Nonequilibrium Environment Research Articles

Nano-scale solute heterogeneities in the ultrastrong selectively laser melted carbon-doped CoCrFeMnNi alloy

Rapid melting and solidification cycle during additive manufacturing provides a non-equilibrium environment that generates a large amount of internal defects, including dislocations, precipitations, and solute heterogeneity. These internal defects not only enhance the strength of materials by interacting with mobile dislocations but also reduce ductility due to coherency loss. To minimize the coherency loss from internal defects, defect size control in the additively manufactured products becomes an important issue. In this work, the high strength-ductility combination of additively manufactured carbon-doped CoCrFeMnNi is achieved by designing nano-scale solute heterogeneities in the matrix. The CoCrFe–MnNi solid-liquid two-phase region and interstitial carbon promote Mn and Ni segregation at cell networks and nano-sized precipitations, respectively. Laser scan speed during additive manufacturing determines the solidification rate that controls the solute cell network size. The MnNi co-segregated solute network not only interacts with dislocations but also induces strong back-stress hardening that contributes to achieving ~900 MPa yield strength with ~30% elongation which combination is significantly larger than the recent additively manufactured high-entropy alloys. This work demonstrates the importance of heterogeneity control in the additively manufactured materials to gain outstanding mechanical properties.

Real-Time 3D Single Particle Tracking: Towards Active Feedback Single Molecule Spectroscopy in Live Cells

Single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy has been largely implemented using methods which require tethering of molecules to a substrate in order to make high temporal resolution measurements. However, the act of tethering a molecule requires that the molecule be removed from its environment. This is especially perturbative when measuring biomolecules such as enzymes, which may rely on the non-equilibrium and crowded cellular environment for normal function. A method which may be able to un-tether single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy is real-time 3D single particle tracking (RT-3D-SPT). RT-3D-SPT uses active feedback to effectively lock-on to freely diffusing particles so they can be measured continuously with up to photon-limited temporal resolution over large axial ranges. This review gives an overview of the various active feedback 3D single particle tracking methods, highlighting specialized detection and excitation schemes which enable high-speed real-time tracking. Furthermore, the combination of these active feedback methods with simultaneous live-cell imaging is discussed. Finally, the successes in real-time 3D single molecule tracking (RT-3D-SMT) thus far and the roadmap going forward for this promising family of techniques are discussed.

Numerical analysis of hypersonic thermochemical non-equilibrium environment for an entry configuration in ionized flow

A theoretical methodology for thermochemical non-equilibrium flow combing with the HLLC (Harten-Lax-van Leer Contact) scheme was applied to study the hypersonic thermochemical non-equilibrium environment of an entry configuration in ionized flow. A two-temperature controlling model was utilized and the Gupta’s 11 species (N2, O2, NO, O, N, NO+, N2+, O2+, N+, O+, e−) thermochemical non-equilibrium model was taken. Firstly, numerical calculations of hypersonic thermochemical non-equilibrium environments for different aerodynamic shapes were carried out to verify the reliability of the method above. Then, the method was used to research the effects of ionization and wall catalysis on the hypersonic thermochemical non-equilibrium environment of the entry configuration in ionized flow. The shock stand-off distance can be reduced by thermochemical reactions but doesn’t continue to decrease significantly when ionization occurs. The shock stand-off distance calculated by the 11 species model is 4.2% smaller than that calculated by the 5 species (N2, O2, NO, O, N) thermochemical non-equilibrium model without considering ionization. Ionization reduces wall heat flux but increases wall pressure a little. The effect of ionization on aerothermal loads is greater than that of aerodynamic loads. The thermochemical reactions of electrons and ions catalyzed at the wall increase wall heat flux significantly but make a small change in wall pressure. The maximum wall heat flux obtained by only considering the electrons and ions catalyzed at the partially catalytic wall condition is 11.8% less than that calculated at the super-catalytic wall condition.

Non-Markovian Dynamics of Macroscopic Quantum Systems in Interaction with Non-equilibrium Environments

We study the dynamics of a macroscopic superconducting qubit coupled to two independent non-stationary reservoirs by using time-dependent perturbation theory. We show that an equilibrium environment surpasses the coherent evolution of the macroscopic qubit completely. When the qubit couples to two different reservoirs, exemplifying a non-equilibrium environment, the short-time dynamics is affected by the interference between two reservoirs, implying the non-additivity of effects of two reservoirs. The non-additivity can be traced back to a non-Markovian effect, even though two reservoirs are independently assumed to be Markovian. Explicitly, the non-equilibrium environment intensifies both coherent and incoherent parts of the evolution. Therefore, the macroscopic qubit would evolve more coherently but at the price of a shorter decoherence time.

Irreversibility in Active Matter Systems: Fluctuation Theorem and Mutual Information

We consider a Brownian particle which, in addition to being in contact with a thermal bath, is driven by fluctuating forces which stem from active processes in the system, such as self-propulsion or collisions with other active particles. These active fluctuations do not fulfill a fluctuation-dissipation relation and therefore play the role of a non-equilibrium environment, which keeps the system permanently out of thermal equilibrium even in the absence of external forces. We investigate how the out-of-equilibrium character of the active matter system and the associated irreversibility is reflected in the trajectories of the Brownian particle. Specifically, we analyze the log-ratio of path probabilities for observing a certain particle trajectory forward in time versus observing its time-reversed twin trajectory. For passive Brownian motion, it is well-known that this path probability ratio quantifies irreversibility in terms of entropy production. For active Brownian motion, we show that in addition to the usual entropy produced in the thermal environment the path probability ratio contains a contribution to irreversibility from mutual information production between the particle trajectory and the history of the non-equilibrium environment. The resulting irreversibility measure fulfills an integral fluctuation theorem and a second-law like relation. When deriving and discussing these relations, we keep in mind that the active fluctuations can occur either due to a suspension of active particles pushing around a passive colloid or due to active self-propulsion of the particle itself; we point out the similarities and differences between these two situations. We obtain explicit expressions for active fluctuations modeled by an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. Finally, we illustrate our general results by analyzing a Brownian particle which is trapped in a static or moving harmonic potential.

Steady-state entanglement and coherence of two coupled qubits in equilibrium and nonequilibrium environments

We investigate analytically and numerically the steady-state entanglement and coherence of two coupled qubits each interacting with a local boson or fermion reservoir, based on the Bloch-Redfield master equation beyond the secular approximation. We find that there is non-vanishing steady-state coherence in the nonequilibrium scenario, which grows monotonically with the nonequilibrium condition quantified by the temperature difference or chemical potential difference of the two baths. The steady-state entanglement in general is a non-monotonic function of the nonequilibrium condition as well as the bath parameters in the equilibrium setting. We also find that weak inter-qubit coupling and high base temperature or chemical potential of the baths can strongly suppress the steady-state entanglement and coherence, regardless of the strength of the nonequilibrium condition. On the other hand, the energy detuning of the two qubits, when used in a compensatory way with the nonequilibrium condition, can lead to significant enhancement of the steady-state entanglement in some parameter regimes. In addition, the qubits typically have a stronger steady-state entanglement when coupled to fermion baths exchanging particle with the system than boson baths exchanging energy with the system under similar conditions. We also discussed the possible experimental realization of measuring the steady state entanglement and coherence for coupled qubits systems in nonequilibrium environments. These results offer some general guidelines for optimizing the steady-state entanglement and coherence in the coupled qubit system and may find potential applications in quantum information technology.

Enhanced diffusion, swelling, and slow reconfiguration of a single chain in non-Gaussian active bath.

A prime example of a non-equilibrium or active environment is a biological cell. In order to understand in vivo functioning of biomolecules such as proteins and chromatins, a description beyond equilibrium is absolutely necessary. In this context, biomolecules have been modeled as Rouse chains in a Gaussian active bath. However, these non-equilibrium fluctuations in biological cells are non-Gaussian. This motivates us to take a Rouse chain subjected to a series of pulses of force with a finite duration, mimicking the run and tumble motion of a class of microorganisms. Thus by construction, this active force is non-Gaussian. Our analytical calculations show that the mean square displacement (MSD) of the center of mass grows faster and even shows superdiffusive behavior at higher activity. The MSD of a tagged monomer in an active bath also shows superdiffusion at an intermediate time unlike a monomer of a Rouse chain. In the case of a short chain length, reconfiguration is slower and the reconfiguration time of a chain with N monomers scales as Nσ, with σ ≈ 1.6 - 2. In addition, the chain swells. We compare this activity-induced swelling with that of a Rouse chain in a Gaussian active bath. In principle, our predictions can be verified by future single molecule experiments.

Geometry of quantum evolution in a nonequilibrium environment

We theoretically study the geometric effect of quantum dynamical evolution in the presence of a nonequilibrium noisy environment. We derive the expression of the time-dependent geometric phase in terms of the dynamical evolution and the overlap between the time evolved state and initial state. It is shown that the frequency shift induced by the environmental nonequilibrium feature plays a crucial role in the geometric phase and evolution path of the quantum dynamics. The nonequilibrium feature of the environment makes the length of the evolution path become longer and reduces the dynamical decoherence and non-Markovian behavior in the quantum dynamics.

The role of multiple images and model priors in measuringH0 from supernova Refsdal in galaxy cluster MACS J1149.5+2223

Multiple image gravitational lensing systems with measured time delays provide a promising one-step method for determining $H_0$. MACS J1149, which lenses SN Refsdal into a quad S1-S4, and two other widely separated images, SX and SY, is a perfect candidate. If time delays are pinned down, the remaining uncertainty arises from the mass distribution in the lens. In MACS J1149, the mass in the relevant lens plane region can be constrained by (i) many multiple images, (ii) the mass of the galaxy splitting S1-S4 (which, we show, is correlated with $H_0$), (iii) magnification of SX (also correlated with $H_0$), and (iv) prior assumptions on the mass distribution. Our goal is not to estimate $H_0$, but to understand its error budget, i.e., estimate uncertainties associated with each of these constraints. Using multiple image positions alone, yields very large uncertainty, despite the fact that the position of SX is recovered to within $\!\le\!0.036$" (rms $\!\le\!0.36$") by GRALE lens inversion. Fixing the mass of the galaxy that splits S1-S4 reduces $1\sigma$ uncertainties to $\sim 23\%$, while fixing the magnification of SX yields $1\sigma$ uncertainties of $32\%$. We conclude that smaller uncertainties, of order few percent, are a consequence of imposing prior assumptions on the shapes of the galaxy and cluster mass distributions, which may or may not apply in a highly non-equilibrium environment of a merging cluster. We propose that if a measurement of $H_0$ is to be considered reliable, it must be supported by a wide range of lens inversion methods.

Non-Markovian decoherence dynamics in nonequilibrium environments

We theoretically investigate the non-Markovian dynamical decoherence of a quantum system coupled to nonequilibrium environments with nonstationary statistical properties. We show the time evolution of the decoherence factor in real-imaginary space to study the environment-induced energy renormalization and backaction of coherence which are associated with the unitary and nonunitary parts of the quantum master equation, respectively. It is also shown that the nonequilibrium decoherence dynamics displays a transition between Markovian and non-Markovian and the transition boundary depends on the environmental parameters. The results are helpful for further understanding non-Markovian dynamics and coherence backaction on an open quantum system from environments.

Quantum Coherent Dynamics Enhanced by Synchronization with Nonequilibrium Environments

We report the discovery of the anomalous enhancement of quantum coherent dynamics (CD) due to a non-Markovian mechanism originating from not thermal-equilibrium phonon baths but nonequilibrium cohe...

Flows in non-equilibrium quantum systems and quantum photosynthesis

A three-level quantum system interacting with non-equilibrium environment is investigated. The stationary state of the system is found (both for non-coherent and coherent environment) and relaxation and decoherence to the stationary state is described. The stationary state of the system will be non-equilibrium and will generate flows. We describe the dependence of the flows on the state of the environment. We also discuss application of this model to the problem of quantum photosynthesis, in particular, to the description of flows of excitons and generation of excitonic coherences.

Steady bipartite coherence induced by non-equilibrium environment

We study the steady state of two coupled two-level atoms interacting with a non-equilibrium environment that consists of two heat baths at different temperatures. Specifically, we analyze four cases with respect to the configuration about the interactions between atoms and heat baths. Using secular approximation, the conventional master equation usually neglects steady-state coherence, even when the system is coupled with a non-equilibrium environment. When employing the master equation with no secular approximation, we find that the system coherence in our model, denoted by the off-diagonal terms in the reduced density matrix spanned by the eigenvectors of the system Hamiltonian, would survive after a long-time decoherence evolution. The absolute value of residual coherence in the system relies on different configurations of interaction channels between the system and the heat baths. We find that a large steady quantum coherence term can be achieved when the two atoms are resonant. The absolute value of quantum coherence decreases in the presence of additional atom-bath interaction channels. Our work sheds new light on the mechanism of steady-state coherence in microscopic quantum systems in non-equilibrium environments.

Operational efficiency evaluation and system design improvements for carbon emissions trading pilots in China

ABSTRACTEvaluating the operational efficiency of emissions trading pilots has become a crucial task faced by China's emissions trading scheme in its stable transition from pilot programs in limited areas to a nationwide carbon trading market. A number of factors contribute to the difficulty of such evaluations, such as differences in system design, the absence of evaluation systems and the complexity of external factors. A study of the seven major carbon emissions trading pilots in China was conducted. In this paper, the institutional arrangements of carbon emissions trading pilots are differentiated based on six dimensions: distribution systems, flexible mechanisms, emissions control scope, transaction rules, reporting and verification systems, and legal systems. In addition, an evaluation index system is constructed to determine the input and output efficiency of the carbon emissions trading market. The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method is used to calculate regional difference coefficients, revise the output index data, and effectively control the influence of the non-equilibrium external environment on efficiency. A Super Slack Based Model (Super-SBM) model is used to measure the operational efficiency of the carbon emissions trading market in the pilot area, and the results indicate that (1) for countries and regions with external environments facing uneven development, a differentiated system design should be developed; (2) the lack of changes in the overall ordering of the pilot efficiency demonstrates that institutional arrangements play a decisive role in the operational efficiency of China's carbon emissions trading market; and (3) none of the seven carbon emissions trading pilots has been operating effectively in China. The results indicate that a series of measures should be formulated, including the introduction of mechanisms for increasing quotas; increasing the flexibility of offsetting mechanisms; lowering the market access threshold; expanding the coverage of emissions control; training and restoring the professional monitoring reporting verification (MRV) ability; strengthening efforts associated within incentives and sanctions; and enhancing the legal enforcement of relevant policies.

Phytoplankton functional diversity increases ecosystem productivity and stability

The effect of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning is one of the major questions of ecology. However, the role of phytoplankton functional diversity in ecosystem productivity and stability under fluctuating (i.e. non-equilibrium) environments remains largely unknown. Here we use a marine ecosystem model to study the effect of phytoplankton functional diversity on both ecosystem productivity and its stability for seasonally variable nutrient supply and temperature. Functional diversity ranges from low to high along these two environmental axes independently. Changes in diversity are obtained by varying the range of uptake strategies and thermal preferences of the species present in the community. Species can range from resource gleaners to opportunists, and from cold to warm thermal preferences. The phytoplankton communities self-assemble as a result of species selection by resource competition (nutrients) and environmental filtering (temperature). Both processes lead to species asynchrony but their effect on productivity and stability differ. We find that the diversity of temperature niches has a strong and direct positive effect on productivity and stability due to species complementarity, while the diversity of uptake strategies has a weak and indirect positive effect due to sampling probability. These results show that more functionally diverse phytoplankton communities lead to higher and more stable ecosystem productivity but the positive effect of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning depends critically on the type of environmental gradient.

In-Flight Size Focusing of Aerosols by a Low Temperature Plasma

Thermodynamics dictate the direction of all chemical and physical processes. In the case of aerosols, maximization of entropy leads to a broadening of the size distribution as the system proceeds toward equilibrium. The expectation is that as an aerosol ages, the size distribution will broaden. Contrary to this expectation, in this work we demonstrate that the unique nonequilibrium environment in a low temperature plasma can modify particulate materials to make the size distribution narrower. Submicrometer aerosols composed of bismuth particles with a polydispersed size distribution were prepared and passed through a low temperature argon plasma. For lower powers at which the plasma operated near room temperature, the incoming polydispersed aerosol was converted into a monodispersed aerosol of geometric standard deviation approximately 1.1 with 65% mass yield. The mechanism by which the process took place involved the particles vaporizing in the plasma operating at near room temperature, which resulted in...

Single-shot ultrafast coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering of vibrational/rotational nonequilibrium

The study of internal molecular energy transfer is important for a variety of nonequilibrium and nonthermal environments, including plasma-based manufacturing and materials treatment, medical device treatment applications, and plasma-assisted combustion. In the current work, hybrid femtosecond/picosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering spectroscopy is demonstrated for simultaneous, single-shot measurement of pure-rotational and rovibrational energy distributions in the highly nonequilibrium environment of a dielectric barrier discharge plasma. Detailed spatial distributions and shot-to-shot fluctuations of rotational temperatures spanning 325–450 K and corresponding vibrational temperatures of 1200–5000 K are recorded across the plasma and surrounding flow with high precision and accuracy. This approach allows concise measurements of vibrational/rotational energy distributions in nonequilibrium environments at kilohertz rates that are free of nonresonant background and minimize interference from molecular collisions.

Quantum dynamical speedup in a nonequilibrium environment

We theoretically study the dynamical speedup of a quantum system in a nonequilibrium environment. Based on the trace distance, we derive the generalized Margolus-Levitin and Mandelstam-Tamm types of bounds on the quantum speed limit time of a quantum system evolving from an arbitrary initial state. We demonstrate that the mechanism for the speedup of dynamical evolution is closely associated with both the energy of the system and exchange of information between the system and its environment. It is shown that the nonequilibrium feature of the environment can speed up the quantum evolution in both Markovian and non-Markovian dynamics regions. We emphasize that the non-Markovian effect of the system dynamics is neither necessary nor sufficient to speed up the quantum evolution in a nonequilibrium environment.

Directed motion of a Brownian motor in a temperature gradient

Directed motion of mesoscopic systems in a non-equilibrium environment is of great interest to both scientists and engineers. Here, the translation and rotation of a Brownian motor is investigated under non-equilibrium conditions. An anomalous directed translation is found if the two heads of the Brownian motor are immersed in baths with different particle masses, which is hinted in the analytic computation and confirmed by the numerical simulation. Similar consideration is also used to find the directed movement in the single rotational and translational degree of freedom of the Brownian motor when residing in one thermal bath with a temperature gradient.

Kinetically Controlled Fabrication of Single-Crystalline TiO2 Nanobrush Architectures with High Energy {001} Facets.

This study demonstrates that precise control of nonequilibrium growth conditions during pulsed laser deposition (PLD) can be exploited to produce single‐crystalline anatase TiO2 nanobrush architectures with large surface areas terminated with high energy {001} facets. The data indicate that the key to nanobrush formation is controlling the atomic surface transport processes to balance defect aggregation and surface‐smoothing processes. High‐resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy data reveal that defect‐mediated aggregation is the key to TiO2 nanobrush formation. The large concentration of defects present at the intersection of domain boundaries promotes aggregation of PLD growth species, resulting in the growth of the single‐crystalline nanobrush architecture. This study proposes a model for the relationship between defect creation and growth mode in nonequilibrium environments, which enables application of this growth method to novel nanostructure design in a broad range of materials.