Physics

Inspired by recent proposals for detecting gravitational waves by using Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs), we investigated the interplay between these two phenomena. A gravitational wave induces a phase shift in the fidelity amplitude of the many-body quantum state. We investigated the enhancement of the phase shift in the case of Bose condensates confined by an anisotropic harmonic potential, considering both ideal and interacting BECs. Full article

This paper explores the optical approach to simplifying complex concepts in general relativity (GR) and nonlinear vacuum electrodynamics. The focus is on using optical analogies to simplify the understanding of spacetime curvature and interactions in strong gravitational and magnetic fields. We demonstrate how applying concepts of effective refractive index can facilitate the teaching and comprehension of GR optical effects, such as gravitational lensing and the behavior of light around massive objects. Additionally, the paper covers the application of optical analogies in the context of nonlinear vacuum electrodynamics, showing how strong magnetic fields affect light propagation. This interdisciplinary approach provides a more natural understanding and modeling of complex physical phenomena, making them better accessible for study and teaching. Full article

The paper presents the results of experiments on measuring cross-sections for the neutron transfer channels ⁹Be(³He, α)⁸Be_gs,3.03 in the reaction of the ³He (30 MeV) ions with the ⁹Be target. To describe the angular distributions, we use the Distorted Wave Born Approximation (DWBA) applying the FRESCO code. The results of the theoretical analysis are in agreement with the experimental data. In addition, we perform calculations based on the solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE) for the weakly bound neutron of the ⁹Be nucleus. The TDSE approach allows us to determine the dynamics of the neutron transfer process and calculate the probabilities for the transfer and removal of the neutron of the ⁹Be nucleus in the ³He + ⁹Be reaction. Full article

We present—in the framework of classical theory—a self-consistent derivation scheme which produces equations for the calculation of add-ons to the full field energy and to the effective mass of a charge moving with acceleration, which may be practically used for analyses in various scenarios. The charge is treated as a quasi-point-like charge; this helps to resolve the complications of the “infinite” electromagnetic energy, which are avoided by the procedure of slightly “spreading” the charge. As a result, the concept of the size of the particle takes a straightforward physical interpretation. Indeed, it is within the charge spread, at scales smaller than Compton’s length, where the quantum-field-mechanics approach to be applied. Beyond this region, no “infinite” tails of quantities accumulate. The seeming divergences of the integrals at the upper limits are not physical if one takes into account that the charge moves with acceleration only for a finite duration of time; every real physical process has its beginning and its end. The key focus of this paper is on the methodological aspects of the calculations. Full article

The two-thirds power law is a link between angular speed $\omega$ and curvature $\kappa$ observed in voluntary human movements: $\omega$ is proportional to ${\kappa }^{2/3}$. Squared jerk is known to be a Lagrangian leading to the latter law. However, it leads to unbounded movements and is therefore incompatible with quasi-periodic dynamics, such as the movement of the tip of a pen drawing ellipses. To solve this drawback, we give a class of higher-derivative Lagrangians that allow for both quasi-periodic and unbounded movements, and at the same time lead to the two-thirds power law. The current study extends this framework and investigates a wider class of Lagrangians admitting generalised conservation laws. Full article

We present a first-principles density functional theory with the Coulomb interaction U (DFT + U) investigation of the bulk properties, including structural, energetic, electronic, and mechanical properties for uranium–americium mixed oxides (U, Am)O₂. The various Am aggregation contents were investigated to better understand the impact of Am on the nuclear fuel UO₂. The supercell defect models at different scales were used to describe the solid solution (U, Am)O₂. The obtained results show that different contents of Am aggregation have a significant impact on the volume and energy of the formation of mixed oxide systems. The results of the electronic structure calculations exhibit no bandgap owing to the mixing of UO₂ and AmO₂. The mixing enthalpy of the Am aggregation systems is used to describe the phase stability of the solid solution. In particular, the mixing enthalpy of (U, Am)O₂ is significantly reduced as the Am content increases. The elastic properties of the (U, Am)O₂ mixed oxides have also been compared as a function of the Am content. Moreover, the impacts of the whole Pu aggregation content range on the bulk properties for the (U, Pu)O₂ mixed oxides are also discussed. Full article

The use of entropy concepts in the field of stochastic electrodynamics is briefly reviewed here. Entropy calculations that have been fully carried out to date are discussed in two main cases: first, where electric dipole oscillators interact with zero-point, or zero-point plus Planckian, or Rayleigh–Jeans radiation; and second, where only these radiation fields exist within a cavity. The emphasis here is on the first, more complicated, case, where both charged particles and radiation fields are present and interacting. Unlike the usual exposition on entropy in classical statistical mechanics, involving probabilistic notions of phase-space occupation, the calculations to date for both particles and fields, or for fields alone, follow the caloric entropy method, where the notions of heat flow, adiabatic surfaces, and isothermal conditions are utilized. Probability notions certainly still enter into the calculations, as the fields and charged particles interact stochastically together, following Maxwellian electrodynamics. Examples of phase-space calculations for harmonic oscillators and classical hydrogen atoms are carried out, emphasizing how much farther caloric entropy calculations have successfully gone. Full article

The method of the adhered cantilever, borrowed from microtechnology, can help in gaining fundamental knowledge about dispersion forces acting at distances of about 10 nm, which are problematic to access in the usual Casimir-type experiments. A recently presented setup measures the shape of cantilevers with high precision, which is needed for analyzing the involved forces. The first measurements reveal several nonidealities crucial for the data analysis. In this paper, a generalized formula is deduced that relates the parameters of a cantilever to the adhesion energy. The application of the formula is demonstrated using the first test result from the setup, where a silicon cantilever adhered to a substrate sputters with ruthenium. Detailed information of the roughness of interacting surfaces, which deviates significantly from the normal distribution, is emphasized. Although not crucial, the electrostatic contribution can be significant due to the slight twisting of the cantilever. The theoretical prediction of the adhesion energy is based on Lifshitz theory. Comparing theory and experiment yields a contact distance of 45 nm and an adhesion energy of 1.3 µJ/m², resulting from the Casimir–Lifshitz forces. Significant uncertainties arise from the uncontrolled electrostatic contribution. Factors that need to be addressed to measure weak adhesion between rough surfaces are highlighted. Full article

In this paper, we review a new treatment of classical radiation damping, which resolves a known contradiction in the Abraham–Lorentz equation that has long been a concern. This radiation damping problem has already been solved in quantum mechanics by the method introduced by Friedrichs. Based on Friedrichs’ treatment, we solved this long-standing problem by classicalizing quantum mechanics by replacing the canonical commutation relation from quantum mechanics with the Poisson bracket relation in classical mechanics. Full article

Two-level quantum systems are building blocks of quantum technologies, where the qubit is the basic unit of quantum information. The ability to design driving fields that produce prespecified evolutions of relevant physical observables is crucial to the development of such technologies. Using vector algebra and recently developed strategies for generating solvable two-level Hamiltonians, we construct the general solution to the inverse problem for a spin in a time-dependent magnetic field and its extension to any two-level system associated with fictitious spin and field. We provide a general expression for the field that drives the dynamics of the system so as to realize prescribed time evolutions of the expectation values of the Pauli operators and the autocorrelation of the Pauli vector. The analysis is applied to two-state charge transfer systems, showing that the charge transfer process can be seen as a motion of the state of the associated fictitious qubit on the Bloch sphere, and that the expectation values of the related Pauli operators describe the interference between the two differently localized electronic states and their population difference. Our formulation is proposed as a basic step towards potential uses of charge transfer in quantum computing and quantum information transfer. Full article

The latest results of Higgs boson searches beyond the Standard Model from the ATLAS and CMS experiments are reviewed. This includes searches for additional neutral, charged, and double charged Higgs-like bosons, searches for dark matter produced in association with a Higgs boson, and searches for new physics in Higgs boson production and decay processes. Interpretations are given within the hMSSM, a special parameterization of the Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model, in which the mass of the lightest Higgs boson is set to the value of 125 GeV measured at the LHC. Full article

The Casimir effect has been exploited in various MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) devices, especially to make sensitive force sensors and accelerometers. It has also been used to provide forces for a variety of purposes, for example, for the assembly of considerably small parts. Repulsive forces and torques have been produced using various configurations of media and materials. Just a few electronic devices have been explored that utilize the electrical properties of the Casimir effect. Recently, experimental results were presented that described the operation of an electronic device that employed a Casimir cavity attached to a standard MIM (metal–insulator–metal) structure. The DC (direct current) conductance of the novel MIM device was enhanced by the attached cavity and found to be directly proportional to the capacitance of the attached cavity. The phenomenological model proposed assumed that the cavity reduced the vacuum fluctuations, which resulted in a reduced injection of carriers. The analysis presented here indicates that the optical cavity actually enhances vacuum fluctuations, which would predict a current in the opposite direction from that observed. Further, the vacuum fluctuations near the electrode are shown to be approximately independent of the size of the optical cavity, in disagreement with the experimental data which show a dependence on the size. Thus, the proposed mechanism of operation does not appear correct. A more detailed theoretical analysis of these devices is needed, in particular, one that uses real material parameters and computes the vacuum fluctuations for the entire device. Such an analysis would reveal how these devices operate and might suggest design principles for a new genre of electronic devices that make use of vacuum fluctuations. Full article

This paper presents a two-qubit model derived from an SU(2)-symmetric 4×4 Hamiltonian. The resulting model is physically significant and, due to the SU(2) symmetry, is exactly solvable in both time-independent and time-dependent cases. Using the formal, general form of the related time evolution operator, the time dependence of the entanglement level for certain initial conditions is examined within the Rabi and Landau–Majorana–Stückelberg–Zener scenarios. The potential for applying this approach to higher-dimensional Hamiltonians to develop more complex exactly solvable models of interacting qubits is also highlighted. Full article

The elastic and inelastic scattering of deuterons on ¹⁰B nuclei and the ¹⁰B(d, t)⁹B reaction were studied at a deuteron energy of 14.5 MeV. In inelastic scattering, differential cross-sections for transitions to ¹⁰B states at excitation energies, E_x, of 0.718 MeV (1⁺), 2.154 MeV (1⁺), and 3.59 MeV (2⁺) were measured. The cross-sections of the (d, t) reaction were measured for the ground (3/2⁻) and excited states of the ⁹B nucleus at E_x = 2.361 MeV (5/2⁻) and 2.79 MeV (5/2⁺). An analysis of the corresponding angular distributions was carried out using the coupled channel method. As a result of the calculations, the values of the quadrupole deformation parameters (β₂ ≈ 0.7 ± 0.1) for various transitions in the ¹⁰B nucleus in inelastic scattering were extracted. From the analysis of the (d, t) reaction, the values of spectroscopic amplitudes (SA = 0.67 and SA = 0.94) for transitions to the states of the ⁹B nucleus were extracted. The results obtained here, taking into account possible measurement errors, are in good agreement with the previously obtained data and the theoretical predictions. Full article

Ferroelectric charged domain walls offer a revolutionary path for next-generation ferroelectric devices due to their exceptional conductivity within an otherwise insulating matrix. However, quantitative understanding of this “giant conductivity” has remained elusive due to the lack of robust models describing carrier behavior within CDWs. The current paper bridges this critical knowledge gap by employing a first-principles approach that incorporates Boltzmann transport theory and the relaxation time approximation. This strategy enables the calculation of carrier concentration, mobility, and conductivity for both head-to-head and tail-to-tail domain wall configurations within a stabilized periodic structure. The comprehensive transport analysis given here reveals that the accumulation of charge carriers, particularly their concentration, is the dominant factor governing domain wall conductance. Interestingly, observed conductance differences between head-to-head and tail-to-tail walls primarily arise from variations in carrier mobility. Additionally, this study demonstrates a significantly reduced domain wall width compared to previous reports. This miniaturization is attributed to the presence of compressive strain, which lowers the energy barrier for electron–hole pair generation. Furthermore, the findings here suggest that reducing the band gap presents a viable strategy for stabilizing charged domain walls. These results pave the way for the optimization and development of domain wall devices across a spectrum of ferroelectric materials. Full article

In the present introductory to the Special Issue “75 Years of the Casimir Effect: Advances and Prospects”, we summarize the state of the art in this field of physics, briefly describe the topics of the contributing papers, formulate several unresolved problems, and outline possible pathways towards their resolution. Special attention is given to experiments on measuring the Casimir force, to the known problem of the dissipation of conduction electrons when one compares experiment with theory, and to the Casimir effect in novel materials and non-traditional situations. We conclude that in the future, this multidisciplinary quantum effect will continue to play a crucial role in both fundamental physics and its applications. Full article

In this paper, we review some recent findings related to the Casimir effect. Initially, the thermal corrections to the vacuum Casimir energy density are calculated, for a quantum scalar field, whose modes propagate in the (3+1)-dimensional Euclidean spacetime, subject to a nontrivial compact boundary condition. Next, we analyze the Casimir effect induced by two parallel plates placed in a weak gravitational field background. Finally, we review the three-dimensional wormhole solutions sourced by the Casimir density and pressures associated with the quantum vacuum fluctuations of the Yang-Mills field. Full article

We review the formalism of center-of-mass tomograms, which allows us to describe quantum states in terms of probability distribution functions. We introduce the concept of separable and entangled probability distributions for center-of-mass tomography. We obtain the time evolution of center-of-mass tomograms of entangled states of the inverted oscillator. Full article