Search for heavy particles decaying into electron-positron pairs in pp collisions

We present results of searches for technirho (rho(T)), techniomega (omega(T)), and Z' particles, using the decay channels rho(T),omega(T),Z'-->e(+)e(-). The search is based on 124.8 pb(-1) of data collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron during 1992-1996. In the absence of a signal, we set 95% C.L. upper limits on the cross sections for the processes pp-->rho(T),omega(T),Z'-->e(+)e(-) as a function of the mass of the decaying particle. For certain model parameters, we exclude the existence of degenerate rho(T) and omega(T) states with masses below about 200 GeV. We exclude a Z' with mass below 670 GeV, assuming that it has the same couplings to fermions as the Z boson.     

Ag‐doped TiO2 enhanced photocatalytic oxidation of 1,2‐cyclohexanediol

The superiority of silver‐doped titania for photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) of organic compounds inspired us to investigate PCO of 1,2‐cyclohexanediol. Ag/TiO₂ was prepared, characterized (nanosize 19–24 nm) and used for oxidation of 1,2‐cyclohexanediol (1) in acetonitrile. The photolysate was analyzed using GC and GC/MS techniques. The PCO products are 2‐hydroxylcyclohexanone (2), 1,2‐cyclohexandione (3), 2‐cyclohexenone(4), cyclohexanone (5), and adipic acid (6).The formation of electron–hole pair at the surface of the catalyst followed by oxidation reactions was the suggested mechanism. Kinetic studies revealed first‐order mechanism for PCO of 1 and rate constant (k) = ?0.145 h^–1. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Magnetocaloric properties in the Cr-doped La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 manganites

Single-phase polycrystalline samples of La_0.7Sr_0.3Mn_1-xCr_xO₃ with nominal composition of x=0.00, 0.20, 0.40 and 0.50 were prepared by a conventional solid-state reaction method in air. Investigations of magnetization were carried out in the temperature range 5-400 K and magnetic field range 0-8 T. It was found that the Curie temperature T_C decreases with increasing x and the maximum magnetic entropy change (−ΔS_M) for x=0.20 is ∼1.203 and ∼2.653 J/kg K, respectively for 2 and 6 T magnetic field near the temperature of 280 K.     

Ab-initio calculations of structural,electronic,and optical properties of Zn_3(VO_4)_2

The structural, electronic, and optical properties of Zn_3(VO_4)_2 are investigated using full potential linearized augmented plane wave(FP-LAPW) method within the framework of density functional theory(DFT). Various approaches are adopted to treat the exchange and correlation potential energy such as generalized gradient approximation(GGA),GGA+U, and the Tran–Blaha modified Becke–Johnson(TB-mBJ) potential. The calculated band gap of 3.424 eV by TB-mBJ is found to be close to the experimental result(3.3 eV). The optical anisotropy is analyzed through optical constants,such as dielectric function and absorption coefficient along parallel and perpendicular crystal orientations. The absorption coefficient reveals high absorption(1.5 × 10~(6) cm~(-1)) of photons in the ultraviolet region.     

New Method of Calculating a Multiplication by using the Generalized Bernstein-Vazirani Algorithm

We present a new method of more speedily calculating a multiplication by using the generalized Bernstein-Vazirani algorithm and many parallel quantum systems. Given the set of real values \(\{a_{1},a_{2},a_{3},\ldots ,a_{N}\}\) and a function \(g:\textbf {R}\rightarrow \{0,1\}\), we shall determine the following values \(\{g(a_{1}),g(a_{2}),g(a_{3}),\ldots , g(a_{N})\}\) simultaneously. The speed of determining the values is shown to outperform the classical case by a factor of \(N\). Next, we consider it as a number in binary representation; M₁ = (g(a₁),g(a₂),g(a₃),…,g(a _N )). By using \(M\) parallel quantum systems, we have \(M\) numbers in binary representation, simultaneously. The speed of obtaining the \(M\) numbers is shown to outperform the classical case by a factor of \(M\). Finally, we calculate the product; \( M_{1}\times M_{2}\times \cdots \times M_{M}. \) The speed of obtaining the product is shown to outperform the classical case by a factor of N × M.     

Efficient terahertz coupling lens based on planar photonic crystals on silicon on insulator

We present a promising coupling device, namely, a terahertz (THz) planar photonic crystal (PhC) lens based on the effective refractive-index contrast between the PhC and the surrounding unpatterned area. Three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain calculations show a 90% power transfer from a 100-microm silicon waveguide to a 10-microm waveguide, and 45% coupling efficiency is confirmed experimentally. These results demonstrate the utility of the PhC lens as an effective approach to coupling into PhC THz circuits.     

Polarization-selective grating mirrors used in the generation of radial polarization

Two novel methods to control the polarization of laser radiation are presented. The discrimination between different polarization distributions isperformed with a corrugation grating in the top high-index layer of a multilayer mirror, which couples the undesired polarization into a lossy waveguidemode of the multilayer. The generation of radially polarized radiation in a laser resonator is presented as a practical verification of the principle.This revised version was published online in May 2005. The Article Category was removed.This revised version was published online in August 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Exploring structure–selectivity relationships of biogenic amine GPCR antagonists using similarity searching and dynamic compound mapping

We design and analyze compound selectivity sets of antagonists with differential selectivity against seven biogenic amine G-protein coupled receptors. The selectivity sets consist of a total of 267 antagonists and contain a spectrum of in part closely related molecular scaffolds. Each set represents a different selectivity profile. Using these com- pound sets, a systematic computational analysis of structure-selectivity relationships is carried out with different 2D similarity methods including fingerprints, recursive partitioning, clustering, and dynamic compound mapping. Screening calculations are performed in a background database containing nearly four million molecules. Fingerprint searching and compound mapping are found to enrich target-selective antagonists over family-selective ones. Dynamic compound mapping effectively discriminates database compounds from GPCR antagonists and consistently retains target-selective antagonists during the final dimension extension levels. Furthermore, the widely used MACCS key fingerprint displays a strong tendency to distinguish between target- and family-selective GPCR antagonists. Taken together, the results indicate that different types of 2D similarity methods are capable of distinguishing closely related molecules having different selectivity. The reported compound benchmark system is made freely available in order to enable selectivity-oriented analyses using other computational approaches.     

Exclusive B→K<Subscript>1</Subscript>ℓ<Superscript>+</Superscript>ℓ<Superscript>-</Superscript> decay in model with single universal extra dimension

Decay rate and forward–backward asymmetries in B→K₁ℓ⁺ℓ^-, where K₁ is the axial vector meson, are calculated in the universal extra dimension (UED) model. The dependence of these physical quantities on the compactification radius R, the only unknown parameter in UED model, is studied, and it is shown that the zero of the forward–backward asymmetry is sensitive to the UED model; therefore they can be a very useful tool to establish new physics predicted by the UED model. This work is briefly extended to B→K^*l⁺l^-.