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The development of an optical diode consisting of a metal-dielectric-metal junction in which the high-speed electric conduction process occurs due to quantum mechanical electron tunneling across the dielectric barrier is briefly reviewed. Potential applications of the diode are discussed.
A statistical approach to sound propagation is considered in situations where, due to the presence of large gradients of properties of the medium, the classical (deterministic) treatment of wave motion is inadequate. Mathematical methods for wave motions not restricted to small wavelengths (analogous to known methods of quantum mechanics) are used to formulate a wave theory of sound in nonuniform flows. Nonlinear transport equations for field probabilities are derived for the limiting case of noninteracting sound waves and it is postulated that such transport equations, appropriately generalized, may be used to predict the statistical behavior of sound in arbitrary flows.
Rate constants for rotational excitation of N2H(+) by low-energy collisions with He have been obtained from accurate quantum-mechanical calculations. Rates for excitation of HCO(+) and rates for excitation by collisions with H2 are expected to be qualitatively similar. The excitation rate for molecular ions is found to be only slightly faster than that for similar neutral species, and not much faster as had been previously suggested. The implications of this for interpreting microwave observations of interstellar N2H(+) and HCO(+) are discussed.
Radiative transfer of partially polarized radiation in an anisotropically scattering, inhomogeneous atmosphere containing an arbitrary polydispersion of particles is described using Jones's (1941) amplitude vectors and matrices. This approach exploits the close analogy between the quantum-mechanical states of spin 1/2 systems and the polarization states of electromagnetic radiation described by Jones's vector. The complete equivalence between the transport equation for Jones's vectors and the classical radiative-transfer equation for Stokes's intensity vectors is demonstrated in two independent ways after deriving the transport equations for the polarization coherency matrices and for the quaternions corresponding to the Jones's vectors. A compact-operator formulation of the theory is provided and used to derive the necessary equations for both a local and a global description of the transport of Jones's vectors. The integro-differential equations for the amplitude reflection and transmission matrices are derived and related to the usual corresponding equations.
Several recent experiments designed to produce and store macroscopic quantities of atomic hydrogen are discussed. The bulk, ground state properties of atomic hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium systems are calculated assuming that all pair interactions occur via the atomic triplet potential. The conditions required to obtain this system, including inhibition of recombination through the energetically favorable singlet interaction, are discussed. The internal energy, pressure, and compressibility are calculated applying the Monte Carlo technique with a quantum mechanical variational wavefunction. The system studied consisted of 32 atoms in a box with periodic boundary conditions. Results show that atomic triplet hydrogen and deuterium remain gaseous at 0 K; i.e., the internal energy is positive at all molar volumes considered.
Using the concept of parallel displacement of a half vector, the Dirac equations are generally written in invariant form. The energy tensor is formed and both the macroscopic and quantum mechanic equations of motion are set up. The former have the usual form: divergence of the energy tensor equals the Lorentz force and the latter are essentially identical with those of the geodesic line.
Quantum-mechanical calculations, using the matrix Hartree-Fock model, have been performed for the butadiynyl and cyanoethynyl radicals. A rotation constant of 4753 MHz is calculated for C4H, while for C3N the value 4955 MHz is obtained. These may be compared with the rotation constant of 4947.5 MHz derived from the recently observed doublets in the millimeter-wave spectrum of IRC + 10216, suggesting the cyanoethynyl radical as the carrier species of these lines. The electric dipole moment and hyperfine coupling constants of both species are predicted.
Effects of quantum mechanical interferences on third-order susceptibilities in molecules are studied. First principle calculations for molecular hydrogen are presented and shown to agree with results derived from experimental stimulated Raman gain and spontaneous Raman cross-section data. 10 percent third-harmonic conversion efficiency in H2 at 1 atm without phase matching should require a 150 MW per sq cm at 4.81 microns. As little as 5.9-MW power is sufficient when the beam is properly focused. Resonance Raman scattering (RRS) is proposed for experimentally investigating the interference effects, which tend to reduce the strength of third-order nonlinear susceptibilities.
Quantum mechanical calculations, using the matrix Hartree-Fock model, have been performed to obtain estimates of the rotation constants of the isocyanoacetylene molecule and the isocyanoethynyl radical which may be detectable in space. A rotation constant of 5076 MHz is calculated for HC2NC, while for the radical C2NC the value 5458 MHz is obtained.
Results are reported for quantum-mechanical studies of the ions HSiO(+) and HOSi(+). The equilibrium geometries, rotation constants, and relative stabilities of these ions are determined using the matrix Hartree-Fock model with a basis set of Slater exponential functions. Optimum bond lengths are calculated, and an empirical correction to the computed bond lengths is introduced. The isomer HOSi(+) is found to be more stable than HSiO(+). A frequency of 35.77 GHz is obtained for the J = 1-0 transition of HOSi(+) by assuming that the vibration-rotation interaction constants for this isomer are the same as those for HCP.
Transport properties in a Jupiter-like atmosphere (89 mol % hydrogen and 11 mol % helium) are obtained by using the method of the kinetic theory of gases. The transport collision integrals are calculated by fitting various two-body semiempirical interaction potentials for which the collision integrals are tabulated to ab initio quantum mechanical calculations of the two-body interactions. The collision integrals are used to calculate the binary diffusion coefficients, viscosity, and 'total' thermal conductivity of the pure gases and the gas mixtures at 1-atm pressure from 1000 K to 25,000 K.
A simple cell model is used to compute the ground-state energy and the volume-pressure relation for hcp He-4, in good agreement with experiments and with more sophisticated quantum mechanical calculations.
A simple formula for the prediction of Stark widths of neutral lines similar to the semiempirical method of Griem (1968) for ion lines is presented. This formula is a simplification of the quantum-mechanical classical path impact theory and can be used for complicated atoms for which detailed calculations are not readily available, provided that the effective position of the closest interacting level is known. The expression does not require the use of a computer. The formula has been applied to a limited number of neutral lines of interest, and the width obtained is compared with the much more complete calculations of Bennett and Griem (1971). The agreement generally is well within 50% of the published value for the lines investigated. Comparisons with other formulas are also made. In addition, a simple estimate for the ion-broadening parameter is given.
The indeterminacy inherent to the formal extension of Arrhenius' law to reactions in turbulent flows is shown to be surmountable in the case of a binary exchange reaction with a sufficiently high activation energy. A preliminary calculation predicts that the turbulent reaction rate is invariant in the Arrhenius form except for an equivalently lowered activation energy. This is a reflection of turbulence-augmented molecular vigor, and causes an appreciable increase in the reaction rate. A similarity to the tunnel effect in quantum mechanics is indicated. The anomaly associated with the mild ignition of oxy-hydrogen mixtures is discussed in this light.
Two complementary techniques, semi-empirical quantum mechanical calculations and empirical central field pair potential calculations were used in developing a model of the interaction of water with simple surfaces.
Quantum-mechanical processes associated with the presence of high magnetic fields and the effect of such fields on the evolution of neutron stars are reviewed. A technical description of the interior of a neutron star is presented. The neutron star-pulsar relation is reviewed and consideration is given to supernovae explosions, flux conservation in neutron stars, gauge-invariant derivation of the equation of state for a strongly magnetized gas, neutron beta-decay, and the stability condition for a neutron star.
The scattering of radiation in the presence of collisions can be described quantum-mechanically in terms of essentially two processes. The first may be thought of as an absorption to the excited state followed subsequently (after propagating in the excited state) by emission. This gives rise to radiation redistributed about the transition frequency. The effects of m-degeneracy are particularly interesting for this first process. As an example a case is considered in which the incident frequency is in the quasi-static line wing, while the scattered frequency is close to the line center. It is found that under these circumstances the dominant contribution from this process in the scattered spectrum is obtained for an absorption of the incident frequency taking place during a strong (close) collision and reemission of the scattered frequency when the atom is essentially unperturbed
To determine the ultimate performance limitations imposed by quantum effects, it is also essential to consider optimum quantum-state generation. Certain 'generalized' coherent states of the radiation field possess novel quantum noise characteristics that offer the potential for greatly improved optical communications. These states have been called two-photon coherent states because they can be generated, in principle, by stimulated two-photon processes. The use of two-photon coherent state (TCS) radiation in free-space optical communications is considered. A simple theory of quantum state propagation is developed. The theory provides the basis for representing the free-space channel in a quantum-mechanical form convenient for communication analysis. The new theory is applied to TCS radiation.