A formal definition and a new security mechanism of physical unclonable functions

The characteristic novelty of what is generally meant by a "physical unclonable function" (PUF) is precisely defined, in order to supply a firm basis for security evaluations and the proposal of new security mechanisms. A PUF is defined as a hardware device which implements a physical function with an output value that changes with its argument. A PUF can be clonable, but a secure PUF must be unclonable. This proposed meaning of a PUF is cleanly delineated from the closely related concepts of "conventional unclonable function", "physically obfuscated key", "random-number generator", "controlled PUF" and "strong PUF". The structure of a systematic security evaluation of a PUF enabled by the proposed formal definition is outlined. Practically all current and novel physical (but not conventional) unclonable physical functions are PUFs by our definition. Thereby the proposed definition captures the existing intuition about what is a PUF and remains flexible enough to encompass further research. In a second part we quantitatively characterize two classes of PUF security mechanisms, the standard one, based on a minimum secret read-out time, and a novel one, based on challenge-dependent erasure of stored information. The new mechanism is shown to allow in principle the construction of a "quantum-PUF", that is absolutely secure while not requiring the storage of an exponentially large secret. The construction of a PUF that is mathematically and physically unclonable in principle does not contradict the laws of physics.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, Conference Proceedings MMB & DFT 2012, Kaiserslautern, German

Low-density, one-dimensional quantum gases in a split trap

We investigate degenerate quantum gases in one dimension trapped in a harmonic potential that is split in the centre by a pointlike potential. Since the single particle eigenfunctions of such a system are known for all strengths of the central potential, the dynamics for non-interacting fermionic gases and low-density, strongly interacting bosonic gases can be investigated exactly using the Fermi-Bose mapping theorem. We calculate the exact many-particle ground-state wave-functions for both particle species, investigate soliton-like solutions, and compare the bosonic system to the well-known physics of Bose gases described by the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. We also address the experimentally important questions of creation and detection of such states.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Binding between two-component bosons in one dimension

We investigate the ground state of one-dimensional few-atom Bose-Bose mixtures under harmonic confinement throughout the crossover from weak to strong inter-species attraction. The calculations are based on the numerically exact multi-configurational time-dependent Hartree method. For repulsive components we detail the condition for the formation of a molecular Tonks-Girardeau gas in the regime of intermediate inter-species interactions, and the formation of a molecular condensate for stronger coupling. Beyond a critical inter-species attraction, the system collapses to an overall bound state. Different pathways emerge for unequal particle numbers and intra-species interactions. In particular, for mixtures with one attractive component, this species can be viewed as an effective potential dimple in the trap center for the other, repulsive component.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure

The Alzheimer variant of Lewy body disease: A pathologically confirmed case-control study

The objective of the study was to identify clinical features that distinguish patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), who were classified as Alzheimer's disease ( AD) patients, from patients with AD. We examined a group of 27 patients from our memory clinic, originally diagnosed with AD, of whom 6 were postmortem found to have DLB. For the present study, we compared cognitive, noncognitive and neurological symptoms between the two groups. We found that there were no differences on ratings of dementia and scales for activities of daily living. Patients with DLB performed better on the MMSE and the memory subtest of the CAMCOG, but there was no difference in any other cognitive domain. Furthermore, genetic risk factors, including family history of dementia or allele frequency of the apolipoprotein epsilon 4, did not discriminate between the two groups, and there were no differences on CCT scans. Taken together, our findings suggest that Lewy body pathology may be present in patients who do not show the typical clinical features which distinguish DLB from AD. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

Complementarity and the algebraic structure of 4-level quantum systems

The history of complementary observables and mutual unbiased bases is reviewed. A characterization is given in terms of conditional entropy of subalgebras. The concept of complementarity is extended to non-commutative subalgebras. Complementary decompositions of a 4-level quantum system are described and a characterization of the Bell basis is obtained.Comment: 19 page

Unsharp Quantum Reality

The positive operator (valued) measures (POMs) allow one to generalize the notion of observable beyond the traditional one based on projection valued measures (PVMs). Here, we argue that this generalized conception of observable enables a consistent notion of unsharp reality and with it an adequate concept of joint properties. A sharp or unsharp property manifests itself as an element of sharp or unsharp reality by its tendency to become actual or to actualize a specific measurement outcome. This actualization tendency-or potentiality-of a property is quantified by the associated quantum probability. The resulting single-case interpretation of probability as a degree of reality will be explained in detail and its role in addressing the tensions between quantum and classical accounts of the physical world will be elucidated. It will be shown that potentiality can be viewed as a causal agency that evolves in a well-defined way

Excitation spectrum and instability of a two-species Bose-Einstein condensate

We numerically calculate the density profile and excitation spectrum of a two-species Bose-Einstein condensate for the parameters of recent experiments. We find that the ground state density profile of this system becomes unstable in certain parameter regimes, which leads to a phase transition to a new stable state. This state displays spontaneously broken cylindrical symmetry. This behavior is reflected in the excitation spectrum: as we approach the phase transition point, the lowest excitation frequency goes to zero, indicating the onset of instability in the density profile. Following the phase transition, this frequency rises again.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, uses REVTe

Thermodynamics of Cu47Ti34Zr11Ni8, Zr52.5Cu17.9Ni14.6Al10Ti5 and Zr57Cu15.4Ni12.6Al10Nb5 bulk metallic glass forming alloys

The differences in the thermodynamic functions between the liquid and the crystalline states of three bulk metallic glass forming alloys, Cu47Ti34Zr11Ni8, Zr52.5Cu17.9Ni14.6Al10Ti5, and Zr57Cu15.4Ni12.6Al10Nb5, were calculated. The heat capacity was measured in the crystalline solid, the amorphous solid, the supercooled liquid, and the equilibrium liquid. Using these heat capacity data and the heats of fusion of the alloys, the differences in the thermodynamic functions between the liquid and the crystalline states were determined. The Gibbs free energy difference between the liquid and the crystalline states gives a qualitative measure of the glass forming ability of these alloys. Using the derived entropy difference, the Kauzmann temperatures for these alloys were determined

SIC-POVMs and the Extended Clifford Group

We describe the structure of the extended Clifford Group (defined to be the group consisting of all operators, unitary and anti-unitary, which normalize the generalized Pauli group (or Weyl-Heisenberg group as it is often called)). We also obtain a number of results concerning the structure of the Clifford Group proper (i.e. the group consisting just of the unitary operators which normalize the generalized Pauli group). We then investigate the action of the extended Clifford group operators on symmetric informationally complete POVMs (or SIC-POVMs) covariant relative to the action of the generalized Pauli group. We show that each of the fiducial vectors which has been constructed so far (including all the vectors constructed numerically by Renes et al) is an eigenvector of one of a special class of order 3 Clifford unitaries. This suggests a strengthening of a conjuecture of Zauner's. We give a complete characterization of the orbits and stability groups in dimensions 2-7. Finally, we show that the problem of constructing fiducial vectors may be expected to simplify in the infinite sequence of dimensions 7, 13, 19, 21, 31,... . We illustrate this point by constructing exact expressions for fiducial vectors in dimensions 7 and 19.Comment: 27 pages. Version 2 contains some additional discussion of Zauner's original conjecture, and an alternative, possibly stronger version of the conjecture in version 1 of this paper; also a few other minor improvement

Maximal Accuracy and Minimal Disturbance in the Arthurs-Kelly Simultaneous Measurement Process

The accuracy of the Arthurs-Kelly model of a simultaneous measurement of position and momentum is analysed using concepts developed by Braginsky and Khalili in the context of measurements of a single quantum observable. A distinction is made between the errors of retrodiction and prediction. It is shown that the distribution of measured values coincides with the initial state Husimi function when the retrodictive accuracy is maximised, and that it is related to the final state anti-Husimi function (the P representation of quantum optics) when the predictive accuracy is maximised. The disturbance of the system by the measurement is also discussed. A class of minimally disturbing measurements is characterised. It is shown that the distribution of measured values then coincides with one of the smoothed Wigner functions described by Cartwright.Comment: 12 pages, 0 figures. AMS-Latex. Earlier version replaced with final published versio