Abstract: The electron amplification and transport within a photomultiplier tube (PMT) has been investigated by developing an in-house Monte Carlo simulation code. The secondary electron emission in the dynodes is implemented via an effective electron model and the Modified Vaughan's model, whereas the transport is computed with the Boris leapfrog algorithm. The PMT gain, rise time and transit time have been studied as a function of supply voltage and external magnetostatic field. A good agreement with experimental measurements using a Hamamatsu R13408-100 PMT was obtained. The simulations have been conducted following different treatments of the underlying geometry: three-dimensional, two-dimensional and intermediate (2.5D). The validity of these approaches is compared. The developed framework will help in understanding the behavior of PMTs under highly intense and irregular illumination or varying external magnetic fields, as in the case of prompt gamma-ray measurements during pencil-beam proton therapy; and aid in optimizing the design of voltage dividers with behavioral circuit models.

Abstract: We study the nature of the recently observed Pcs(4459) by the LHCb collaboration by employing three methods based on the elastic effective-range expansion and the resulting size of the effective-range, the saturation of the compositeness relation and width of the resonance, and a direct fit to data involving the channels J/psi Lambda, Xi ' c over line D, and Xi c over line D*. We have also considered the addition of a Castillejo-Dalitz-Dyson (CDD) pole but this scenario can be discarded. Our different analyses clearly indicate the molecular nature of the Pcs(4459) with a clear Xi c over line D* dominant component. In relation with heavy-quark-spin symmetry our results also favor the actual existence of two resonances with J=1/2 (the lighter one) and 3/2 (the heavier one) in the energy region of the Pcs(4459). In the scenario of two-resonance for the Pcs(4459), the inclusion of the Xi ' c over line D channel is required for their mass splitting and it allows one to determine the spin structures of the two resonances.

Abstract: We use a O(alpha(s). Lambda(QCD)/m(c)) heavy quark effective theory scheme, where only O(Lambda(QCD)/mb) corrections are neglected, to study the matrix elements of the scalar, pseudoscalar, vector, axial-vector and tensor currents between the Lambda(b) ground state and the odd parity charm Lambda(c)(2595)(+) and Lambda(c)(2625)(+) resonances. We show that in the near-zero recoil regime, the scheme describes reasonably well, taking into account uncertainties, the results for the 24 form factors obtained in lattice QCD (LQCD) just in terms of only four Isgur-Wise (IW) functions. We also find some support for the possibility that the Lambda(c)(2595)(+) and Lambda(c)(2625)(+) resonances might form a heavy quark spin symmetry (HQSS) doublet. However, we argue that the available LQCD description of these two resonances is not accurate enough to disentangle the possible effects of the Sigma(c)pi and Sigma(c)*pi thresholds, located only a few MeV above their position, and that it cannot be ruled out that these states are not HQSS partners. Finally, we study the ratio d Gamma/[Lambda(b) -> Lambda(c,1/2)-*l (v) over bar (l)]/dq(2)/d Gamma/[Lambda(b) -> Lambda(c,3/2)-*l (v) over bar (l)]/dq(2) of the Standard Model differential semileptonic decay widths, with q the four-momentum transferred between the initial and final hadrons. We provide a natural explanation for the existence of large deviations, near the zero recoil, of this ratio from 1=2 (value predicted in the infinite heavy quark mass limit, assuming that the Lambda(c,1/2)- and Lambda(c,3/2)- are the two members of a HQSS doublet) based on S-wave contributions to the Lambda(b) -> Lambda(c,1/2)- decay amplitude driven by a subleading IW function.

Abstract: We study the temperature and baryon density dependence of the masses of the lightest charmed baryons Lambda(c), Sigma(c) and Sigma(c)*. We also look at the effects of the temperature and baryon density on the binding energies of the Lambda N-c and Lambda(c)Lambda(c) systems. Baryon masses and baryon-baryon interactions are evaluated within a chiral constituent quark model. Medium effects are incorporated in those parameters of the model related to the dynamical breaking of chiral symmetry, which are the masses of the constituent quarks, the sigma and pi meson masses, and quark-meson couplings. We find that while the in-medium Lambda(c) mass decreases monotonically with temperature, those of Sigma(c) and Sigma(c)* have a nonmonotonic dependence. These features can be understood in terms of a simple group theory analysis regarding the one-gluon exchange interaction in those hadrons. The in-medium Lambda N-c and Lambda(c)Lambda(c) interactions are governed by a delicate balance involving a stronger attraction due to the decrease of the sigma meson mass, suppression of coupled-channel effects and lower thresholds, leading to shallow bound states with binding energies of a few MeV. The Lambda(c) baryon could possibly be bound to a large nucleus, in qualitative agreement with results based on relativistic mean field models or QCD sum rules. Ongoing experiments at RHIC or LHCb or the planned ones at FAIR and J-PARC may take advantage of the present results.

Abstract: We apply the diabatic approach, specially suited for a QCD based study of conventional (quark-antiquark) and unconventional (quark-antiquark + meson-meson) meson states, to the description of hidden-bottom mesons. A spectral analysis of the I = 0, J(++) and 1(--) resonances with masses up to about 10.8 GeV is carried out. Masses and widths of all the experimentally known resonances, including conventional and unconventional states, can be well reproduced. In particular, we predict a significant B (B) over bar* component in Upsilon(10580). We also predict the existence of a not yet discovered unconventional 1(++) narrow state, with a significant B-s(B) over bar (s)* content making it to decay into Upsilon(1S)phi, whose experimental discovery would provide definite support to our theoretical analysis.