123589460
SIMULATION OF INELASTIC NEUTRON SCATTERING WITH GEANT4
122303611
The CRESST dark matter search
CRESST is a WIMP dark matter search using scintillating CaWO4 cryogenic detectors with active background suppression. First results obtained in the commissioning run are presented.
122869103
Evidence for Solar-Wind Charge-Exchange X-Ray Emission from the Earth’s Magnetosheath
122921889
SIMULATION OF LOW ENERGY NEUTRON RECOILS WITH GEANT4
122260318
Direct dark matter search with CRESST and EURECA
Abstract The current status of the direct Dark Matter experiments CRESST (Cryogenic Rare Event Search with Superconducting Thermometers) and the planned EURECA (European Underground Rare Event Calorimeter Array) is presented. Both experiments are aimed at the direct detection of WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles), potential candidates for the Dark Matter in the universe. New design developments of the cryogenic detectors operated at mK temperatures are investigated to optimize detector performance and to simplify mass production. Thus, CRESST is also providing a basis for the EURECA project, aimed at a ton of cryogenic detectors with a multi-material target.
119283621
Results from 730 kg days of the CRESST-II Dark Matter search
The CRESST-II cryogenic Dark Matter search, aiming at detection of WIMPs via elastic scattering off nuclei in CaWO4 crystals, completed 730 kg days of data taking in 2011. We present the data collected with eight detector modules, each with a two-channel readout; one for a phonon signal and the other for coincidently produced scintillation light. The former provides a precise measure of the energy deposited by an interaction, and the ratio of scintillation light to deposited energy can be used to discriminate different types of interacting particles and thus to distinguish possible signal events from the dominant backgrounds.Sixty-seven events are found in the acceptance region where a WIMP signal in the form of low energy nuclear recoils would be expected. We estimate background contributions to this observation from four sources: (1) “leakage” from the e/γ-band (2) “leakage” from the α-particle band (3) neutrons and (4) 206Pb recoils from 210Po decay. Using a maximum likelihood analysis, we find, at a statistical significance of more than 4σ, that these sources alone are not sufficient to explain the data. The addition of a signal due to scattering of relatively light WIMPs could account for this discrepancy, and we determine the associated WIMP parameters.
173517385
A Short Introduction to Critical Interfaces in 2D
These notes are meant as a gentle introduction to the concepts of Loewner chains, local growth, Stochastic Loewner Evolutions (SLE) and their relationships to Conformal Field Theories (CFT). These concepts have played an important role in physics and mathematics during the recent years. The first section describes two discrete examples, the exploration process and loop-erased random walks. It can be read almost without any prerequisites. The aim is to show that even for curves defined purely in geometrical terms, it is useful to have a statistical mechanics viewpoint where the measure on curves is derived from a measure on local degrees of freedom of some model. A third model, diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) is also introduced. The second section introduces Loewner chains and their relevance for the description of growth processes. A prerequisite is a minimal knowledge of complex analysis. The third section contains the derivation of the relevance of SLE in the description of interfaces when two properties, conformal invariance and the domain Markov property, are assumed/proved. The prerequisites are some knowledge of complex analysis and probability theory. The last section outlines the relation with Conformal Field Theory. This relation is via martingales and singular vectors. Again, the reader is assumed to have some basic knowledge of complex analysis and probability theory, and some familiarity with CFT. The discussion is informal. There is little or no claim at originality. We try to give some intuition based on explicit examples.
18094742
Exclusive semileptonic decays of heavy mesons
AbstractExclusive semileptonic decays of heavy mesons provide interesting information on systems consisting of quarks of unequal mass. We express the formfactors of the hadronic current in terms of relativistic bound state wave functions for which we take the solutions of a relativistic harmonic oscillator potential. The wave function overlap is determined by the quark mass dependent longitudinal momentum distribution and differs from results based on non relativistic wave functions. The semileptonic widths and lepton spectra are calculated using in addition nearest pole dominance for the momentum transfer dependence of the formfactors. We compare our results with recent experimental data. The formfactor calculation also allows an estimate of special nonleptonic transitions. From the CLEO results on
$$\bar B^0 \to \pi ^ + \pi ^ -$$
 and
$$\bar B^0 \to D^{* + } + \pi ^ -$$
 we find for the corresponding Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element ratio the limit |Vub/Vcb|≲0.3.
119268338
Light dark matter, naturalness, and the radiative origin of the electroweak scale
A bstractWe study classically scale invariant models in which the Standard Model Higgs mass term is replaced in the Lagrangian by a Higgs portal coupling to a complex scalar field of a dark sector. We focus on models that are weakly coupled with the quartic scalar couplings nearly vanishing at the Planck scale. The dark sector contains fermions and scalars charged under dark SU(2) × U(1) gauge interactions. Radiative breaking of the dark gauge group triggers electroweak symmetry breaking through the Higgs portal coupling. Requiring both a Higgs boson mass of 125.5 GeV and stability of the Higgs potential up to the Planck scale implies that the radiative breaking of the dark gauge group occurs at the TeV scale. We present a particular model which features a long-range abelian dark force. The dominant dark matter component is neutral dark fermions, with the correct thermal relic abundance, and in reach of future direct detection experiments. The model also has lighter stable dark fermions charged under the dark force, with observable effects on galactic-scale structure. Collider signatures include a dark sector scalar boson with mass ≲ 250 GeV that decays through mixing with the Higgs boson, and can be detected at the LHC. The Higgs boson, as well as the new scalar, may have significant invisible decays into dark sector particles.
133716710
New applications of silicon micromachining
The use of photolithography and anisotropic etching of silicon wafers to make strong, thin membranes has created a large family of miniature sensing devices such as pressure transducers and accelerometers. This report describes several entirely new devices in which silicon membranes are used for their strength and for their transparency to certain kinds of radiation. Two applications are described: a rugged alpha detector and a fluid sample cell for small-angle x-ray scattering. 8 refs., 12 figs., 2 tabs.
119287711
A dynamical time operator in Dirac's relativistic quantum mechanics
A self-adjoint dynamical time operator is introduced in Dirac's relativistic formulation of quantum mechanics and shown to satisfy a commutation relation with the Hamiltonian analogous to that of the position and momentum operators. The ensuing time-energy uncertainty relation involves the uncertainty in the instant of time when the wave packet passes a particular spatial position and the energy uncertainty associated with the wave packet at the same time, as envisaged originally by Bohr. The instantaneous rate of change of the position expectation value with respect to the simultaneous expectation value of the dynamical time operator is shown to be the phase velocity, in agreement with de Broglie's hypothesis of a particle associated wave whose phase velocity is larger than c. Thus, these two elements of the original basis and interpretation of quantum mechanics are integrated into its formal mathematical structure. Pauli's objection is shown to be resolved or circumvented. Possible relevance to current developments in electron channeling, in interference in time, in Zitterbewegung-like effects in spintronics, graphene and superconducting systems and in cosmology is noted.