Bang–Bang Refocusing of a Qubit Exposed to Telegraph Noise

Solid state qubits promise the great advantage of being naturally scalable to large quantum computer architectures, but they also possess the significant disadvantage of being intrinsically exposed to many sources of noise in the macroscopic solid-state environment. With suitably chosen systems such as superconductors, many of sources of noise can be suppressed. However, imprecision in nanofabrication will inevitably induce defects and disorder, such as charged impurities in the device material or substrate. Such defects generically produce telegraph noise and can hence be modelled as bistable fluctuators. We demonstrate the possibility of the active suppression of such telegraph noise by bang–bang control through an exhaustive study of a qubit coupled to a single bistable fluctuator. We use a stochastic Schrödinger equation, which is solved both numerically and analytically. The resulting dynamics can be visualized as diffusion of a spin vector on the Bloch sphere. We find that bang–bang control suppresses the effect of a bistable fluctuator by a factor roughly equalling the ratio of the bang–bang period and the typical fluctuator period. Therefore, we show the bang–bang protocol works essentially as a high pass filter on the spectrum of such telegraph noise sources. This suggests how the influence of 1/f-noise ubiquitous to the solid state world could be reduced, as it is typically generated by an ensemble of bistable fluctuators. Finally, we develop random walk models that estimate the level of noise suppression resulting from imperfect bang–bang operations, such as those that cannot be treated as -function impulses and those that have phase and axis errors. PACS: 03.65.Yz, 03.67.Lx, 05.40.-a     

The Poincaré Center Problem

We present two examples of real planar polynomial vector fields with an orbitally linearizable saddle point such that they are neither rationally reversible nor Liouvillian integrable. We show that vector fields from one of these examples form an isolated component of the so-called integrable saddle variety. Next, we discuss the problem of partial duality between real centers and real integrable saddles and the problem of continuous moduli for the center variety. The first author is supported by the Polish MNiSzW Grant No. 1 P03A 015 29, and the second by a MCYT/FEDER grant number MTM2005–06098–C02–01 and by a CIRIT grant number 2005SGR 00550.     

Improvements in 3-node triangular shell elements

Low-order triangular finite shell elements are computationally economical and easy to implement, but often exhibit very slow convergence. Two new membrane formulations for triangular shell elements are examined which rectify these drawbacks. The first element is based on the Marguerre shallow shell theory and a strain projection method that eliminates spurious membrane strain energy. Resulting expressions are provided in an explicit form for easy implementation of the element. The second element is based on a linear membrane field governed by normal rotations and reduced quadrature. The difficulties with shell-normal rotations are analysed and a method for omitting these rotations while preserving rigid body motion is presented and tested. Finally, a set of test problems are examined which show the importance of mesh patterns and degrees-of-freedom per node on triangular element performance.     

Crystallization characteristics of amorphous Fe-Si-B alloys

Crystallization of soft magnetic Fe-Si-B glasses was investigated by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Electron micrographs of the successive crystallization stages of some Fe-Si-B glasses were obtained and the morphology variations for different alloy compositions were determined. The compositional dependence of the crystallization mode exhibited by the Fe-Si-B glasses was analysed, and on this basis some suggestions about crystallization rules in these glasses are proposed. Two kinds of iron—silicon phases occurred, depending on the Fe-Si-B alloy composition: bcc Fe(Si) solid solution and an ordered solid solution on the structural basis of Fe₃Si iron suicide. It is suggested that the metastable Fe₃B phase (observed during crystallization of only few glasses) was not a simple consequence of boron content. Crystallization of the Fe₃B phase was related to the formation of the iron—silicon phase which was produced during the first crystallization stage.     

Antioxidants in thermally treated buckwheat groats

The seeds of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench L.) were dehulled and then, following milling, extruded on a counter rotating, twin-screw extruder with the different barrel temperature profiles: 120, 160, and 200 degrees C. After extrusion cooking process, the following compounds were analyzed: free and conjugated phenolic acids, total polyphenols (TPC), tocopherols (T) and tocotrienols (T3), inositol phosphates (IP), reduced glutathione (GSH), and melatonin (MLT). The antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase-like activity (SOD-like activity) were determined in the groats and extrudates. Extrusion caused a significant decrease in all the compounds tested, except for phenolic acids. The content of IP decreased by 13%, that of GSH by 42%, and that of T + T3 by 62%. A three-fold lower level of MLT and TPC was noted whereas the SOD-like activity disappeared when compared to the nonextruded material. A two-fold higher content of phenolic acids (free and released from ester bonds) was observed. In spite of the clear decrease in the investigated antioxidants, the extruded dehulled buckwheat seeds contained still significant content of bioactive compounds, which resulted in as little as an average 10% decrease of the antioxidant capacity.     

Suitability of Dukat strawberries for studying effects on shelf life of irradiation combined with cold storage

Summary A new Dukat variety of strawberries was used to study the effect of irradiation combined with cold storage on their shelf life and chemical composition. Strawberries, with or without stems, were irradiated with a dose of 2.5 or 3.0 kGy within 6–10 or 20–24 h after harvesting. Results of the sensory evaluation showed that the minimum storage time for the fruits could be extended by a minimum of 9 days. If the time between harvest and irradiation was shorter, better results for storage experiments were obtained. Fruits with stems were more suitable for cold storage after irradiation than those without stems. Irradiation of strawberries did not change the titratable acidity and content of the reducing sugars. Colour intensity and ascorbic acid levels decreased in proportion to the absorbed dose and storage time.

---

Die Eignung von Erdbeeren der Sorte Dukat durch Bestrahlung die Lagerstabilität bei der Kaltlagerung zu verlängern

Zusammenfassung Bei der neuen Erdbeersorte Dukat wurde der Einfluß der Bestrahlung zusammen mit der Kaltlagerung auf ihre Lagerstabilität und chemische Zusammensetzung untersucht. Die Erdbeeren mit oder ohne Stiele wurden mit 2,5 und 3,0 kGy Bestrahlungsdosen innerhalb 6–10 bzw. 20–24 h nach der Ernte bestrahlt. Die sensorischen Ergebnisse haben gezeigt, daß die Lagerstabilität der Früchte um mindestens 9 Tage verlängert werden kann. Wenn die Zeit zwischen Ernte und Bestrahlung kürzer war konnten bessere Ergebnisse erzielt werden. Die Früchte mit Stiel waren zur Kaltlagerung nach der Bestrahlung besser geeignet als die ohne Stiele. Die Bestrahlung von Erdbeeren beeinflußte nicht die Titrationsacidität und den Gehalt an reduzierenden Zuckern. Die Intensität der Farbe und der Ascorbinsäuregehalt verminderten sich im Verhältnis zur Bestrahlungsdose und Lagerungszeit.

     

Effect of irradiation and storage on patulin disappearance and some chemical constituents of apple juice concentrate

Summary The effect of irradiation on the patulin content and on the chemical composition of apple juice concentrate during storage at 4 °C over a period of several weeks was investigated. The radiation-induced disappearance of the mycotoxin in relation to the absorbed dose followed an exponential relationship. The radiation dose (D₅₀), i.e., the dose which reduced the patulin content to 50% of its initial value was equal to 0.35 kGy. Storage of the irradiated concentrate had no effect on the patulin content; however, storage did lead to a slight increase in the titratable acidity and a decrease in the amounts of the carbonyl compound and the ascorbic acid concentration. The development of non-enzymatic browning during storage of the irradiated samples followed the same kinetics as that of the non-irradiated samples.

---

Einfluß der Bestrahlung und Lagerung auf den Patulinverlust und auf die chemische Zusammensetzung des Apfelsaftkonzentrates

Zusammenfassung Es wurde der Einfluß der Bestrahlung auf den Patulingehalt und die chemische Zusammensetzung des Apfelsaftkonzentrates während der Lagerung im Laufe von mehreren Wochen bei 4 °C untersucht. Der durch die -Strahlen induzierte Verlust des Toxins folgte einer Exponentialverteilung. Die Bestrahlungsdosis D₅₀ verursachte eine 50%ige Abnahme der Anfangskonzentration von Patulin und war gleich 0,35 kGy. Die Lagerung der bestrahlten Proben des Konzentrates hatte keinen Einfluß auf den Patulinverlust. Während der Lagerung des Konzentrates nahm die zu titrierende Acidität zu und die Konzentration der Carbonylverbindungen und der Ascrobinsäure ab. Die Entwicklung der nichtenzymatischen Bräunung während der Lagerung der bestrahlten Proben hatte die gleiche Kinetik wie die der nicht bestrahlten.