arXiv subjects

Carter Swift

Publications and source records attributed to Carter Swift.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

A computational study of nematic core structure and disclination interactions in elastically anisotropic nematics

A singular potential method in the Q tensor order parameter representation of a nematic liquid crystal is used to study the equilibrium configuration of a disclination dipole. Unlike the well studied isotropic limit (the so called one constant approximation), we focus on the case of anisotropic Frank elasticity (bend/splay elastic constant contrast). Prior research has established that the singular potential method provides an accurate description of the tensor order parameter profile in the vicinity of a disclination core of a highly anisotropic lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal. This research is extended here to two interacting disclinations forming a dipole configuration. The director angle is shown to decay in the far field inversely with distance to the dipole as is the case in the isotropic limit, but with a different angular dependence. Therefore elastic constant anisotropy modifies the elastic screening between disclinations, with implications for the study of ensembles of defects as seen, for example, in active matter in the extended system limit.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2024

Partial Wavefunction Collapse Under Repeated Weak Measurement of a non-Conserved Observable

Two hallmarks of quantum non-demolition (QND) measurement are the ensemble-level conservation of the expectation value of the measured observable $A$ and the eventual, inevitable collapse of the system into some eigenstate of $A$. This requires that $A$ commutes with $H$, the system's Hamiltonian. In what we term "Auxiliary Observable QND" measurement, $A$ does not commute with $H$ and the above two characteristics clearly cannot be present as the system's dynamics prevent $\langle A \rangle$ from reaching a definite value. However, in this paper we find that under such a measurement QND behavior still arises, but is seen in the behavior of a secondary "target" observable we call $B$, with the condition that $B$ commutes with both $A$ and $H$. In such cases, the expectation value of $B$ is conserved and the system at least partially collapses with respect to eigenstates of $B$. We show as an example how this surprising result applies to a Heisenberg chain, where we demonstrate that local measurements on a single site can reveal information about the spectrum of an entire system, a finding which may be of practical use in experiments.

quant-ph↗