Top quark condensation from broken family symmetry

We investigate the vacuum alignment in a fully dynamical “moose” model which breaks electroweak symmetry with a top quark condensate and show how the prefered vacuum depends on the explicit masses of the fermions involved. Our results are also applicable to the cases in which electroweak symmetry is broken by a fourth family of quarks, or by a technicolour mechanism. Such moose models allow the scale of new physics, Λ, to be in the TeV range with the absence of flavour changing neutral currents ensured by a GIM mechanism.     

The fine-tuning of the generalised NMSSM

We determine the degree of fine-tuning needed in a generalised version of the NMSSM that follows from an underlying _Z4${\mathbb{Z}}_4$ or _Z8${\mathbb{Z}}_8$R-symmetry. We find that it is significantly less than is found in the MSSM or NMSSM and extends the range of Higgs mass that have acceptable fine-tuning. Remarkably the minimal fine-tuning is achieved for Higgs masses of around 130 GeV.     

On the Bose-Einstein condensation of free relativistic bosons with or without mass

The Bose-Einstein condensation of free relativistic particles [=(M ² c ⁴ +c ² p ² ) ^1/2 –Mc ² ] is studied rigorously. For massless bosons (=cp), the condensation transition of third (second) order occurs in2 (3) dimensions (D). The molar heat capacity follows the T ² (T ³ ) law below the condensation temperature T_c [k ^B T_c=(2 ² c ² n/1.645) ^1/2 [( ^{2 3} c ³ n/1.202) ^1/3 ], reaches4.38 (10.8) R at T=T_c, and approaches the high-temperature-limit value2 (3) R with no jump (a jump equal to6.75R) in2 (3)D. For finite-mass (M) bosons, the phase transition occurs only in3D with the condensation temperature T_c always smaller than that of the corresponding nonrelativistic bosons [=(2M) ^–1 p ² ]. If the mass M is reduced to zero, the condensation temperature T_c grows monotonically and reaches eventually that of massless relativistic bosons. This mass-dependence of T_c is therefore distinct from the case of nonrelativistic bosons, where T_c grows to infinity as M 0. A brief discussion is given for a possible connection with the normal-to-super transition of the independently moving Cooper pairs (bosons).     

Frequency fine-tuning in Class IV flextensional transducers

Class IV flextensional transducers (FTs) are the best-known FTs in literature. These are light-weight projectors (compared to the conventional Tonpilz designs) with capability for high power delivery at low frequencies. The resonance frequencies of this type of transducers are known to be dominantly dependent on the characteristics of the outer shell than on the driver stack. Consequently, the method of achieving fine-tuning of the transducer by modifying the characteristics of the stack, as practiced in the case of Tonpilz designs, is not very effective. This paper describes a method for fine-tuning of the frequency of a Class IV FT, which involves only a modification of a pair of small components used for coupling the stack to the transducer. The effectiveness of the method is examined by finite element modelling using the package ATILA, in the case of a 3 kHz aluminium shell transducer. Experimental results are also presented.     

Back-door fine-tuning in supersymmetric low scale inflation

Low scale inflation has many virtues and it has been claimed that its natural realisation in the supersymmetric Standard Model can be achieved rather easily. In this Letter we demonstrate that the dynamics of the hidden sector responsible for supersymmetry breaking and the structure of the soft terms affects significantly, and in fact often spoils, the would-be inflationary dynamics. We also point out that the issue of the cosmological constant cancellation in the post-inflationary vacuum strongly affects supersymmetric inflation. It is important to note the crucial difference between the freezing of the modulus and actually stabilising it—the first approach misses parts of the scalar potential which turn out to be relevant for inflation. We argue that it is more likely that low scale supersymmetric inflation occurs at a critical point at the origin of the field space than at an inflection point away from the origin, as the necessary fine-tuning in the second case is typically larger.     

Softly broken supersymmetry and the fine-tuning problem

The supersymmetry of the simple Wess-Zumino model is broken, in the tree-approximation, by adding all possible parity-even [mass]-dimension 2 and 3 terms. The model is then renormalized using BPHZ and the normal product algorithm, such that supersymmetry is only softly broken (in the original sense of Schroer and Symanzik).We show that, within the above renormalization scheme, none of the added breaking terms give rise to technical fine-tuning problems (defined in the sense of Gildener) in larger models, with scalar multiplets and hierarchy of mass scales, which is in contrast to what we obtain via analytic schemes such as dimensional renormalization, or supersymmetry extension of which.The discrepancy (which can be shown to persist in more general models) originates in the inherent local ambiguity in the finite parts of subtracted Feynman integrals. Emphasizing that the issue is purely technical (as opposed to physical) in origin, and that all physical properties are scheme-independent (as they should be!), we conclude that the technical fine-tuning problem, in the specific sense used in this paper, being scheme dependent, is not a well-defined issue within the context of renormalized perturbation theory.     

Morphology evolution of Si nanowires synthesized by gas condensation of SiO without any catalyst

A series of Si nanowires are synthesized at constant temperature of 970 ^○C on Si substrate by gas condensation of pure SiO vapor without any metal catalysts, by controlling the coverage of SiO_x deposits. The morphologies are characterized by scan electron microscopy (SEM) and their evolution during the growth process is observed: from isolated clusters in earlier stage to linked cluster assemblies, and developing to smooth nanowires in the later stage. The growth mechanism is discussed based on the newly proposed clustering-aggregation-sintering model.     

Charged condensation

We consider Bose–Einstein condensation of massive electrically charged scalars in a uniform background of charged fermions. We focus on the case when the scalar condensate screens the background charge, while the net charge of the system resides on its boundary surface. A distinctive signature of this substance is that the photon acquires a Lorentz-violating mass in the bulk of the condensate. Due to this mass, the transverse and longitudinal gauge modes propagate with different group velocities. We give qualitative arguments that at high enough densities and low temperatures a charged system of electrons and helium-4 nuclei, if held together by laboratory devices or by force of gravity, can form such a substance. We briefly discuss possible manifestations of the charged condensate in compact astrophysical objects.     

DNA condensation and size effects of DNA condensation agent

Based on the model of the strong correlation of counterions condensed on DNA molecule, by tailoring interaction potential, interduplex spacing and correlation spacing between condensed counterions on DNA molecule and interduplex spacing fluctuation strength, toroidal configuration, rod-like configuration and two-hole configurations are possible. The size effects of counterion structure on the toroidal structure can be detected by this model. The autocorrelation function of the tangent vectors is found as an effective way to detect the structure of toroidal conformations and the generic pathway of the process of DNA condensation. The generic pathway of all of the configurations involves an initial nucleation loop, and the next part of the DNA chain is folded on the top of the initial nucleation loop with different manners, in agreement with the recent experimental results.     

Manning-Oosawa counterion condensation

Counterion condensation is a basic feature of 2D electrostatics exhibited by highly charged rodlike polymers such as DNA. In the framework of the Poisson Boltzmann equation with salt, we show that such a polymer of radius a attracts a condensate of thickness RM=A(axi)1/2 where xi is the Debye length and A depends weakly on the polymer charge density q0. To leading order in 1/ln(xi/a), we derive the condensate structure and show that free ions follow universal density profiles independent of a and q0. Generalizing this approach we calculate ion profiles for finite concentration solutions.