Diffraction dissociation of neutrons into (pπ−) on protons in the momentum range 35 to 65 GeV/c

The diffraction dissociation reaction n + p → (pπ^?) + p was studied at the Serpukhov accelerator neutron beam in the momentum range 35–65 GeV/c in an electronics experiment. The differential cross sections of the reaction are analysed and presented in the five-dimensional phase space $\text{(p}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>n</mtext>}}\text{, m}{}^1\text{, t,}\text{cos}\text{θ}{}^1\text{, φ}{}^1\text{)}$. The backward peak observed in the distribution over if cosθin GJ ¹ in the Gottfried-Jackson frame of if(pπ) is interpreted as a baryon-exchange effect. The angular distribution of the (pπ^?) system is compared with Deck-type models.     

A new type of radioactive decay: gravitational annihilation of baryons

Gravitational collapse on an elementary particle level is not excluded. It will be observed as a new type of radioactivity violating baryon conservation.     

Neutron-proton elastic scattering from 10 to 70 GeV/c

The neutron-proton elastic differential cross section has been measured for incident momenta between 10 and 70 GeV/c and for values of the momentum transfer squared between 0.1 and 2.8 (GeV/c)². The forward peak and the break at about ∣t∣ = 1 (GeV/c)² are very similar to corresponding pp data.     

Thermodynamic equilibrium and heavy particles near a black hole

Some consequences of black-hole thermodynamics are examined     

Inflationary stages in cosmological models with a scalar field

Homogeneous isotropic cosmological models with a massive scalar field are studied. It is shown that inflationary stages of evolution are characteristic of most solutions in these models.     

Present status of the ITEP tracking experiment devoted to the double-beta decay search

A large time-projection-chamber detector in a magnetic field for studying the double-beta decay of various isotopes begins to operate.     

Suprathermal <Superscript>4</Superscript>He,O, and Fe ions at 1 AU in the quiet time of 2006–2012

The energy spectra of ⁴He, O, and Fe ions with energies of 0.04–2 MeV/nucleon, obtained by the ULEIS device on board the ACE satellite in the quiet time of 2006–2012, are analyzed. The obtained spectra of suprathermal ions from coronal holes were approximated by either a power function or a combination of a power and an exponential function. The approximation of 98 spectra yielded 2 < γ < 6, which could indicate different conditions in regions of particle acceleration in solar wind streams from coronal holes.     

Polarization-controlled switching between diffraction orders in transverse-periodically aligned nematic liquid crystals

Transverse-periodic-oriented nematic liquid crystals (LCs) are a special type of optical axis grating that are capable of very high efficiency diffraction (theoretically, 100%) in thin layers of materials with thickness comparable to the radiation wavelength. In particular, they fully diffract linearly polarized input beam into circularly polarized +1st and -1st diffraction orders. We experimentally demonstrate switching between diffraction orders of such gratings when the polarization of the incident beam changes from right-circular to left-circular and vice versa with the aid of an electrically controlled LC phase retarder. Such a setup in which the diffraction efficiency and direction are controlled externally, without application of an electric field to the transverse-periodic grating, provides additional control opportunities and does not compromise the quality of the grating. The grating used in the experiment was 1.5 microm thick and had a period of 4 microm. The contrast ratio of switching between the +1st and -1st orders was as high as 267:1 for a He-Ne laser beam with a switching time of 6.6 ms.     

Binary volume phase masks in photo-thermo-refractive glass

Permanent binary phase masks with planar surfaces and high tolerance to laser radiation are recorded in the volume of photo-thermo-refractive glass using the contact copying technique and binary amplitude master masks. Conversion of a Gaussian beam to higher order modes is shown.