Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of $\mathrm{Al}_{3}\mathrm{O}_{3}^{-}$: photoisomerization versus photofragmentation

In general, clusters are unstable and in many cases several metastable isomers exist even at low temperature. Therefore, a cluster may react with a dramatic geometry change to a small disturbance such as a weak field or to the absorption of a low-energy photon. Here, we study the response of Al₃O₃^-\mathrm{Al}_{3}\mathrm{O}_{3}^{-} to photoexcitation using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. Earlier experimental and theoretical studies suggested that this cluster anion undergoes a geometry change after photoexcitation. In contrast, our time-resolved spectra indicate that photoexcitation triggers ultra-fast fragmentation. This example demonstrates that ultra-fast processes in clusters are not well understood and that it is still difficult to gain reliable experimental data about such processes.     

Photodissociation of trapped \mathrm{H}_{2}^{+} ions for REMPD spectroscopy

We study the photodissociation of trapped $\mathrm{H}_{2}^{+}$ ions by 248?nm light from an excimer laser. Our results are in good agreement with calculated populations and photodissociation cross sections of the involved vibrational levels and yield a determination of the ion cloud radius. These data are used to obtain a reliable estimate of the efficiency of the resonance-enhanced multiphoton dissociation (REMPD) scheme in our $\mathrm{H}_{2}^{+}$ vibrational spectroscopy experiment. We go on to estimate the expected signal-to-noise ratio and discuss future improvements of the experimental setup.     

Proton-antiproton annihilation into a \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{{\Lambda}}_{c}^{-} pair

The process p $ \bar{{p}}$ $ \rightarrow$ $ \Lambda_{c}^{+}$ $ \bar{{\Lambda}}_{c}^{-}$ is investigated within the handbag approach. It is shown to lowest order of perturbative QCD that, under the assumption of restricted parton virtualities and transverse momenta, the dominant dynamical mechanism, characterized by the partonic subprocess u $ \bar{{u}}$ $ \rightarrow$ c $ \bar{{c}}$ , factorizes in the sense that only the subprocess contains highly virtual partons, namely a gluon, while the hadronic matrix elements embody only soft scales and can be parameterized in terms of helicity flip and non-flip generalized parton distributions. Modelling the latter functions by overlaps of light-cone wave functions for the involved baryons we are able to predict cross-sections and spin correlation parameters for the process of interest.     

\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*} chemiluminescence study at low and elevated pressures

Chemiluminescence experiments have been performed to assess the state of current $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ kinetics modeling. The difficulty with modeling $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ lies in its broad emission spectrum, making it a challenge to isolate it from background emission of species such as CH^? and CH₂O^?. Experiments were performed in a mixture of 0.0005H₂+0.01N₂O+0.03CO+0.9595Ar in an attempt to isolate $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ emission. Temperatures ranged from 1654 K to 2221 K at two average pressures, 1.4 and 10.4 atm. The unique time histories of the various chemiluminescence species in the unconventional mixture employed at these conditions allow for easy identification of the $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ concentration. Two different wavelengths to capture $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ were used; one optical filter was centered at 415 nm and the other at 458 nm. The use of these two different wavelengths was done to verify that broadband $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ was in fact being captured, and not emission from other species such as CH^? and CH₂O^?. As a baseline for time history and peak magnitude comparison, OH^? emission was captured at 307 nm simultaneously with the two $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ filters. The results from the two $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ filters were consistent with each other, implying that indeed the same species (i.e., $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ ) was being measured at both wavelengths. A first-generation kinetics model for $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ and CH₂O^? was developed, since no comprehensively validated one exists to date. CH₂O^? and CH^? were ruled out as being present in the experiments at any measurable level, based on calculations and comparisons with the data. Agreement with the $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ model was only fair, which necessitates future improvements for a better understanding of $\mathrm{CO}_{2}^{*}$ chemiluminescence as well as the kinetics of the ground state species.     

Improved search for $B_{s}^{0} - \overline{B}_{s}^{0}$ oscillations

An improved search for B _s ⁰ oscillations is performed in the ALEPH data sample collected during the first phase of LEP, and reprocessed in 1998. Three analyses based on complementary event selections are presented. First, decays of B _s ⁰ mesons into hadronic flavour eigenstates are fully reconstructed. This selection yields a small sample of candidates with excellent decay length and momentum resolution and hi gh average B _s ⁰ purity. Semileptonic decays with a reconstructed D _s ^- meson provide a second sample with larger statistics, high average B _s ⁰ purity, but a poorer momentum and decay length resolution due to the partial decay reconstruction. Finally, semileptonic b-hadron decays are inclusively selected and yield the data sample with the highest sensitivity to B _s ⁰ oscillations, as the much higher statistics compensate for the low average B _s ⁰ purity and poorer time resolution. A lower limit is set atps^-1 at 95% C.L., significantly lower than the expected limit of 15.2 ps^-1. Received: 21 February 2003 / Published online: 11 June 2003     

Study of semileptonic decay of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0} \rightarrow \phi {l}^{+}{l}^{-}$ in QCD sum rule

In this work we study the semileptonic decay of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {l}^{+}{l}^{-}$ (l=e, μ, τ) with the QCD sum rule method. We calculate the ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi $ translation form factors relevant to this semileptonic decay, then the branching ratios of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {l}^{+}{l}^{-}$ (l=e, μ, τ) decays are calculated with the form factors obtained here. Our result for the branching ratio of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ agree very well with the recent experimental data. For the unmeasured decay modes such as ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {e}^{+}{e}^{-}$ and ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {\tau }^{+}{\tau }^{-}$, we give theoretical predictions.     

Extracting the low-energy constant ${L}_{0}^{r}$ at three flavors from pion-kaon scattering

Based on our analysis of the contributions from the connected and disconnected contraction diagrams to the pion-kaon scattering amplitude, we provide the first determination of the only free low-energy constant at ${ \mathcal O }({p}^{4})$, known as ${L}_{0}^{r}$, in SU (4∣1) Partially-Quenched Chiral Perturbation theory using the data from the Extended Twisted Mass collaboration, ${L}_{0}^{r}(\mu ={M}_{\rho })=0.77(20)(25)(7)(7)(2)\cdot {10}^{-3}$. The theory uncertainties originate from the unphysical scattering length, the physical low-energy constants, the higher-order chiral corrections, the (lattice) meson masses and the pion decay constant, respectively.     

Characterization of the current-induced resistive spots in superconducting \hbox {YBa}_{2} \hbox {Cu}_{3} \hbox {O}_{7} strips

For over a decade, ultrathin superconducting films have been developed for the detection of single photons at optical or near infrared frequencies, with competitive performances in terms of quantum efficiency, speed, and low dark count rate. In order to avoid the requirement of helium refrigeration, we consider here the use of high temperature materials, known to achieve very fast responsiveness to laser irradiation. We excite thin filaments of the cuprate \(\hbox {YBa}_{2} \hbox {Cu}_{3} \hbox {O}_{7}\) by rectangular pulses of supercritical current so as to produce either a phase-slip centre (PSC) or a normal hot spot (HS), according to the temperature and the current amplitude selected. That procedure provides information about the maximum bias current to be used in a particle detector, about the return current back to the quiescent state after excitation, and about the rate of growth and decay of a HS. We also measure the time of PSC nucleation. A unique feature of that approach is to provide the rate of heat transfer between the film and its substrate at whatever temperature, in the superconducting state, in the practical conditions of operation.     

Diffusion processes of trimers on missing row surfaces: \mathrm{Cu }_{3}/\mathrm{Ag }(110) and \mathrm{Ag }_{3}/\mathrm{Cu }(110)

A semi-empirical potential according to the embedded atom, has been applied to investigate the diffusion of trimers by computing the energy barriers for different mechanisms. Our attention was more focused on the leapfrog process which is likely to occur on missing row surfaces. The activation barriers of this mechanism are calculated using drag method at 0K. These barriers are found to be 0.64 and 0.68 eV for hopping out the channel for $\mathrm{Cu }_{3}/\mathrm{Ag }(110) \mathrm{and Ag }_{3}/\mathrm{Cu }$ (110) respectively. While for hopping down at the other side they are about 0.42 and 0.32 eV. Moreover, a deep metastable position is observed during leapfrog diffusion leading to some spectacular trimer motion. At high temperature and essentially for $\mathrm{Cu }_{3}/\mathrm{Ag }$ (110), we also observed a competition between leapfrog process and concerted jump mechanism with a deformation of trimer geometry. Implications of these findings are briefly discussed.     

Hyperfine splitting constants in the optical transition \boldsymbol{{4{f}^{7}} {6{s}^{2}} \;{^{8}{\rm S}_{7/2}} \to {4{f}^{7}} {6{s}6{p}}\; {^{6}{\rm P}_{5/2}} \ {\rm of} \ {^{151-155}{\rm Eu}}} isotopes and hyperfine anomaly

Using the method of laser-induced fluorescence in an atomic beam we have measured the hyperfine splitting constants, A and B, of the ground and excited states of the optical transition 4f ⁷6s ^{2 8}S $_{1/2}\to 4f^{7}$ 6s6p ⁶P_5/2 (564.58 nm) for ^151???155Eu isotopes. For all isotopes, the magnetic dipole constants of the ⁶P_5/2 atomic level are determined to a precision better than 0.04%. The A and B constants for the ground state ⁸S_7/2 of the radioactive ^152,154,155Eu were obtained for the first time with a precision better than 0.5%. Our data along with previous ground state hyperfine structure measurements for the stable europium isotopes allow us to determine the hyperfine anomaly for mentioned Eu isotopes.     

Impurity effects of the Λhyperon in the hypernuclear systems ${}_{{\rm{\Lambda }}}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}$ and ${}_{{\rm{\Lambda }}}^{29}\mathrm{Si}$

Based on the beyond-mean-field Skyrme–Hartree–Fock model, impurity effects of the Λhyperon in the hypernuclear systems ${}_{\,{\rm{\Lambda }}}^{25}$ Mg and ${}_{\,{\rm{\Lambda }}}^{29}$ Si are investigated, respectively. Four cases, in which the Λhyperon occupies the single-particle orbitals ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[000]${\tfrac{1}{2}}^{+}$, ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[110]${\tfrac{1}{2}}^{-}$, ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[101]${\tfrac{3}{2}}^{-}$ and ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[101]${\tfrac{1}{2}}^{-}$, are focused. In each case, the potential energy surface and the energy curves projected on certain angular momenta are employed to show the influence of the Λhyperon on the nuclear core. Beside the shrinkage effect that is induced by the Λhyperon occupying the s_Λ orbital, it is found that the Λhyperon on the p_Λ orbital, ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[110]${\tfrac{1}{2}}^{-}$, drives the nuclear core toward a prolate shape, while the ones on the other two p_Λ orbitals, ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[101]${\tfrac{3}{2}}^{-}$ and ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[101]${\tfrac{1}{2}}^{-}$, drive the nuclear core toward an oblate shape. The energy spectra and the corresponding intra-band E2 transition rates for the rotational bands are given as a prediction for future experiments.     

A search for a narrow radial excitation of the $\mathrm{D}^{*\pm}$ Meson

A sample of 3.73 million hadronic Z decays, recorded with the OPAL detector at LEP in the years 1991–95, has been used to search for a narrow resonance corresponding to the decay of the meson into . The mesons are reconstructed in the decay channel with . No evidence for a narrow resonance is found. A limit on the production of narrow in hadronic Z decays is derived: Received: 16 January 2001 / Published online: 28 May 2001