Showing papers in "Annalen der Physik in 2019"

On the Optical Properties of Thin‐Film Vanadium Dioxide from the Visible to the Far Infrared

Abstract: The insulator-to-metal transition (IMT) in vanadium dioxide (VO2) can enable a variety of optics applications, including switching and modulation, optical limiting, and tuning of optical resonators. Despite the widespread interest in optics, the optical properties of VO2 across its IMT are scattered throughout the literature, and are not available in some wavelength regions. We characterized the complex refractive index of VO2 thin films across the IMT for free-space wavelengths from 300 nm to 30 {\\mu}m, using broadband spectroscopic ellipsometry, reflection spectroscopy, and the application of effective-medium theory. We studied VO2 thin films of different thickness, on two different substrates (silicon and sapphire), and grown using different synthesis methods (sputtering and sol gel). While there are differences in the optical properties of VO2 synthesized under different conditions, they are relatively minor compared to the change resulting from the IMT, most notably in the ~2 - 11 {\\mu}m range where the insulating phase of VO2 has relatively low optical loss. We found that the macroscopic optical properties of VO2 are much more robust to sample-to-sample variation compared to the electrical properties, making the refractive-index datasets from this article broadly useful for modeling and design of VO2-based optical and optoelectronic components.

Quantum-Memory-Assisted Entropic Uncertainty Relations

Abstract: Uncertainty relations take a crucial and fundamental part in the frame of quantum theory, and are bringing on many marvelous applications in the emerging field of quantum information sciences. Especially, as entropy is imposed into the uncertainty principle, entropy-based uncertainty relations lead to a number of applications including quantum key distribution, entanglement witness, quantum steering, quantum metrology, and quantum teleportation. Herein, the history of the development of the uncertainty relations is discussed, especially focusing on the recent progress with regard to quantum-memory-assisted entropic uncertainty relations and dynamical characteristics of the measured uncertainty in some explicit physical systems. The aims are to help deepen the understanding of entropic uncertainty relations and prompt further explorations for versatile applications of the relations on achieving practical quantum tasks.

Molecular Spin Crossover Materials: Review of the Lattice Dynamical Properties

Abstract: The lattice dynamical aspects of the spin crossover phenomenon in molecular solids—displaying intricate couplings between the electronic spin state of the molecules and the lattice properties—are reviewed. Emphasis is on experimental and theoretical approaches giving access to the vibrational spectra and to key properties, such as the heat capacity, vibrational entropy and enthalpy, lattice rigidity, elastic constants, and elastic interactions. Recent results in relation to surface and finite size effects as well as with ultrafast out-of-equilibrium phenomena are also covered.

The Convergence of Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods: From the Metropolis Method to Hamiltonian Monte Carlo

Abstract: From its inception in the 1950s to the modern frontiers of applied statistics, Markov chain Monte Carlo has been one of the most ubiquitous and successful methods in statistical computing. In that time its development has been fueled by increasingly difficult problems and novel techniques from physics. In this article I will review the history of Markov chain Monte Carlo from its inception with the Metropolis method to today's state-of-the-art in Hamiltonian Monte Carlo. Along the way I will focus on the evolving interplay between the statistical and physical perspectives of the method.

Information Theory for Fields

Abstract: A physical field has an infinite number of degrees of freedom since it has a field value at each location of a continuous space. Therefore, it is impossible to know a field from finite measurements alone and prior information on the field is essential for field inference. An information theory for fields is needed to join the measurement and prior information into probabilistic statements on field configurations. Such an information field theory (IFT) is built upon the language of mathematical physics, in particular on field theory and statistical mechanics. IFT permits the mathematical derivation of optimal imaging algorithms, data analysis methods, and even computer simulation schemes. The application of IFT algorithms to astronomical datasets provides high fidelity images of the Universe and facilitates the search for subtle statistical signals from the Big Bang. The concepts of IFT might even pave the road to novel computer simulations that are aware of their own uncertainties.

Flexible Graphene‐, Graphene‐Oxide‐, and Carbon‐Nanotube‐Based Supercapacitors and Batteries

Abstract: Flexible energy-storage devices increasingly attract attention owing to their advantages of providing lightweight, portable, wearable, or implantable capabilities. Many efforts are made to explore the structures and fabrication processes of flexible energy-storage devices for commercialization. Here, the most recent advances in flexible energy-storage devices based on graphene, graphene oxide (GO), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), are described, including flexible supercapacitors and batteries. First, properties, synthesis methods, and possible applications of those carbon-based materials are described. Then, the development of carbon-nanotube-based flexible supercapacitors, graphene/graphene-oxide-based flexible supercapacitors, and grapheneand carbon-nanotube-based flexible battery electrodes are discussed. Finally, the future trends and perspectives in the development of flexible energy-storage devices are highlighted.

Theory of the Lamb Shift in Hydrogen and Light Hydrogen-Like Ions

Abstract: Theoretical calculations of the Lamb shift provide the basis required for the determination of the Rydberg constant from spectroscopic measurements in hydrogen. The recent high-precision determination of the proton charge radius drastically reduced the uncertainty in the hydrogen Lamb shift originating from the proton size. As a result, the dominant theoretical uncertainty now comes from the two- and three-loop QED effects, which calls for further advances in their calculations. We review the present status of theoretical calculations of the Lamb shift in hydrogen and light hydrogen-like ions with the nuclear charge number up to $Z = 5$. Theoretical errors due to various effects are critically examined and estimated.

Excitonic Emission in van der Waals Nanotubes of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Abstract: Nanotubes of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), were firstsynthesized more than a quarter of a century ago; nevertheless, many of theiroptical properties have so far remained basically unknown. Herein, the stateof the art in the knowledge of the optical properties of TMD NTs is presented.First, general properties of multilayered crystals are evaluated, and availabledata on related NTs are analyzed. Then, the technology for the formation andthe structural characteristics of NTs are represented, focusing on thestructures synthesized by chemical transport reaction. The core of this work isthe presentation of the ability of synthesized TMD NTs to emit brightphotoluminescence (PL), which has been discovered recently. By means ofmicro-PL spectroscopy of individual tubes, we show that excitonic transitionsrelevant to both direct and indirect band gaps contribute to the emissionspectra of the NTs despite having the dozens of monolayers in their walls. Theperformance of the tubes as efficient optical resonators is highlighted, whereconfined optical modes strongly affect the emission. Finally, a brief conclusionis presented, along with an outlook of the future studies of this novel radiativemember of the NTs family, which have unique potential for differentnanophotonics applications

Quantum Phase Properties of Photon Added and Subtracted Displaced Fock States

Abstract: Quantum phase properties of photon added and subtracted displaced Fock states (and a set of quantum states which can be obtained as the limiting cases of these states) are investigated from a number of perspectives, and it is shown that the quantum phase properties are dependent on the quantum state engineering operations performed. Specifically, the analytic expressions for quantum phase distributions and angular $Q$ distribution as well as measures of quantum phase fluctuation and phase dispersion are obtained. The uniform phase distribution of the initial Fock states is observed to be transformed by the unitary operation (i.e., displacement operator) into non-Gaussian shape, except for the initial vacuum state. It is observed that the phase distribution is symmetric with respect to the phase of the displacement parameter and becomes progressively narrower as its amplitude increases. The non-unitary (photon addition/subtraction) operations make it even narrower in contrast to the Fock parameter, which leads to broadness. The photon subtraction is observed to be a more powerful quantum state engineering tool in comparison to the photon addition. Further, one of the quantum phase fluctuation parameters is found to reveal the existence of antibunching in both the engineered quantum states under consideration. Finally, the relevance of the engineered quantum states in the quantum phase estimation is also discussed, and photon added displaced Fock state is shown to be preferable for the task.

Lower- and Higher-Order Nonclassical Properties of Photon Added and Subtracted Displaced Fock States

Abstract: Nonclassical properties of photon added and subtracted displaced Fock states have been studied using various witnesses of lower- and higher-order nonclassicality. Compact analytic expressions are obtained for the nonclassicality witnesses. Using those expressions, it is established that these states and the states that can be obtained as their limiting cases (except coherent states) are highly nonclassical as they show the existence of lower- and higher-order antibunching and sub-Poissonian photon statistics, in addition to the nonclassical features revealed through the Mandel $Q_M$ parameter, zeros of Q function, Klyshko's criterion, and Agarwal-Tara criterion. Further, some comparison between the nonclassicality of photon added and subtracted displaced Fock states have been performed using witnesses of nonclassicality. This has established that between the two types of non-Gaussianity inducing operations (i.e., photon addition and subtraction) used here, photon addition influences the nonclassical properties more strongly. Further, optical designs for the generation of photon added and subtracted displaced Fock states from squeezed vacuum state have also been proposed.

Loschmidt Echo and Fidelity Decay Near an Exceptional Point

Abstract: Non-Hermitian classical and open quantum systems near an exceptional point (EP) are known to undergo strong deviations in their dynamical behavior under small perturbations or slow cycling of parameters as compared to Hermitian systems. Such a strong sensitivity is at the heart of many interesting phenomena and applications, such as the asymmetric breakdown of the adiabatic theorem, enhanced sensing, non-Hermitian dynamical quantum phase transitions and photonic catastrophe. Like for Hermitian systems, the sensitivity to perturbations on the dynamical evolution can be captured by Loschmidt echo and fidelity after imperfect time reversal or quench dynamics. Here we disclose a rather counterintuitive phenomenon in certain non-Hermitian systems near an EP, namely the deceleration (rather than acceleration) of the fidelity decay and improved Loschmidt echo as compared to their Hermitian counterparts, despite large (non-perturbative) deformation of the energy spectrum introduced by the perturbations. This behavior is illustrated by considering the fidelity decay and Loschmidt echo for the single-particle hopping dynamics on a tight-binding lattice under an imaginary gauge field.

The Optimal Uncertainty Relation

Abstract: Employing the lattice theory on majorization, we investigate the universal quantum uncertainty relation for any number observables and general measurement. We find: 1. The least bounds of the universal uncertainty relations can only be properly defined in the lattice theory; 2. Contrary to variance and entropy, the metric induced by the majorization lattice implies an intrinsic structure of the quantum uncertainty; 3. The lattice theory correlates the optimization of uncertainty relation with the entanglement transformation under local quantum operation and classical communication. Interestingly, the optimality of the universal uncertainty relation is found can be mimicked by the Lorenz curve, initially introduced in economics to measure the wealth concentration degree of a society.