1,720,960 research outputs found

    Levitated Micromagnets in Superconducting Traps: A New Platform for Tabletop Fundamental Physics Experiments

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    Magnetically levitated microparticles have been proposed as mechanical sensors with extreme sensitivity. In particular, micromagnets levitated above a superconductor can achieve very low levels of dissipation and thermal noise. In this paper, we review recent initial experiments and discuss the potential for using these systems as sensors of magnetic fields and rotational motion, as well as possible applications to fundamental physics

    Linear cooling of a levitated micromagnetic cylinder by vibration

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    We report feedback cooling of translational and librational degrees of freedom of a levitated micromagnet cylinder, utilizing a piezoelectric actuator to apply linear feedback to high-Q mechanical modes. The normal modes are measured with a superconducting pick-up coil coupled to a DC SQUID, and phase information is fed back to the piezoelectric actuator to feedback cool a center-of-mass mode to \sim7 K, and a librational mode to 830±200830 \pm 200 mK. Q-factors of 1.0×1071.0 \times 10^7 are evaluated for the center-of-mass mode. We find that it is plausible to achieve ground state cooling of the center-of-mass mode by introducing vibration isolation, optimizing the geometry of the pick-up coil to focus on the specific mode of interest and utilizing a state-of-the-art SQUID for detection.12 pages, 7 figure

    Optimal control for feedback cooling in cavityless levitated optomechanics

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    We consider feedback cooling in a cavityless levitated optomechanics setup, and we investigate the possibility to improve the feedback implementation. We apply optimal control theory to derive the optimal feedback signal both for quadratic (parametric) and linear (electric) feedback. We numerically compare optimal feedback against the typical feedback implementation used for experiments. In order to do so, we implement a state estimation scheme that takes into account the modulation of the laser intensity. We show that such an implementation allows us to increase the feedback strength, leading to faster cooling rates and lower center-of-mass temperatures

    Surpassing the Energy Resolution Limit with ferromagnetic torque sensors

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    We discuss the fundamental noise limitations of a ferromagnetic torque sensor based on a levitated magnet in the tipping regime. We evaluate the optimal magnetic field resolution taking into account the thermomechanical noise and the mechanical detection noise at the standard quantum limit (SQL). We find that the Energy Resolution Limit (ERL), pointed out in recent literature as a relevant benchmark for most classes of magnetometers, can be surpassed by many orders of magnitude. Moreover, similarly to the case of a ferromagnetic gyroscope, it is also possible to surpass the standard quantum limit for magnetometry with independent spins, arising from spin-projection noise. Our finding indicates that magneto mechanical systems optimized for magnetometry can achieve a magnetic field resolution per unit volume several orders of magnitude better than any conventional magnetometer. We discuss possible implications, focusing on fundamental physics problems such as the search for exotic interactions beyond the standard model

    Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis

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    The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed

    Levitated Ferromagnetic Magnetometer with Energy Resolution Well Below ħ

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    A quantum limit on the measurement of magnetic fields has been recently pointed out, stating that the so-called energy resolution ER is bounded to ER≳ħ. This limit indeed holds true for the vast majority of existing quantum magnetometers, including superconducting quantum interference devices and solid state spin and optically pumped atomic magnetometers. However, it can be surpassed by highly correlated spin systems, as recently demonstrated with a single-domain spinor BEC. Here, we show that similar and potentially much better resolution can be achieved with a hard ferromagnet levitated above a superconductor at cryogenic temperature. We demonstrate ER=(0.064±0.010) ħ and anticipate that ER<10−3 ħ is within reach with near-future improvements. This finding opens the way to new applications in condensed matter, biophysics, and fundamental science. In particular, we propose an experiment to search for axionlike dark matter and project a sensitivity that is orders of magnitude better than in previous searches

    Variations on the Author

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    “Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship

    Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis

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    We provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis

    Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts

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    We conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more sophisticated methods
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