Quantum discord for two-qubit systems in the Bloch channel: effects of longitudinal and transversal relaxation times

Quantum discord is studied for two-qubit systems with different settings under the influence of the Bloch channel which is characterized by the longitudinal and transversal relaxation times and the environmental temperature. The relaxation of the quantum discord strongly depends on the ratio of the two relaxation times and the environmental temperature. It is found that the ratio of the quantum discord to the total correlation becomes finite or zero asymptotically, depending on the ratio of the relaxation times and the system setting. Furthermore, the optimal setting for sharing the quantum discord is discussed for given environmental temperature and ratio of the relaxation times.     

Noisy parametric amplifiers in non-equilibrium thermo field dynamics

Single-mode and two-mode parametric amplifiers under the influence of Markovian environments are studied by means of non-equilibrium thermo field dynamics. In the presence of both parametric coupling and system–environment interaction, the dissipative Heisenberg equations of motion are solved for the optical modes of interest. By making use of the solutions, it is examined whether the noisy parametric amplifiers can exhibit the non-classical properties. Furthermore, it is shown that the two-mode parametric amplifier is equivalent to the two single-mode parametric amplifiers with subsequent beam splitting, even if they are influenced by the environments.     

Measuring cosmic-ray exposure in aircraft using real-time personal dosemeters

Aircrew exposure to radiation was measured on several long-haul flights using two small commercial electronic personal dosemeters: one was a photon dosemeter, the NRF20; the other was a neutron dosemeter, the NRY21-both manufactured by Fuji Electric Systems Co. Ltd. for radiation protection at nuclear facilities. Non-neutron doses were measured using the photon dosemeter, and neutron doses were measured using the neutron dosemeter. The measured non-neutron doses at commercial aviation altitudes agree with the EPCARD (European Program Package for the Calculation of Aviation Route Doses) dose calculation within a difference of 8 %. However, the recorded neutron doses were 5-15 times larger than the EPCARD calculation. These over-measurements are dependent on cut-off rigidities.     

Wave drift force in a two-layer fluid of finite depth

Based on the momentum and energy conservation principles, a compact calculation formula is analytically derived for the wave-drift force on a 2-D body floating in a two-layer fluid of finite depth. In a two-layer fluid, two different wave modes (the surface-wave mode with longer wavelength and the internal-wave mode with shorter wavelength) exist not only in the incident wave but also in the body-scattered wave, and these wave characteristics are properly incorporated in the obtained formula. It is noted that, unlike the single-layer case, the wave-drift force can be negative in the incident wave of surface-wave mode, if the transmitted wave with internal-wave mode is large. Numerical computations are implemented for a Lewis-form body by means of the boundary-integral-equation method with Green’s function for the two-layer fluid problem. The effects of density ratio, interface position, and body motions on the wave-drift force are studied, and some important features are found for two-layer fluids.     

Improved visible-light responsive photocatalytic activity of N and Si co-doped titanias

Thermal reaction of titanium tetraisopropoxide and tetraethyl orthosilicate in 1,4-butanediol afforded nanocrystalline silica-modified titanias having large surface area and superior thermal stability. In this study, the thus-obtained silica-modified titanias were treated in an NH₃ flow at high temperatures, and their physical and photocatalytic properties were investigated. Compared with NH₃-treated TiO₂ without silica modification, the NH₃-treated silica-modified titanias showed a stronger absorption in the visible region (400–500 nm) and had a larger peak at 396 eV in the N 1s XPS spectrum. These results indicate that a larger amount of nitrogen was stably doped in the silica-modified titania. The obtained products exhibited a high photocatalytic activity for degradation of Rhodamine B and decomposition of acetaldehyde under visible light irradiation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Thin-Film Thermoelectric Modules for Power Generation Using Focused Solar Light

We demonstrated the fabrication of thin-film thermoelectric generators and evaluated their generation properties using solar light as a thermal source. Thin-film elements of Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ (p-type) and Bi₂Te_2.7Se_0.3 (n-type), which were patterned using the lift-off technique, were deposited on glass substrates using radiofrequency magnetron sputtering. After annealing at 300°C, the average Seebeck coefficients of p- and n-type films were 150???V/K and ?104???V/K, respectively, at 50°C to 75°C. A cylindrical lens was used to focus solar light to a line shape onto the hot side of the thin-film thermoelectric module with 15 p?Cn junctions. The minimum width of line-shaped solar light was 0.8?mm with solar concentration of 12.5 suns. We studied the properties of thermoelectric modules with different-sized p?Cn junctions on the hot side, and obtained maximum open voltage and power values of 140?mV and 0.7???W, respectively, for a module with 0.5-mm p?Cn junctions. The conversion efficiency was 8.75?×?10^?4%, which was approximately equal to the value estimated by the finite-element method.     

Development of High Count Rate TES Microcalorimeters

To realize new TES imaging for high energy X-ray or gamma-ray spectrometer with a large pixel array and high count rate, we will try to develop a new radiation absorber self-adjusting the operating temperature and adopting an original reading out method of large pixel array using parallel biasing scheme. Our first prototype TES pixel using Au/Ti/Au tri-layer which consists of the small heat sensors and the radiation absorption area, and these are biased in serial. In this device, the current pulse with the decay time constant of less than 20 microseconds of incident X-rays from ⁵⁵Fe source were observed.      

Error grid analysis of noninvasive glucose monitoring via gingival crevicular fluid.

In order to realize a noninvasive blood glucose monitor, we monitored the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). In this paper, the clinical evaluations were performed on not only normal subjects but also diabetic subjects using a GCF-glucose monitor to determine blood glucose levels. Meal load tests were carried out and the time-course changes in blood glucose level and GCF glucose level were measured continuously. A positive correlation of more than 0.9 was found between blood glucose level and GCF glucose level, necessitating the calibration of individual correlations for every subject. Finally, the performance of the GCF-glucose monitor was evaluated using Error Grid Analysis. As the results, significant information for the glucose level decision was obtained not only for normal subjects, but also for diabetic subjects.     

Seismic proof test of a reinforced concrete containment vessel (RCCV): Part 1: Test model and pressure test

In Japan, the Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation (NUPEC), sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), has been conducting a series of seismic reliability proving tests using full-scale or close to full-scale models to simulate actual important equipment that is critical for seismic safety of nuclear power plants. The tests are intended to validate the seismic design and reliability with a sufficient margin even under destructive earthquakes. A series of tests was carried out on a reinforced concrete containment vessel (RCCV) for advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR) from 1992 to 1999. A large-scale high-performance shaking table at Tadotsu Engineering Laboratory, the largest in the world, was used for this test. Part 1 reports the test model and the results of pressure and leak tests. Part 2 describes test procedures, input waves and the results of verification tests such as changes of stiffness, characteristic frequency and damping ratio, the failure of the model and the load deflection. Part 3 shows the seismic safety margin that was evaluated from the energy input during the failure test to a design basis earthquake. Part 4 reports simulation analysis results by a stick model with lumped masses.     

Radiation induced synthesis of Au-Pd nanoparticles of random alloy structure supported on carbon particles using the high energy electron beam

Au-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles supported on carbon particles were synthesized by reduction of precursor ions in an aqueous solution irradiated with a high energy electron beam. The composition of the samples was analyzed by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), and the morphology of the samples was observed by the transmission electron microscope (TEM). TEM micrographs indicated that Au-Pd particles of ca. 5-nm were well dispersed on the surface of carbon particles of ca. 30-nm without any serious agglomeration. Addition of citric acid to the initial solution and high pH were found to be effective for formation of random alloy structure in the resultant bimetallic nanoparticles. The change in the bimetallic structure from core-shell to random alloy was identified by techniques of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS).