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Measurements of the W production cross sections in association with jets with the ATLAS detector
(2015)
This paper presents cross sections for the production of a W boson in association with jets, measured in proton–proton collisions at \(\sqrt {s}\) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the large hadron collider. With an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb\(^{−1}\), this data set allows for an exploration of a large kinematic range, including jet production up to a transverse momentum of 1 TeV and multiplicities up to seven associated jets. The production cross sections for W bosons are measured in both the electron and muon decay channels. Differential cross sections for many observables are also presented including measurements of the jet observables such as the rapidities and the transverse momenta as well as measurements of event observables such as the scalar sums of the transverse momenta of the jets. The measurements are compared to numerous QCD predictions including next-to-leading-order perturbative calculations, resummation calculations and Monte Carlo generators.
Double-differential three-jet production cross-sections are measured in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of \(\sqrt {s}\) = 7 TeV using the ATLAS detector at the large hadron collider. The measurements are presented as a function of the three-jet mass (m\(_{jjj}\)), in bins of the sum of the absolute rapidity separations between the three leading jets (|Y\(^{*}\)|). Invariant masses extending up to 5 TeV are reached for 8 < |Y\(^{*}\)| < 10. These measurements use a sample of data recorded using the ATLAS detector in 2011, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.51 fb\(^{-1}\). Jets are identified using the anti-k\(_{t}\) algorithm with two different jet radius parameters, R = 0.4 and R = 0.6. The dominant uncertainty in these measurements comes from the jet energy scale. Next-to-leading-order QCD calculations corrected to account for non-perturbative effects are compared to the measurements. Good agreement is found between the data and the theoretical predictions based on most of the available sets of parton distribution functions, over the full kinematic range, covering almost seven orders of magnitude in the measured cross-section values.
The mass of the top quark is measured in a data set corresponding to 4.6 fb\(^{-1}\) of proton–proton collisions with centre-of-mass energy \(\sqrt {s}\)=7 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events consistent with hadronic decays of top–antitop quark pairs with at least six jets in the final state are selected. The substantial background from multijet production is modelled with data-driven methods that utilise the number of identified b-quark jets and the transverse momentum of the sixth leading jet, which have minimal correlation. The top-quark mass is obtained from template fits to the ratio of three-jet to dijet mass. The three-jet mass is calculated from the three jets produced in a top-quark decay. Using these three jets the dijet mass is obtained from the two jets produced in the W boson decay. The top-quark mass obtained from this fit is thus less sensitive to the uncertainty in the energy measurement of the jets. A binned likelihood fit yields a top-quark mass of m\(_{t}\)= 175.1 ± 1.4 (stat.) ± 1.2 (syst.) GeV.
The top quark mass was measured in the channels t\(\overline{t}\) → lepton+jets and t\(\overline{t}\) → dilepton (lepton = e,μ) based on ATLAS data recorded in 2011. The data were taken at the LHC with a proton–proton centre-of-mass energy of \(\sqrt {s}\) = 7 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb\(^{-1}\). The t\(\overline{t}\) → lepton+jets analysis uses a three-dimensional template technique which determines the top quark mass together with a global jet energy scale factor (JSF), and a relative b-to-light-jet energy scale factor(bJSF), where the terms b-jets and light-jets refer to jets originating from b-quarks and u, d, c, s-quarks or gluons, respectively. The analysis of the t\(\overline{t}\) → dilepton channel exploits a one-dimensional template method using the m\(_{lb}\) observable, defined as the average invariant mass of the two lepton+b-jet pairs in each event. The top quark
mass is measured to be 172.33±0.75(stat + JSF + bJSF)±1.02(syst) GeV, and 173.79 ± 0.54(stat) ± 1.30(syst) GeV in the t\(\overline{t}\) → lepton+jets and t\(\overline{t}\) → dilepton channels, respectively. The combination of the two results yields m\(_{top}\) =172.99 ± 0.48(stat) ± 0.78(syst) GeV, with a total uncertainty of 0.91 GeV.
A measurement of W boson production in lead-lead collisions at \(\sqrt {^{S}NN}\)=2.76 TeV is presented. It is based on the analysis of data collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2011 corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.14 nb\(^{-1}\) and 0.15 nb\(^{-1}\) in the muon and electron decay channels, respectively. The differential production yields and lepton charge asymmetry are each measured as a function of the average number of participating nucleons ⟨N\(_{part}\)⟩ and absolute pseudorapidity of the charged lepton. The results are compared to predictions based on next-to-leading-order QCD calculations. These measurements are, in principle, sensitive to possible nuclear modifications to the parton distribution functions and also provide information on scaling of W boson production in multi-nucleon systems.
The jet energy scale (JES) and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector using proton–proton collision data with a centre-of-mass energy of \(\sqrt {s}\)=7 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb\(^{-1}\). Jets are reconstructed from energy deposits forming topological clusters of calorimeter cells using the anti-k\(_t\) algorithm with distance parameters R=0.4 or R=0.6, and are calibrated using MC simulations. A residual JES correction is applied to account for differences between data and MC simulations. This correction and its systematic uncertainty are estimated using a combination of in situ techniques exploiting the transverse momentum balance between a jet and a reference object such as a photon or a Z boson, for 20≤p\(^{jet}_{T}\)<1000 GeV and pseudorapidities |η|<4.5. The effect of multiple proton–proton interactions is corrected for, and an uncertainty is evaluated using in situ techniques. The smallest JES uncertainty of less than 1 % is found in the central calorimeter region (|η|<1.2) for jets with 55≤p\(^{jet}_{T}\)<500 GeV. For central jets at lower p\(_{T}\), the uncertainty is about 3 %. A consistent JES estimate is found using measurements of the calorimeter response of single hadrons in proton–proton collisions and test-beam data, which also provide the estimate for p\(^{jet}_{T}\)>1 TeV. The calibration of forward jets is derived from dijet p\(_{T}\) balance measurements. The resulting uncertainty reaches its largest value of 6 % for low-p\(_{T}\) jets at |η|=4.5. Additional JES uncertainties due to specific event topologies, such as close-by jets or selections of event samples with an enhanced content of jets originating from light quarks or gluons, are also discussed. The magnitude of these uncertainties depends on the event sample used in a given physics analysis, but typically amounts to 0.5–3 %.
This paper describes the trigger and offline reconstruction, identification and energy calibration algorithms for hadronic decays of tau leptons employed for the data collected from pp collisions in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC center-of-mass energy \(\sqrt {s}\)=8 TeV. The performance of these algorithms is measured in most cases with Z decays to tau leptons using the full 2012 dataset, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb\(^{-1}\). An uncertainty on the offline reconstructed tau energy scale of 2–4 %, depending on transverse energy and pseudorapidity, is achieved using two independent methods. The offline tau identification efficiency is measured with a precision of 2.5 % for hadronically decaying tau leptons with one associated track, and of 4 % for the case of three associated tracks, inclusive in pseudorapidity and for a visible transverse energy greater than 20 GeV. For hadronic tau lepton decays selected by offline algorithms, the tau trigger identification efficiency is measured with a precision of 2–8 %, depending on the transverse energy. The performance of the tau algorithms, both offline and at the trigger level, is found to be stable with respect to the number of concurrent proton–proton interactions and has supported a variety of physics results using hadronically decaying tau leptons at ATLAS.
Studies of the spin and parity quantum numbers of the Higgs boson in the WW\(^{*}\)→eνμν final state are presented, based on proton–proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb\(^{-1}\) at a centre-of-mass energy of \(\sqrt {s}\)=8 TeV. The Standard Model spin-parity J\(^{CP}\)=0\(^{++}\) hypothesis is compared with alternative hypotheses for both spin and CP. The case where the observed resonance is a mixture of the Standard-Model-like Higgs boson and CP-even (J\(^{CP}\)=0\(^{++}\)) or CP-odd (J\(^{CP}\)=0\(^{+-}\)) Higgs boson in scenarios beyond the Standard Model is also studied. The data are found to be consistent with the Standard Model prediction and limits are placed on alternative spin and CP hypotheses, including CP mixing in different scenarios.
Measurements of the ZZ and WW final states in the mass range above the 2m\(_Z\) and 2m\(_W\) thresholds provide a unique opportunity to measure the off-shell coupling strength of the Higgs boson. This paper presents constraints on the off-shell Higgs boson event yields normalised to the Standard Model prediction (signal strength) in the ZZ→4ℓ, ZZ→2ℓ2ν and WW→eνμν final states. The result is based on pp collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb\(^{-1}\) at a collision energy of \(\sqrt {s}\)=8 TeV. Using the CL\(_S\) method, the observed 95 % confidence level (CL) upper limit on the off-shell signal strength is in the range 5.1–8.6, with an expected range of 6.7–11.0. In each case the range is determined by varying the unknown gg→ZZ and gg→WW background K-factor from higher-order quantum chromodynamics corrections between half and twice the value of the known signal K-factor. Assuming the relevant Higgs boson couplings are independent of the energy scale of the Higgs boson production, a combination with the on-shell measurements yields an observed (expected) 95 % CL upper limit on Γ\(_H\)/Γ\(^{SM}_{H}\) in the range 4.5–7.5 (6.5–11.2) using the same variations of the background K-factor. Assuming that the unknown gg→VV background K-factor is equal to the signal K-factor, this translates into an observed (expected) 95 % CL upper limit on the Higgs boson total width of 22.7 (33.0) MeV.
Background:
Inhibition of early platelet adhesion by blockade of glycoprotein-IB (GPIb) protects mice from ischemic stroke. To elucidate underlying mechanisms in-vivo, infarct development was followed by ultra-high field MRI at 17.6 Tesla.
Methods:
Cerebral infarction was induced by transient-middle-cerebral-artery-occlusion (tMCAO) for 1 hour in C57/BL6 control mice (N = 10) and mice treated with 100 mg Fab-fragments of the GPIb blocking antibody p0p/B 1 h after tMCAO (N = 10). To control for the effect of reperfusion, additional mice underwent permanent occlusion and received anti-GPIb treatment (N = 6; pMCAO) or remained without treatment (N = 3; pMCAO). MRI 2 h and 24 h after MCAO measured cerebral-blood-flow (CBF) by continuous arterial-spin labelling, the apparent-diffusion-coefficient (ADC), quantitative-T2 and T2-weighted imaging. All images were registered to a standard mouse brain MRI atlas and statistically analysed voxel-wise, and by cortico-subcortical ROI analysis.
Results:
Anti-GPIb treatment led to a relative increase of postischemic CBF vs. controls in the cortical territory of the MCA (2 h: 44.2 +/- 6.9 ml/100g/min versus 24 h: 60.5 +/- 8.4; p = 0.0012, F((1,18)) = 14.63) after tMCAO. Subcortical CBF 2 h after tMCAO was higher in anti-GPIb treated animals (45.3 +/- 5.9 vs. controls: 33.6 +/- 4.3; p = 0.04). In both regions, CBF findings were clearly related to a lower probability of infarction (Cortex/Subcortex of treated group: 35%/65% vs. controls: 95%/100%) and improved quantitative-T2 and ADC. After pMCAO, anti-GPIb treated mice developed similar infarcts preceded by severe irreversible hypoperfusion as controls after tMCAO indicating dependency of stroke protection on reperfusion.
Conclusion:
Blockade of platelet adhesion by anti-GPIb-Fab-fragments results in substantially improved CBF early during reperfusion. This finding was in exact spatial correspondence with the prevention of cerebral infarction and indicates in-vivo an increased patency of the microcirculation. Thus, progression of infarction during early ischemia and reperfusion can be mitigated by anti-platelet treatment.
This Letter reports a measurement of the exclusive γγ→ℓ\(^{+}\)ℓ\(^{−}\) (ℓ=e, μℓ=e, μ) cross-section in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, based on an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb\(^{−1}\). For the electron or muon pairs satisfying exclusive selection criteria, a fit to the dilepton acoplanarity distribution is used to extract the fiducial cross-sections. The cross-section in the electron channel is determined to be \(^{excl.}_{γγ→e^{+}e^{-}}\)=0.428 ± 0.035 (stat.) ± 0.018 (syst.) pb for a phase–space region with invariant mass of the electron pairs greater than 24 GeV, in which both electrons have transverse momentum p\(_{T}\)>12 GeV and pseudorapidity |η|<2.4. For muon pairs with invariant mass greater than 20 GeV, muon transverse momentum p\(_{T}\)>10 GeV and pseudorapidity |η|<2.4, the cross-section is determined to be \(^{excl.}_{γγ→μ^{+}μ^{-}}\) =0.628 ± 0.032 (stat.) ± 0.021 (syst.) pb. When proton absorptive effects due to the finite size of the proton are taken into account in the theory calculation, the measured cross-sections are found to be consistent with the theory prediction.
A search for the associated production of the Higgs boson with a top quark pair is performed in multilepton final states using 20.3 fb\(^{−1}\) of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at \(\sqrt {s}\)=8 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider. Five final states, targeting the decays H→WW\(^{*}\), ττ, and ZZ\(^{*}\), are examined for the presence of the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson: two same-charge light leptons (e or μ) without a hadronically decaying τ lepton; three light leptons; two same-charge light leptons with a hadronically decaying τ lepton; four light leptons; and one light lepton and two hadronically decaying τ leptons. No significant excess of events is observed above the background expectation. The best fit for the t\(\overline{t}\)H production cross section, assuming a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV, is 2.1\(^{+1.4}_{-1.2}\) times the SM expectation, and the observed (expected) upper limit at the 95% confidence level is 4.7 (2.4) times the SM rate. The p-value for compatibility with the background-only hypothesis is 1.8σ; the expectation in the presence of a Standard Model signal is 0.9σ.
The distribution and orientation of energy inside jets is predicted to be an experimental handle on colour connections between the hard-scatter quarks and gluons initiating the jets. This Letter presents a measurement of the distribution of one such variable, the jet pull angle. The pull angle is measured for jets produced in t\(\overline{t}\) events with one W boson decaying leptonically and the other decaying to jets using 20.3 fb\(^{−1}\) of data recorded with the ATLAS detector at a centre-of-mass energy of \(\sqrt {s}\)=8 TeV at the LHC. The jet pull angle distribution is corrected for detector resolution and acceptance effects and is compared to various models.
High transverse momentum jets produced in pp collisions at a centre of mass energy of 7 TeV are used to measure the transverse energy–energy correlation function and its associated azimuthal asymmetry. The data were recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in the year 2011 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 158 pb\(^{-1}\). The selection criteria demand the average transverse momentum of the two leading jets in an event to be larger than 250 GeV. The data at detector level are well described by Monte Carlo event generators. They are unfolded to the particle level and compared with theoretical calculations at next-to-leading-order accuracy. The agreement between data and theory is good and provides a precision test of perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics at large momentum transfers. From this comparison, the strong coupling constant given at the Z boson mass is determined to be αs(m\(_{Z}\))=0.1173±0.0010 (exp.) \(^{+0.0065}_{−0.0026}\) (theo.).
An observation of the View the Λ\(^0_b\)→ψ(2S)Λ\(^0\) decay and a comparison of its branching fraction with that of the Λ\(^0_b\)→J/ψΛ\(^0\) decay has been made with the ATLAS detector in proton–proton collisions at \(\sqrt {s}\)=8 TeV at the LHC using an integrated luminosity of 20.6 fb\(^{-1}\). The J/ψJ/ψ and ψ(2S) mesons are reconstructed in their decays to a muon pair, while the Λ\(^0\)→pπ\(^-\) decay is exploited for the Λ\(^0\) baryon reconstruction. The Λ\(^0_b\) baryons are reconstructed with transverse momentum p\(_T\)>10 GeV pT>10 GeV and pseudorapidity |η|<2.1. The measured branching ratio of the Λ\(^0_b\)→ψ(2S)Λ\(^0\) and Λ\(^0_b\)→J/ψΛ\(^0\) decays is Γ(Λ\(^0_b\)→ψ(2S)Λ\(^0\))/Γ(Λ\(^0_b\)→J/ψΛ\(^0\))=0.501±0.033(stat)±0.019(syst), lower than the expectation from the covariant quark model.
Physical properties of active materials built up from small molecules are dictated by their molecular packing in the solid state. Here we demonstrate for the first time the growth of n-channel single-crystal field-effect transistors and organic thin-film transistors by sublimation of 2,6-dichloro-naphthalene diimide in air. Under these conditions, a new polymorph with two-dimensional brick-wall packing mode (\(\beta\)-phase) is obtained that is distinguished from the previously reported herringbone packing motif obtained from solution (\(\alpha\)-phase). We are able to fabricate single-crystal field-effect transistors with electron mobilities in air of up to 8.6 cm\(^{2}\)V\(^{-1}\)s\(^{-1}\) (\(\alpha\)-phase) and up to 3.5 cm\(^{2}\)V\(^{-1}\)s\(^{-1}\) (\(\beta\)-phase) on n-octadecyltriethoxysilane-modified substrates. On silicon dioxide, thin-film devices based on \(\beta\)-phase can be manufactured in air giving rise to electron mobilities of 0.37 cm\(^{2}\)V\(^{-1}\)s\(^{-1}\). The simple crystal and thin-film growth procedures by sublimation under ambient conditions avoid elaborate substrate modifications and costly vacuum equipment-based fabrication steps.
Searches for supersymmetry (SUSY) at the LHC frequently assume the conservation of R-parity in their design, optimization, and interpretation. In the case that R-parity is not conserved, constraints on SUSY particle masses tend to be weakened with respect to R-parity-conserving models. We review the current status of searches for R-parity-violating (RPV) supersymmetry models at the ATLAS and CMS experiments, limited to 8 TeV search results published or submitted for publication as of the end of March 2015. All forms of renormalisable RPV terms leading to prompt signatures have been considered in the set of analyses under review. Discussing results for searches for prompt R-parity-violating SUSY signatures summarizes the main constraints for various RPV models from LHC Run I and also defines the basis for promising signal regions to be optimized for Run II. In addition to identifying highly constrained regions from existing searches, also gaps in the coverage of the parameter space of RPV SUSY are outlined.
Background:
Recent studies have shown that human ferritin can be used as a reporter of gene expression for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Bacteria also encode three classes of ferritin-type molecules with iron accumulation properties.
Methods and Findings:
Here, we investigated whether these bacterial ferritins can also be used as MRI reporter genes and which of the bacterial ferritins is the most suitable reporter. Bacterial ferritins were overexpressed in probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917. Cultures of these bacteria were analyzed and those generating highest MRI contrast were further investigated in tumor bearing mice. Among members of three classes of bacterial ferritin tested, bacterioferritin showed the most promise as a reporter gene. Although all three proteins accumulated similar amounts of iron when overexpressed individually, bacterioferritin showed the highest contrast change. By site-directed mutagenesis we also show that the heme iron, a unique part of the bacterioferritin molecule, is not critical for MRI contrast change. Tumor-specific induction of bacterioferritin-expression in colonized tumors resulted in contrast changes within the bacteria-colonized tumors.
Conclusions:
Our data suggest that colonization and gene expression by live vectors expressing bacterioferritin can be monitored by MRI due to contrast changes.
Low field NMR has been successfully used for the evaluation of seed composition and quality, but largely only in crop species. We show here that 1.5T NMR provides a reliable means for analysing the seed lipid fraction present in a wide range of species, where both the seed size and lipid concentration differed by >10 fold. Little use of high field NMR has been made in seed research to date, even though it potentially offers many opportunities for studying seed development, metabolism and storage. Here we demonstrate how 17.5T and 20T NMR can be applied to image seed structure, and analyse lipid and metabolite distribution. We suggest that further technical developments in NMR/MRI will facilitate significant advances in our understanding of seed biology.
We report the discovery of a charge transfer (CT) related low binding energy feature at a molecule-metal interface by the application of resonant photoelectron spectroscopy (RPES). This interface feature is neither present for molecular bulk samples nor for the clean substrate. A detailed analysis of the spectroscopic signature of the low binding energy feature shows characteristics of electronic interaction not found in other electron spectroscopic techniques. Within a cluster model description this feature is assigned to a particular eigenstate of the photoionized system that is invisible in direct photoelectron spectroscopy but revealed in RPES through a relative resonant enhancement. Interpretations based on considering only the predominant character of the eigenstates explain the low binding energy feature by an occupied lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, which is either realized through CT in the ground or in the intermediate state. This reveals that molecule-metal CT is responsible for this feature. Consequently, our study demonstrates the sensitivity of RPES to electronic interactions and constitutes a new way to investigate CT at molecule-metal interfaces.
Vacancy-related centres in silicon carbide are attracting growing attention because of their appealing optical and spin properties. These atomic-scale defects can be created using electron or neutron irradiation; however, their precise engineering has not been demonstrated yet. Here, silicon vacancies are generated in a nuclear reactor and their density is controlled over eight orders of magnitude within an accuracy down to a single vacancy level. An isolated silicon vacancy serves as a near-infrared photostable single-photon emitter, operating even at room temperature. The vacancy spins can be manipulated using an optically detected magnetic resonance technique, and we determine the transition rates and absorption cross-section, describing the intensity-dependent photophysics of these emitters. The on-demand engineering of optically active spins in technologically friendly materials is a crucial step toward implementation of both maser amplifiers, requiring high-density spin ensembles, and qubits based on single spins.
Direct observation of many-body charge density oscillations in a two-dimensional electron gas
(2015)
Quantum interference is a striking manifestation of one of the basic concepts of quantum mechanics: the particle-wave duality. A spectacular visualization of this effect is the standing wave pattern produced by elastic scattering of surface electrons around defects, which corresponds to a modulation of the electronic local density of states and can be imaged using a scanning tunnelling microscope. To date, quantum-interference measurements were mainly interpreted in terms of interfering electrons or holes of the underlying band-structure description. Here, by imaging energy-dependent standing-wave patterns at noble metal surfaces, we reveal, in addition to the conventional surface-state band, the existence of an 'anomalous' energy band with a well-defined dispersion. Its origin is explained by the presence of a satellite in the structure of the many-body spectral function, which is related to the acoustic surface plasmon. Visualizing the corresponding charge oscillations provides thus direct access to many-body interactions at the atomic scale.
We have observed thermal gating, i.e. electrostatic gating induced by hot electrons. The effect occurs in a device consisting of two capacitively coupled quantum dots. The double dot system is coupled to a hot electron reservoir on one side (QD1), while the conductance of the second dot (QD2) is monitored. When a bias across QD2 is applied we observe a current which is strongly dependent on the temperature of the heat reservoir. This current can be either enhanced or suppressed, depending on the relative energetic alignment of the QD levels. Thus, the system can be used to control a charge current by hot electrons.
Three-dimensional topological insulators are characterized by the presence of a bandgap in their bulk and gapless Dirac fermions at their surfaces. New physical phenomena originating from the presence of the Dirac fermions are predicted to occur, and to be experimentally accessible via transport measurements in suitably designed electronic devices. Here we study transport through superconducting junctions fabricated on thin Bi2Se3 single crystals, equipped with a gate electrode. In the presence of perpendicular magnetic field B, sweeping the gate voltage enables us to observe the filling of the Dirac fermion Landau levels, whose character evolves continuously from electron- to hole-like. When B=0, a supercurrent appears, whose magnitude can be gate tuned, and is minimum at the charge neutrality point determined from the Landau level filling. Our results demonstrate how gated nano-electronic devices give control over normal and superconducting transport of Dirac fermions at an individual surface of a three-dimensional topological insulators.
The position of a single GaAs quantum dot (QD), which is optically active, grown by low-density droplet epitaxy (DE) (approximately 4 QDs/μm\(^{2}\)), was directly observed on the surface of a 45-nm-thick Al\(_{0.3}\)Ga\(_{0.7}\)As capping layer. The thin thickness of AlGaAs capping layer is useful for single photon sources with plasmonic optical coupling. A micro-photoluminescence for GaAs DE QDs has shown exciton/biexciton behavior in the range of 1.654 to 1.657 eV. The direct observation of positions of low-density GaAs DE QDs would be advantageous for mass fabrication of devices that use a single QD, such as single photon sources.
Microcavity exciton polaritons are promising candidates to build a new generation of highly nonlinear and integrated optoelectronic devices. Such devices range from novel coherent light emitters to reconfigurable potential landscapes for electro-optical polariton-lattice based quantum simulators as well as building blocks of optical logic architectures. Especially for the latter, the strongly interacting nature of the light-matter hybrid particles has been used to facilitate fast and efficient switching of light by light, something which is very hard to achieve with weakly interacting photons. We demonstrate here that polariton transistor switches can be fully integrated in electro-optical schemes by implementing a one-dimensional polariton channel which is operated by an electrical gate rather than by a control laser beam. The operation of the device, which is the polariton equivalent to a field-effect transistor, relies on combining electro-optical potential landscape engineering with local exciton ionization to control the scattering dynamics underneath the gate. We furthermore demonstrate that our device has a region of negative differential resistance and features a completely new way to create bistable behavior.
Background:
Local aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a measure for vascular stiffness and has a predictive value for cardiovascular events. Ultra high field CMR scanners allow the quantification of local PWV in mice, however these systems are yet unable to monitor the distribution of local elasticities.
Methods:
In the present study we provide a new accelerated method to quantify local aortic PWV in mice with phase-contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (PC-CMR) at 17.6 T. Based on a k-t BLAST (Broad-use Linear Acquisition Speed-up Technique) undersampling scheme, total measurement time could be reduced by a factor of 6. The fast data acquisition enables to quantify the local PWV at several locations along the aortic blood vessel based on the evaluation of local temporal changes in blood flow and vessel cross sectional area. To speed up post processing and to eliminate operator bias, we introduce a new semi-automatic segmentation algorithm to quantify cross-sectional areas of the aortic vessel. The new methods were applied in 10 eight-month-old mice (4 C57BL/6J-mice and 6 ApoE\(^{(-/-)}\)-mice) at 12 adjacent locations along the abdominal aorta.
Results:
Accelerated data acquisition and semi-automatic post-processing delivered reliable measures for the local PWV, similiar to those obtained with full data sampling and manual segmentation. No statistically significant differences of the mean values could be detected for the different measurement approaches. Mean PWV values were elevated for the ApoE\(^{(-/-)}\)-group compared to the C57BL/6J-group (3.5 ± 0.7 m/s vs. 2.2 ± 0.4 m/s, p < 0.01). A more heterogeneous PWV-distribution in the ApoE \(^{(-/-)}\)-animals could be observed compared to the C57BL/6J-mice, representing the local character of lesion development in atherosclerosis.
Conclusion:
In the present work, we showed that k-t BLAST PC-MRI enables the measurement of the local PWV distribution in the mouse aorta. The semi-automatic segmentation method based on PC-CMR data allowed rapid determination of local PWV. The findings of this study demonstrate the ability of the proposed methods to non-invasively quantify the spatial variations in local PWV along the aorta of ApoE\(^{(-/-)}\)-mice as a relevant model of atherosclerosis.
Direct cooling of the catheter tip increases safety for CMR-guided electrophysiological procedures
(2012)
Background: One of the safety concerns when performing electrophysiological (EP) procedures under magnetic resonance (MR) guidance is the risk of passive tissue heating due to the EP catheter being exposed to the radiofrequency (RF) field of the RF transmitting body coil. Ablation procedures that use catheters with irrigated tips are well established therapeutic options for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and when used in a modified mode might offer an additional system for suppressing passive catheter heating.
Methods: A two-step approach was chosen. Firstly, tests on passive catheter heating were performed in a 1.5 T Avanto system (Siemens Healthcare Sector, Erlangen, Germany) using a ASTM Phantom in order to determine a possible maximum temperature rise. Secondly, a phantom was designed for simulation of the interface between blood and the vascular wall. The MR-RF induced temperature rise was simulated by catheter tip heating via a standard ablation generator. Power levels from 1 to 6 W were selected. Ablation duration was 120 s with no tip irrigation during the first 60 s and irrigation at rates from 2 ml/min to 35 ml/min for the remaining 60 s (Biotronik Qiona Pump, Berlin, Germany). The temperature was measured with fluoroscopic sensors (Luxtron, Santa Barbara, CA, USA) at a distance of 0 mm, 2 mm, 4 mm, and 6 mm from the catheter tip. Results: A maximum temperature rise of 22.4 degrees C at the catheter tip was documented in the MR scanner. This temperature rise is equivalent to the heating effect of an ablator's power output of 6 W at a contact force of the weight of 90 g (0.883 N). The catheter tip irrigation was able to limit the temperature rise to less than 2 degrees C for the majority of examined power levels, and for all examined power levels the residual temperature rise was less than 8 degrees C.
Conclusion: Up to a maximum of 22.4 degrees C, the temperature rise at the tissue surface can be entirely suppressed by using the catheter's own irrigation system. The irrigated tip system can be used to increase MR safety of EP catheters by suppressing the effects of unwanted passive catheter heating due to RF exposure from the MR scanner.
Unexpected edge conduction in mercury telluride quantum wells under broken time-reversal symmetry
(2015)
The realization of quantum spin Hall effect in HgTe quantum wells is considered a milestone in the discovery of topological insulators. Quantum spin Hall states are predicted to allow current flow at the edges of an insulating bulk, as demonstrated in various experiments. A key prediction yet to be experimentally verified is the breakdown of the edge conduction under broken time-reversal symmetry. Here we first establish a systematic framework for the magnetic field dependence of electrostatically gated quantum spin Hall devices. We then study edge conduction of an inverted quantum well device under broken time-reversal symmetry using microwave impedance microscopy, and compare our findings to a noninverted device. At zero magnetic field, only the inverted device shows clear edge conduction in its local conductivity profile, consistent with theory. Surprisingly, the edge conduction persists up to 9 T with little change. This indicates physics beyond simple quantum spin Hall model, including material-specific properties and possibly many-body effects.
A search for a heavy, CP-odd Higgs boson, A, decaying into a Z boson and a 125 GeV Higgs boson, h, with the ATLAS detector at the LHC is presented. The search uses proton–proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb\(^{-1}\). Decays of CP-even h bosons to ττ or bb pairs with the Z boson decaying to electron or muon pairs are considered, as well as h→bb decays with the Z boson decaying to neutrinos. No evidence for the production of an A boson in these channels is found and the 95% confidence level upper limits derived for σ(gg→A)×BR(A→Zh)×BR(h→f\(\bar{f}\)) are 0.098–0.013 pb for f=τ and 0.57–0.014 pb for f=b in a range of m\(_{A}\)=220–1000 GeVmA=220–1000 GeV. The results are combined and interpreted in the context of two-Higgs-doublet models.
In the family of iron-based superconductors, LaFeAsO-type materials possess the simplest electronic structure due to their pronounced two-dimensionality. And yet they host superconductivity with the highest transition temperature T\(_{c}\)\(\approx\)55K. Early theoretical predictions of their electronic structure revealed multiple large circular portions of the Fermi surface with a very good geometrical overlap (nesting), believed to enhance the pairing interaction and thus superconductivity. The prevalence of such large circular features in the Fermi surface has since been associated with many other iron-based compounds and has grown to be generally accepted in the field. In this work we show that a prototypical compound of the 1111-type, SmFe\(_{0.92}\)Co\(_{0.08}\)AsO, is at odds with this description and possesses a distinctly different Fermi surface, which consists of two singular constructs formed by the edges of several bands, pulled to the Fermi level from the depths of the theoretically predicted band structure by strong electronic interactions. Such singularities dramatically affect the low-energy electronic properties of the material, including superconductivity. We further argue that occurrence of these singularities correlates with the maximum superconducting transition temperature attainable in each material class over the entire family of iron-based superconductors.
The spin-orbit (SO) coupled optical lattices have attracted considerable interest. In this paper, we investigate the phase diagram of the interacting Fermi gas with Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling (SOC) on a square optical lattice. The phase diagram is investigated in a wide range of atomic interactions and SOC strength within the framework of the cluster dynamical mean-field theory (CDMFT). We show that the interplay between the atomic interactions and SOC results in a rich phase diagram. In the deep Mott insulator regime, the SOC can induce diverse spin ordered phases. Whereas near the metal-insulator transition (MIT), the SOC tends to destroy the conventional antiferromagnetic fluctuations, giving rise to distinctive features of the MIT. Furthermore, the strong fluctuations arising from SOC may destroy the magnetic orders and trigger an order to disorder transition in close proximity of the MIT.
Orthogonality, Lommel integrals and cross product zeros of linear combinations of Bessel functions
(2015)
The cylindrical Bessel differential equation and the spherical Bessel differential equation in the interval R\(\leq\)r\(\leq\)\(\gamma\)R with Neumann boundary conditions are considered. The eigenfunctions are linear combinations of the Bessel function \(\Phi\)\(_{n,ν}\)(r) = Y'\(_{ν}\) (\(\lambda\)\(_{n,ν}\))J\(_{ν}\)(\(\lambda\)\(_{n,ν}\) r/R) - J'\(_{ν}\)(\(\lambda\)\(_{n,ν}\))Y\(_{ν}\)(\(\lambda\)\(_{n,ν}\)r/R) or linear combinations of the spherical Bessel functions \(\psi\)\(_{m,ν}\)(r) = y'\(_{ν}\)(\(\lambda\)\(_{m,ν}\))j\(_{ν}\)(\(\lambda\)\(_{m,ν}\)r/R) - j'\(_{ν}\)(\(\lambda\)\(_{m,ν}\))y\(_{ν}\)(\(\lambda\)\(_{m,ν}\)r/R). The orthogonality relations with analytical expressions for the normalization constant are given. Explicit expressions for the Lommel integrals in terms of Lommel functions are derived. The cross product zeros Y'\(_{ν}\)\(\lambda\)\(_{n,ν}\))J'\(_{ν}\)(\(\gamma\)\(\lambda\)\(_{n,ν}\))- J'\(_{ν}\)(\(\lambda\)\(_{n,ν}\))Y'\(_{ν}\)(\(\gamma\)\(\lambda\)\(_{n,ν}\)) = 0 and y'\(_{ν}\)(\(\lambda\)\(_{m,ν}\))j'\(_{ν}\)(\(\gamma\)\(\lambda\)\(_{m,ν}\)) - j'\(_{ν}\)(\(\lambda\)\(_{m,ν}\))y'\(_{ν}\)(\(\gamma\)\(\lambda\)\(_{m,ν}\)) = 0 are considered in the complex plane for real as well as complex values of the index ν and approximations for the exceptional zero \(\lambda\)\(_{1,ν}\) are obtained. A numerical scheme based on the discretization of the twodimensional and three-dimensional Laplace operator with Neumann boundary conditions is presented. Explicit representations of the radial part of the Laplace operator in form of a tridiagonal matrix allow the simple computation of the cross product zeros.
Purpose
Non-invasive end-points for interventional trials and tailored treatment regimes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for monitoring regionally different manifestations of lung disease instead of global assessment of lung function with spirometry would be valuable. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (1H-MRI) allows for a radiation-free assessment of regional structure and function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term reproducibility of a comprehensive morpho-functional lungMRI protocol in COPD.
Materials and Methods
20 prospectively enrolled COPD patients (GOLD I-IV) underwent 1H-MRI of the lung at 1.5T on two consecutive days, including sequences for morphology, 4D contrast-enhanced perfusion, and respiratory mechanics. Image quality and COPD-related morphological and functional changes were evaluated in consensus by three chest radiologists using a dedicated MRI-based visual scoring system. Test-retest reliability was calculated per each individual lung lobe for the extent of large airway (bronchiectasis, wall thickening, mucus plugging) and small airway abnormalities (tree in bud, peripheral bronchiectasis, mucus plugging), consolidations, nodules, parenchymal defects and perfusion defects. The presence of tracheal narrowing, dystelectasis, pleural effusion, pulmonary trunk ectasia, right ventricular enlargement and, finally, motion patterns of diaphragma and chest wall were addressed.
Results
Median global scores [10(Q1:8.00; Q3:16.00) vs. 11(Q1:6.00; Q3:15.00)] as well as category subscores were similar between both timepoints, and kappa statistics indicated "almost perfect" global agreement (\(\kappa\)= 0.86, 95%CI = 0.81-0.91). Most subscores showed at least "substantial" agreement of MRI1 and MRI2 (\(\kappa\)= 0.64-1.00), whereas the agreement for the diagnosis of dystelectasis/effusion (\(\kappa\)= 0.42, 95%CI = 0.00-0.93) was "moderate" and of tracheal abnormalities (\(\kappa\)= 0.21, 95%CI = 0.00-0.75) "fair". Most MRI acquisitions showed at least diagnostic quality at MRI1 (276 of 278) and MRI2 (259 of 264).
Conclusion
Morpho-functional 1H-MRI can be obtained with reproducible image quality and high short-term test-retest reliability for COPD-related morphological and functional changes of the lung. This underlines its potential value for the monitoring of regional lung characteristics in COPD trials.
Efficient and fast on-demand single photon sources have been sought after as critical components of quantum information science. We report an efficient and tunable single photon source based on an InAs quantum dot (QD) embedded in a photonic crystal cavity coupled with a highly curved \(\mu\)-fibre. Exploiting evanescent coupling between the \(\mu\)-fibre and the cavity, a high collection efficiency of 23% and Purcell-enhanced spontaneous emissions are observed. In our scheme, the spectral position of a resonance can be tuned by as much as 1.5 nm by adjusting the contact position of the \(\mu\)-fibre, which increases the spectral coupling probability between the QD and the cavity mode. Taking advantage of the high photon count rate and the tunability, the collection efficiencies and the decay rates are systematically investigated as a function of the QD-cavity detuning.
The charge carrier lifetime is an important parameter in solar cells as it defines, together with the mobility, the diffusion length of the charge carriers, thus directly determining the optimal active layer thickness of a device. Herein, we report on charge carrier lifetime values in bromine doped planar methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI\(_3\)) solar cells determined by transient photovoltage. The corresponding charge carrier density has been derived from charge carrier extraction. We found increased lifetime values in solar cells incorporating bromine compared to pure MAPbI\(_3\) by a factor of ~2.75 at an illumination intensity corresponding to 1 sun. In the bromine containing solar cells we additionally observe an anomalously high value of extracted charge, which we deduce to originate from mobile ions.
We report a giant thermal shift of 2.1 MHz/K related to the excited-state zero-field splitting in the silicon vacancy centers in 4H silicon carbide. It is obtained from the indirect observation of the optically detected magnetic resonance in the excited state using the ground state as an ancilla. Alternatively, relative variations of the zero-field splitting for small temperature differences can be detected without application of radiofrequency fields, by simply monitoring the photoluminescence intensity in the vicinity of the level anticrossing. This effect results in an all-optical thermometry technique with temperature sensitivity of 100 mK/Hz\(^{1/2}\) for a detection volume of approximately 10\(^{−6}\) mm\(^3\). In contrast, the zero-field splitting in the ground state does not reveal detectable temperature shift. Using these properties, an integrated magnetic field and temperature sensor can be implemented on the same center.
We uncover the fine structure of a silicon vacancy in isotopically purified silicon carbide (4H-\(^{28}\)SiC) and reveal not yet considered terms in the spin Hamiltonian, originated from the trigonal pyramidal symmetry of this spin-3/2 color center. These terms give rise to additional spin transitions, which would be otherwise forbidden, and lead to a level anticrossing in an external magnetic field. We observe a sharp variation of the photoluminescence intensity in the vicinity of this level anticrossing, which can be used for a purely all-optical sensing of the magnetic field. We achieve dc magnetic field sensitivity better than 100 nT/√Hz within a volume of 3×10\(^{−7}\)mm\(^3\) at room temperature and demonstrate that this contactless method is robust at high temperatures up to at least 500 K. As our approach does not require application of radio-frequency fields, it is scalable to much larger volumes. For an optimized light-trapping waveguide of 3 mm\(^3\), the projection noise limit is below 100 fT/√Hz.
Analysis of Triplet Exciton Loss Pathways in PTB7:PC\(_{71}\)BM Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells
(2016)
A strategy for increasing the conversion efficiency of organic photovoltaics has been to increase the VOC by tuning the energy levels of donor and acceptor components. However, this opens up a new loss pathway from an interfacial charge transfer state to a triplet exciton (TE) state called electron back transfer (EBT), which is detrimental to device performance. To test this hypothesis, we study triplet formation in the high performing PTB7:PC\(_{71}\)BM blend system and determine the impact of the morphology-optimizing additive 1,8-diiodoctane (DIO). Using photoluminescence and spin-sensitive optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) measurements at low temperature, we find that TEs form on PC\(_{71}\)BM via intersystem crossing from singlet excitons and on PTB7 via EBT mechanism. For DIO blends with smaller fullerene domains, an increased density of PTB7 TEs is observed. The EBT process is found to be significant only at very low temperature. At 300 K, no triplets are detected via ODMR, and electrically detected magnetic resonance on optimized solar cells indicates that TEs are only present on the fullerenes. We conclude that in PTB7:PC\(_{71}\)BM devices, TE formation via EBT is impacted by fullerene domain size at low temperature, but at room temperature, EBT does not represent a dominant loss pathway.
The second-order correlation function g\(^2\)(\(\tau\) = 0), input-output curves and pulse duration of the emission from a microcavity exciton-polariton system subsequent to picosecond-pulsed excitation are measured for different temperatures. At low temperatures a two-threshold behaviour emerges, which has been attributed to the onset of polariton lasing and conventional lasing at the first and the second threshold, respectively. We observe that polariton lasing is stable up to temperatures comparable with the exciton binding energy. At higher temperatures a single threshold displays the direct transition from thermal emission to photon lasing.
The photoluminescence of annealed Cd\(_x\)Zn\(_{1-x}\)Se quantum dots (QDs) under the influence of an external magnetic field has been studied in this paper. Post-growth annealing was performed for different annealing times. Above a critical annealing time, the QD luminescence shows a pronounced red-shift of the Zeeman split magnetic subcomponents. This observation is in contrast to the blue-shift caused by the diamagnetic behavior that is usually observed in non-magnetic QDs. We attribute our finding to the paramagnetism caused by the mixing of heavy and light hole states. Hence, post-growth thermal annealing treatment might be employed to render undoped epitaxial QDs intrinsically magnetic in a controlled manner. Two theoretical models were developed: a few-particle model to account for excitonic complex effects and a multiband calculation that describes the valence band hybridization. Contrasting the two models allowed us to unambiguously elucidate the nature of such an effect.
Graphene's peculiar electronic band structure makes it of interest for new electronic and spintronic approaches. However, potential applications suffer from quantization effects when the spatial extension reaches the nanoscale. We show by photoelectron spectroscopy on nanoscaled model systems (disc-shaped, planar polyacenes) that the two-dimensional band structure is transformed into discrete states which follow the momentum dependence of the graphene Bloch states. Based on a simple model of quantum wells, we show how the band structure of graphene emerges from localized states, and we compare this result with ab initio calculations which describe the orbital structure.
This Letter presents a search at the LHC for s-channel single top-quark production in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. The analyzed data set was recorded by the ATLAS detector and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb\(^{−1}\). Selected events contain one charged lepton, large missing transverse momentum and exactly two b-tagged jets. A multivariate event classifier based on boosted decision trees is developed to discriminate s-channel single top-quark events from the main background contributions. The signal extraction is based on a binned maximum-likelihood fit of the output classifier distribution. The analysis leads to an upper limit on the s-channel single top-quark production cross-section of 14.6 pb at the 95% confidence level. The fit gives a cross-section of σs=5.0±4.3 pb, consistent with the Standard Model expectation.
Measurements of the centrality and rapidity dependence of inclusive jet production in \(\sqrt{^SNN}\)=5.02 TeV proton–lead (p+Pb) collisions and the jet cross-section in \(\sqrt{s}\)=2.76 TeV proton–proton collisions are presented. These quantities are measured in datasets corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 27.8 nb\(^{−1}\) and 4.0 pb\(^{−1}\), respectively, recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2013. The p+Pb collision centrality was characterised using the total transverse energy measured in the pseudorapidity interval −4.9<η<−3.2 in the direction of the lead beam. Results are presented for the double-differential per-collision yields as a function of jet rapidity and transverse momentum (\(p_T\)) for minimum-bias and centrality-selected p+Pb collisions, and are compared to the jet rate from the geometric expectation. The total jet yield in minimum-bias events is slightly enhanced above the expectation in a \(p_T\)-dependent manner but is consistent with the expectation within uncertainties. The ratios of jet spectra from different centrality selections show a strong modification of jet production at all \(p_T\) at forward rapidities and for large \(p_T\) at mid-rapidity, which manifests as a suppression of the jet yield in central events and an enhancement in peripheral events. These effects imply that the factorisation between hard and soft processes is violated at an unexpected level in proton–nucleus collisions. Furthermore, the modifications at forward rapidities are found to be a function of the total jet energy only, implying that the violations may have a simple dependence on the hard parton–parton kinematics.
The spatial uniformity of GaSb- and InAs substrate-based structures containing type II quantum wells was probed by means of large-scale photoluminescence (PL) mapping realized utilizing a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The active region was designed and grown in a form of a W-shaped structure with InAs and GaInSb layers for confinement of electrons and holes, respectively. The PL spectra were recorded over the entire 2-in. wafers, and the parameters extracted from each spectrum, such as PL peak energy position, its linewidth and integrated intensity, were collected in a form of two-dimensional spatial maps. Throughout the analysis of these maps, the wafers' homogeneity and precision of the growth procedure were investigated. A very small variation of PL peak energy over the wafer indicates InAs quantum well width fluctuation of only a fraction of a monolayer and hence extraordinary thickness accuracy, a conclusion further supported by high uniformity of both the emission intensity and PL linewidth.
Practical quantum communication between remote quantum memories rely on single photons at telecom wavelengths. Although spin-photon entanglement has been demonstrated in atomic and solid-state qubit systems, the produced single photons at short wavelengths and with polarization encoding are not suitable for long-distance communication, because they suffer from high propagation loss and depolarization in optical fibres. Establishing entanglement between remote quantum nodes would further require the photons generated from separate nodes to be indistinguishable. Here, we report the observation of correlations between a quantum-dot spin and a telecom single photon across a 2-km fibre channel based on time-bin encoding and background-free frequency downconversion. The downconverted photon at telecom wavelengths exhibits two-photon interference with another photon from an independent source, achieving a mean wavepacket overlap of greater than 0.89 despite their original wavelength mismatch (900 and 911 nm). The quantum-networking operations that we demonstrate will enable practical communication between solid-state spin qubits across long distances.
Microstructural Analysis of Peripheral Lung Tissue through CPMG Inter-Echo Time R2 Dispersion
(2015)
Since changes in lung microstructure are important indicators for (early stage) lung pathology, there is a need for quantifiable information of diagnostically challenging cases in a clinical setting, e.g. to evaluate early emphysematous changes in peripheral lung tissue. Considering alveoli as spherical air-spaces surrounded by a thin film of lung tissue allows deriving an expression for Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill transverse relaxation rates R-2 with a dependence on inter-echo time, local air-tissue volume fraction, diffusion coefficient and alveolar diameter, within a weak field approximation. The model relaxation rate exhibits the same hyperbolic tangent dependency as seen in the Luz-Meiboom model and limiting cases agree with Brooks et al. and Jensen et al. In addition, the model is tested against experimental data for passively deflated rat lungs: the resulting mean alveolar radius of RA = 31.46 \(\pm\) 13.15 \(\mu\)m is very close to the literature value (similar to 34 \(\mu\)m). Also, modeled radii obtained from relaxometer measurements of ageing hydrogel foam (that mimics peripheral lung tissue) are in good agreement with those obtained from mu CT images of the same foam (mean relative error: 0.06 \(\pm\) 0.01). The model's ability to determine the alveolar radius and/or air volume fraction will be useful in quantifying peripheral lung microstructure.
Search for the \(X_b\) and other hidden-beauty states in the \(π^+π^−ϒ\)(1S) channel at ATLAS
(2014)
This Letter presents a search for a hidden-beauty counterpart of the X(3872) in the mass ranges of 10.05–10.31 GeV and 10.40–11.00 GeV, in the channel X\(_b\)→π\(^+\)π\(^−\)ϒ(1S)(→μ\(^+\)μ\(^−\)), using 16.2 fb\(^{−1}\) of s=8 TeV \(pp\) collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. No evidence for new narrow states is found, and upper limits are set on the product of the X\(_b\) cross section and branching fraction, relative to those of the ϒ(2S), at the 95% confidence level using the CLSCLS approach. These limits range from 0.8% to 4.0%, depending on mass. For masses above 10.1 GeV, the expected upper limits from this analysis are the most restrictive to date. Searches for production of the ϒ(1\(^3\)D\(_J\)), ϒ(10860), and ϒ(11020) states also reveal no significant signals.
A search for new charged massive gauge bosons, called W′W′, is performed with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of \(\sqrt {s}\)=8 TeV, using a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb\(^{−1}\). This analysis searches for W′W′ bosons in the \(W′→t\overline{b}\) decay channel in final states with electrons or muons, using a multivariate method based on boosted decision trees. The search covers masses between 0.5 and 3.0 TeV, for right-handed or left-handed W′W′ bosons. No significant deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed and limits are set on the \(W′→t\overline{b}\) cross-section times branching ratio and on the W′W′-boson effective couplings as a function of the W′W′-boson mass using the CL\(_s\) procedure. For a left-handed (right-handed) W′W′ boson, masses below 1.70 (1.92) TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level.
Detailed measurements of the electron performance of the ATLAS detector at the LHC are reported, using decays of the Z, W and J/ψ particles. Data collected in 2010 at s√=7 TeV are used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of almost 40 pb\(^{−1}\). The inter-alignment of the inner detector and the electromagnetic calorimeter, the determination of the electron energy scale and resolution, and the performance in terms of response uniformity and linearity are discussed. The electron identification, reconstruction and trigger efficiencies, as well as the charge misidentification probability, are also presented.