Barenboim, G., Ko, P., & Park, W. I. (2025). The minimal cosmological standard model. Nucl. Phys. B, 1018, 116983–8pp.
Abstract: We propose a novel minimal scenario which simultaneously addresses the following theoretical/cosmological/phenomenological puzzles: (i) the origin of scales, (ii) primordial inflation, (iii) matter-antimatter asymmetry, (iv) tiny neutrino masses, (v) dark matter, and (vi) the strong CP-problem. Exact scale-symmetry was assumed. A global U(1)PQ-symmetry was also assumed but only in the matter sector. The novelty of the scenario is the introduction of explicit U(1)PQ-breaking terms with field-dependent coefficients in the gravity sector. Such a term does not disturb the axion solution whereas naturally realizes an axi-majoron hybrid inflation which allows a natural realization of Affleck-Dine mechanism for generating Peccei-Quinn number asymmetry. The asymmetry can be transferred to the visible sector via the right-handed neutrino portal through non-thermal decay and thermal processes, even without the presence of a CP-violating phase in the matter sector. Dark matter and dark radiation are obtained by cold and hot components of axi-majorons, respectively.
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Hervas Alvarez, F., Valero, A., Fiorini, L., Gutierrez Arance, H., Carrio, F., Ahuja, S., et al. (2025). Versal Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform Processing for ATLAS-TileCal Signal Reconstruction. Particles, 8(2), 49–9pp.
Abstract: Particle detectors at accelerators generate large amounts of data, requiring analysis to derive insights. Collisions lead to signal pile-up, where multiple particles produce signals in the same detector sensors, complicating individual signal identification. This contribution describes the implementation of a deep-learning algorithm on a Versal Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform (ACAP) device for improved processing via parallelization and concurrency. Connected to a host computer via Peripheral Component Interconnect express (PCIe), this system aims for enhanced speed and energy efficiency over Central Processing Units (CPUs) and Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). In the contribution, we will describe in detail the data processing and the hardware, firmware and software components of the system. The contribution presents the implementation of the deep-learning algorithm on a Versal ACAP device, as well as the system for transferring data in an efficient way.
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IDS collaboration(Llanos-Exposito, M. et al), Algora, A., & Nacher, E. (2025). Structure of 128Sn selectively populated in the β decay of the 128In ground state. Phys. Rev. C, 111(6), 064310–13pp.
Abstract: High-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy and fast-timing methods were employed to study the excited structure of 128Sn, populated via the beta-decay chain of 128Cd -> 128In -> 128Sn. The experiment was performed by online mass separation at the ISOLDE facility at CERN, profiting from intense and pure Cd beams obtained by a temperature-controlled quartz transfer line combined with resonant laser ionization. An extended 128Sn level scheme populated in the beta – decay of the low-spin 128In isomer was constructed, adding a total of 81 new gamma-ray transitions and 30 new levels. Lifetimes of excited states were measured using time-delayed beta gamma (t) and gamma gamma (t) coincidences. The lifetime of the (4+) state was measured for the first time, making it possible to deduce the B(E 2; 4+ -> 2+) transition strength. The previously measured (5-) state was reassessed with improved statistics. Additionally, an upper limit for the lifetime of the state at 2378 keV was established. The derived reduced transition probabilities support a tentative spin-parity assignment of (4-) for this level. The experimental level scheme and transition probabilities are compared with available shell-model calculations.
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NEXT Collaboration(Dey, E. et al), Ayet, A., Byrnes, N., Carcel, S., Kellerer, F., Lopez-March, N., et al. (2025). Ion transport on phased radiofrequency carpets in xenon gas. Eur. Phys. J. C, 85(6), 688–15pp.
Abstract: We present the design and performance of a four-phased radiofrequency (RF) carpet system for ion transport between 200-600 mbar, significantly higher than previously demonstrated RF carpet applications. The RF carpet, designed with a 160 mu\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\upmu $$\end{document}m pitch, is applied to the lateral collection of ions in xenon at pressures up to 600 mbar. We demonstrate transport efficiency of caesium ions across varying pressures, and compare with microscopic simulations made in the SIMION package. The novel use of an N-phased RF carpet can achieve ion levitation and controlled lateral motion in a denser environment than is typical for RF ion transport in gases. This feature makes such carpets strong candidates for ion transport to single ion sensors envisaged for future neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments in xenon gas.
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Luo, D. W. et al, & Montaner-Piza, A. (2025). Seniority Structure in Neutron-Rich Nucleus 128Ag: Evidence for Robustness of N=82 Shell Closure in Silver Isotopes. Phys. Rev. Lett., 134(23), 232502–7pp.
Abstract: The spectroscopic studies of very neutron-rich nucleus 128Ag have been performed for the first time at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory of RIKEN. A new seniority isomer with a half-life of 1.60(7) μs has been identified and is proposed to have a spin-parity of 16-with a maximally aligned configuration comprising three proton holes in the g9/2 orbital and one neutron hole in the h11/2 orbital. The new level structure in 128Ag is quite well described by shell model calculations without invoking excitations across the Z = 50 and N = 82 shell gaps, and presents a good case of seniority scheme in odd-odd nuclei in the south vicinity of the double-magic nucleus 132Sn. With a classification of various components of the proton-neutron interaction, the inversion of lowest-lying 9-and 10-states between 128Ag and its neighboring isotone 130In is found to be dynamically ascribed to the seniority-nonconserving proton-neutron interaction components. The structure above 10-up to the 16-isomer in 128Ag shows remarkable similarities to seniority structures in the semimagic nuclei 128Pd and 130Cd. These spectroscopic features in 128Ag indicate that the N = 82 shell closure is still robust in silver isotopes.
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Almanza Soto, M. (2025). Design, prototyping, and test of a Highly Compact and Granular Electromagnetic Calorimeter for the LUXE experiment. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 1080, 170679–6pp.
Abstract: The LUXE experiment will investigate the strong-field QED regime by using the interactions of high-energy electrons from the European XFEL in a powerful laser field. It will measure the production of electron-positron pairs as a function of the laser field strength, up to the non-perturbative non-linear regime. LUXE foresees a positron detection system consisting of a tracker and a granular and unprecedentedly compact silicon-tungsten electromagnetic sandwich calorimeter (ECAL-P). The ECAL-P has been designed to cope with the wide range of the expected number of positrons per bunch crossing. In addition, the energy distribution of the positrons has to be measured on top of a widely spread low-energy background. The ECAL-P is composed of tungsten absorber plates interspersed with thin sensor planes, consisting of silicon pad sensors, flexible Kapton printed circuit planes, and carbon fiber support. The sensor planes are less than 1 mm thick and will be read using dedicated front-end ASICs in 130 nm technology (FLAXE) and FPGAs for data pre-processing. GaAs sensor planes with integrated readout strips are also being considered as an alternative to silicon. Prototypes of individual sensor planes have been tested in a 5 GeV electron beam. A full compact calorimeter tower of up to 90 x 90 x 600 mm3 (15 X0) will be produced and tested in an electron beam. The design challenges, sensor characterization, prototyping, integration, commissioning, and the available results from a beam test in 2022 are discussed.
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Mandic, I. et aI., Soldevila, U., Lacasta, C., Solaz, C., & Bernabeu, J. (2025). Unusual annealing of charge collection efficiency of silicon strip detectors, ATLAS18, irradiated to high fluences with 23 GeV protons. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 1080, 170682–4pp.
Abstract: Extensive studies were performed on highly irradiated ATLAS18 mini strip detectors to evaluate their annealing behaviour. Collected charge was measured after several steps of annealing at 60 degrees C. For detectors irradiated with neutrons or low energy protons the collected charge exhibited a beneficial effect of short-term annealing which was followed by a decrease in charge collection efficiency at longer annealing times. After irradiation with 23 GeV protons to fluences above Phi(eq) similar to 1.2 . 10(15) cm(-2), the collected charge remained unchanged or decreased after the first few tens of minutes of annealing. Edge-TCT measurements indicated that this unusual annealing behaviour is related to the double-peak electric field profile in the detector. Mixed irradiation with 23 GeV protons and neutrons to fluences matching the expected in the upgraded ATLAS experiment showed this unusual annealing effect will not impact the operation of the ITk strip detector.
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Abramowicz, H., Almanza Soto, M., Benhammou, Y., Elad, M., Firlej, M., Fiutowski, T., et al. (2025). Novel silicon and GaAs sensors for compact sampling calorimeters. Eur. Phys. J. C, 85(6), 684–13pp.
Abstract: Two samples of silicon pad sensors and two samples of GaAs sensors are studied in an electron beam with 5 GeV energy from the DESY-II test-beam facility. The sizes of the silicon and GaAs sensors are about 9 x\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\times $$\end{document} 9 cm2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\hbox {cm}<^>2$$\end{document} and 5 x\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\times $$\end{document} 8 cm2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\hbox {cm}<^>2$$\end{document}, respectively. The thickness is 500 μm for both the silicon and GaAs sensors. The pad size is about 5 x\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\times $$\end{document} 5 mm2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\hbox {mm}<^>2$$\end{document}. The sensors are foreseen to be used in a compact electromagnetic sampling calorimeter. The readout of the pads is done via traces connected to the pads and the front-end ASICs at the edges of the sensors. For the silicon sensors, copper traces on a Kapton foil are connected to the sensor pads with conducting glue. The pads of the GaAs sensors are connected to bond-pads via aluminium traces on the sensor substrate. The readout is based on a dedicated front-end ASIC, called FLAME. Pre-processing of the raw data and deconvolution is performed with FPGAs. The whole system is orchestrated by a Trigger Logic Unit. Results are shown for the signal-to-noise ratio, the homogeneity of the response, edge effects on pads, cross talk and wrongly assigned signals due to the readout traces.
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Boudagga, R. et al, Lacasta, C., Marinas, C., Mazorra de Cos, J., Molina-Bueno, L., & Vobbilisetti, V. (2025). Upgrade of the Belle II vertex detector with depleted monolithic CMOS active sensors. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 1080, 170677–4pp.
Abstract: The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider in Japan, which currently holds the world luminosity record for electron-positron collisions, plans to upgrade its vertex detector (VXD) to operate at a target luminosity of 6 x 1035 cm-2s-1. A new pixelated vertex detector (VTX) is under development, utilizing a monolithic CMOS pixel sensor named OBELIX (Optimized BELle II pIXel). The VTX design incorporates 5-6 layers with a total material budget below 2.5% X0. All layers will employ the OBELIX, adapted from the TJ-Monopix2 sensor initially designed for the ATLAS Inner Tracker (ITk) upgrade. The OBELIX sensor, designed using a 180 nm CMOS process, features an enhanced pixel matrix and additional functionalities compared to its predecessor. Laboratory tests and test beam characterization results on irradiated and unirradiated TJ-Monopix2 sensors have yielded promising results, confirming the key performance parameters for the OBELIX design. This paper reviews the overall design of the VTX and the OBELIX sensor and presents the latest results of the in-beam characterization of the TJ-Monopix2.
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Roser, J., & Llosa, G. (2025). System modeling and image reconstruction algorithm optimization for a Compton camera for hadron therapy range verification. Eur. Phys. J. Plus, 140(6), 561–6pp.
Abstract: Compton cameras are electronically collimated devices which offer a compact solution for multi-energy gamma-ray imaging. For this reason, such devices are being investigated as potential tools to achieve online range verification in hadron therapy, through the so-called Prompt Gamma imaging technique. However, this application is notably challenging, entailing the need of complex image reconstruction procedures and requiring excellent detector performance in order to achieve sufficient image quality. In this work we recapitulate the steps made in the recent years in system modeling and adaptation of existing image reconstruction algorithms towards the full exploitation of MACACO, a multi-layer Compton telescope under development at the IRIS group of IFIC (Valencia).
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