phenomena and elucidate novel properties of materials often pushing at the frontiers of quantum mechanics [1].

CMP is also a field which stimulates technological innovation that revolutionizes modern society. For more than five …

Gamma And X-Ray Sensitivity Of Gd2O3 Heterojunctions, Juan A. Colon Santana, C M. Young, J W. Mcclory, J C. Petrosky, X Wang, P Liu, Jinke Tang, V T. Adamiv, Ya V. Burak, Keisuke Fukutani, Peter A. Dowben

Peter Dowben Publications

We find that Gd₂O₃ thin films strongly favor a (-402) texture growth on a variety of substrates and will form heterojunction diodes with silicon, especially when doped with oxygen vacancies. Even in the thin film limit, these heterojunction diodes appear to be sensitive to gamma radiation, likely from the X-rays created by scattering events, adding to the numerous hurdles that must be overcome if Gd based semiconductor devices are to be used for solid state neutron detection applications.

Interaction Of The Cyclonic Winds With The Infrasonic Signal Generated By A Large Maritime Storm, Philip Stephen Blom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The collision of counter propagating ocean surface waves of like periods is known to produce an infrasonic signal termed a microbarom. It has been suggested that microbaroms associated with large maritime storms are generated far from the storm center at a location in which the storm swell and background swell have equal period and are counter-propagating. It is shown in this work that the interaction of the atmospheric microbarom signal generated by a large maritime storm with the cyclonic winds of the storm results in a characteristic acoustic signal far from the storm which could potentially be used to estimate …

Carbon Monoxide Adsorption On Platinum-Osmium And Platinum-Ruthenium-Osmium Mixed Nanoparticles, N. Dimakis, Nestor E. Navarro, Eugene S. Smotkin

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Density functional calculations (DFT) on carbon monoxide (CO) adsorbed on platinum, platinum-osmium, and platinum-ruthenium-osmium nanoclusters are used to elucidate changes on the adsorbate internal bond and the carbon-metal bond, as platinum is alloyed with osmium and ruthenium atoms. The relative strengths of the adsorbate internal bond and the carbon-metal bond upon alloying, which are related to the DFT calculated C–O and C–Pt stretching frequencies, respectively, cannot be explained by the traditional 5σ-donation/2π*-back-donation theoretical model. Using a modified π-attraction σ-repulsion mechanism, we ascribe the strength of the CO adsorbate internal bond to changes in the polarization of the adsorbate-substrate hybrid orbitals …

A Search For A New Gauge Boson, Eric Lyle Jensen

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

In the Standard Model, gauge bosons mediate the strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces. New forces could have escaped detection only if their mediators are either heavier than O (TeV) or weakly coupled to charged matter. New vector bosons with small coupling a' arise naturally from a small kinetic mixing with the photon and have received considerable attention as an explanation of various dark matter related anomalies. Such particles could be produced in electron-nucleus fixed-target scattering and then decay to e+ e -- pairs. New light vector bosons and their associated forces are a common feature of Standard Model extensions, but …