37 Years with the light scalar mesons. The learned lessons

Attention is paid to the production mechanisms of light scalars that reveal their nature. We reveal the chiral shielding of the σ(600) meson. We show that the kaon loop mechanism of the ? radiative decays, ratified by experiment, is four-quark transition and points to the four-quark nature of light scalars. We show also that the light scalars are produced in the two photon collisions via four-quark transitions in contrast to the classic P wave tensor qq? mesons that are produced via two-quark transitions γγ → qq?. We study the mechanism of production of the light scalar mesons in the D _s ⁺ → π⁺π^? e ⁺ν decays: D _s ⁺ → ss?e ⁺ν → [σ(600) + f ₀(980)]e ⁺ν → π⁺π^? e ⁺ν, and compare it with the mechanism of production of the light pseudoscalar mesons in the D _s ⁺ → (η/η′)e ⁺ν decays: D _s ⁺ → ss?e ⁺ν → (η/η′)e ⁺ν. As a result we find support to four-quark nature of light scalars. In the end, we outline the future research program.     

VEPP-2000 project: Collider,detectors, and physics program

The new VEPP-2000 e⁺e^? collider of maximum energy 2000 MeV, which is under construction at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics (Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk), is briefly described. Experiments at VEPP-2000 will be performed with two upgraded detectors, CMD-2M and SND. A precise measurement of the total cross section for the process e⁺e^? → hadrons and of the partial cross sections for its exclusive hadronic channels is the main point of the physics program for this machine. These measurements will be aimed at testing QCD and the VMD and CVC models, as well as at refining the hadron contribution to fundamental constants such as the muon anomalous magnetic moment \(a_\mu = \frac{{g - 2}}{2}\) and the fine-structure constant α_em(M _Z ² ). Measurements of the nucleon form factors in the reactions e⁺e^? → p\(\bar p\), n\(\bar n\) at their threshold will also be of great importance.     

Optical and x-ray diffraction studies of the symmetry of distorted phases of the (NH<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript>ZrF<Subscript>7</Subscript> crystal

(NH₄)₃ZrF₇ single crystals were grown, and polarization-optical and x-ray diffraction studies were performed on powders and crystalline plates of various cuts over a wide temperature range. Phase transitions are revealed at temperatures T _1↑ = 280 K, T _2↑ = 279.6 K, T _3↑ = 260–265 K, and T _4↑ = 238 K on heating and at T _1↓ = 280 K, T _2↓ = 269–270 K, T _3↓ = 246 K, and T _4↓ = 235 K on cooling. The sequence of changes in symmetry is established to be as follows: O _h ⁵ (Z = 4) ? D _2h ²⁵ (Z = 2) ? C _2h ³ (Z = 2) ? C _i ¹ (Z = 108) ? monoclinic²(Z = 216).     

Vibronic-spin-orbit interactions in heterocyclic analogues of fluorene with the N and O heteroatoms

The transition dipole moments P _0n ^s for the transitions from the electronic triplet state ³ B ²(ππ*) to vibrational sublevels of the vibrational out-of-plane modes n of the carbazole and dibenzofuran molecules are calculated. The values of the radiative deactivation rate constant k _rad ^s of the triplet sublevels T ^s are determined along with the components k _SO ^s and k _VSO ^s of this constant, which depend on the intramolecular spin-orbit (SO) and vibronic-spin-orbit (VSO) interaction. It is ascertained that k _rad ^z > k _rad ^y . For different structural units of the molecules (the heteroatom and the carbon atoms of the dibenzene fragment), the effect of the SO coupling on the constant k _VSO～Σ_{s, n} (P _0n ^s )² is studied. A competition between the effects on k _VSO from the SO coupling in the carbon atoms and in the light N and O heteroatoms is revealed. This competition accounts for the weak influence of the heteroatom on this component of the rate constant k _rad in these molecules. It is ascertained that the intensity distribution among the vibronic lines in the phosphorescence spectra of carbazole and dibenzofuran I _0n ～Σs (P _0n ^s )² is different due to the substantially different influence of the N and O heteroatoms on the deactivation of the triplet sublevel T ^y .     

Nonradiative <Emphasis Type="Italic">S-T</Emphasis> intersystem crossing in α and β chlorine derivatives of naphthalene

The rate constants K _ST ^s of nonradiative S ₁ ? T ₁ ^s transitions to triplet sublevels s in molecules of chlorine derivatives of naphthalene (1,4-dichloro- and monosubstituted α-chloro- and β-chloronaphthalene) have been calculated within the model of vibronically induced spin-orbit (VISO) couplings. The contribution of the spin-orbit couplings in Cl atoms and carbon framework of the molecule to VISO couplings is determined. A dependence of the heavy-atom effect on the constant K _ST ^s in relation to the type of sublevel T ^s and α and β positions of chlorine in the molecule is established and explained.     

Photon distribution functions of the fluorescence photons from a single nanoparticle in various photon counting methods

Simple expressions have been derived for three photon distribution functions w _N ^M (T), w _N ^Z (T), and w _N ^O (T) corresponding to three different methods for counting fluorescence photons from a single nanoparticle excited by continuous laser radiation. In contrast to the previously derived expressions represented in the form of N multiple integrals, the new expressions contain only single or double integrals of Poisson functions, which makes it possible to easily perform the numerical calculation of the photon distribution. The simplest photon counting method corresponds to the lengthiest function w _N ^M (T); on the contrary, the simplest function w _N ^O (T) corresponds to the most complex photon counting method. The functions w _N ^M (T), w _N ^Z (T), and w _N ^O (T) are noticeably different in short time intervals T; however, the distributions calculated using these functions are almost indistinguishable from each other in long T intervals. This circumstance makes it possible to use the simplest function w _N ^O (T) to consider the photon statistics measured by the simplest method. This possibility is particularly important for investigating the fluorescence photon statistics, where the intensity fluctuates.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> <Superscript>+</Superscript>(4430): Nonexotic interpretation

The possibility of describing the charged charmonium-like state Z⁺(4430) as the kinematical rescattering effect is examined. This approach makes it possible to avoid the introduction of exotic hadron states in the model, and one describes structures in the ψ(2S)π⁺ mass spectrum by the presence of the D_s^(*)′ resonance in a hidden intermediate state. The resulting model predictions are compared with the results obtained by the LHCb Collaboration.     

A study of the neutrino production of <Emphasis Type="Italic">φ</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis><Stack><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis></Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack> mesons

The charged current neutrino production of φ and D _s ⁺ mesons is studied, using the data obtained with the SKAT bubble chamber exposed to the Serpukhov accelerator neutrino beam. It is found that the φ production occurs predominantly in the forward hemisphere of the hadronic c.m.s. (at x _F > 0, x _F being the Feynman variable), with the mean yield strongly exceeding the expected yield of directly produced φ mesons and varying from 〈n _φ(x _F s 0)〉 = (0.92 ± 0.34) × 10^?2 at W > 2 GeV up to (1.23 ± 0.53) × 10^?2 at W > 2.6 GeV and (1.44 ± 0.69) × 10^?2 at W > 2.9 GeV, W being the invariant mass of the hadronic system. For the first time, the inclusive yield of leading D _s ⁺ mesons carrying more than z = 0.85 of the current c-quark energy is estimated: 〈n _{D s} ⁺ (z > 0.85, W > 2.9 GeV)〉 = (6.64 ± 1.91) × 10^?2. It is shown that the shape of measured φ meson differential spectrum on xF is reproduced by that expected from the D _s ⁺ → φX decays. An indication was obtained that this expected spectrum underestimates the measured φ yield.     

Stability of Coulomb systems

The stability of m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? m ₄ ^? Coulomb systems formed by particles of unit charge against dissociation is considered as a function of the particle mass. It is shown that, from the stability of the m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? three-particle system, it follows that the m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? m ₄ ^? four-particle system containing an additional particle of mass satisfying the condition m ₄ ^? ? m ₃ ^? is stable. The results of calculations of the stability domain for m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? systems asymmetric in particle masses are reported. The stability of 39 asymmetric exotic four-particle molecules and mesic molecules against dissociation is established.     

Dipole moment functions for electronic transitions from ion-pair states of the second tier of molecular iodine

The emission spectra caused by the transitions from the ion-pair states and f0 _g ⁺ and G1_g of the I₂ molecule are obtained by excitation of individual rovibronic levels of the molecule by the method of optical-optical double resonance. The emission spectra from the state F0 _u ⁺ populated due to collisions I₂(f) + I₂(X) are also measured. By modeling the experimental emission spectra, the dipole moment functions for the electronic transitions f _g ⁺ -B0 _u ⁺ , A0 _u ⁺ , and B″0 _u ⁺ ; G1_g-A0 _u ⁺ and B″0 _u ⁺ ; and F0 _u ⁺ -X0 _g ⁺ and a′0 _g ⁺ of the iodine molecule are reconstructed.     

Influence of the dimension of a polycrystalline film and the optical anisotropy of crystallites on the effective dielectric constant of the film

The dimension D of a polycrystalline film and the optical anisotropy m = ε_z/ε_x of uniaxial crystallites with the principal components ε_x = ε_y and ε_z of the tensor of the dielectric constant have been shown to produce a strong influence on the effective dielectric constant ε_D^* and the effective refractive index n_D^* = (ε_D^*)^1/2 of the film in the optical transparency region, as well as on the boundaries of the intervals B_Dl ≤ ε_D^* ≤ B_Du. The intervals Δ₂(m) = B_2l–B_2u and Δ₃(m) = B_3l–B_3u are separated by a gap for m in the range 1 < m < 2, whereas the theoretical dependence ε₂^*(m) is separated by a gap from the interval Δ₃(m) for m in the range 1 < m < 4. This is confirmed by a comparison of the experimental (n_oP) and theoretical (n_D^*) ordinary refractive indices for uniaxial polycrystalline films of the conjugated polymer poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) with uniaxial crystallites and appropriate values of m. In the visible transparency region of the PPV films with a change in m(λ) in the range 2 < m(λ) < 3 due to the dependence of the components ε_x,z(λ) on the light wavelength λ, the refractive indices n_oP²(λ) = ε_oP(λ) are consistent with the theoretical values of ε₂^*(λ) and lie outside the interval Δ₃(m). For m(λ) > 3 near the electronic absorption band of the crystallites, the values of ε_oP(λ) lie in the region of the overlap of the intervals Δ₂(m) and Δ₃(m). The boundaries mc of the range 1 < m < m_c are determined, for which the interval Δ₂(m) is separated by a gap from the dependences ε₃^*(m) corresponding to the effective medium theory with spherical crystallites and hierarchical models of a polycrystal, as well as from the proposed new dependence ε₃^*(m).     

Optical characteristics of radiation from N<Stack><Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>*</Superscript></Stack> dimers in a barrier discharge

The spectral and power characteristics of radiation of the second positive system of nitrogen (C ³Π _u → B ³Π _g ) in Ar-N₂ and Ar-N₂-Cl₂ mixtures excited by barrier discharge have been studied experimentally. Addition of argon to N₂ increased the radiation power by sixfold. In the triple mixture Ar-N₂-Cl₂ = 210/0.5/0.005, minor chlorine additions increased the intensity of the C ³Π _u → _B ³Π _g transition by 26% compared to Ar-N₂ mixtures. Radiation power density of 2.7 mW/cm² has been achieved. In both binary and triple mixtures, the second positive system of nitrogen was the major contributor to radiation, while the contributions of the fourth positive system of N ₂ ^* (D ³Σ _u ⁺ → B ³Π _g ), the Vegard-Kaplan transition of N ₂ ^* (A ³Σ _u ⁺ → X ¹Σ _g ⁺ ), and the D′ → A′ band of Cl ₂ ^* were negligibly small.     

Precision measurement of the rate of nuclear muon capture in the muonic hydrogen atom and the determination of the pseudoscalar form factor of the nucleon

The rate Λ _S of nuclear muon capture by a proton from the hyperfine singlet ground state of the µp atom has been measured using a new experimental method based on a time-projection chamber operating in an ultrapure hydrogen gas at a pressure of 10 atm. The capture rate has been determined from the difference between the measured lifetime of the negative muon in hydrogen and the world average lifetime of the positive muon. The analysis of 10% of the collected statistics (2 × 10¹⁰) of µe decays yields the muon capture rate Λ _S = 725.0 ± 17.4 s^?1, from which the pseudoscalar form factor of the nucleon, g _P (q _c ² = ?0.88m _µ ² ) = 7.3 ± 1.1, is determined. The further analysis of the collected experimental data should improve the precision of this measurement by a factor of 3.     

High-frequency EPR of Cr<Superscript>2+</Superscript> ions in CdGa<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>4</Subscript>

High-frequency broad-band (65–240 GHz) EPR is used to study impurity centers of bivalent chromium in a CdGa₂S₄ crystal. It is found that the EPR spectra correspond to tetragonal symmetry. The spin Hamiltonian H = βB · g · S + B ₂ ⁰ O ₂ ⁰ + B ₄ ⁰ O ₄ ⁰ + B ₄ ⁴ O ₄ ⁴ with the parameters B ₂ ⁰ =23659±2 MHz, B ₄ ⁰ =1.9±1 MHz, |B ₄ ⁴ |=54.2±2 MHz, g_‖=1.93±0.02, and g_⊥=1.99±0.02 is used to describe the observed spectra. It is concluded that chromium ions occupy one of the tetrahedrally coordinated cation positions.     

Dominant decays of scalar leptoquarks and scalar gluons in the minimal four-color symmetry model

Fermionic and weak decays of the scalar leptoquarks S = S ₁ ⁽⁺⁾ , S ₁ ^(?) , and S _m and the scalar gluons F = F ₁ and F ₂ predicted by the minimal model involving four-color symmetry and the Higgs mechanism of quark-and lepton-mass splitting are considered. The widths and the branching ratios are calculated for these decays, and the results are analyzed versus the couplings and masses of decaying particles. It is shown that, at relatively small mass splittings Δm within scalar doublets (Δm < m _W), the fermionic decays S ₁ ⁽⁺⁾ → tl _j ⁺ , S ₁ ^(?) → v _i \(\tilde b\), S _m → t \(\tilde \nu \) _j, F ₁ → t \(\tilde b\), and F ₂ → t \(\tilde t\), which are characterized by few-GeV widths for m _S, m _F < 1 TeV and decay branching ratios close to unity, are dominant, but that, for Δm > m _W, the weak decays S → S′W and F → F’W compete with the above fermionic decays. In the case of m _S < m _t, the processes S ₁ ⁽⁺⁾ → cl _j ⁺ , S ₁ ^(?) → v _i \(\tilde b\), S _m → bl _j ⁺ , and S _m → c \(\tilde \nu \) _j, whose total branching ratios are Br(S ₁ ⁽⁺⁾ → cl ⁺) ≈ Br(S ₁ ^(?) → v \(\tilde b\)) ≈ 1, Br(S _m → bl ⁺) ≈ 0.9, and Br(S _m → c \(\tilde \nu \)) ≈ 0.1, appear to be dominant decays of scalar leptoquarks. Searches for these decays at LHC and the Tevatron are of interest.     

Ds+ → π+ π+ π− decay: The $$1^3 P_0 s\bar s$$ component in scalar-isoscalar mesons

We calculate the processes \(D_s^ + \to \pi ^ + s\bar s\) and D _s ⁺ → π⁺resonance, respectively, in the spectator and W-annihilation mechanisms. The data on the reaction D _s ⁺ → π⁺ρ⁰, which is due to the W-annihilation mechanism only, point to a negligibly small contribution of the W annihilation to the production of scalar-isoscalar resonances D _s ⁺ ?π⁺f₀. As to spectator mechanism, we evaluate the \(1^3 P_0 s\bar s\) component in the resonances f₀(980), f₀(1300), and f₀(1500) and broad state f₀(1200–1600) on the basis of data on the decay ratios D _s ⁺ ?π⁺f₀/(D _s ⁺ ?π⁺_θ). The data point to a large \(s\bar s\) component in the \(f_0 (980):40 \lesssim s\bar s \lesssim 70\% \). Nearly 30% of the \(1^3 P_0 s\bar s\) component flows to the mass region 1300–1500 MeV, being shared by f₀(1300), f₀(1500), and broad state f₀(1200–1600): the interference of these states results in a peak near 1400 MeV with the width around 200 MeV. Our calculations show that the yield of the radial-excitation state\(2^3 P_0 s\bar s\)is relatively suppressed, \({{\Gamma (D_s^ + \to \pi ^ + (2^3 P_0 s\bar s))} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\Gamma (D_s^ + \to \pi ^ + (2^3 P_0 s\bar s))} {\Gamma (D_s^ + \to \pi ^ + (1^3 P_0 s\bar s))}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\Gamma (D_s^ + \to \pi ^ + (1^3 P_0 s\bar s))}} \lesssim 0.05\).     

Electronic structure of α-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>: Ab initio simulations and comparison with experiment

Al₂O₃ films 150 Å thick are deposited on silicon by the ALD technique, and their x-ray (XPS) and ultraviolet (UPS) photoelectron spectra of the valence band are investigated. The electronic band structure of corundum (α-Al₂O₃) is calculated by the ab initio density functional method and compared with experimental results. The α-Al₂O₃ valence band consists of two subbands separated with an ionic gap. The lower band is mainly formed by oxygen 2s states. The upper band is formed by oxygen 2p states with a contribution of aluminum 3s and 3p states. A strong anisotropy of the effective mass is observed for holes: m _h⊥ ^* ≈ 6.3m ₀ and m _h‖ ^* ≈ 0.36m ₀. The effective electron mass is independent of the direction m _e‖ ^* ≈ m _e⊥ ^* ≈ 0.4m ₀.     

Nuclear magnetic relaxation of spin<Emphasis Type="Italic">I</Emphasis>=1/2 scalar coupled to a quadrupolar nucleus in the presence of cross-correlation effects

The rigorous treatment of relaxation for the dipolar-multipolarAX spin system (I=1/2,S>1/2) in the presence of the dipolarI-S coupling, anisotropy chemical shift and quadrupolar interaction ofS spin is proposed. The calculations of the spin evolution under the relaxation Hamiltonian are based on the second-order time-dependent perturbation theory and are carried out in the operator representation. For this task the double commutator identities of the type [[I _±S _z ⁿ ,A _q ^μp ]A _?q ^μp ] and [[I _zS _z ⁿ ,A _q ^μp ]A _?q ^μp. ] are derived. The fist-order differential equations for the evolution of longitudinal two-spin orderI _zS _z ⁿ , z=magnetization ofS spinS _z ⁿ and coherences <I _±S _z ⁿ > in the spin systemIS with scalar coupling between spin 1/2 and quadrupolar spinS>1/2 were obtained. These equations are used to get equations for the evolutions of each component of the multiplet structure of spinI. The imaginary part of the cross-correlation spectral density function and indirect spin-spin coupling Hamiltonian are taken into account. Equations for the longitudinal components of theI spin spectrum in the presence of cross-correlation effects were obtained also. Longitudinal and transverse relaxation times and cross-relaxation times in the presence of cross-correlation D-CSA, Q-CSA, Q-D were analyzed.