Improving gas sensing properties of graphene by introducing dopants and defects: a first-principles study

The interactions between four different graphenes (including pristine, B- or N-doped and defective graphenes) and small gas molecules (CO, NO, NO2 and NH3) were investigated by using density functional computations to exploit their potential applications as gas sensors. The structural and electronic properties of the graphene-molecule adsorption adducts are strongly dependent on the graphene structure and the molecular adsorption configuration. All four gas molecules show much stronger adsorption on the doped or defective graphenes than that on the pristine graphene. The defective graphene shows the highest adsorption energy with CO, NO and NO2 molecules, while the B- doped graphene gives the tightest binding with NH3. Meanwhile, the strong interactions between the adsorbed molecules and the modified graphenes induce dramatic changes to graphene's electronic properties. The transport behavior of a gas sensor using B- doped graphene shows a sensitivity two orders of magnitude higher than that of pristine graphene. This work reveals that the sensitivity of graphene-based chemical gas sensors could be drastically improved by introducing the appropriate dopant or defect

Efficient quantum key distribution scheme with nonmaximally entangled states

We propose an efficient quantum key distribution scheme based on entanglement. The sender chooses pairs of photons in one of the two equivalent nonmaximally entangled states randomly, and sends a sequence of photons from each pair to the receiver. They choose from the various bases independently but with substantially different probabilities, thus reducing the fraction of discarded data, and a significant gain in efficiency is achieved. We then show that such a refined data analysis guarantees the security of our scheme against a biased eavesdropping strategy.Comment: 5 Pages, No Figur

Faithful remote state preparation using finite classical bits and a non-maximally entangled state

We present many ensembles of states that can be remotely prepared by using minimum classical bits from Alice to Bob and their previously shared entangled state and prove that we have found all the ensembles in two-dimensional case. Furthermore we show that any pure quantum state can be remotely and faithfully prepared by using finite classical bits from Alice to Bob and their previously shared nonmaximally entangled state though no faithful quantum teleportation protocols can be achieved by using a nonmaximally entangled state.Comment: 6 page

Reducing the communication complexity with quantum entanglement

We propose a probabilistic two-party communication complexity scenario with a prior nonmaximally entangled state, which results in less communication than that is required with only classical random correlations. A simple all-optical implementation of this protocol is presented and demonstrates our conclusion.Comment: 4 Pages, 2 Figure

A Note on Energy-Momentum Conservation in Palatini Formulation of L(R) Gravity

By establishing that Palatini formulation of $L(R)$ gravity is equivalent to $\omega=-3/2$ Brans-Dicke theory, we show that energy-momentum tensor is covariantly conserved in this type of modified gravity theory.Comment: 7 page

Spectra of Free Diquark in the Bethe-Salpeter Approach

In this work, we employ the Bethe-Salpeter (B-S) equation to investigate the spectra of free diquarks and their B-S wave functions. We find that the B-S approach can be consistently applied to study the diqaurks with two heavy quarks or one heavy and one light quarks, but for two light-quark systems, the results are not reliable. There are a few free parameters in the whole scenario which can only be fixed phenomenologically. Thus, to determine them, one has to study baryons which are composed of quarks and diquarks.Comment: 16 pages, no figure

Geochemical analysis of bulk marine sediment by Inductively Coupled Plasma–Atomic Emission Spectroscopy on board the JOIDES Resolution

Geochemical analyses on board the JOIDES Resolution have been enhanced with the addition of a Jobin-Yvon Ultrace inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) as an upgrade from the previous X-ray fluorescence facility. During Leg 199, we sought to both challenge and utilize the capabilities of the ICP-AES in order to provide an extensive bulk-sediment geochemical database during the cruise. These near real-time analyses were then used to help characterize the recovered sedimentary sequences, calculate mass accumulation rates of the different sedimentary components, and assist with cruise and postcruise sampling requests. The general procedures, sample preparation techniques, and basic protocol for ICP-AES analyses on board ship are outlined by Murray et al. (2000) in Ocean Drilling Program Tech Note, 29. We expand on those concepts and offer suggestions for ICP-AES methodology, calibration by standard reference materials, data reduction procedures, and challenges that are specific to the analysis of bulk-sediment samples. During Leg 199, we employed an extensive bulk-sediment analytical program of ~600 samples of varying lithologies, thereby providing several opportunities for refinement of techniques. We also discuss some difficulties and challenges that were faced and suggest how to alleviate such occurrences for sedimentary chemical analyses during future legs

Cavity implementation of quantum interference in a Λ\Lambda-type atom

A scheme for engineering quantum interference in a $\Lambda$-type atom coupled to a frequency-tunable, single-mode cavity field with a pre-selected polarization at finite temperature is proposed. Interference-assisted population trapping, population inversions and probe gain at one sideband of the Autler-Townes spectrum are predicted for certain cavity resonant frequencies.Comment: 2 postscript figures are adde

Restoration of kTk_T factorization for low pTp_T hadron hadroproduction

We discuss the applicability of the $k_T$ factorization theorem to low-$p_T$ hadron production in hadron-hadron collision in a simple toy model, which involves only scalar particles and gluons. It has been shown that the $k_T$ factorization for high-$p_T$ hadron hadroproduction is broken by soft gluons in the Glauber region, which are exchanged among a transverse-momentum-dependent (TMD) parton density and other subprocesses of the collision. We explain that the contour of a loop momentum can be deformed away from the Glauber region at low $p_T$, so the above residual infrared divergence is factorized by means of the standard eikonal approximation. The $k_T$ factorization is then restored in the sense that a TMD parton density maintains its universality. Because the resultant Glauber factor is independent of hadron flavors, experimental constraints on its behavior are possible. The $k_T$ factorization can also be restored for the transverse single-spin asymmetry in hadron-hadron collision at low $p_T$ in a similar way, with the residual infrared divergence being factorized into the same Glauber factor.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, version to appear in EPJ

Interference-induced gain in Autler-Townes doublet of a V-type atom in a cavity

We study the Autler-Townes spectrum of a V-type atom coupled to a single-mode, frequency-tunable cavity field at finite termperature, with a pre-selected polarization in the bad cavity limit, and show that, when the mean number of thermal photons $N\gg 1$ and the excited sublevel splitting is very large (the same order as the cavity linewidth), the probe gain may occur at either sideband of the doublet, depending on the cavity frequency, due to the cavity-induced interference.Comment: Minor changes are mad