Observation of B Meson decays to b1pi and b1K

We present the results of searches for decays of B mesons to final states with a b1 meson and a charged pion or kaon. The data, collected with the BABAR detector at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, represent 382x10(6) BB[over ] pairs produced in e+e- annihilation. The results for the branching fractions are, in units of 10(-6), B(B+-->b1(0)pi+)=6.7+/-1.7+/-1.0, B(B+-->b1(0)K+)=9.1+/-1.7+/-1.0, B(B0-->b1(-/+)pi(+/-))=10.9+/-1.2+/-0.9, and B(B0-->b1(-)K+)=7.4+/-1.0+/-1.0, with the assumption that B(b1-->omega pi)=1. We also measure charge and flavor asymmetries A(ch)(B+-->b1(0)pi+)=0.05+/-0.16+/-0.02, Ach(B+-->b1(0)K+)=-0.46+/-0.20+/-0.02, A(ch)(B0-->b1(-/+)pi(+/-))=-0.05+/-0.10+/-0.02, C(B0-->b1(-/+)pi(+/-))=-0.22+/-0.23+/-0.05, DeltaC(B0-->b1(-/+)pi(+/-))=-1.04+/-0.23+/-0.08, and A(ch)(B0-->b1(-)K+)=-0.07+/-0.12+/-0.02. The first error quoted is statistical, and the second systematic.     

Amplitude analysis of the B+/--->phiK*(892)+/- decay

We perform an amplitude analysis of B+/--->phi(1020)K*(892)+/- decay with a sample of about 384 x 10(6) BB[over ] pairs recorded with the BABAR detector. Overall, twelve parameters are measured, including the fractions of longitudinal fL and parity-odd transverse f perpendicular amplitudes, branching fraction, strong phases, and six parameters sensitive to CP violation. We use the dependence on the Kpi invariant mass of the interference between the JP=1(-) and 0+ Kpi components to resolve the discrete ambiguity in the determination of the strong and weak phases. Our measurements of fL=0.49+/-0.05+/-0.03, f perpendicular=0.21+/-0.05+/-0.02, and the strong phases point to the presence of a substantial helicity-plus amplitude from a presently unknown source.     

Residual thermal strain of metals in heating-cooling cycles

Summary Metallic samples subjected to heating-cooling cycles undergo a permanent change in their length. The difference between the initial length and the length at the end of the cycle (residual strain) depends on the maximum temperature attained during the cycle. This dependence of residual strain on the maximum temperature of the cycle is similar for all of the examined metals (polycrystalline copper, aluminium, iron, gold, lead and single-crystal copper). Upon further increasing this temperature, the metal residual strain changes from positive to negative values. The temperature at which the maximum positive residual strain occurs is characteristic for each metal. The value of the residual strain and the temperature at which it changes its sign depend on the previous thermal history of the metal.     

A comparison between shake-up and UV charge-transfer transitions

The He(II) spectra of the unsubstituted metallocenes {M(η-C₅H₅)₂}, M  V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Ru, and of {Mn(η-C₅H₄Me)₂} are reported; both He(I) and He(II) spectra of some decamethylmetallocenes {M(η-C₅Me₅)₂}, where M  Mg, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni, are also given. Intensity changes between the He(I) and He(II) spectra are shown to provide a reliable guide to band assignment. A ligand field treatment of the decamethylmanganocene cation, including limited configuration interaction, gives values for Δ₂, B and C; these values are also in good agreement with the photoelectron spectra of {M(η-C₅Me₅)₂} where M  V, Cr and Fe. Overlap between the ligand and metal “d” band structures prevents complete assignment in the cases of Co and Ni.     

The crystal and molecular structure of chlorobis(N-ethyl-1 3-imidazolidine-2-thione)copper(I)

Summary The crystal structure of the title compound has been determined from x-ray diffractometer data by the heavy-atom method and refined anisotropically by least-squares calculations. Crystals are monoclinic, space groupP 2₁/c, with unit cell dimensions:a=7.321(1),b=14.622(2),c=14.827(2) Å,=92.95(2), Z=4. The finalR index is 4.6%. The copper coordination is trigonal, involving the sulphur atoms of twoN-ethyl-1,3-imidazolidine-2-thione molecules and one chlorine atom. The structure is held together by two intramolecular N-HCl hydrogen bonds and by normal van der Waals interactions.     

N,N′-dialkylsubstituted Imidazolidine-2-thionecopper(I) complexes. X-ray analysis of chloro-bis(N,N′-dimethylimidazolidine-2-thione)copper(I)

Summary New complexes of copper(I) withN,N-dialkylsubstituted imidazolidine-2-thione ligands were prepared by reduction of CuX₂ (X = Cl or Br). The i.r. spectra show that in all the complexes the ligand coordinates through the sulphur atom. The crystal structure of chloro-bis(N,N-dimethylimidazolidine-2-thione)copper(I) has been determined from x-ray diffraction data. Crystals are monoclinic. space groupC ₂, with unit cell dimensions:a = 16.022(15),b = 9.942(10),c = 15.112(15) A, = 139.84(10)², Z = 4. The final R index is 5.2%. The copper coordination is trigonal, involving sulphur atoms of the two ligands and One chlorine atom. The steric effect of the two methyls imposes a rotation of the imidazolidine rings with respect to the coordination plane. The dihedral angle between the mean plane of thiourea moieties. parallel one with the other. and the coordination plane is 119.3°.This work was supported by the National Research Council (C.N.R.) of Rome.     

Bilayers and interdigitation in block copolymer vesicles

Amphiphilic block copolyethers assemble into membranes with thickness between 2.4 and 7.5 nm. The vesicular morphology has been confirmed by small-angle X-ray scattering combined with electron microscopy for diblock copolymers and triblock copolymers of both architectures. The scaling of the membrane thicknesses with the length of the hydrophobic block is in good agreement with the strong segregation theory for block copolymer melts, indicating a mixed and stretched conformation of the hydrophobic chain inside the vesicle membrane. This result is in contrast to previously published results where the hydrophobic membranes were observed to have bilayer geometry and polymer chains that are relatively unperturbed from their ideal Gaussian dimensions.     

Perturbative treatment of quasi-resonant proton neutralization at alkali-halide surfaces

A theoretical investigation of proton neutralization by proton scattering from several alkali-halide surfaces is presented. These systems are suitable for a perturbative treatment since no hydrogenic atomic shell is embedded in the valence band of the solid where the neutralizing electron originates, which is a necessary condition for fast convergence of the perturbative expansion for the neutralization probability. The perturbative interaction is modeled by a Fano-Anderson effective potential, and the dependence of the results on the properties of the systems (namely, the width of the valence band of the solid and its position relative to the discrete atomic level) and on the dynamics of the process (determined here by a single parameter which controls the duration of the interaction, i.e., the collision energy) are critically discussed.