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NEXT Collaboration(McDonald, A. D. et al), Alvarez, V., Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., Botas, A., Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., et al. (2018). Demonstration of Single-Barium-Ion Sensitivity for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay Using Single-Molecule Fluorescence Imaging. Phys. Rev. Lett., 120(13), 132504–6pp.
Abstract: A new method to tag the barium daughter in the double-beta decay of Xe-136 is reported. Using the technique of single molecule fluorescent imaging (SMFI), individual barium dication (Ba++) resolution at a transparent scanning surface is demonstrated. A single-step photobleach confirms the single ion interpretation. Individual ions are localized with superresolution (similar to 2 nm), and detected with a statistical significance of 12.9 sigma over backgrounds. This lays the foundation for a new and potentially background-free neutrinoless double-beta decay technology, based on SMFI coupled to high pressure xenon gas time projection chambers.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., et al. (2018). Measurement of CP asymmetry in B-s(0) -> (DsK +/-)-K-/+ decays. J. High Energy Phys., 03(3), 059–28pp.
Abstract: We report the measurements of the CP-violating parameters in B-s(0) -> (DsK +/-)-K--/+ decays observed in pp collisions, using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb(-1) recorded with the LHCb detector. We measure C-f = 0.73 +/- 0.14 +/- 0.05, A(f)(Delta Gamma) = 0.39 +/- 0.28 +/- 0.15, A(<(f)over) (Delta Gamma)(bar>) = 0.31 +/- 0.28 +/- 0.15, S-f = -0.52 +/- 0.20 +/- 0.07, S-(f) over bar = -0.49 +/- 0.20 +/- 0.07, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. These parameters are used together with the world-average value of the B-s(0) mixing phase, -2 beta(s), to obtain a measurement of the CKM angle gamma from B-s(0) -> (DsK +/-)-K--/+ decays, yielding gamma – (128 (+17)(-22))degrees modulo 180 degrees, where the uncertainty contains both statistical and systematic contributions. This corresponds to 3.8 sigma evidence for CP violation in the interference between decay and decay after mixing.
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Caballero, L., Albiol, F., Corbi Bellot, A., Domingo-Pardo, C., Leganes Nieto, J. L., Agramunt Ros, J., et al. (2018). Gamma-ray imaging system for real-time measurements in nuclear waste characterisation. J. Instrum., 13, P03016–23pp.
Abstract: Acompact, portable and large field-of-viewgamma camera that is able to identify, locate and quantify gamma-ray emitting radioisotopes in real-time has been developed. The device delivers spectroscopic and imaging capabilities that enable its use it in a variety of nuclear waste characterisation scenarios, such as radioactivity monitoring in nuclear power plants and more specifically for the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. The technical development of this apparatus and some examples of its application in field measurements are reported in this article. The performance of the presented gamma-camera is also benchmarked against other conventional techniques.
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Nygren, D. R., Jones, B. J. P., Lopez-March, N., Mei, Y., Psihas, F., & Renner, J. (2018). Neutrinoless double beta decay with 82SeF6 and direct ion imaging. J. Instrum., 13, P03015–23pp.
Abstract: We present a new neutrinoless double beta decay concept: the high pressure selenium hexafluoride gas time projection chamber. A promising new detection technique is outlined which combines techniques pioneered in high pressure xenon gas, such as topological discrimination, with the high Q-value afforded by the double beta decay isotope Se-82. The lack of free electrons in SeF6 mandates the use of an ion TPC. The microphysics of ion production and drift, which have many nuances, are explored. Background estimates are presented, suggesting that such a detector may achieve background indices of better than 1 count per ton per year in the region of interest at the 100 kg scale, and still better at the ton-scale.
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Olleros, P., Caballero, L., Domingo-Pardo, C., Babiano, V., Ladarescu, I., Calvo, D., et al. (2018). On the performance of large monolithic LaCl3(Ce) crystals coupled to pixelated silicon photosensors. J. Instrum., 13, P03014–17pp.
Abstract: We investigate the performance of large area radiation detectors, with high energy-and spatial-resolution, intended for the development of a Total Energy Detector with gamma-ray imaging capability, so-called i-TED. This new development aims for an enhancement in detection sensitivity in time-of-flight neutron capture measurements, versus the commonly used C6D6 liquid scintillation total-energy detectors. In this work, we study in detail the impact of the readout photosensor on the energy response of large area (50 x 50 mm(2)) monolithic LaCl3(Ce) crystals, in particular when replacing a conventional mono-cathode photomultiplier tube by an 8 x 8 pixelated silicon photomultiplier. Using the largest commercially available monolithic SiPM array (25 cm(2)), with a pixel size of 6 x 6 mm(2), we have measured an average energy resolution of 3.92% FWHM at 662 keV for crystal thick-nesses of 10, 20 and 30 mm. The results are confronted with detailed Monte Carlo (MC) calculations, where optical processes and properties have been included for the reliable tracking of the scintillation photons. After the experimental validation of the MC model, we use our MC code to explore the impact of a smaller photosensor segmentation on the energy resolution. Our optical MC simulations predict only a marginal deterioration of the spectroscopic performance for pixels of 3 x 3 mm(2).
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Richard, J. M., Valcarce, A., & Vijande, J. (2018). Few-body quark dynamics for doubly heavy baryons and tetraquarks. Phys. Rev. C, 97(3), 035211–10pp.
Abstract: We discuss the adequate treatment of the three- and four-body dynamics for the quark model picture of double-charm baryons and tetraquarks. We stress that the variational and Born-Oppenheimer approximations give energies very close to the exact ones, while the diquark approximation might be somewhat misleading. The Hall-Post inequalities also provide very useful lower bounds that exclude the possibility of stable tetraquarks for some mass ratios and some color wave functions.
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Sobczyk, J. E., Rocco, N., Lovato, A., & Nieves, J. (2018). Scaling within the spectral function approach. Phys. Rev. C, 97(3), 035506–15pp.
Abstract: Scaling features of the nuclear electromagnetic response functions unveil aspects of nuclear dynamics that are crucial for interpreting neutrino-and electron-scattering data. In the large momentum-transfer regime, the nucleon-density response function defines a universal scaling function, which is independent of the nature of the probe. In this work, we analyze the nucleon-density response function of C-12, neglecting collective excitations. We employ particle and hole spectral functions obtained within two distinct many-body methods, both widely used to describe electroweak reactions in nuclei. We show that the two approaches provide compatible nucleon-density scaling functions that for large momentum transfers satisfy first-kind scaling. Both methods yield scaling functions characterized by an asymmetric shape, although less pronounced than that of experimental scaling functions. This asymmetry, only mildly affected by final state interactions, is mostly due to nucleon-nucleon correlations, encoded in the continuum component of the hole spectral function.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aaboud, M. et al), Alvarez Piqueras, D., Barranco Navarro, L., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo Gimenez, V., Cerda Alberich, L., et al. (2018). Search for doubly charged Higgs boson production in multi-lepton final states with the ATLAS detector using proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV. Eur. Phys. J. C, 78(3), 199–34pp.
Abstract: A search for doubly charged Higgs bosons with pairs of prompt, isolated, highly energetic leptons with the same electric charge is presented. The search uses a proton-proton collision data sample at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to 36.1 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity recorded in 2015 and 2016 by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. This analysis focuses on the decays H-+/-+/- -> e(+/-)e(+/-), H-+/-+/- -> e(+/-)mu(+/-) and H-+/-+/- -> mu(+/-)mu(+/-), fitting the dilepton mass spectra in several exclusive signal regions. No significant evidence of a signal is observed and corresponding limits on the production cross-section and consequently a lower limit on m(H-+/-+/-) are derived at 95% confidence level. With l(+/-)l(+/-) = e(+/-)e(+/-)/mu(+/-)mu(+/-)/e(+/-)mu(+/-), the observed lower limit on the mass of a doubly charged Higgs boson only coupling to left-handed leptons varies from 770 to 870GeV (850GeV expected) for B(H-+/-+/- -> l(+/-)l(+/-)) = 100% and both the expected and observed mass limits are above 450GeV for B(H-+/-+/- -> l(+/-)l(+/-)) = 10% and any combination of partial branching ratios.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., et al. (2018). Measurement of the Ratio of Branching Fractions B(B-c(+) -> J/psi tau(+)nu(tau))/B(B-c(+) -> J/psi mu(+)nu(mu)). Phys. Rev. Lett., 120(12), 121801–10pp.
Abstract: A measurement is reported of the ratio of branching fractions R(J/psi) = B(B-c(+) -> J/psi tau(+)nu(tau))/B(B-c(+) -> J/psi mu(+)nu(mu)), where the tau(+) lepton is identified in the decay mode tthorn tau(+) -> mu(+)nu(mu)(nu) over bar (tau). This analysis uses a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity recorded with the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. A signal is found for the decay B-c(+) -> J/psi tau(+)nu(tau) at a significance of 3 standard deviations corrected for systematic uncertainty, and the ratio of the branching fractions is measured to be R(J/psi) = 0.71 +/- 0.17(stat) +/- 0.18(syst). This result lies within 2 standard deviations above the range of central values currently predicted by the standard model.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., et al. (2018). Measurement of branching fractions of charmless four-body Lambda(0)(b) and Xi(0)(b) decays. J. High Energy Phys., 02(2), 098–25pp.
Abstract: A search for charmless four-body decays of Lambda(0)(b) and Xi(0)(b) baryons with a proton and three charged mesons (either kaons or pions) in the final state is performed. The data sample used was recorded in 2011 and 2012 with the LHCb experiment and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1). Six decay modes are observed, among which Lambda(0)(b) -> pK(-) pi(+)pi(-), Lambda(0)(b) -> pK(-)K(+)K(-), Xi(0)(b) pK(-) pi(+)pi(-) and Xi(0)(b) pK(-)pi K-+(-) are established for the first time. Their branching fractions (including the ratio of hadronisation fractions in the case of the Xi(0)(b) baryon) are determined relative to the Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)pi(-) decay.
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