Forward circularly polarized photon emission in longitudinally polarized e+e− collisions

We discuss the emission of circularly polarized forward photons in high energy e⁺e⁻ collisions with longitudinally polarized beams. We find substantial asymmetry under inversion of longitudinal electron polarization, thus supporting the proposal that measurement of circular polarization of forward emitted photons may allow for monitoring of longitudinal beam polarization.     

High-intensity and high-brightness source of moderated positrons using a brilliant γ beam

Presently, large efforts are conducted toward the development of highly brilliant γ beams via Compton back scattering of photons from a high-brilliance electron beam, either on the basis of a normal-conducting electron linac or a (super-conducting) Energy Recovery Linac (ERL). Particularly, ERLs provide an extremely brilliant electron beam, thus enabling the generation of highest-quality γ beams. A 2.5 MeV γ beam with an envisaged intensity of 10¹⁵ photons s⁻¹, as ultimately envisaged for an ERL-based γ-beam facility, narrow band width (10⁻³), and extremely low emittance (10⁻⁴ mm² mrad²) offers the possibility to produce a high-intensity bright polarized positron beam. Pair production in a face-on irradiated W converter foil (200 μm thick, 10 mm long) would lead to the emission of 2×10¹³ (fast) positrons per second, which is four orders of magnitude higher compared to strong radioactive ²²Na sources conventionally used in the laboratory. Using a stack of converter foils and subsequent positron moderation, a high-intensity low-energy beam of moderated positrons can be produced. Two different source setups are presented: a high-brightness positron beam with a diameter as low as 0.2 mm, and a high-intensity beam of 3×10¹¹ moderated positrons per second. Hence, profiting from an improved moderation efficiency, the envisaged positron intensity would exceed that of present high-intensity positron sources by a factor of 100.     

The weak neutral charge and coherent photoproduction of lepton pairs

The production of e⁺e⁻ pairs in the nuclear electroweak field from intermediate energy circularly polarized photons is studied. The polarization asymmetry provides a measurement of the weak charge induced by neutral current interactions. The analysis is made for the double differential cross section corresponding to the energy spectrum and angular distribution of the outgoing positron. Predictions, within the standard model, of the parity violating asymmetry reach values near 10⁻⁴ at incident photon energies of 500 MeV and positrons in the backward hemisphere.     

Observation of polarized positrons from an undulator-based source

An experiment (E166) at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center has demonstrated a scheme in which a multi-GeV electron beam passed through a helical undulator to generate multi-MeV, circularly polarized photons which were then converted in a thin target to produce positrons (and electrons) with longitudinal polarization above 80% at 6 MeV. The results are in agreement with GEANT4 simulations that include the dominant polarization-dependent interactions of electrons, positrons, and photons in matter.     

Power losses in the international linear collider 20 mrad extraction line at 1 TeV

We have performed a detailed study of the power losses in the post-collision extraction line of a TeV e ⁺ e ⁻ collider with a crossing angle of 20 mrad at the interaction point. Five cases were considered: four luminosity configurations for ILC and one for CLIC. For all of them, the strong beam-beam effects at the interaction point lead to an emittance growth for the outgoing beam, as well as to the production of beamstrahlung photons and e ⁺ e ⁻ coherent pairs. The power losses along the extraction line, which are due to energy deposition by a fraction of the disrupted beam, of the beamstrahlung photons and of the coherent pairs, were estimated in the case of ideal collisions, as well as with a vertical position or angular offset at the interaction point.      

Positron spectra from internal pair conversion observed in 238U + 181Ta collisions

We present new results from measurements and simulations of positron spectra, originating from ²³⁸U + ¹⁸¹Ta collisions at beam energies close to the Coulomb barrier. The measurements were performed using an improved experimental setup at the double-Orange spectrometer of GSI. Particular emphasis is put on the signature of positrons from Internal-Pair-Conversion (IPC) processes in the measured e⁺-energy spectra, following the de-excitation of electromagnetic transitions in the moving Ta-like nucleus. It is shown by Monte Carlo simulations that, for the chosen current sweeping procedure used in the present experiments, positron emission from discrete IPC transitions can lead to rather narrow line structures in the measured energy spectra. The measured positron spectra do not show evidence for line structures within the statistical accuracy achieved, although expected from the intensities of the observed γ-transitions ( E _γ∼ 1250-1600 keV) and theoretical conversion coefficients. This is due to the reduced detection efficiency for IPC positrons, caused by the limited spatial and momentum acceptance of the spectrometer. A comparison with previous results, in which lines have been observed, is presented and the implications are discussed. Received: 27 April 2000 / Accepted: 14 September 2000     

Extremely cold positrons for antihydrogen production

The storage of extremely cold (4 K) antiprotons in a Penning trap is an important step toward the creation and study of cold antihydrogen. The other required ingredient, the largest possible number of comparably cold positrons, is still lacking. These would be recombined in a high vacuum with the trapped antiprotons, already stored at a pressure below 5×10⁻¹⁷ Torr, thereby avoiding annihilation of the antihydrogen atoms before they can be used in high accuracy measurements or in controlled collision experiments. In an exploratory experiment, positrons from a 18 mCi²²Na source follow fringing field lines of a 6 T superconducting solenoid through tiny apertures in the electrodes of a Penning trap to strike a tungsten (reflection) moderator. The positron beam is chopped mechanically and a lock-in directly detects a positron current of 2.5×10⁶e⁺/s on the moderator. The use of a moderator, unlike an earlier experiment in which < 100 positrons were confined in vacuum, should greatly increase the number of positrons trapped in high vacuum.     

Measuring the Michel parameter ξ'

Unlike the majority of Michel parameters which are consistent with the Standard Model V-A interaction, the experimental value of ξ″(=0.65±0.36) [1] is poorly known. Our experiment will measure the longitudinal polarization, P _L , of positrons emitted from the decay of polarized muons. The value of P _L , equal to unity in the Standard Model, will decrease for high energy positrons emitted antiparallel to the muon spin if the combination of Michel parameters ξ″/ξξ′ − 1 deviates from the Standard Model value of zero. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Study of Δ(1232) isobar electroproduction at the VEPP-2M e + e − collider

Results from the Spherical Nonmagnetic Detector (SND) on Δ(1232) isobar electroproduction in the collisions of beam electrons (positrons) and residual gas nuclei in the VEPP-2M e ⁺ e ⁻ collider are presented. On the basis of the data obtained the expected counting rate of this process in future high-luminosity e ⁺ e ⁻ colliders (φ, c-τ, and b factories) is estimated. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 10, 737–740 (25 May 1998) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Precise calculations of observables of polarized møller scattering: From JLAB to ILC energies

One-loop electroweak corrections to observables of the reaction e ⁻ e ⁻ → e ⁻ e ⁻(γ) were calculated over a broad range of energies: from conditions of the MOLLER experiment at the Thomas Jefferson Laboratory (JLab) to those of planned experiments at the International Linear Collider (ILC). The dependence of various contributions to the observable polarization asymmetry on various renormalization conditions was studied within the scheme of on-shell renormalization. The results were obtained by two methods: precisely, by applying the FeynArts, FormCalc, LoopTools, and Form computer codes, and approximately, with the aid of the asymptotic-estimation methods. The resulting compact formulas are absolutely free from nonphysical parameters and are convenient for deducing numerical estimates. It is shown that the total one-loop correction is independent of renormalization conditions and takes an identical value within different computational schemes.     

A high-pressure polarized <Superscript>3</Superscript>He gas target for nuclear-physics experiments using a polarized photon beam

Following the first experiment on three-body photodisintegration of polarized ³He utilizing circularly polarized photons from High-Intensity Gamma Source (HIg \gamma S) at Duke Free Electron Laser Laboratory (DFELL), a new high-pressure polarized ³He target cell made of pyrex glass coated with a thin layer of sol-gel doped with aluminum nitrate nonahydrate has been built in order to reduce the photon beam-induced background. The target is based on the technique of spin exchange optical pumping of hybrid rubidium and potassium and the highest polarization achieved is ∼ 62% determined from both NMR-AFP and EPR polarimetries. The phenomenological parameter that reflects the additional unknown spin relaxation processes, X , is estimated to be ∼ 0.10 and the performance of the target is in good agreement with theoretical predictions. We also present beam test results from this new target cell and the comparison with the GE180 ³He target cell used previously at HIg \gamma S. This is the first time that the sol-gel coating technique has been used in a polarized ³He target for nuclear-physics experiments.     

RHIC polarized proton status and plan

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) as the first high energy polarized proton collider has been providing collisions at a beam energy of 100 GeV since 2001. Equipped with two full Siberian snakes in each ring, polarization is preserved during the acceleration from injection to 100 GeV with careful control of the betatron tunes and the vertical orbit distortions. In the latest RHIC polarized proton run in 2006, a peak luminosity of 28 × 10³⁰cm⁻² s⁻¹ with 60% average polarization at store was achieved. During the run, RHIC also demonstrated its capability in providing a combination of polarized proton collisions with longitudinal polarization and radial polarization were provided to the STAR experiment and PHENIX experiment with the local spin rotators installed on either side of the STAR detector and PHENIX detector. Polarized protons were also first accelerated to 250 GeV at the end of RHIC 2006 run with a 46% polarization measured at this new store energy in one of the RHIC accelerators. Currently, the luminosity in RHIC is limited by the beam-beam effect. The plan is to triple the luminosity. Plans to achieve polarized proton collision at 250 GeV are also reported.     

Space–time structure of new physics with polarized beams at the linear collider

We approach the issue of the discovery of new physics at high energies associated with the proposed International Linear Collider in the presence of longitudinal as well as transverse electron and positron beam polarization. We determine the beam polarization dependence and the angular distribution of a particle of arbitrary spin in a one-particle inclusive final state produced in e⁺e^- collisions through the interference of γ or Z amplitude with the amplitude from new interactions having arbitrary space–time structure. We thus extend the results of Dass and Ross, proposed at the time of the discovery of neutral currents, to beyond the standard model currents. We also extend the case of e⁺e^- annihilation in the s-channel to the production of bosons due to t- and u-channel processes. Our work provides an approach to model-independent determination of the space–time structure of beyond the standard model interactions. We briefly discuss applications of the framework to popular extensions of the standard model, and demonstrate that our framework is general enough to account for certain results in the minimal supersymmetric standard model.     

Effect of anomalous tbW vertex on decay-lepton distributions in e + e − → tt and CP-violating asymmetries

We obtain analytic expressions for the energy and polar-angle double differential distributions of a secondary lepton l ⁺ (l ⁻) arising from the decay of t(t) in e ⁺ e ⁻ → tt with an anomalous tbW decay vertex. We also obtain analytic expressions for the various differential cross-sections with the lepton energy integrated over. In this case, we find that the angular distributions of the secondary lepton do not depend on the anomalous coupling in the decay, regardless of possible anomalous couplings occurring in the production amplitude for e ⁺ e ⁻ → tt. Our study includes the effect of longitudinal e ⁻ and e ⁺ beam polarization. We also study the lepton energy and beam polarization dependence of certain CP-violating lepton angular asymmetries arising from an anomalous tbW decay vertex and compare them with the asymmetries arising due to CP-violation in the production process due to the top electric or weak dipole moment.     

A New High-intensity, Low-momentum Muon Beam for the Generation of Low-energy Muons at PSI

At the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI, Villigen, Switzerland) a new high-intensity muon beam line with momentum p < 40 MeV/c is currently being commissioned. The beam line is especially designed to serve the needs of the low-energy, polarized positive muon source (LE-μ⁺) and LE-μ SR spectrometer at PSI. The beam line replaces the existing μ E4 muon decay channel. A large acceptance is accomplished by installing two solenoidal magnetic lenses close to the muon production target E that is hit by the 590-MeV PSI proton beam. The muons are then transported by standard large aperture quadrupoles and bending magnets to the experiment. Several slit systems and an electrostatic separator allow the control of beam shape, momentum spread, and to reduce the background due to beam positrons or electrons. Particle intensities of up to 3.5 × 10⁸ μ⁺/s and 10⁷ μ⁻/s are expected at 28 MeV/c beam momentum and 1.8 mA proton beam current. This will translate into a LE-μ⁺ rate of 7,000/s being available at the LE-μ SR spectrometer, thus achieving μ⁺ fluxes, that are comparable to standard μ SR facilities.     

Production of relativistic antihydrogen atoms by pair production with positron capture and measurement of the Lamb shift

A beam of relativistic antihydrogen atoms — the bound state ( e⁺) — can be created by circulating the beam of an antiproton storage ring through an internal gas target. An antiproton which passes through the Coulomb field of a nucleus will create e⁺e⁻ pairs, and antihydrogen will form when a positron is created in a bound instead of continuum state about the antiproton. The cross section for this process is roughly 3Z ² pb for antiproton momenta about 6 GeV/c. A sample of 600 antihydrogen atoms in a low-emittance, neutral beam will be made in 1995 as an accidental byproduct of Fermilab experiment E760. We describe a simple experiment, Fermilab Proposal P862, which can detect this beam, and outline how a sample of a few-10⁴ atoms can be used to measure the antihydrogen Lamb shift to 1 %. Work supported in part by Department of Energy contract DE-AC03-76SF00515 (SLAC). Work supported by Fondo Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Chile.     

A portable positron accumulator for antihydrogen formation

A pulsed source of positrons has been developed which may be useful for antihydrogen ( ) formation because it is portable when compared to accelerator-based sources. This positron accumulator uses a Penning-style trap to collect moderated positrons from a radioactive source. The positron pulses may be emitted with repetition rates in the range of 50–1000 Hz, which is appropriate for production schemes involving laser-induced recombination. Bunching techniques may be used to vary the width of the positron pulses over the range 30–120 ns (FWHM) to match the width of the antiproton and/or laser pulses. The efficiency of the accumulator increases from ∼ 10% at 100 Hz to ∼ 50% at 1000 Hz. 250 Hz the efficiency is ∼ 25% and the accumulator has delivered up to 8 e⁺/pulse per mCi of positron activity. This translates into ∼ 1.2 × 10⁵ e⁺/pulse for a 100 Ci⁵⁸Co source.     

Polar angle dependence of the longitudinal polarization of quarks produced in e+e−-annihilation

We calculate one-loop radiative QCD corrections to the three polarized and unpolarized structure functions that determine the beam-quark polar angle dependence of the longitudinal polarization of light and heavy quarks produced in e⁺e^?-annihilations. We present analytical and numerical results for the longitudinal polarization and its polar angle dependence. We discuss in some detail the zero-mass limit of our results and the role of the anomalous spin-flip contributions to the polarization observables in the zero-mass limit. Our discussion includes transverse and longitudinal beam polarization effects.     

Physics opportunities with polarized e − and e + beams at TESLA

Beam polarization at e⁺-e^– linear colliders will be a powerful tool for high precision analyses. Often it is assumed that the full information from polarization effects is provided by polarization of the electron beam and no further information can be obtained by the simultaneous polarization of the positrons. In this paper we point out the advantages of polarizing both beams, and summarize the polarization-related results of the Higgs, Electroweak, QCD, SUSY and Alternative Theories working groups of the ECFA/DESY workshop for a planned linear collider operating in the energy range s = 500-800 GeV.     

Complementarity of the CERN Large Hadron Collider and the <Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis><Superscript>+</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis><Superscript>−</Superscript> International Linear Collider

The next-generation high-energy facilities, the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the prospective e ⁺ e ⁻ International Linear Collider (ILC), are expected to unravel new structures of matter and forces from the electroweak scale to the TeV scale. In this report we review the complementary role of LHC and ILC in drawing a comprehensive and high-precision picture of the mechanism breaking the electroweak symmetries and generating mass, and the unification of forces in the frame of supersymmetry. Extended version of Ref. [1] to be published in “Supersymmetry on the Eve of the LHC”, a special volume of European Physical Journal C, Particles and Fields (EPJC) in memory of Julius Wess.