Indirect bounds on heavy scalar masses of the two-Higgs-doublet model in light of recent Higgs boson searches

We study an upper bound on masses of additional scalar bosons from the electroweak precision data and theoretical constraints such as perturbative unitarity and vacuum stability in the two-Higgs-doublet model taking account of recent Higgs boson search results. If the mass of the Standard-Model-like Higgs boson is rather heavy and is outside the allowed region by the electroweak precision data, such a discrepancy should be compensated by contributions from the additional scalar bosons. We show the upper bound on masses of the additional scalar bosons to be about 2 (1) TeV for the mass of the Standard-Model-like Higgs boson to be 240 (500) GeV.     

Applying a Mode Selector to Improve the Pulse-Compression Performance of Asymmetric-Coupled-Waveguide-Based Dispersion Compensators

An InGaAsP slab-type asymmetric-coupled-waveguide-based dispersion compensator with a mode selector has been designed and fabricated. The mode selector is necessary to select either a symmetric [with a positive group-velocity dispersion (GVD)] or antisymmetric (with a negative GVD) supermode. These supermodes exist simultaneously in the dispersion-compensation region of the device. Pulse-compression experiments were used to test the dispersion compensator, evaluating the function of the mode selector. A theoretical study of the experimental results shows that the mode selector obtains a very strong selectivity (nearly 100%) for the antisymmetric supermode.     

Current-driven resonant excitation of magnetic vortices

A magnetic vortex core in a ferromagnetic circular nanodot has a resonance frequency originating from the confinement of the vortex core. By the micromagnetic simulation including the spin-transfer torque, we show that the vortex core can be resonantly excited by an ac (spin-polarized) current through the dot and that the resonance frequency can be tuned by the dot shape. The resistance measurement under the ac current successfully detects the resonance at the frequency consistent with the simulation.     

A simplified model for flows with eddies in symmetrically expanding channels

We derive a simplified model for two-dimensional (2D) channel flows with recirculated regions at moderate Reynolds numbers based on an extension of the boundary layer (BL) theory and averaging across the channel. The model reproduces symmetry-breaking bifurcations and resulting flow structures accurately. Analytical estimates for the decay rates toward the parabolic profile before and after a sudden change in the walls agree well with the full numerical simulations. A seemingly chaotic steady flow is also discovered in a channel with periodic expansions and contractions.     

Polymer electrolytes plasticized with hyperbranched polymer for lithium polymer batteries

Hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) with different terminal groups and different ethylene oxide (EO) chain lengths were prepared, and the influence of the HBP structures including molecular weights and molecular weight distribution on the ionic conductivity and the mechanical property of the composite polymer electrolytes composed of poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO), HBP, BaTiO₃ as a ceramic filler, and LiN(CF₃SO₂)₂ as a lithium salt were investigated. It was found that the molecular weights of the HBP do not affect significantly the ionic conductivity, but the molecular weight distribution might affect it, and also further branching at the terminals of the HBP led to a decrease in the ionic conductivity. The HBP with longer EO chain length was effective for enhancement of the ionic conductivity in comparison with the HBP with shorter one. The increase in cross-linkable groups (acryloyl group) at the terminals of the HBP improved the tensile strength, but caused the ionic conductivity to decrease. Loosely cross-linked composite polymer electrolyte showed higher ionic conductivity and higher tensile strength than no cross-linked one. Paper presented at the Patras Conference on Solid State Ionics — Transport Properties, Patras, Greece, Sept. 14 – 18, 2004.     

Non-decoupling effects in supersymmetric Higgs sectors

A wide class of Higgs sectors is investigated in supersymmetric standard models. When the lightest Higgs boson (h  ) looks the standard model one, the mass (mh$m_h$) and the triple Higgs boson coupling (the hhh   coupling) are evaluated at the one-loop level in each model. While mh$m_h$ is at most 120–130 GeV in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), that in models with an additional neutral singlet or triplet fields can be much larger. The hhh coupling can also be sensitive to the models: while in the MSSM the deviation from the standard model prediction is not significant, that can be 30–60% in some models such as the MSSM with the additional singlet or with extra doublets and charged singlets. These models are motivated by specific physics problems like the μ-problem, the neutrino mass, the scalar dark matter and so on. Therefore, when h   is found at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, we can classify supersymmetric models by measuring mh$m_h$ and the hhh coupling accurately at future collider experiments.     

Effect of diamine treatment on the conversion efficiency of PbSe colloidal quantum dot solar cells

Polymer-free photovoltaic devices were fabricated via a solution process using PbSe colloidal quantum dots (QDs) and an organic semiconductor (tetrabenzoporphyrin, BP) that can be prepared in situ from a soluble precursor. The device structure was ITO/PEDOT/BP:QD/QD/Al, where the BP:QD and QD layers correspond to a bulk heterojunction and a buffer layer, respectively. The buffer layer was treated with ethylenediamine (EDA) to crosslink the QDs. As a result, the energy conversion efficiency of the EDA-treated device was superior to that of an untreated device, mainly due to an increase in the short-circuit current density.     

Polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fibers with near-zero flattened dispersion in 1.06 μm waveband for medical applications

In this paper we present the design of a modified hexagonal photonic crystal fiber (PCF) having high birefringence and a near-zero flattened dispersion. Using the finite-difference method (FDM), it is shown that the proposed multiple Gedoped core hexagonal PCF exhibits a high birefringence of order 10⁻³ and a nearly zero flattened dispersion in the optical coherence tomography (OCT) waveband. In addition, the proposed PCF has a confinement loss of less than 10⁻⁸ dB/m at 1.06 μm. PCFs with such properties are considered suitable for both endoscopic OCT and other experimental setups employing 1.06 μm lasers.     

Development of ultra-short pulse VUV laser system for nanoscale processing

We have developed intense vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation sources for advanced material processing, such as photochemical surface reactions and precise processing on a nanometer scale. We have constructed a new VUV laser system to generate sub-picosecond pulses at the wavelength of 126 nm. A seed VUV pulse was generated in Xe as the 7th harmonic of a 882-nm Ti:sapphire laser. The optimum conversion was achieved at the pressure of 1.2 Torr. The seed pulse will be amplified by the Ar₂^*\mathrm{Ar}_{2}^{*} media generated by an optical-field-induced ionization Ar plasma produced by the Ti:sapphire laser. We have obtained a gain coefficient of g=0.16 cm⁻¹. Our developing system will provide VUV ultra-short pulses with sub-μJ energy at a repetition rate of 1 kHz.     

Chemical composition distribution of graft copolymer prepared by macromonomer technique: Determination by gradient HPLC

The chemical composition distributions (CCDs) of poly(methyl methacrylate)-graft-polystyrene samples prepared from the polystyrene macromonomers having methacryloyl and p-vinylbenzyl end-groups were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) based on reversed-phase and normal-phase adsorption modes. The CCDs determined by both modes were in good agreement with one another, indicating that the effect of the molecular weight distribution on the CCD is negligible. The results demonstrated the features of the CCDs in agreement with the theoretical predictions and the strong effect of the intrinsic reactivity of the end-group on the copolymerization reactivity of the macromonomer.