This Letter reports the first fully consistent experimental observations of current-driven ionization waves conforming to the magnetohydrodynamic Rankine-Hugoniot model for hydromagnetic shocks. Detailed measurements of the thermodynamic and electrodynamic plasma state variables across the ionization region confirm the existence of two types of waves, corresponding to the upper and lower solution branches of the Hugoniot curve. These waves are generated by pulsed currents in a coaxial gas-fed plasma accelerator. The coupling between the state variables of this complex, transient, three-dimensional system shows a remarkable quantitative agreement of less than 8% deviation from the quasisteady, one-dimensional theoretical model.

Long-range order in quantum many-body systems is usually associated with equilibrium situations. Here, we experimentally investigate the quasicondensation of strongly interacting bosons at finite momenta in a far-from-equilibrium case. We prepare an inhomogeneous initial state consisting of one-dimensional Mott insulators in the center of otherwise empty one-dimensional chains in an optical lattice with a lattice constant $d$. After suddenly quenching the trapping potential to zero, we observe the onset of coherence in spontaneously forming quasicondensates in the lattice. Remarkably, the emerging phase order differs from the ground-state order and is characterized by peaks at finite momenta $\pm (\pi /2)(\hslash /d)$ in the momentum distribution function.

We describe a spin-echo method for ultracold neutrons (UCNs) confined in a precession chamber and exposed to a $|B_0|=1\mu \mathrm{T}$ magnetic field. We have demonstrated that the analysis of UCN spin-echo resonance signals in combination with knowledge of the ambient magnetic field provides an excellent method by which to reconstruct the energy spectrum of a confined ensemble of neutrons. The method takes advantage of the relative dephasing of spins arising from a gravitationally induced striation of stored UCNs of different energies, and also permits an improved determination of the vertical magnetic-field gradient with an exceptional accuracy of $1.1\mathrm{pT}/\mathrm{cm}$. This novel combination of a well-known nuclear resonance method and gravitationally induced vertical striation is unique in the realm of nuclear and particle physics and should prove to be invaluable for the assessment of systematic effects in precision experiments such as searches for an electric dipole moment of the neutron or the measurement of the neutron lifetime.

We demonstrate high-fidelity electron spin read-out of a precision placed single donor in silicon via spin selective tunneling to either the $D^{+}$ or $D^{-}$ charge state of the donor. By performing read-out at the stable two electron $D^0\leftrightarrow D^{-}$ charge transition we can increase the tunnel rates to a nearby single electron transistor charge sensor by nearly 2 orders of magnitude, allowing faster qubit read-out (1 ms) with minimum loss in read-out fidelity (98.4%) compared to read-out at the $D^{+}\leftrightarrow D^0$ transition (99.6%). Furthermore, we show that read-out via the $D^{-}$ charge state can be used to rapidly initialize the electron spin qubit in its ground state with a fidelity of $F_I=99.8\%$.

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI QKD) is a substantial step toward practical information-theoretic security for key sharing between remote legitimate users (Alice and Bob). As with other standard device-dependent quantum key distribution protocols, such as BB84, MDI QKD assumes that the reference frames have been shared between Alice and Bob. In practice, a nontrivial alignment procedure is often necessary, which requires system resources and may significantly reduce the secure key generation rate. Here, we propose a phase-coding reference-frame-independent MDI QKD scheme that requires no phase alignment between the interferometers of two distant legitimate parties. As a demonstration, a proof-of-principle experiment using Faraday-Michelson interferometers is presented. The experimental system worked at 1 MHz, and an average secure key rate of 8.309 bps was obtained at a fiber length of 20 km between Alice and Bob. The system can maintain a positive key generation rate without phase compensation under normal conditions. The results exhibit the feasibility of our system for use in mature MDI QKD devices and its value for network scenarios.

In 1924 David Hilbert conceived a paradoxical tale involving a hotel with an infinite number of rooms to illustrate some aspects of the mathematical notion of “infinity.” In continuous-variable quantum mechanics we routinely make use of infinite state spaces: here we show that such a theoretical apparatus can accommodate an analog of Hilbert’s hotel paradox. We devise a protocol that, mimicking what happens to the guests of the hotel, maps the amplitudes of an infinite eigenbasis to twice their original quantum number in a coherent and deterministic manner, producing infinitely many unoccupied levels in the process. We demonstrate the feasibility of the protocol by experimentally realizing it on the orbital angular momentum of a paraxial field. This new non-Gaussian operation may be exploited, for example, for enhancing the sensitivity of NOON states, for increasing the capacity of a channel, or for multiplexing multiple channels into a single one.

We detect a line at $3.539\pm 0.011\mathrm{keV}$ in the deep exposure data set of the Galactic center region, observed with the x-ray multi-mirror mission Newton. The dark matter interpretation of the signal observed in the Perseus galaxy cluster, the Andromeda galaxy [A. Boyarsky et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 251301 (2014)], and in the stacked spectra of galaxy clusters [E. Bulbul et al., Astrophys. J. 789, 13 (2014)], together with nonobservation of the line in blank-sky data, put both lower and upper limits on the possible intensity of the line in the Galactic center data. Our result is consistent with these constraints for a class of Milky Way mass models, presented previously by observers, and would correspond to the radiative decay dark matter lifetime, ${\tau }_{\mathrm{DM}}\sim 6-8\times {10}^{27}\sec$. Although it is hard to exclude an astrophysical origin of this line based on the Galactic center data alone, this is an important consistency check of the hypothesis that encourages us to check it with more observational data that are expected by the end of 2015.

Bessel vortex beams with topological charges of $l=\pm 1$ and $l=\pm 2$ were produced in the terahertz spectral range from a free electron laser Gaussian beam ($\lambda =141\mu \mathrm{m}$) transformed using silicon binary diffractive optical elements. The spatial characteristics of the beams were obtained using a microbolometer array. A radius to path length ratio of $1:100$ was achieved for nondiffractive beams with the average power of 30 W. Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on gold–zinc-sulphide–air interfaces were generated due to diffraction of vortex beams on a sample edge. A new effect, a dependence of the efficiency of SPP generation on the direction of the azimuthal component of incident-radiation Poynting vector, was revealed.

We combine experiments with simulations to investigate the fluid-structure interaction of a flexible helical rod rotating in a viscous fluid, under low Reynolds number conditions. Our analysis takes into account the coupling between the geometrically nonlinear behavior of the elastic rod with a nonlocal hydrodynamic model for the fluid loading. We quantify the resulting propulsive force, as well as the buckling instability of the originally helical filament that occurs above a critical rotation velocity. A scaling analysis is performed to rationalize the onset of this instability. A universal phase diagram is constructed to map out the region of successful propulsion and the corresponding boundary of stability is established. Comparing our results with data for flagellated bacteria suggests that this instability may be exploited in nature for physiological purposes.

Quantum engineering requires controllable artificial systems with quantum coherence exceeding the device size and operation time. This can be achieved with geometrically confined low-dimensional electronic structures embedded within ultraclean materials, with prominent examples being artificial atoms (quantum dots) and quantum corrals (electronic cavities). Combining the two structures, we implement a mesoscopic coupled dot-cavity system in a high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas, and obtain an extended spin-singlet state in the regime of strong dot-cavity coupling. Engineering such extended quantum states presents a viable route for nonlocal spin coupling that is applicable for quantum information processing.

It is well known in thermodynamics that the creation of correlations costs work. It seems then a truism that if a thermodynamic transformation $A\to B$ is impossible, so will be any transformation that in sending $A$ to $B$ also correlates among them some auxiliary systems $C$. Surprisingly, we show that this is not the case for nonequilibrium thermodynamics of microscopic systems. On the contrary, the creation of correlations greatly extends the set of accessible states, to the point that we can perform on individual systems and in a single shot any transformation that would otherwise be possible only if the number of systems involved was very large. We also show that one only ever needs to create a vanishingly small amount of correlations (as measured by mutual information) among a small number of auxiliary systems (never more than three). The many, severe constraints of microscopic thermodynamics are reduced to the sole requirement that the nonequilibrium free energy decreases in the transformation. This shows that, in principle, reliable extraction of work equal to the free energy of a system can be performed by microscopic engines.

Quantum reactive scattering calculations for the hydrogen exchange reaction $\mathrm{H}+{\mathrm{H}}_2(v=4,j=0)\to \mathrm{H}+{\mathrm{H}}_2(v^{\prime },j^{\prime })$ and its isotopic analogues are reported for ultracold collision energies. Because of the unique properties associated with ultracold collisions, it is shown that the geometric phase effectively controls the reactivity. The rotationally resolved rate coefficients computed with and without the geometric phase are shown to differ by up to 4 orders of magnitude. The effect is also significant in the vibrationally resolved and total rate coefficients. The dynamical origin of the effect is discussed and the large geometric phase effect reported here might be exploited to control the reactivity through the application of external fields or by the selection of a particular nuclear spin state.

The observed single-handedness of biological amino acids and sugars has long been attributed to autocatalysis. However, the stability of homochiral states in deterministic autocatalytic systems relies on cross inhibition of the two chiral states, an unlikely scenario for early life self-replicators. Here, we present a theory for a stochastic individual-level model of autocatalysis due to early life self-replicators. Without chiral inhibition, the racemic state is the global attractor of the deterministic dynamics, but intrinsic multiplicative noise stabilizes the homochiral states, in both well-mixed and spatially extended systems. We conclude that autocatalysis is a viable mechanism for homochirality, without imposing additional nonlinearities such as chiral inhibition.

Basalt columns with their preferably hexagonal cross sections are a fascinating example of pattern formation by crack propagation. Junctions of three propagating crack faces rearrange such that the initial right angles between them tend to approach 120°, which enables the cracks to form a pattern of regular hexagons. To promote understanding of the path on which the ideal configuration can be reached, two periodically repeatable models are presented here involving linear elastic fracture mechanics and applying the principle of maximum energy release rate. They describe the evolution of the crack pattern as a transition from rectangular start configuration to the hexagonal pattern. This is done analytically and by means of three-dimensional finite element simulation. The latter technique reproduces the curved crack path involved in this transition.

The translational diffusion of tracers in glass-forming materials often violates the Stokes-Einstein relation while their rotation follows the Debye-Stokes-Einstein relation faithfully, thus decoupling translational and rotational diffusion. In this Letter, we show by performing molecular dynamics simulations for two-dimensional (2D) colloids that the tracer shape and the local media structure are critical such that rotational diffusion is either suppressed or enhanced depending on the tracer shape. For square tracers dissimilar in structure to the local media structure of 2D colloids, the translation-rotation decoupling occurs and the rotational diffusion is enhanced relative to the translation. For sufficiently large diamond tracers similar in structure to the local media structure, tracers undergo rotational hopping motions and their rotation is suppressed relative to the translation. For distorted-diamond tracers, the decoupling is marginal. Translational diffusion does not change significantly with the tracer shape and obeys the Stokes-Einstein relation.

By performing a full analysis of the projected local density of states (LDOS) in a photonic crystal waveguide, we show that phase plays a crucial role in the symmetry of the light-matter interaction. By considering a quantum dot (QD) spin coupled to a photonic crystal waveguide (PCW) mode, we demonstrate that the light-matter interaction can be asymmetric, leading to unidirectional emission and a deterministic entangled photon source. Further we show that understanding the phase associated with both the LDOS and the QD spin is essential for a range of devices that can be realized with a QD in a PCW. We also show how suppression of quantum interference prevents dipole induced reflection in the waveguide, and highlight a fundamental breakdown of the semiclassical dipole approximation for describing light-matter interactions in these spin dependent systems.

We study the role geometry plays in the emergence of asymmetries in diffusing passive scalars advected by pressure-driven flows in ducts and pipes of different aspect ratios. We uncover nonintuitive, multi-time-scale behavior gauged by a new statistic, which we term “geometric skewness” ${\mathcal{S}}^{\mathcal{G}}$, which measures instantaneously forming asymmetries at short times due to flow geometry. This signature distinguishes elliptical pipes of any aspect ratio, for which ${\mathcal{S}}^{\mathcal{G}}=0$, from rectangular ducts whose ${\mathcal{S}}^{\mathcal{G}}$ is generically nonzero, and, interestingly, shows that a special duct of aspect ratio $\approx 0.53335$ behaves like a circular pipe as its geometric skewness vanishes. Using a combination of exact solutions, novel short-time asymptotics, and Monte Carlo simulations, we establish the relevant time scales for plateaus and extrema in the evolution of the skewness and kurtosis for our class of geometries. For ducts limiting to channel geometries, we present new exact, single-series formulas for the first four moments on slices used to benchmark Monte Carlo simulations.

Optical control of atomic interactions in quantum gases is a long-sought goal of cold atom research. Previous experiments have been hindered by rapid decay of the quantum gas and parasitic deformation of the trap potential. We develop and implement a generic scheme for optical control of Feshbach resonances which yields long quantum gas lifetimes and a negligible parasitic dipole force. We show that fast and local control of interactions leads to intriguing quantum dynamics in new regimes, highlighted by the formation of van der Waals molecules and localized collapse of a Bose condensate.

Binary black holes on quasicircular orbits with spins aligned with their orbital angular momentum have been test beds for analytic and numerical relativity for decades, not least because symmetry ensures that such configurations are equilibrium solutions to the spin-precession equations. In this work, we show that these solutions can be unstable when the spin of the higher-mass black hole is aligned with the orbital angular momentum and the spin of the lower-mass black hole is antialigned. Spins in these configurations are unstable to precession to large misalignment when the binary separation $r$ is between the values $r_{ud\pm }=(\sqrt{{\chi }_1}\pm \sqrt{q{\chi }_2}{)}^4(1-q{)}^{-2}M$, where $M$ is the total mass, $q\equiv m_2/m_1$ is the mass ratio, and ${\chi }_1$ (${\chi }_2$) is the dimensionless spin of the more (less) massive black hole. This instability exists for a wide range of spin magnitudes and mass ratios and can occur in the strong-field regime near the merger. We describe the origin and nature of the instability using recently developed analytical techniques to characterize fully generic spin precession. This instability provides a channel to circumvent astrophysical spin alignment at large binary separations, allowing significant spin precession prior to merger affecting both gravitational-wave and electromagnetic signatures of stellar-mass and supermassive binary black holes.

We use concepts from statistical physics to transform the original evolution equation for the sea ice thickness distribution $g(h)$ from Thorndike et al. into a Fokker-Planck-like conservation law. The steady solution is $g(h)=\mathcal{N}(q)h^q{e}^{-h/H}$, where $q$ and $H$ are expressible in terms of moments over the transition probabilities between thickness categories. The solution exhibits the functional form used in observational fits and shows that for $h\ll 1$, $g(h)$ is controlled by both thermodynamics and mechanics, whereas for $h\gg 1$ only mechanics controls $g(h)$. Finally, we derive the underlying Langevin equation governing the dynamics of the ice thickness $h$, from which we predict the observed $g(h)$. The genericity of our approach provides a framework for studying the geophysical-scale structure of the ice pack using methods of broad relevance in statistical mechanics.