Partially-disordered photonic-crystal thin films for enhanced and robust photovoltaics

We present a general framework for the design of thin-film photovoltaics based on a partially-disordered photonic crystal that has both enhanced absorption for light trapping and reduced sensitivity to the angle and polarization of incident radiation. The absorption characteristics of different lattice structures are investigated as an initial periodic structure is gradually perturbed. We find that an optimal amount of disorder controllably introduced into a multi-lattice photonic crystal causes the characteristic narrow-band, resonant peaks to be broadened resulting in a device with enhanced and robust performance ideal for typical operating conditions of photovoltaic applications.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Fermi-surface topology and the effects of intrinsic disorder in a class of charge-transfer salts containing magnetic ions: β" — (BEDT — TTF)₄ [(H₃O)M(C₂O₄)₃]Υ (M = Ga, Cr, Fr; Υ = C₅H₅N)

We report high-field magnetotransport measurements on β" — (BEDT — TTF)₄ [(H₃O)M(C₂O₄)₃]Υ, where M =Ga, Cr and Fe and Υ = C₅H₅N. We observe similar Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations in all compounds, attributable to four quasi-two-dimensional Fermi-surface pockets, the largest of which corresponds to a cross-sectional area ≈ 8.5% of the Brillouin zone. The cross-sectional areas of the pockets are in agreement with the expectations for a compensated semimetal, and the corresponding effective masses are ∼mₑ, rather small compared to those of other BEDT-TTF salts. Apart from the case of the smallest Fermi-surface pocket, varying the M ion seems to have little effect on the overall Fermi-surface topology or on the effective masses. Despite the fact that all samples show quantum oscillations at low temperatures, indicative of Fermi liquid behavior, the sample and temperature dependence of the interlayer resistivity suggest that these systems are intrinsically inhomogeneous. It is thought that intrinsic tendency to disorder in the anions and/or the ethylene groups of the BEDT-TTF molecules leads to the coexistence of insulating and metallic states at low temperatures. A notional phase diagram is given for the general family of β" — (BEDT — TTF)₄ [(H₃O)M(C₂O₄)₃]Υ salts

Adaptive quantum state tomography improves accuracy quadratically

We introduce a simple protocol for adaptive quantum state tomography, which reduces the worst-case infidelity between the estimate and the true state from $O(N^{-1/2})$ to $O(N^{-1})$. It uses a single adaptation step and just one extra measurement setting. In a linear optical qubit experiment, we demonstrate a full order of magnitude reduction in infidelity (from $0.1$ to $0.01$) for a modest number of samples ($N=3\times10^4$).Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure