Algebra of charges in the supersymmetric nonlinear σ model

We examine the algebra of the nonlocal charges in the supersymmetric nonlinear σ model and show that they satisfy a nonlinear algebra at the tree-level. We also discuss other interesting questions like the transformation of these charges under a supersymmetry transformation and speculate that this algebra possibly continues to hold in the full quantum theory.     

Optical bistability and multistability in a photorefractive bidirectional ring oscillator

We consider optical bistability and multistability based on the theory of bidirectional oscillations induced by four-wave mixing (FWM) in a photorefractive (PR) phaseconjugate ring resonator model. Bistable and multistable effects of the intensity of oscillation have been established numerically using a successive bisection method that can predict repeated roots as well as discontinuities.Oscillation intensities are studied as a function of parameters such as the nonlinear coupling strength (gL), the ratio of pump beam intensities (R) and the product of reflection coefficients of three cavity mirrors (|r|). It is shown that for certain combinations of these parameters and assuming that gL exceeds its threshold value, the oscillation intensity becomes double-valued or multivalued corresponding to the number of oscillating modes in the cavity. The multiplicity of solutions as well as the possible regions of bistable/multistable branches are greatly affected by the sign of gL and also depend on whether R and |r| are greater than or less than unity.     

Study of effects of dopants on structure of vitreous semiconductors (GeSe3.5)100-xMx (M = Bi,Sb) using high pressure techniques

An investigation of the problem of controlled doping of amorphous chalcogenide semiconductors utilizing a Bridgman anvil high pressure technique, has been undertaken. Bulk amorphous semiconducting materials (GeSe_3.5)_100-x doped with M = Bi (x = 2, 4, 10) and M = Sb (x = 10) respectively are studied up to a pressure of 100 kbar down to liquid nitrogen temperature, with a view to observe the impurity induced modifications. Measurement of the electrical conductivity of the doped samples under quasi-hydrostatic pressure reveals that the pressure induced effects in lightly doped (2 at % Bi) and heavily doped (x = 4, 10) semiconductors are markedly different. The pressure effects in Sb-doped semiconductors are quite different from those in Bi-doped material.     

A possible connection between neutrino mass generation and the lightness of a NMSSM pseudoscalar

One of the interesting properties of the NMSSM is that it can accommodate a light pseudoscalar of order 10 GeV. However, such scenarios are challenged by several experimental constraints, especially those related to the fermionic decays of the pseudoscalar. In this Letter, we extend the NMSSM field content by two gauge singlets, with lepton numbers +1 and −1. This serves the twin purpose of generating neutrino masses via the inverse seesaw mechanism and keeping the option of a very light pseudoscalar experimentally viable by opening dominant invisible decay channels of the pseudoscalar which help it evade the existing bounds.     

Working group report: Collider Physics

This is summary of the activities of the working group on collider physics in the IXth Workshop on High Energy Physics Phenomenology (WHEPP-9) held at the Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar, India in January 2006. Some of the work subsequently done on these problems by the subgroups formed during the workshop is included in this report.     

Field-induced phase transitions and reversible field-induced inversion of chirality in tilted smectic phases of bent-core mesogens

Three homologous achiral five-ring bent-core mesogens are presented where 4-chlororesorcinol is the central core and the aromatic rings are linked by ester groups. These compounds form smectic phases with a tilted arrangement of the molecules (tilt angle ≈ 45^°). On cooling the isotropic liquid this phase adopts a fan-like texture which shows for two homologues at relatively high electric fields ( 25-35V μm^-1) an antiferroelectric electro-optical response based on the collective rotation of the molecules around their long axes. At lower temperature the application of a sufficiently high electric field leads to a continuous transition into a non-birefringent texture which exhibits randomly distributed domains of opposite handedness. These domains can be reversibly switched into a state of opposite chirality by reversal of the field polarity. This switching is bistable and shows a current response typical for a ferroelectric ground state. The possible mechanism of the field-induced phase transition, of the ferroelectric switching and of the field-induced inversion of the chirality is discussed on the base of XRD, ¹³C- and ¹H-NMR investigations, dielectric and electro-optical measurements.     

4f-electric quadrupolar anomalies in PrCu2Si2 and its pseudoternary solid solutions

Experimental observations for possible presence of 4f quadrupolar Kondo effect in PrCu₂Si₂ are critically discussed. A comparison of the low temperature properties of the alloys, Pr _x Y_1–x Cu₂Si₂ (x=0.05, 0.2 and 0.4), seems to signal the existence of 4f electric quadrupolar glass phenomenon around 4K forx=0.2.