\Lambda, \bar{\Lambda} polarization and spin transfer in lepton deep-inelastic scattering

The flavor and helicity distributions of the and hyperons for both valence and sea quarks are calculated in a perturbative QCD (pQCD) based model. We relate these quark distributions to the fragmentation functions of and , and calculate the z-dependence of the longitudinal spin transfer to and in lepton deep-inelastic scattering (DIS). It is shown that the spin transfer to the is compatible with the first HERMES results at DESY, and further tests are suggested. We also make predictions for the z-dependence of the and longitudinal polarizations in neutrino (antineutrino) DIS processes. We investigate the sea contribution to the fragmentation functions, and we test a possible scenario where the sea quarks in (or the sea antiquarks in ) are negatively polarized, whereas the sea antiquarks in the (or the sea quarks in ) are positively polarized. The asymmetry of the polarized fragmentation functions of the sea quarks and antiquarks to and provides a way to understand the different behavior between the and spin transfers observed in the recent E665 experiment at FNAL. Received: 5 April 2000 / Published online: 26 July 2000     

Electronic structure and spin polarization at the NiMnSb/GaAs(110) interface

Within the density functional theory, ab initio calculations of the electronic structure and magnetic properties of the (110) interface between the NiMnSb alloy and GaAs in dependence on configuration of contact atoms are carried out. It is found that two out of six possible atomic configurations of the interface exhibit a high degree of spin polarization, which attains 100% for one of the interfacial structures studied here. It is shown that contacts with a high degree of spin polarization are the most stable with an adhesion energy of about 1.3 J/m².     

DVCS at HERMES

This talk explores the impact that the Hermes experiment has had regarding knowledge of the Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering process. We discuss the various measurements that HERMES has contributed to the library of DVCS knowledge [1–3], with focus in particular on the recent high-precision beam spin and charge asymmetries [4].     

Lambda polarization in unpolarized hadron reactions

The transverse polarization observed in the inclusive production of Λ hyperons in the high energy collisions of unpolarized hadrons is tackled by considering a new set of spin and k _⊥ dependent quark fragmentation functions. Simple phenomenological expressions for these new “polarizing fragmentation functions” are obtained by a fit of the data on Λ's and \(\bar \Lambda \)'s produced in p?N processes.     

Spin physics at HERMES

The primary goal of the HERMES experiment is the study of the spin structure of the nucleon. Results on the measured inclusive and semi-inclusive hadron asymmetries using a polarized positron beam on polarized ³He, hydrogen and deuterium targets are here presented. In the covered kinematic range, 0.023<x _Bj <0.6 and 1 GeV²<Q ²<10GeV² the polarized quark distribution were determined for all up (u+?u) and down (d+?) quarks, and separately for valence and sea quarks. The up quark polarization is positive, and the down quark polarization is negative. The polarization of the sea is consistent with zero in the measured range. A first indication of a positive gluon polarization is presented, based on the measured spin asymmetry in the photo-production of hadron pairs with high transverse momentum p _T . This asymmetry is negative, which is in contrast to the measured positive asymmetry for inclusive experiments.     

Exclusive meson production at HERMES

Hard exclusive production of mesons in deep-inelastic scattering allows one to probe the so-far unknown Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) of the nucleon. The HERMES experiment has measured several different observables in exclusive meson production by scattering the 27.6GeV HERA lepton beam off an internal fixed gaseous target. Recent results on exclusive π ⁺, ρ ⁰ and pion pair production will be presented.     

Exclusive meson production at HERMES

The exclusive electroproduction of pseudoscalar and vector mesons was studied with the HERMES spectrometer at the DESY laboratory by scattering 27.6 GeV positron and electron beams off a transversely polarized hydrogen target.The results are compared to calculations based on generalized parton distributions,some of which are sensitive to the contribution of the total angular momentum of the quarks to the proton spin.     

Current-induced polarization and the spin Hall effect at room temperature

Electrically induced electron spin polarization is imaged in n-type ZnSe epilayers using Kerr rotation spectroscopy. Despite no evidence for an electrically induced internal magnetic field, current-induced in-plane spin polarization is observed with characteristic spin lifetimes that decrease with doping density. The spin Hall effect is also observed, indicated by an electrically induced out-of-plane spin polarization with opposite sign for spins accumulating on opposite edges of the sample. The spin Hall conductivity is estimated as 3+/-1.5 Omega(-1) m(-1)/|e| at 20 K, which is consistent with the extrinsic mechanism. Both the current-induced spin polarization and the spin Hall effect are observed at temperatures from 10 to 295 K.     

Electron spin polarization and conduction band structure of doped ferromagnetic semiconductors

The spin polarization of the conduction electrons of a doped semiconductor (e.g. EuO + x%Gd) is calculated using a moment method together with an alloy analogy. It is shown to be caused by a complicated temperature- and carrier concentration-dependence of the quasiparticle spectrum of the s-f model. Obtained polarization agrees very well with recent photoemission experimental data.     

Collins effect and single spin azimuthal asymmetriesin the HERMES and COMPASS experiments

Predictions are made for single spin azimuthal asymmetries due to the Collins effect in pion production from semi-inclusive deeply inelastic scattering off transversely and longitudinally polarized targets for the HERMES and COMPASS experiments. The x-dependence of the asymmetries is evaluated using the parton distribution functions from the chiral quark-soliton model. The overall normalization of the predicted asymmetries is determined by the information on the Collins fragmentation function extracted from previous HERMES data on azimuthal asymmetries from a longitudinally polarized target. The single spin asymmetries A _UT from the transversely polarized proton target are found to be about for positive and neutral pions both at HERMES and COMPASS. For a longitudinally polarized target we obtain for COMPASS and .Received: 18 September 2003, Published online: 26 November 2003     

COMPASS and HERMES contributions to our understanding of the nucleon spin

An update is given on the ongoing experimental investigation of the spin structure of the nucleon, with particular emphasis on the results from the COMPASS and HERMES experiments. Both longitudinal and transverse spin phenomena are covered. In the first case, the hot topic is the direct measurement of the gluon polarization. Evidence is presented for ΔG/G being small around x_g?0.1, and the first moment of ΔG should not be larger than 0.2-0.3. About transverse spin effects, evidence is given for new phenomena, associated with transverse-momentum-dependent distribution and fragmentation functions, which might explain the transverse spin phenomena observed for a long time in pp scattering.     

Exclusive meson production at HERMES

The exclusive electroproduction of pseudoscalar and vector mesons was studied with the HERMES spectrometer at the DESY laboratory by scattering 27.6 GeV positron and electron beams off a transversely polarized hydrogen target.The results are compared to calculations based on generalized parton distributions,some of which are sensitive to the contribution of the total angular momentum of the quarks to the proton spin.     

Local spin polarization at surfaces probed by hollow atoms

The relaxation of hollow atoms produced by slow multiply charged ions impinging on surfaces produces characteristic Auger electron spectra. These spectra, which serve as fingerprints of the interaction, can be used to probe local spin ordering at surfaces by relating changes in the intensities of different spin states to local spin polarization at the surface. The area from which the electrons are captured is of the order of a few Angstrom(2), only. The potential of the method is illustrated by He(2+) and N(6+) ions interacting with a ferromagnetic Ni(110) crystal. From the Auger spectra we determine a spin polarization of approximately 90% at room temperature.     

Electron spin polarization esp at surfaces of ferromagnetic metals

Fundamental information on surface magnetic order (SMO) of ferromagnetic metals can be obtained from electron-capture, photoemission, fieldemission, spin-dependent tunneling and spin-polarized LEED experiments. The different techniques, new experimental advances and developments are discussed with particular emphasis given to electron-capture spectroscopy. This review will focus on new experimental and theoretical results (long-range and “local” SMO of ferro- and antiferromagnetic metals, surface states, SMO of thin films, new magnetic surface phases, magnetic surface reconstruction, chemisorption) obtained in the years past which have brought outstanding progress towards a deeper comprehension of the physics of ferromagnetism and towards the unravelling of the physical processes inherently involved in the various methods for spin spectroscopy. Recent data on the SMO received from experiments performed at surfaces of single crystals of 3d-TM and 4f-RE metals reveal new scientific insights and perspectives for the theoretical analysis of experimental results within the framework of the currently refined knowledge about ferromagnetism.     

Lambda and lambda production in central Pb-Pb collisions at 40, 80, and 158A GeV

Production of Lambda and Antilambda hyperons was measured in central Pb-Pb collisions at 40, 80, and 158A GeV beam energy on a fixed target. Transverse mass spectra and rapidity distributions are given for all three energies. The Lambda/pi ratio at midrapidity and in full phase space shows a pronounced maximum between the highest BNL Alternating Gradient Synchrotron and 40A GeV CERN Super Proton Synchrotron energies, whereas the Lambda/pi ratio exhibits a monotonic increase.