Abstract: We report on the spatial response characterization of large LaCl3(Ce) monolithic crystals optically coupled to 8 x 8 pixel silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) sensors. A systematic study has been carried out for 511 keV gamma-rays using three different crystal thicknesses of 10 mm, 20 mm and 30 mm, all of them with planar geometry and a base size of 50 x 50 mm(2). In this work we investigate and compare two different approaches for the determination of the main gamma-ray hit location. On one hand, methods based on the fit of an analytical model for the scintillation light distribution provide the best results in terms of linearity and field of view, with spatial resolutions close to similar to 1 mm FWHM. On the other hand, position reconstruction techniques based on neural networks provide similar linearity and field-of-view, becoming the attainable spatial resolution similar to 3 mm FWHM. For the third space coordinate z or depth-of-interaction we have implemented an inverse linear calibration approach based on the cross-section of the measured scintillation-light distribution at a certain height. The detectors characterized in this work are intended for the development of so-called Total Energy Detectors with Compton imaging capability (i-TED), aimed at enhanced sensitivity and selectivity measurements of neutron capture cross sections via the time-of-flight (TOF) technique.

Abstract: We report on the first search for electron-muon lepton flavor violation (LFV) in the decay of a b quark and b antiquark bound state. We look for the LFV decay Upsilon(3S) -> e(+/-) mu(-/+) in a sample of 118 million gamma(3S) mesons from 27 fb(-1) of data collected with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II e(+) e(-) collider operating with a 10.36 GeV center-of-mass energy. No evidence for a signal is found, and we set a limit on the branching fraction B[Upsilon(3S) -> e(+/-) mu(-/+)] < 3.6 x 10(-7) at 90% C. L. This result can be interpreted as a limit Lambda(NP)/g(NP)(2) > 80 TeV on the energy scale Lambda(NT) divided by the coupling-squared g(NP)(2) of relevant new physics (NP).

Abstract: We report on recent experimental results on beta decay into self-conjugate ( N = Z) nuclei with mass number 58 <= A <= 70. Super-allowed b decays from the J(pi) = 0(+) ground state of a Z = N + 2 parent nucleus are to the isobaric analogue state through so-called Fermi transitions and to J(pi) = 1(+) states by way of Gamow-Teller (GT) transitions. The operator of the latter decay is a generator of Wigner's SU(4) algebra and as a consequence GT transitions obey selection rules associated with this symmetry. Since SU(4) is progressively broken with increasing A, mainly as a consequence of the spinorbit interaction, this symmetry is not relevant for the nuclei considered here. We argue, however, that the pseudo-spin-orbit splitting can be small in nuclei with 58 <= A <= 70, in which case nuclear states exhibit an approximate pseudo-SU(4) symmetry. To test this conjecture, GT decay strength is calculated with use of a schematic Hamiltonian with pseudo-SU(4) symmetry. Some generic features of the GT beta decay due to pseudo-SU(4) symmetry are pointed out. The experimentally observed GT strength indicates a restoration of pseudo-SU(4) symmetry for A = 70.

Abstract: We report on a precision measurement of the ratio R-tau mu(gamma(3s)) = B(gamma(3S) -> tau(+)tau(-))/B(tau(gamma(3S) ->mu(+)mu(-)) using data collected with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II e(+)e(-) collider. The measurement is based on a 28 fb(-1) data sample collected at a center-of-mass energy of 10.355 GeV corresponding to a sample of 122 million gamma(35) mesons. The ratio is measured to be R-tau mu(gamma(3s)) = 0.966 +/- 0.008(stat) +/- 0.014(syst) and is in agreement with the standard model prediction of 0.9948 within 2 standard deviations. The uncertainty in R-tau mu(gamma(3s)) is almost an order of magnitude smaller than the only previous measurement.

Abstract: We report on a hybrid in-beam PET and prompt-gamma Compton imaging system aimed at quasi real-time ion-range verification in proton-therapy treatments. Proof-of-concept experiments were carried out at the radiobiology beam line of the CNA cyclotron facility using a set of two synchronous Compton imagers and different target materials. The time structure of the 18 MeV proton beam was shaped with a series of beam-on and beam-off intervals, thereby mimicking a pulsed proton beam on a long time scale. During beam-on intervals, Compton imagingwas performed utilizing the high energy. -rays promptly emitted from the nuclear reactions occurring in the targets. In the course of the beam-off intervals in situ positron-emission tomography was accomplished with the same imagers using the beta+ decay of activated nuclei. The targets used were stacks of different materials covering also various proton ranges and energies. A systematic study on the performance of these two complementary imaging techniques is reported and the experimental results interpreted on the basis ofMonte Carlo calculations. The results demonstrate the possibility to combine both imaging techniques in a concomitant way, where high-efficiency prompt-gamma imaging is complemented with the high spatial accuracy of PET. Empowered by these results we suggest that a pulsed beam with a suitable duty cycle, in conjunction with in situ Compton- and PET-imaging may help to attain complementary information and quasi real-time range monitoring with high accuracy.