Search for the rare leptonic decay B--->tau-nutau

We present a search for the decay B(-)--> tau(-)nu(tau) in a sample of 88.9 x 10(6) BB pairs recorded with the BABAR detector at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center B factory. One of the two B mesons from the Gamma(4S) is reconstructed in a hadronic or a semileptonic final state, and the decay products of the other B in the event are analyzed for consistency with a B(-) --> tau(-)nu(tau) decay. We find no evidence of a signal and set an upper limit on the branching fraction of B(B(-) --> tau(-) nu(tau)) < 4.2 x 10(-4) at the 90% confidence level.     

Local electronic structure near Mn acceptors in InAs: surface-induced symmetry breaking and coupling to host states

We present low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements on Mn acceptors in InAs in comparison with tight-binding calculations. We find a strong (001)-mirror asymmetry of the bound hole wave function close to the (110) surface. In addition, multiple acceptor-related peaks are observed and are attributed to a spin-orbit splitting of the acceptor level. Because of the p-d exchange interaction the local density of states near the acceptors is enhanced in the valence band and suppressed in the conduction band. We also observe signs of anisotropic scattering of the conduction band states by neutral acceptors.     

Measurements and analysis of collisional line-mixing within nuclear hyperfine components of helium broadened HI lines

The absorption by the R (0) and R (1) lines of the fundamental band of HI broadened by He have been measured in the 0-500 mbar pressure range using a tunable difference frequency generation laser spectrometer. The observed transmissions have been fitted and analyzed with a line-coupling model based on the infinite order sudden approximation. It is demonstrated that the three hyperfine components of the R (0) manifold have identical widths and are not coupled by collisions. On the contrary, the profile of the R (1) manifold cannot be modeled without accounting for both line-mixing and for the fact that the nine hyperfine components have different broadening parameters. This is, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of line coupling within hyperfine components.     

Interplay of low-energy phonons and magnetic excitations in the Kondo insulator YbB12

Peculiarities in the lattice dynamics of the Kondo insulator Y bB(12) have been studied by inelastic neutron scattering. Selected phonon modes were traced above and below the temperature region (T ~ 50 K) where the gap opens in the electron density of states. The intensities of some low-energy modes exhibit an anomalous temperature dependence for q vectors close to the Brillouin zone boundary, suggesting a renormalization of the phonon eigenvectors. This effect is thought to arise from a coupling with magnetic excitations of the same symmetry, which exist at nearby energies. It is argued that this magnetovibrational coupling may in turn play a role in the steep temperature crossover existing in Y bB(12) between the low-temperature (Kondo insulator) and high-temperature (incoherent spin-fluctuation) regimes, which is rapidly suppressed by lighter Zr substitution.     

High-Order Resonances in the Water Molecule

The water-vapor spectra in the near-infrared and visible region were reanalyzed with the purpose of finding experimental evidences of unusual high-order resonance between "dark" high-bending and "bright" stretch vibration states. About 70 transitions to the (050), (060), (070), (080), (160), (061), (170), (071), and, even (0 10 0) bending states, and their resonating partners were assigned in the spectra that gives the experimental energy levels lying near or above the potential energy barrier to linearity. The assignments were confirmed by combination differences and simultaneous observation of both perturbed and perturbing levels. It was found that the high-order resonances with large changing of vibration quantum numbers are typical for the water molecule and they are caused by the strong centrifugal distortion near the linear configuration. These resonances destroy the usual polyad scheme originating from well-known Coriolis, Darling-Dennison, and Fermi resonances in H(2)O molecule. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Calculated energy levels and intensities for the ν1 and 2ν2 bands of HDO

A Hamiltonian taking explicitly into account both Fermi and Coriolis interactions has been set up for triatomic molecules of symmetry C_s and used to reproduce, very satisfactorily, the available rotational energy levels of the {(100), (020)} interacting states of HDO, providing us with realistic wavefunctions as well as precise rotational constants and vibrational energies. Then, to calculate line intensities, these wavefunctions were used together with suitably chosen transition moment operators expanded up to degree 2 in $\text{J}$ and having the correct symmetry in the C_s group, leading to hybrid bands of both A and B type., Using this formalism, it has been possible to determine, from the fit of the existing experimental intensities, the coefficients appearing in the expansions of the transition moment operators of the 2ν₂ and ν₁ bands of HDO. In this way, we have improved upon the F-factor formalism which needs much more parameters to reproduce the line intensities with the same precision. Finally, using the transition moments as well as the wavefunctions and energy levels deduced from the diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix, we have calculated the whole spectrum of the ν₁ and 2ν₂ bands of HDO.     

Stokes instability in inhomogeneous membranes: application to lipoprotein suction of cholesterol-enriched domains

We examine the time-dependent distortion of a nearly circular viscous domain in an infinite viscous sheet when suction occurs. Suction, the driving force of the instability, can occur everywhere in the two phases separated by an interface. The model assumes a two-dimensional Stokes flow; the selection of the wavelength at short times is determined by a variational procedure. Contrary to the viscous fingering instability, undulations of the boundary may be observed for enough pumping, whatever the sign of the viscosity contrast between the two fluids involved. We apply our model to the suction by lipoproteins of cholesterol-enriched domains in giant unilamellar vesicles. Comparison of the number of undulations given by the model and by the experiments gives reasonable values of physical quantities such as the viscosities of the domains.     

Evidence of Vibrational-Induced Rotational Axis Switching for HD(12)C(16)O: New High-Resolution Analysis of the nu(5) and nu(6) Bands and First Analysis of the nu(4) Band (10-µm Region)

Using new high-resolution Fourier transform spectra recorded in Giessen in the 8-12 μm region, a more extended analysis of the nu(5) and nu(6) bands and the first high-resolution study of the nu(4) band of HDCO were performed. As pointed out previously [M. Allegrini, J. W. C. Johns, and A. R. W. McKellar, Can. J. Phys. 56, 859-864 (1978)], the energy levels of the 5(1) and 6(1) states are strongly coupled by A- and B-type Coriolis interactions. On the other hand, it appeared that weaker resonances involving the energy levels of the 4(1) state with those of the 5(1) and 6(1) states also had to be accounted for. Consequently, the calculation of the energy levels was performed taking into account the Coriolis-type resonances linking the energy levels of the {6(1), 5(1), 4(1)} resonating states. Because of the unusually strong Coriolis interaction between nu(5) and nu(6), a nonclassical behavior of the rotational levels of the 5(1) and 6(1) states was observed and it was necessary to use a new Hamiltonian matrix which possesses, as usual, both A- and B-type Coriolis operators in the 5(1) if 6(1) and 6(1) if 4(1) off diagonal blocks but differs from the classical reduced Hamiltonian which is used commonly for planar C(s)-type molecules. More precisely, it proved necessary to include non-orthorhombic terms in the expansion of the rotational Hamiltonian of the 5(1) and 6(1) states. According to the considerations developed by Watson [J. K. G. Watson, in "Vibrational Spectra and Structure," (J. Durig, Ed.), Chap. 1, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1977], these non-orthorhombic operators which are not symmetry forbidden are usually removed for semirigid C(s)-type molecules by rotational contact transformations. In the present study, the occurrence of terms in {J(x), J(z)} in the expansions of the rotational Hamiltonians for the 5(1) and 6(1) states indicates that the inertial system of HDCO differs for each of the three {6(1), 5(1), 4(1)} resonating states. Therefore, HDCO becomes a good example of vibrational-induced rotational axis switching (VIRAS) which was already suggested as the mechanism responsible for the enhanced densities of coupled states observed in 2-fluoroethanol [H. Li, S. Erza, and L. A. Philips, J. Chem. Phys. 97, 5956-5963 (1992)]. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Unusual behavior of the ferroelectric polarization in PbTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattices

Artificial PbTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattices were constructed using off-axis rf magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction and piezoelectric atomic force microscopy were used to study the evolution of the ferroelectric polarization as the ratio of PbTiO3 to SrTiO3 was changed. For PbTiO3 layer thicknesses larger than the 3-unit cell SrTiO3 thickness used in the structure, the polarization is found to be reduced as the thickness is decreased. This observation confirms the primary role of the depolarization field in the polarization reduction in thin films. For the samples with ratios of PbTiO3 to SrTiO3 of less than one, a surprising recovery of ferroelectricity that cannot be explained by electrostatic considerations was observed.     

Search for the radiative decays B-->rhogamma and B0-->omegagamma

A search of the exclusive radiative decays B-->rho(770)gamma and B0-->omega(782)gamma is performed on a sample of about 84x10(6) BBmacr; events collected by the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric-energy e+e- storage ring. No significant signal is seen in any of the channels. We set upper limits on the branching fractions B of B(B0-->rho(0)gamma)<1.2 x 10(-6), B(B+-->rho+gamma)<2.1 x 10(-6), and B(B0-->omegagamma)<1.0 x 10(-6) at 90% confidence level (C.L.). Using the assumption that Gamma(B-->rhogamma)=Gamma(B+-->rho(+)gamma)=2 x Gamma(B0-->rho(0)gamma), we find the combined limit B(B-->rhogamma)<1.9 x 10(-6), corresponding to B(B-->rhogamma)/B(B-->K*gamma)<0.047 at 90% C.L.