Vol 39, No 2 (2018)

We estimate the quantum state of a qubit and a quantized radiation field yielding a generalized negative binomial distribution (GNBD). We give an explicit form for various generalized negative binomial states associated to superposition, even, odd, and q-deformed states. We investigate the dynamical properties of the Mandel parameter as a quantifier of the statistical properties for the radiation field corresponding to its dynamics. We obtain the quantum Fisher information based on the estimation of the atomic state and compare it with the Mandel parameter for different instances of the GNBD. The link between the statistical quantities for different parameters of the GNBD is explored.

The classical second law of thermodynamics demands that an isolated system evolves with a nondiminishing entropy. This holds as well in quantum mechanics if the evolution of the energy-isolated system can be described by a unital quantum channel. At the same time, the entropy of a system evolving via a nonunital channel can, in principle, decrease. Here, we analyze the behavior of entropy in the context of the H-theorem. As exemplary phenomena, we discuss the action of a Maxwell demon (MD) operating a qubit and the processes of heating and cooling in a two-qubit system. Further we discuss how small initial correlations between a quantum system and a reservoir affect the entropy increase during the quantum-system evolution.

Creation of a delivery system based on noncontact positioning and transport of the cryogenic fuel targets represents one of the major tasks in a general program of inertial fusion energy (IFE) research. The purpose is to maintain the fuel layer quality during acceleration and injection of IFE targets at the focus of a powerful laser facility or IFE reactor. The program of the Lebedev Physical Institute (LPI) includes much development work on creation of different designs of the hybrid accelerators for IFE target transport with levitation. One of the main directions is an electromagnetic accelerator (EM-AC) + PMG system, where PMG is the permanent magnet guideway. The operational principle is based on quantum levitation of type-II high-temperature superconductors (HTSC) in the magnetic field. At the current stage, conceptual development of “EM-AC + PMG” hybrid accelerator is complete, and proof-of-principle experiments in mutually normal magnetic fields are made. This accelerator is a combination of the acceleration system (field coils generating the traveling magnetic waves) and the levitation system (PMG including a magnetic rail or magnetic track). The results obtained show that the HTSCs can be successfully used to maintain friction-free motion of HTSC sabots over the PMG, and also provide the required stability of the levitation height over the whole acceleration length due to the pinning effect. Additionally, using the driving body from MgB₂ superconducting coils as a sabot component (critical current 5,000 A at magnetic induction 0.25 T) allows one to reach injection velocities of 200 m/s under 400 g at 5 m acceleration length.

We study the influence of bonding Sc(III) ion with 1,3-diketonate ligands on luminescent properties of 1,3-diketones in two complexes by means of optical spectroscopy. We show that the sensitization of the ligand luminescence of the complexes obtained increases from 0.8% for neat ligands and to 4% for the synthesized compounds; this fact is confirmed by the quantum yield measurements.

We demonstrate a stable and efficient passively Q-switched 2.8 μm Er³⁺-doped ZBLAN fiber laser with a broadband semiconductor saturable absorber mirror. Enabled by the broadband optical modulator, the stable Q-switched fiber laser can deliver a maximum average power over 700 mW with corresponding per-pulse energy of 8.19 μJ and a pulse width of 1.3 μs at a repetition rate of 88.6 kHz under an incident pump power of 3.8 W. In addition, the slope efficiency can reach 22.5%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest reported slope efficiency for the passively Q-switched Er³⁺-doped ZBLAN fiber laser.

Using simultaneously both an acousto-optic (AO) modulator and a Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber in the cavity, we demonstrate for the first time the performance of a diode-pumped doubly Q-switched Nd:YAG ceramic laser. In contrast to purely acousto-optic Q-switched laser, this doubly Q-switched laser can generate shorter and more symmetric pulses. At an absorbed pump power of 10 W and a repetition rate of 20 kHz, the pulse width is compressed to 30 and 25 ns, respectively.

In this study, we demonstrate the design and fabrication of a tapered fiber sensor with a sensing application based on a new (high-sensitivity) package. We study the effect of various geometric parameters such as the uniform segment diameter, the uniform segment length, and the incident angle of the optical wave on the tapered fiber sensor sensitivity for evanescent sensing. Our study shows that high sensitivity of the tapered fiber can be realized by optimizing its parameters. In addition, we design a novel packaging of a tapered-fiber sensor, which can efficiently ensure a uniform stress and reduce the cross sensitivity caused by stress in liquid detection using a tapered fiber sensor. We report the experimental results obtained using this tapered fiber sensor for refractive-index measurements. As the refractive index of liquids varies from 1.417 to 1.423, the measurement results show that the refractive-index sensitivity of the tapered fiber sensor is as high as 4860 nm/RIU.