arXiv subjects

X. Xie

Publications and source records attributed to X. Xie.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Improved Pixel-wise Calibration for Charge-Integrating Hybrid Pixel Detectors with Performance Validation

The M\"ONCH hybrid pixel detector, with a 25 \textmu m pixel pitch and fast charge-integrating readout, has demonstrated subpixel resolution capabilities for X-ray imaging and deep learning-based electron localization in electron microscopy. Fully exploiting this potential requires extensive calibration to ensure both linearity and uniformity of the pixel response, which is challenging for detectors with a large dynamic range. To overcome the limitations of conventional calibration methods, we developed an accurate and efficient correction method to achieve pixel-wise gain and nonlinearity calibration based on the backside pulsing technique. A three-dimensional lookup table was generated for all pixels across the full dynamic range, mapping the pixel response to a calibrated linear energy scale. Compared with conventional linear calibration, the proposed method yields negligible deviations between the calibrated and nominal energies for photons and electrons. The improvement in energy resolution ranges from 4% to 22% for 15-25 keV photons and from 16% to 23% for 60-200 keV electrons. Deep learning-based electron localization demonstrates a 4% improvement in spatial resolution when using the proposed calibration method. This approach further enables rapid diagnosis of the cause of bad pixels and estimation of bump-bonding yield.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2025

Generation of Intense Deep-Ultraviolet Pulses at 200 nm

We report the generation of intense deep ultraviolet pulses at 200 nm with a duration of 48 fs and pulse energy of 130 uJ, achieved via cascaded sum frequency generation using 800 nm femtosecond pulses in barium borate crystals. Efficient frequency up-conversion is realized by optimizing phase-matching conditions and implementing dispersion control, while maintaining the ultrashort pulse characteristics. The generated deep ultraviolet pulses are characterized using two-photon absorption frequency-resolved optical gating, providing detailed insight into their temporal profile and phase. This approach addresses key challenges in ultrashort deep ultraviolet pulse generation, delivering a high-energy, ultrashort source suitable for ultrafast spectroscopy, nonlinear optics, and strong-field physics. These results represent a significant advancement in the generation of high-energy, ultrashort deep ultraviolet pulses, opening new possibilities for time-resolved investigations in ultrafast molecular dynamics, as well as emerging applications in semiconductor science, quantum materials, and photochemistry.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Optimization and validation of charge transport simulation for hybrid pixel detectors incorporating the repulsion effect

For emerging applications of hybrid pixel detectors which require high spatial resolution, e.g., subpixel interpolation in X-ray imaging and deep learning-based electron localization, accurate modeling of charge transport processes in the sensor is highly demanded. To address this, two open-source, time-stepping Monte Carlo simulation methods have been developed, both explicitly incorporating charge repulsion, which are found necessary for accurate simulation when charge sharing becomes important. The first method employs brute-force calculations accelerated by GPU computing to model charge carrier dynamics, including drift, diffusion, and repulsion. The second utilizes a simplified spherical model that significantly reduces computational complexity. A parameterization scheme of the charge transport behaviors has been developed to enable efficient and rapid generation of X-ray simulation events. Both methods were rigorously validated using experimental data collected with a monochromatic X-ray beam at the METROLOGIE beamline of the SOLEIL synchrotron, demonstrating excellent agreement with measured pixel-energy spectra across various sensor thicknesses, bias voltages, and photon energies. Furthermore, the impact of the repulsion effect on charge carrier distributions was quantitatively evaluated. The potential applications of these simulation methods for different particle detections and detector technologies are also discussed.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2025

Repeated ancilla reuse for logical computation on a neutral atom quantum computer

Quantum processors based on neutral atoms trapped in arrays of optical tweezers have appealing properties, including relatively easy qubit number scaling and the ability to engineer arbitrary gate connectivity with atom movement. However, these platforms are inherently prone to atom loss, and the ability to replace lost atoms during a quantum computation is an important but previously elusive capability. Here, we demonstrate the ability to measure and re-initialize, and if necessary replace, a subset of atoms while maintaining coherence in other atoms. This allows us to perform logical circuits that include single and two-qubit gates as well as repeated midcircuit measurement while compensating for atom loss. We highlight this capability by performing up to 41 rounds of syndrome extraction in a repetition code, and combine midcircuit measurement and atom replacement with real-time conditional branching to demonstrate heralded state preparation of a logically encoded Bell state. Finally, we demonstrate the ability to replenish atoms in a tweezer array from an atomic beam while maintaining coherence of existing atoms -- a key step towards execution of logical computations that last longer than the lifetime of an atom in the system.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

High-fidelity universal gates in the $^{171}$Yb ground state nuclear spin qubit

Arrays of optically trapped neutral atoms are a promising architecture for the realization of quantum computers. In order to run increasingly complex algorithms, it is advantageous to demonstrate high-fidelity and flexible gates between long-lived and highly coherent qubit states. In this work, we demonstrate a universal high-fidelity gate-set with individually controlled and parallel application of single-qubit gates and two-qubit gates operating on the ground-state nuclear spin qubit in arrays of tweezer-trapped $^{171}$Yb atoms. We utilize the long lifetime, flexible control, and high physical fidelity of our system to characterize native gates using single and two-qubit Clifford and symmetric subspace randomized benchmarking circuits with more than 200 CZ gates applied to one or two pairs of atoms. We measure our two-qubit entangling gate fidelity to be 99.72(3)% (99.40(3)%) with (without) post-selection. In addition, we introduce a simple and optimized method for calibration of multi-parameter quantum gates. These results represent important milestones towards executing complex and general quantum computation with neutral atoms.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Gradients Stand-in for Defending Deep Leakage in Federated Learning

Federated Learning (FL) has become a cornerstone of privacy protection, shifting the paradigm towards localizing sensitive data while only sending model gradients to a central server. This strategy is designed to reinforce privacy protections and minimize the vulnerabilities inherent in centralized data storage systems. Despite its innovative approach, recent empirical studies have highlighted potential weaknesses in FL, notably regarding the exchange of gradients. In response, this study introduces a novel, efficacious method aimed at safeguarding against gradient leakage, namely, ``AdaDefense". Following the idea that model convergence can be achieved by using different types of optimization methods, we suggest using a local stand-in rather than the actual local gradient for global gradient aggregation on the central server. This proposed approach not only effectively prevents gradient leakage, but also ensures that the overall performance of the model remains largely unaffected. Delving into the theoretical dimensions, we explore how gradients may inadvertently leak private information and present a theoretical framework supporting the efficacy of our proposed method. Extensive empirical tests, supported by popular benchmark experiments, validate that our approach maintains model integrity and is robust against gradient leakage, marking an important step in our pursuit of safe and efficient FL.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2024

Optimizing Charge Transport Simulation for Hybrid Pixel Detectors

To enhance the spatial resolution of the M\"ONCH 25 \textmu m pitch hybrid pixel detector, deep learning models have been trained using both simulation and measurement data. Challenges arise when comparing simulation-based deep learning models to measurement-based models for electrons, as the spatial resolution achieved through simulations is notably inferior to that from measurements. Discrepancies are also observed when directly comparing X-ray simulations with measurements, particularly in the spectral output of single pixels. These observations collectively suggest that current simulations require optimization. To address this, the dynamics of charge carriers within the silicon sensor have been studied using Monte Carlo simulations, aiming to refine the charge transport modeling. The simulation encompasses the initial generation of the charge cloud, charge cloud drift, charge diffusion and repulsion, and electronic noise. The simulation results were validated with measurements from the M\"ONCH detector for X-rays, and the agreement between measurements and simulations was significantly improved by accounting for the charge repulsion.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2024

Iterative assembly of $^{171}$Yb atom arrays with cavity-enhanced optical lattices

Assembling and maintaining large arrays of individually addressable atoms is a key requirement for continued scaling of neutral-atom-based quantum computers and simulators. In this work, we demonstrate a new paradigm for assembly of atomic arrays, based on a synergistic combination of optical tweezers and cavity-enhanced optical lattices, and the incremental filling of a target array from a repetitively filled reservoir. In this protocol, the tweezers provide microscopic rearrangement of atoms, while the cavity-enhanced lattices enable the creation of large numbers of optical traps with sufficient depth for rapid low-loss imaging of atoms. We apply this protocol to demonstrate near-deterministic filling (99% per-site occupancy) of 1225-site arrays of optical traps. Because the reservoir is repeatedly filled with fresh atoms, the array can be maintained in a filled state indefinitely. We anticipate that this protocol will be compatible with mid-circuit reloading of atoms into a quantum processor, which will be a key capability for running large-scale error-corrected quantum computations whose durations exceed the lifetime of a single atom in the system.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Mid-circuit qubit measurement and rearrangement in a $^{171}$Yb atomic array

Measurement-based quantum error correction relies on the ability to determine the state of a subset of qubits (ancillae) within a processor without revealing or disturbing the state of the remaining qubits. Among neutral-atom based platforms, a scalable, high-fidelity approach to mid-circuit measurement that retains the ancilla qubits in a state suitable for future operations has not yet been demonstrated. In this work, we perform imaging using a narrow-linewidth transition in an array of tweezer-confined $^{171}$Yb atoms to demonstrate nondestructive state-selective and site-selective detection. By applying site-specific light shifts, selected atoms within the array can be hidden from imaging light, which allows a subset of qubits to be measured while causing only percent-level errors on the remaining qubits. As a proof-of-principle demonstration of conditional operations based on the results of the mid-circuit measurements, and of our ability to reuse ancilla qubits, we perform conditional refilling of ancilla sites to correct for occasional atom loss, while maintaining the coherence of data qubits. Looking towards true continuous operation, we demonstrate loading of a magneto-optical trap with a minimal degree of qubit decoherence.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

A note on the category of c-spaces

We prove that the category of c-spaces with continuous maps is not cartesian closed. As a corollary the category of locally finitary compact spaces with continuous maps is also not cartesian closed.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2022

Evidence for X-ray Emission in Excess to the Jet Afterglow Decay 3.5 yrs After the Binary Neutron Star Merger GW 170817: A New Emission Component

For the first $\sim3$ years after the binary neutron star merger event GW 170817 the radio and X-ray radiation has been dominated by emission from a structured relativistic off-axis jet propagating into a low-density medium with n $< 0.01\,\rm{cm^{-3}}$. We report on observational evidence for an excess of X-ray emission at $δt>900$ days after the merger. With $L_x\approx5\times 10^{38}\,\rm{erg\,s^{-1}}$ at 1234 days, the recently detected X-ray emission represents a $\ge 3.2\,σ$ (Gaussian equivalent) deviation from the universal post jet-break model that best fits the multi-wavelength afterglow at earlier times. In the context of JetFit afterglow models, current data represent a departure with statistical significance $\ge 3.1\,σ$, depending on the fireball collimation, with the most realistic models showing excesses at the level of $\ge 3.7\,σ$. A lack of detectable 3 GHz radio emission suggests a harder broad-band spectrum than the jet afterglow. These properties are consistent with the emergence of a new emission component such as synchrotron radiation from a mildly relativistic shock generated by the expanding merger ejecta, i.e. a kilonova afterglow. In this context, we present a set of ab-initio numerical-relativity BNS merger simulations that show that an X-ray excess supports the presence of a high-velocity tail in the merger ejecta, and argues against the prompt collapse of the merger remnant into a black hole. Radiation from accretion processes on the compact-object remnant represents a viable alternative. Neither a kilonova afterglow nor accretion-powered emission have been observed before, as detections of BNS mergers at this phase of evolution are unprecedented.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Two years of non-thermal emission from the binary neutron star merger GW170817: rapid fading of the jet afterglow and first constraints on the kilonova fastest ejecta

We present Chandra and VLA observations of GW170817 at ~521-743 days post merger, and a homogeneous analysis of the entire Chandra data set. We find that the late-time non-thermal emission follows the expected evolution from an off-axis relativistic jet, with a steep temporal decay $F_ν\propto t^{-1.95\pm0.15}$ and a simple power-law spectrum $F_ν\propto ν^{-0.575\pm0.007}$. We present a new method to constrain the merger environment density based on diffuse X-ray emission from hot plasma in the host galaxy and we find $n\le 9.6 \times 10^{-3}\,\rm{cm^{-3}}$. This measurement is independent from inferences based on the jet afterglow modeling and allows us to partially solve for model degeneracies. The updated best-fitting model parameters with this density constraint are a fireball kinetic energy $E_0 = 1.5_{-1.1}^{+3.6}\times 10^{49}\,\rm{erg}$ ($E_{iso}= 2.1_{-1.5}^{+6.4}\times10^{52}\, \rm{erg}$), jet opening angle $θ_{0}= 5.9^{+1.0}_{-0.7}\,\rm{deg}$ with characteristic Lorentz factor $Γ_j = 163_{-43}^{+23}$, expanding in a low-density medium with $n_0 = 2.5_{-1.9}^{+4.1} \times 10^{-3}\, \rm{cm^{-3}}$ and viewed $θ_{obs} = 30.4^{+4.0}_{-3.4}\, \rm{deg}$ off-axis. The synchrotron emission originates from a power-law distribution of electrons with $p=2.15^{+0.01}_{-0.02}$. The shock microphysics parameters are constrained to $ε_{\rm{e}} = 0.18_{-0.13}^{+0.30}$ and $ε_{\rm{B}}=2.3_{-2.2}^{+16.0} \times 10^{-3}$. We investigate the presence of X-ray flares and find no statistically significant evidence of $\ge2.5σ$ of temporal variability at any time. Finally, we use our observations to constrain the properties of synchrotron emission from the deceleration of the fastest kilonova ejecta with energy $E_k^{KN}\propto (Γβ)^{-α}$ into the environment, finding that shallow stratification indexes $α\le6$ are disfavored.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Time-resolving magnetic scattering on rare-earth ferrimagnets with a bright soft-X-ray high-harmonic source

We demonstrate the first time-resolved X-ray resonant magnetic scattering (tr-XRMS) experiment at the N edge of Tb at 155 eV performed using a tabletop high-brightness high-harmonic generation (HHG) source. In contrast to static X-ray imaging applications, such optical-pump X-ray-probe studies pose a different set of challenges for the ultrafast driver laser because a high photon flux of X-rays resonant with the N edge must be attained at a low repetition rate to avoid thermal damage of the sample. This laboratory-scale X-ray magnetic diffractometer is enabled by directly driving HHG in helium with terawatt-level 1 um laser fields, which are obtained through pulse compression after a high-energy kHz-repetition-rate Yb:CaF2 amplifier. The high peak power of the driving fields allows us to reach the fully phase-matching conditions in helium, which yields the highest photon flux (>2x10^9 photons/s/1% bandwidth) in the 100-220 eV spectral range, to the best of our knowledge. Our proof-of-concept tr-XRMS measurements clearly resolve the spatio-temporal evolution of magnetic domains in Co/Tb ferrimagnetic alloys with femtosecond and nanometer resolution. In addition to the ultrafast demagnetization, we observe magnetic domain expansion with a domain wall velocity similar to that induced by spin transfer torque. The demonstrated method opens up new opportunities for time-space-resolved magnetic scattering with elemental specificity on various magnetic, orbital and electronic orderings in condensed matter systems.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

The Optical Afterglow of GW170817: An Off-axis Structured Jet and Deep Constraints on a Globular Cluster Origin

We present a revised and complete optical afterglow light curve of the binary neutron star merger GW170817, enabled by deep Hubble Space Telescope (HST) F606W observations at $\approx\!584$ days post-merger, which provide a robust optical template. The light curve spans $\approx 110-362$ days, and is fully consistent with emission from a relativistic structured jet viewed off-axis, as previously indicated by radio and X-ray data. Combined with contemporaneous radio and X-ray observations, we find no spectral evolution, with a weighted average spectral index of $\langle β\rangle = -0.583 \pm 0.013$, demonstrating that no synchrotron break frequencies evolve between the radio and X-ray bands over these timescales. We find that an extrapolation of the post-peak temporal slope of GW170817 to the luminosities of cosmological short GRBs matches their observed jet break times, suggesting that their explosion properties are similar, and that the primary difference in GW170817 is viewing angle. Additionally, we place a deep limit on the luminosity and mass of an underlying globular cluster of $L \lesssim 6.7 \times 10^{3}\,L_{\odot}$, or $M \lesssim 1.3 \times 10^{4}\,M_{\odot}$, at least 4 standard deviations below the peak of the globular cluster mass function of the host galaxy, NGC4993. This limit provides a direct and strong constraint that GW170817 did not form and merge in a globular cluster. As highlighted here, HST (and soon JWST) enables critical observations of the optical emission from neutron star merger jets and outflows.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2018

Staff dimensioning in homecare services with uncertain demands

The problem addressed in this paper is how to calculate the amount of personnel required to ensure the activity of a home health care (HHC) center on a tactical horizon. Design of quantitative approaches for this question is challenging. The number of caregivers has to be determined for each profession in order to balance the coverage of patients in a region and the workforce cost over several months. Unknown demand in care and spatial dimensions, combination of skills to cover a care and individual trips visiting patients make the underlaying optimization problem very hard. Few studies are dedicated to staff dimensioning for HHC compared to patient to nurses assignment/sequencing and centers location problems. We propose an original two-stage approach based on integer linear stochastic programming, that exploits historical medical data. The first stage calculates (near-)optimal levels of resources for possible demand scenarios , while the second stage computes the optimal number of caregiver for each profession to meet a target coverage indicator. For decision-makers, our algorithm gives the number of employees for each category required to satisfy the demand without any recourse (overtime, external resources) with fixed probability and confidence interval. The approach has been tested on various instances built from data of the French agency of hospitalization data (ATIH).

cs.CY↗

arXiv2018

Optimizing the linearity in high-speed photodiodes

Analog photonic links require high-fidelity, high-speed optical-to-electrical conversion for applications such as radio-over-fiber, synchronization at kilometer-scale facilities, and low-noise electronic signal generation. Photodetector nonlinearity is a particularly vexing problem, causing signal distortion and excess noise, especially in systems utilizing ultrashort optical pulses. Here we show that photodetectors designed for high power handling and high linearity can perform optical-to-electrical conversion of ultrashort optical pulses with unprecedented linearity over a large photocurrent range. We also show that the broadband, complex impedance of the circuit following the photodiode modifies the linearity significantly. By externally manipulating the circuit impedance, we extend the detector's linear range to higher photocurrents, with over 50 dB rejection of amplitude-to-phase conversion for photocurrents up to 40 mA. This represents a 1000-fold improvement over state-of-the-art photodiodes and significantly extends the attainable microwave power by a factor of four. As such, we eliminate the long-standing requirement in ultrashort pulse detection of precise tuning of the photodiode's operating parameters (average photocurrent, bias voltage or temperature) to coincide with a nonlinearity minimum. These results should also apply more generally to reduce nonlinear distortion in a range of other microwave photonics applications.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2018

A Decline in the X-ray through Radio Emission from GW170817 Continues to Support an Off-Axis Structured Jet

We present new observations of the binary neutron star merger GW170817 at $Δt\approx 220-290$ days post-merger, at radio (Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array; VLA), X-ray (Chandra X-ray Observatory) and optical (Hubble Space Telescope; HST) wavelengths. These observations provide the first evidence for a turnover in the X-ray light curve, mirroring a decline in the radio emission at $\gtrsim5σ$ significance. The radio-to-X-ray spectral energy distribution exhibits no evolution into the declining phase. Our full multi-wavelength dataset is consistent with the predicted behavior of our previously published models of a successful structured jet expanding into a low-density circumbinary medium, but pure cocoon models with a choked jet cannot be ruled out. If future observations continue to track our predictions, we expect that the radio and X-ray emission will remain detectable until $\sim 1000$ days post-merger.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2018

The Binary Neutron Star event LIGO/VIRGO GW170817 a hundred and sixty days after merger: synchrotron emission across the electromagnetic spectrum

We report deep Chandra, HST and VLA observations of the binary neutron star event GW170817 at $t<160$ d after merger. These observations show that GW170817 has been steadily brightening with time and might have now reached its peak, and constrain the emission process as non-thermal synchrotron emission where the cooling frequency $ν_c$ is above the X-ray band and the synchrotron frequency $ν_m$ is below the radio band. The very simple power-law spectrum extending for eight orders of magnitude in frequency enables the most precise measurement of the index $p$ of the distribution of non-thermal relativistic electrons $N(γ)\propto γ^{-p}$ accelerated by a shock launched by a NS-NS merger to date. We find $p=2.17\pm0.01$, which indicates that radiation from ejecta with $Γ\sim3-10$ dominates the observed emission. While constraining the nature of the emission process, these observations do \emph{not} constrain the nature of the relativistic ejecta. We employ simulations of explosive outflows launched in NS ejecta clouds to show that the spectral and temporal evolution of the non-thermal emission from GW170817 is consistent with both emission from radially stratified quasi-spherical ejecta traveling at mildly relativistic speeds, \emph{and} emission from off-axis collimated ejecta characterized by a narrow cone of ultra-relativistic material with slower wings extending to larger angles. In the latter scenario, GW170817 harbored a normal SGRB directed away from our line of sight. Observations at $t\le 200$ days are unlikely to settle the debate as in both scenarios the observed emission is effectively dominated by radiation from mildly relativistic material.

astro-ph.HE↗