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Babiano-Suarez, V. et al, Lerendegui-Marco, J., Balibrea-Correa, J., Caballero, L., Calvo, D., Ladarescu, I., et al. (2021). Imaging neutron capture cross sections: i-TED proof-of-concept and future prospects based on Machine-Learning techniques. Eur. Phys. J. A, 57(6), 197–17pp.
Abstract: i-TED is an innovative detection system which exploits Compton imaging techniques to achieve a superior signal-to-background ratio in (n, gamma) cross-section measurements using time-of-flight technique. This work presents the first experimental validation of the i-TED apparatus for high-resolution time-of-flight experiments and demonstrates for the first time the concept proposed for background rejection. To this aim, the Au-197(n, gamma) and Fe-56(n, gamma) reactions were studied at CERN n_TOF using an i-TED demonstrator based on three position-sensitive detectors. Two C6D6 detectors were also used to benchmark the performance of i-TED. The i-TED prototype built for this study shows a factor of similar to 3 higher detection sensitivity than state-of-the-art C6D6 detectors in the 10 keV neutron-energy region of astrophysical interest. This paper explores also the perspectives of further enhancement in performance attainable with the final i-TED array consisting of twenty position-sensitive detectors and newanalysis methodologies based on Machine-Learning techniques.
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Bertoldo, S., Maggioni, G., Raniero, W., Carraro, C., Riccetto, S., Sgarbossa, F., et al. (2021). New method for the production of thin and stable, segmented n plus contacts in HPGe detectors. Eur. Phys. J. A, 57(6), 177–10pp.
Abstract: The realization of pulsed-laser diffused, thin n+ contacts on high purity germanium (HPGe) and their successful segmentation is described. The contacts have been obtained by a laser-induced diffusion of Sb atoms, deposited by sputtering on Ge surface, and then segmented by means of a photolithographic technique. Three small prototypes of gamma ray detectors have been implemented, using the same n+ contact (laser diffused Sb) but with three different geometries and a B implanted p+ contact. Electrical and detection properties of the prototypes have been characterized, showing low leakage currents and good spectroscopy data with different gamma-ray sources. The stability of the detector performance has also been tested subjecting one of the prototypes to a typical annealing treatment.
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Nada, A., & Ramos, A. (2021). An analysis of systematic effects in finite size scaling studies using the gradient flow. Eur. Phys. J. C, 81(1), 1–19pp.
Abstract: We propose a new strategy for the determination of the step scaling function sigma (u) in finite size scaling studies using the gradient flow. In this approach the determination of sigma (u) is broken in two pieces: a change of the flow time at fixed physical size, and a change of the size of the system at fixed flow time. Using both perturbative arguments and a set of simulations in the pure gauge theory we show that this approach leads to a better control over the continuum extrapolations. Following this new proposal we determine the running coupling at high energies in the pure gauge theory and re-examine the determination of the Lambda -parameter, with special care on the perturbative truncation uncertainties.
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Coloma, P., Huber, P., & Schwetz, T. (2021). Statistical interpretation of sterile neutrino oscillation searches at reactors. Eur. Phys. J. C, 81(1), 2–13pp.
Abstract: A considerable experimental effort is currently under way to test the persistent hints for oscillations due to an eV-scale sterile neutrino in the data of various reactor neutrino experiments. The assessment of the statistical significance of these hints is usually based on Wilks' theorem, whereby the assumption is made that the log-likelihood is chi 2-distributed. However, it is well known that the preconditions for the validity of Wilks' theorem are not fulfilled for neutrino oscillation experiments. In this work we derive a simple asymptotic form of the actual distribution of the log-likelihood based on reinterpreting the problem as fitting white Gaussian noise. From this formalism we show that, even in the absence of a sterile neutrino, the expectation value for the maximum likelihood estimate of the mixing angle remains non-zero with attendant large values of the log-likelihood. Our analytical results are then confirmed by numerical simulations of a toy reactor experiment. Finally, we apply this framework to the data of the Neutrino-4 experiment and show that the null hypothesis of no-oscillation is rejected at the 2.6 sigma level, compared to 3.2 sigma obtained under the assumption that Wilks' theorem applies.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Cabrera Urban, S., Cardillo, F., Castillo, F. L., et al. (2021). Search for phenomena beyond the Standard Model in events with large b-jet multiplicity using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Eur. Phys. J. C, 81(1), 11–29pp.
Abstract: A search is presented for new phenomena in events characterised by high jet multiplicity, no leptons (electrons or muons), and four or more jets originating from the fragmentation of b-quarks (b-jets). The search uses 139fb(-1)of s root = 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider during Run 2. The dominant Standard Model background originates from multijet production and is estimated using a data-driven technique based on an extrapolation from events with low b-jet multiplicity to the high b-jet multiplicities used in the search. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is observed and 95% confidence-level limits that constrain simplified models of R-parity-violating supersymmetry are determined. The exclusion limits reach 950 GeV in top-squark mass in the models considered.
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