arXiv subjects

Liang Liu

Publications and source records attributed to Liang Liu.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Unidirectional scattering induced by the toroidal dipole moment in the system of plasmonic nanoparticles

Unidirectional backward and forward scattering of electromagnetic waves by nanoparticles are usually interpreted as the interference of conventional multipole moments (i.e., electric and magnetic dipole, electric quadrupole, etc.). The role of toroidal dipole moments in unidirectional scattering is generally overlooked. In this work, we investigate the unidirectional scattering for the system of three plasmonic nanospheres. It is found that the unidirectional backward scattering is caused by the interference between the toroidal dipole moment and other conventional multipole moments. Tunable primary backward and forward scattering can be achieved under some specific configurations. Our results can find applications in the design of nanoantennas.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

An Energy Efficiency Perspective on Massive MIMO Quantization

One of the basic aspects of Massive MIMO (MaMi) that is in the focus of current investigations is its potential of using low-cost and energy-efficient hardware. It is often claimed that MaMi will allow for using analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with very low resolutions and that this will result in overall improvement of energy efficiency. In this contribution, we perform a parametric energy efficiency analysis of MaMi uplink for the entire base station receiver system with varying ADC resolutions. The analysis shows that, for a wide variety of system parameters, ADCs with intermediate bit resolutions (4 - 10 bits) are optimal in energy efficiency sense, and that using very low bit resolutions results in degradation of energy efficiency.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2016

An uplink-downlink duality for cloud radio access network

Uplink-downlink duality refers to the fact that the Gaussian broadcast channel has the same capacity region as the dual Gaussian multiple-access channel under the same sumpower constraint. This paper investigates a similar duality relationship between the uplink and downlink of a cloud radio access network (C-RAN), where a central processor (CP) cooperatively serves multiple mobile users through multiple remote radio heads (RRHs) connected to the CP with finite-capacity fronthaul links. The uplink of such a C-RAN model corresponds to a multipleaccess relay channel; the downlink corresponds to a broadcast relay channel. This paper considers compression-based relay strategies in both uplink and downlink C-RAN, where the quantization noise levels are functions of the fronthaul link capacities. If the fronthaul capacities are infinite, the conventional uplinkdownlink duality applies. The main result of this paper is that even when the fronthaul capacities are finite, duality continues to hold for the case where independent compression is applied across each RRH in the sense that when the transmission and compression designs are jointly optimized, the achievable rate regions of the uplink and downlink remain identical under the same sum-power and individual fronthaul capacity constraints. As an application of the duality result, the power minimization problem in downlink C-RAN can be efficiently solved based on its uplink counterpart.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2016

Cross-layer design for downlink multi-hop cloud radio access networks with network coding

There are two fundamentally different fronthaul techniques in the downlink communication of cloud radio access network (C-RAN): the data-sharing strategy and the compression-based strategy. Under the former strategy, each user's message is multicast from the central processor (CP) to all the serving remote radio heads (RRHs) over the fronthaul network, which then cooperatively serve the users through joint beamforming; while under the latter strategy, the user messages are first beamformed then quantized at the CP, and the compressed signal is unicast to the corresponding RRH, which then decompresses its received signal for wireless transmission. Previous works show that in general the compression-based strategy outperforms the data-sharing strategy. This paper, on the other hand, point s out that in a C-RAN model where the RRHs are connected to the CP via multi-hop routers, data-sharing can be superior to compression if the network coding technique is adopted for multicasting user messages to the cooperating RRHs, and the RRH's beamforming vectors, the user-RRH association, and the network coding design over the fronthaul network are jointly optimized based on the techniques of sparse optimization an d successive convex approximation. This is in comparison to the compression-based strategy, where information is unicast over the fronthaul network by simple routing, and the RRH's compression noise covariance and beamforming vectors, as well as the routing strategy over the fronthaul network are jointly optimized based on the successive convex approximation technique. The observed gain in overall network throughput is due to that information multicast is more efficient than information unicast over the multi-hop fronthaul of a C-RAN.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2016

A Simplified Sub-Nyquist Receiver Architecture for Joint DOA and Frequency Estimation

Joint estimation of carrier frequency and direction of arrival (DOA) for multiple signals has been found in many practical applications such as Cognitive Radio (CR). However, Nyquist sampling mechanism is costly or implemented due to wide spectrum range. Taking advantage of sub-Nyquist sampling technology, some array receiver architectures are proposed to realize joint estimation of carrier frequency and DOA. To further decrease equivalent sampling rate and hardware complexity, we propose a simplifying receiver architecture based on our previous work. We come up with joint DOA and frequency estimation algorithms for the novel architecture. The simulations demonstrate that the receiver architecture and the proposed approaches are feasible.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2016

A Generic Minimal Discrete Model for Toroidal Moments and Its Experimental Realization

It is well known that a closed loop of magnetic dipoles can give rise to the rather elusive toroidal moment. However, artificial structures required to generate the necessary magnetic moments are typically optically large, complex to make and easily compromised by the kinetic inductance at high frequencies. Instead of using magnetic dipoles, we propose a minimal model based on just three aligned discrete electric dipoles in which the occurrence of resonant toroidal modes is guaranteed by symmetry. The advantage of this model is its simplicity and the same model supports toroidal moments from the microwave regime up to optical frequencies as exemplified by a three-antenna array and a system consisting of three nano-sized plasmonic particles. Both the microwave and high-frequency configurations exhibit non-radiating "anapoles". Experiments in the microwave regime confirm the theoretical predictions.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

How to Diagonalize a MIMO Channel with Arbitrary Transmit Covariance?

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or multi-antenna communication is a key technique to achieve high spectral efficiency in wireless systems. For the point-to-point MIMO channel, it is a well-known result that the channel singular value decomposition (SVD) based linear precoding and decoding achieves the channel capacity, which also diagonalizes the MIMO channel into parallel single-input single-output (SISO) sub-channels for independent encoding and decoding. However, in multi-user MIMO systems, the optimal transmit covariance of each MIMO link is generally not its channel SVD based as a result of the control and balance of the co-channel interference among users. Thus, it remains unknown whether the linear precoding/decoding strategy is still able to achieve the capacity of each MIMO link and yet diagonalize its MIMO channel, with a given set of optimal transmit covariance of all users. This letter solves this open problem by providing a closed-form capacity-achieving linear precoder/decoder design that diagonalizes a MIMO channel with arbitrary transmit covariance. Numerical examples are also provided to validate the proposed solution in various multi-user MIMO systems.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2016

Improvement in medium-long term frequency stability of integrating sphere cold atom clock

The medium-long term frequency stability of the integrating sphere cold atom clock was improved.During the clock operation, Rb atoms were cooled and manipulated using cooling light diffusely reflected by the inner surface of a microwave cavity in the clock. This light heated the cavity and caused a frequency drift from the resonant frequency of the cavity. Power fluctuations of the cooling light led to atomic density variations in the cavity's central area, which increased the clock frequency instability through a cavity pulling effect. We overcame these limitations with appropriate solutions. A frequency stability of 3.5E-15 was achieved when the integrating time ? increased to 2E4 s.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2016

Update of the China-VO AstroCloud

As the cyber-infrastructure for Astronomical research from Chinese Virtual Observatory (China-VO) project, AstroCloud has been archived solid progresses during the last one year. Proposal management system and data access system are re-designed. Several new sub-systems are developed, including China-VO PaperData, AstroCloud Statics and Public channel. More data sets and application environments are integrated into the platform. LAMOST DR1, the largest astronomical spectrum archive was released to the public using the platform. The latest progresses will be introduced.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2016

Observation of magneto-optical rotation effects in cold $^{87}$Rb atoms in an integrating sphere

We present a modified scheme for detection of the magneto-optical rotation (MOR) effect, where a linearly polarized laser field is interacting with cold $^{87}$Rb atoms in an integrating sphere. The rotation angle of the probe beam's polarization plane is detected in the experiment. The results indicate that the biased magnetic field, the probe light intensity and detuning, and the cold atoms' temperature are key parameters for the MOR effect. This scheme may improve the contrast of the rotation signal and provide an useful approach for high contrast cold atom clocks and magnetometers.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2015

Spin-flip noise due to nonequilibrium spin accumulation

When current flows through a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), there is spin accumulation at the electrode-barrier interfaces if the magnetic moments of the two ferromagnetic electrodes are not aligned. Here we report that such nonequilibrium spin accumulation generates its own characteristic low frequency noise (LFN). Past work viewed the LFN in MTJs as an equilibrium effect arising from resistance fluctuations ($S_R$) which a passively applied current ($I$) converts to measurable voltage fluctuations ($S_{V}=I^{2}S_{R}$). We treat the LFN associated with spin accumulation as a nonequilibrium effect, and find that the noise power can be fitted in terms of the spin-polarized current by $S_{I}f=aI\coth(\frac{I}{b})-ab$, resembling the form of the shot noise for a tunnel junction, but with current now taking the role of the bias voltage, and spin-flip probability taking the role of tunneling probability.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Observation of Fundamental Thermal Noise in Optical Fibers down to Infrasonic Frequencies

The intrinsic thermal noise in optical fibers is the ultimate limit of fiber-based systems. However, at infrasonic frequencies, the spectral behavior of the intrinsic thermal noise remains unclear so far. We present the measurements of the fundamental thermal noise in optical fibers obtained using a balanced fiber Michelson interferometer. When an ultra-stable laser is used as the laser source and other noise sources are carefully controlled, the 1/f spectral density of thermal noise is observed down to infrasonic frequencies and the measured magnitude is consistent with the theoretical predictions at the frequencies from 0.2 Hz to 20 kHz. Moreover, as observed in the experiment, the level of 1/f thermal noise is reduced by changing the coating of optical fibers. Therefore, a possible way to reduce the thermal noise in optical fibers at low Fourier frequencies is indicated. Finally, the inconsistency between the experimental data on thermomechanical noise and existing theory is discussed.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

A new scheme of compact cold atom clock based on diffuse laser cooling in a cylindrical cavity

We present a new scheme of compact Rubidium cold-atom clock which performs the diffuse light cooling, the microwave interrogation and the detection of the clock signal in a cylindrical microwave cavity. The diffuse light is produced by the reflection of the laser light at the inner surface of the microwave cavity. The pattern of injected laser beams is specially designed to make most of the cold atoms accumulate in the center of the microwave cavity. The microwave interrogation of cold atoms in the cavity leads to Ramsey fringes whose line-width is 24.5 Hz and the contrast of 95.6% when the free evolution time is 20 ms. The frequency stability of $7.3\times10^{-13}τ^{-1/2}$ has been achieved recently. The scheme of this physical package can largely reduce the complexity of the cold atom clock, and increase the performance of the clock.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2015

Secrecy Wireless Information and Power Transfer in Fading Wiretap Channel

Simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) has recently drawn significant interests for its dual use of radio signals to provide wireless data and energy access at the same time. However, a challenging secrecy communication issue arises as the messages sent to the information receivers (IRs) may be eavesdropped by the energy receivers (ERs), which are presumed to harvest energy only from the received signals. To tackle this problem, we propose in this paper an artificial noise (AN) aided transmission scheme to facilitate the secrecy information transmission to IRs and yet meet the energy harvesting requirement for ERs, under the assumption that the AN can be cancelled at IRs but not at ERs. Specifically, the proposed scheme splits the transmit power into two parts, to send the confidential message to the IR and an AN to interfere with the ER, respectively. Under a simplified three-node wiretap channel setup, the transmit power allocations and power splitting ratios over fading channels are jointly optimized to minimize the outage probability for delay-limited secrecy information transmission, or to maximize the average rate for no-delay-limited secrecy information transmission, subject to a combination of average and peak power constraints at the transmitter as well as an average energy harvesting constraint at the ER. Both the secrecy outage probability minimization and average rate maximization problems are shown to be non-convex, for each of which we propose the optimal solution based on the dual decomposition as well as suboptimal solution based on the alternating optimization. Furthermore, two benchmark schemes are introduced for comparison. Finally, the performances of proposed schemes are evaluated by simulations in terms of various trade-offs for wireless (secrecy) information versus energy transmissions.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2015

Optimized Uplink Transmission in Multi-Antenna C-RAN with Spatial Compression and Forward

Massive MIMO and C-RAN are two promising techniques for implementing future wireless communication systems, where a large number of antennas are deployed either being co-located at the base station (BS) or totally distributed at separate sites called remote radio heads (RRHs). In this paper, we consider a general antenna deployment design for wireless networks, termed multi-antenna C-RAN, where a flexible number of antennas can be equipped at each RRH to more effectively balance the performance and fronthaul complexity trade-off beyond the conventional massive MIMO and single-antenna C-RAN. Under the uplink communication setup, we propose a new "spatial-compression-and-forward (SCF)" scheme, where each RRH first performs a linear spatial filtering to denoise and maximally compress its received signals from multiple users to a reduced number of dimensions, then conducts uniform scalar quantization over each of the resulting dimensions in parallel, and finally sends the total quantized bits to the baseband unit (BBU) via a finite-rate fronthaul link for joint information decoding. Under this scheme, we maximize the minimum signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of all users at the BBU by a joint resource allocation over the wireless transmission and fronthaul links. Specifically, each RRH determines its own spatial filtering solution in a distributed manner to reduce the signalling overhead with the BBU, while the BBU jointly optimizes the users' transmit power, the RRHs' fronthaul bits allocation, and the BBU's receive beamforming with fixed spatial filters at individual RRHs. Through numerical results, it is shown that given a total number of antennas to be deployed, multi-antenna C-RAN with the proposed SCF and joint optimization significantly outperforms both massive MIMO and single-antenna C-RAN under practical fronthaul capacity constraints.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2015

Estimating phylogenetic trees from genome-scale data

As researchers collect increasingly large molecular data sets to reconstruct the Tree of Life, the heterogeneity of signals in the genomes of diverse organisms poses challenges for traditional phylogenetic analysis. A class of phylogenetic methods known as "species tree methods" have been proposed to directly address one important source of gene tree heterogeneity, namely the incomplete lineage sorting or deep coalescence that occurs when evolving lineages radiate rapidly, resulting in a diversity of gene trees from a single underlying species tree. Although such methods are gaining in popularity, they are being adopted with caution in some quarters, in part because of an increasing number of examples of strong phylogenetic conflict between concatenation or supermatrix methods and species tree methods. Here we review theory and empirical examples that help clarify these conflicts. Thinking of concatenation as a special case of the more general model provided by the multispecies coalescent can help explain a number of differences in the behavior of the two methods on phylogenomic data sets. Recent work suggests that species tree methods are more robust than concatenation approaches to some of the classic challenges of phylogenetic analysis, including rapidly evolving sites in DNA sequences, base compositional heterogeneity and long branch attraction. We show that approaches such as binning, designed to augment the signal in species tree analyses, can distort the distribution of gene trees and are inconsistent. Computationally efficient species tree methods that incorporate biological realism are a key to phylogenetic analysis of whole genome data.

q-bio.PE↗

arXiv2014

Off-grid DOA Estimation Based on Analysis of the Convexity of Maximum Likelihood Function

Spatial compressive sensing (SCS) has recently been applied to direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation owing to advantages over conventional ones. However the performance of compressive sensing (CS)-based estimation methods decreases when true DOAs are not exactly on the discretized sampling grid. We solve the off-grid DOA estimation problem using the deterministic maximum likelihood (DML) estimation method. In this work, we analyze the convexity of the DML function in the vicinity of the global solution. Especially under the condition of large array, we search for an approximately convex range around the ture DOAs to guarantee the DML function convex. Based on the convexity of the DML function, we propose a computationally efficient algorithm framework for off-grid DOA estimation. Numerical experiments show that the rough convex range accords well with the exact convex range of the DML function with large array and demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed methods in terms of accuracy, robustness and speed.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2014

Low frequency noise peak near magnon emission energy in magnetic tunnel junctions

We report on the low frequency (LF) noise measurements in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) below 4 K and at low bias, where the transport is strongly affected by scattering with magnons emitted by hot tunnelling electrons, as thermal activation of magnons from the environment is suppressed. For both CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB and CoFeB/AlO$_{x}$/CoFeB MTJs, enhanced LF noise is observed at bias voltage around magnon emission energy, forming a peak in the bias dependence of noise power spectra density, independent of magnetic configurations. The noise peak is much higher and broader for unannealed AlO$_{x}$-based MTJ, and besides Lorentzian shape noise spectra in the frequency domain, random telegraph noise (RTN) is visible in the time traces. During repeated measurements the noise peak reduces and the RTN becomes difficult to resolve, suggesting defects being annealed. The Lorentzian shape noise spectra can be fitted with bias-dependent activation of RTN, with the attempt frequency in the MHz range, consistent with magnon dynamics. These findings suggest magnon-assisted activation of defects as the origin of the enhanced LF noise.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗