Systematic analysis of lepton family number violating processes in the framework of local gauge theories

General unified electroweak gauge theories with neutral lepton mixing are reexamined with regard to processes that change lepton family numbers L_f. The most general allowed mass sectors of models based on SU(2) × U(1) and SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1) are studied and the consequences for L_f changing processes such as μ → eγ, ν_f′ → ν_f + γ are worked out. We discuss models that break individual lepton family numbers but still conserve total lepton number L, as well as models in which L is broken too.     

Radiative corrections to quark-lepton mass matrices in superstring-inspired models

We examine if quark-lepton mass matrices are modified by generation changing currents in superstring-inspired models. It is shown that sufficiently large corrections to the quark mass matrices can be derived in an SU(3)_C × SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1)_L × U(1)_R model with δ ⩾ 2 and an SU(3)_C × SU(2)_L × U(1)_L × U(1)_R model. Consistency with other experiments are investigated by means of renormalization group equations.     

Parity violation in atoms within left-right symmetric gauge models

Predictions for parity violation in atoms within left-right symmetric theories based on the gauge groups SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1) and SU(2)_L × SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1)_L × U(1)_R are presented.     

On the sign of the n-p mass difference in gauge models

We examine the sign of the n-p mass difference in some gauge models based on the SU(2) × U(1) × U(1) or SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1) group, and show that a few specific elements of the neutral-vector-meson mass matrix can determine the sign of Δm|_n?p. We also present an SU(2) × U(1) × U(1) model which can give the correct Δm|_n?p.     

Gauge hierarchy in the presence of discrete symmetry

We discuss the gauge hierarchy problem in theories that posses an additional discrete symmetry. As examples, we consider two models based on the gauge groups U(1)_L×U(1)_Rand SU(2)_L×SU(2)_R×U(1), with parity transformation as the discrete symmetry. By employing a minimal choice of Higgs multiplets there is no freedom, in the semi-classical approximation, to arrange for an arbitrary hierarchy. Either one has a left-right symmetric phase (no hierarchy) or a totally asymmetric phase (infinite hierarchy). It is shown that radiative corrections, à la Coleman-Weinberg, do not smooth out the transition region separating the two phases. A finite gauge hierarchy is not realized.     

Adsorption of gold on low index planes of rhenium

On atomically rough areas of a thermally cleaned rhenium field emitter, adsorbed gold behaves like it does on tungsten. The average work function $\text{}\text{?}$gf increases at low average gold coverage $\text{}\text{?}$gq due to formation of gold-rhenium dipoles, and at high coverage a structural transformation in the gold layer leads to a $\text{}\text{?}$gq-independent work function. Broadly similar behaviour is found for gold on the low-index planes of tungsten, but on low-index rhenium planes gold behaves rather differently. When thermally cleaned at > 2200 K and annealed below 800 K, the work function, φ(clean), of (101&#x0304;1&#x0304;) takes one of two values 5.25 ± 0.04 eV, and 5.36 ± 0.04 eV, which are tentatively attributed to the two possible structures of this plane. Similar behaviour is expected and observed for (101&#x0304;0),but the values taken by φ(clean) are not well defined. Both forms of (101&#x0304;1&#x0304;) are thought to undergo reconstruction above 800 K forming a single structure with φ(clean) = 5.55 ± 0.03 eV. (112&#x0304;0) and (112&#x0304;2&#x0304;) each have only one possible structure, and in keeping with this, φ(clean) has a single well-defined value for each plane. The flatness of (101&#x0304;1&#x0304;) and (101&#x0304;0) leads to field reduction at their centres which produces an increase in their measured work functions by up to 10%. The initial increase in φ produced by gold condensed at 78 K and spread at low equilibration temperatures T_s on (112&#x0304;2&#x0304;), (101&#x0304;1&#x0304;) and (112&#x0304;0) is attributed to gold-rhenium dipoles, which, on the latter two planes approximate to the Topping model, giving dipoles characterised by μ₀(1011) = 0.1 × 10^?30 C-m with α = 10 ų and μ₀(112&#x0304;0) = 0.32 × 10^?30 C-m with α = 22 ų, where μ₀ is the zero-coverage dipole moment and α its polarizability. Failure of the Topping model on (112&#x0304;2&#x0304;) is attributed to its atomically rough structure. No dipole effect is seen on (101&#x0304;0). Energy spectroscopy of electrons field emitted at (202&#x0304;1&#x0304;) and (101&#x0304;1&#x0304;) demonstrates the non-free character of electrons in rhenium, while the small effect of adsorbed gold strengthens the belief that gold is bound through a greatly broadened 6s level centred 5.6 eV below the Fermi level and the dipolar nature of the bond supports this model. At higher values of T_s and $\text{}\text{?}$gq gold appears to form states which are well-characterised by a coverage-independent work function. (101&#x0304;0), (101&#x0304;1&#x0304;) and (112&#x0304;0) each form two such states, one in the range 2 < $\text{}\text{?}$gq < 4 (state 1), and the second at $\text{}\text{?}$gq > 4 (state 2). The atomic radii of gold and rhenium are thought to be sufficiently similar to allow the possibility that state 1 is a replication of the Re plane structure by gold. The high work function and thermal stability of state 2, taken together with the observed temperature dependence of the transformation of state 1 to state 2, encourages the belief that state 2 results from atomic rearrangement of state 1 into a close-packed Au(111) structure. State 2 also forms on (112&#x0304;2&#x0304;) and the absence of state 1 on this plane suggests some surface alloying at coverages below 4 $\text{}\text{?}$gq.     

Parity violations in hydrogen and the fundamental structure of the weak current

Experiments in progress with hydrogen and deuterium may in practice determine the fundamental parameters and constituents of the weak interaction within the framework of unified gauge theories. In particular, for SU (2) × U (1) theories, from the results of these experiments one can infer the masses of the charged and neutral weak vector bosons (and thus sin²θ_W), and the isospin classification of the right-handed portions of the electron and the u- and d-quarks. Non-singlet assignments for e_R, u_R and d_R would imply the existence of additional leptons and/or quarks. Hydrogen/deuterium data also may be used to discriminate between SU (2) × U (1) models and various models based on larger gauge groups.     

Fermion spectra from superstrings

Some compactifications of the ten-dimensional anomaly-free E₈ × E₈ and SO(32) theories that correspond to superstrings are studied. Compactification is achieved by setting the classical gauge field equal to the spin connection. The resulting chiral fermion spectra are obtained for any six-dimensional manifold, under the condition Tr F² = 30 Tr R², plus a quantization condition for U(1) charges. For E₈ × E₈ these conditions lead to potentially realistic models for any irreducible six-dimensional manifold and any embedding of the holonomy group. Apart from a few more exotic examples, the four-dimensional models we obtain are more or less standard SU(5), SO(10), SU(4) × SU(2) × SU(2) or E₆ models.     

Direct measurement of the transfer rate pμ+Ar → p+Arμ at high gas pressure

The transfer rate pμ + Ar → p + Arμ has been directly measured in H₂ gas of 600 atm with 2.03 × 10^3&#x0304; at. % Ar at room temperature using delayed coincidence techniques. The transfer rate reduced to an Ar concentration (atoms per unit volume) corresponding to that of liquid hydrogen was found to be (9.8 ± 1.5) × 10¹¹s^?1, which is considerably higher than previous results obtained at lower pressure.     

Parity violation in SLAC experiment and left-right symmetric gauge models

It is shown that the left-right symmetric gauge models based on the group $\text{G}$ = SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1)_L × U(1)_R can accommodate quite naturally the results of the recent SLAC experiment concerning parity violation in neutral currents. The possibility of finding a light neutral gauge boson in the PETRA-PEP energy range remains particularly interesting.     

Parity violations in electron-nucleon scattering and the SU(2)L ×SU(2)R ×U(1)L+R electroweak symmetry

The SU(2)_L ×SU(2)_R ×U(1)_L+R model of elecroweak interactions is described with the most general gauge couplings g_L, g_Randg_L+R. The case in which neutrino neutral current interactions are identical to the standard SU(2)_L ×U(1)_L+R model is discussed in detail. It is shown that with the weak angle lying in the experimental range sin²θ_w = 0.23 ± 0.015 and 1 < g_L²/g_R² < 3 it is possible to explain the amount of parity violation observed at SLAC and at the same time predict values of the “weak charge” in bismuth to lie in the range admitted by the controversal data from different experiments.     

Constraints on a muon - neutrino mass around 100 keV

In the context of left-right symmetric models, we examine the possibility of a neutrino ν₂ with mass around 100 keV that is essentially the muon neutrino. To meet cosmological constraints, ν₂ must decay into three lighter neutrinos; within the SU(2)_L×SU(2)_R×U(1) model we discuss the relation of this decay to the decay μ→3e.     

Models of non-abelian orbifolds

Several models of non-abelian orbifolds have been constructed. There are models with three or four families of quarks and leptons, and gauge symmetry SU(3) × SU(2) × SU(2) × U(1)² × SU(3)′ × SO(10)′ × U(1)′ or SU(3) × SU(2) × U(1)³ × SU(4)′ × SO(8)′ × U(1)′.     

Prospects for supersymmetric SO(10) models with an intermediate mass scale

We investigate possible patterns of SO(10) gauge symmetry breaking compatible with supersymmetry, limiting ourselves to the cases with one intermediate breaking scale. It is found that the one where a 54 representation breaks SO(10) into a Pati-Salam group SU(4)_C×SU(2)_L×SU(2)_R and the one where a 210 breaks it into SU(3)_C× U(1)_C×SU(2)_L×SU(2)_R are the most preferable patterns when supersymmetry is taken into account. Two models with the Pati-Salam intermediate symmetry are studied in more detail.     

The link between the emergence of the GIM mechanism and the nature of the neutral-current parity violation

We show that minimization of the Higgs potential within the unifying symmetry [SU(4)]⁴ together with the requirement that the GIM mechanism should emerge as a consequence of spontaneous breakdown of the symmetry on the flavor side leaves us with onechoice regarding the nature of parity violation: charged current as well as neutral current parity violations must have one and the same origin; if the former is à la SU(2)_L×U(1), so must be the latter. Furthermore, there appear to be only two possible alternative forms for the low-energy electroweak symmetry: (i) the familiar SU(2)_L×U(1), and (ii) and extended symmetry SU(2)_L×U(1)_L×?(1)_R differing from the former only in the parity-conserving neutral current sector.     

Comments on the derivation of the mixing angles

It is pointed out that Fritzsch's derivation of the mixing angles for a six-quark theory based on a SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1) model is in error. The correct formula for the mixing angles differs significantly from Fritzsch's results.     

Chemical properties of anion vacancies on zinc oxide

A ZnO(404&#x0304;1) surface, which is a stepped [4(101&#x0304;0) × (0001)] surface containing a high density of anion vacancies was prepared. When compared with the nonpolar (101&#x0304;0) surface, the (404&#x0304;1) surface adsorbed O₂ and methanol more strongly, but CO₂ more weakly. The decomposition products of methanol were different on these two surfaces.     

Parity violation in left-right symmetric gauge models

The parity violating effective interaction in models based on the SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1) gauge group is shown to have the same structure, at zero momentum transfer, as in the Weinberg-Salam model, apart from a constant scale factor.     

Iodine etching of the GaAs(1&#x0304;1&#x0304;1&#x0304;)As surface studied by LEED,AES, and mass spectroscopy

The iodine interaction with the GaAs(1&#x0304;1&#x0304;1&#x0304;)As surface prepared by molecular beam epitaxy has been studied by LEED, LEED intensity measurements, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and computer controlled mass spectroscopic study of the whole desorption spectrum. It is shown that an iodine beam hitting the GaAs(1&#x0304;1&#x0304;1&#x0304;)As face at 300 K under UHV conditions etches the surface continuously. After this etching there remains an adsorbate of GaI_x where x is a number between 0 and 3. By thermal desorption of this GaI_x adsorbate an As stabilized GaAs(1&#x0304;1&#x0304;1&#x0304;)As surface showing a (2 × 2) structure can be prepared, which up to the present could be done only by molecular beam epitaxy.     

Quarks and leptons

We review the physics of quarks and leptons within the framework of gauge theories for the weak and electromagnetic interactions. The Weinberg-Salam SU(2) × U(1) theory is used as a “reference point” but models based on larger gauge groups, especially SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1), are discussed. We distinguish among thre “generations” of fundamental fermions: The first generation (e^?, ν_e, u, d), the second generation (μ^?, ν_μ, c, s) and the third generation (τ^?, ν_τ, t, b). For each generation we discuss the classification of all fermions, the charged and neutral weak currents, possible right-handed currents, parity and CP-violation, fermion masses and Cabibbo-like angles and related problems. We review theoretical ideas as well as experimental evidence, emphasizing open theoretical problems and possible experimental tests. The possibility of unifying the weak, electromagnetic and strong interactions in a grand unification scheme is reviewed. The problems and their possible solutions are presented, generation by generation, but a brief subject-index (following the table of contents) enables the interested reader to follow any specific topic throughout the three generations.