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A. Korenchenko

Publications and source records attributed to A. Korenchenko.

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The design of the MEG II experiment

The MEG experiment, designed to search for the mu+->e+ gamma decay at a 10^-13 sensitivity level, completed data taking in 2013. In order to increase the sensitivity reach of the experiment by an order of magnitude to the level of 6 x 10-14 for the branching ratio, a total upgrade, involving substantial changes to the experiment, has been undertaken, known as MEG II. We present both the motivation for the upgrade and a detailed overview of the design of the experiment and of the expected detector performance.

physics.ins-det

Muon polarization in the MEG experiment: predictions and measurements

The MEG experiment makes use of one of the world's most intense low energy muon beams, in order to search for the lepton flavour violating process $μ^{+} \rightarrow {\rm e}^{+} γ$. We determined the residual beam polarization at the thin stopping target, by measuring the asymmetry of the angular distribution of Michel decay positrons as a function of energy. The initial muon beam polarization at the production is predicted to be $P_μ = -1$ by the Standard Model (SM) with massless neutrinos. We estimated our residual muon polarization to be $P_μ = -0.85 \pm 0.03 ~ {\rm (stat)} ~ { }^{+ 0.04}_{-0.05} ~ {\rm (syst)}$ at the stopping target, which is consistent with the SM predictions when the depolarizing effects occurring during the muon production, propagation and moderation in the target are taken into account. The knowledge of beam polarization is of fundamental importance in order to model the background of our ${\megsign}$ search induced by the muon radiative decay: $μ^{+} \rightarrow {\rm e}^{+} \barν_μ ν_{\rm e} γ$.

hep-ex

Measurement of the radiative decay of polarized muons in the MEG experiment

We studied the radiative muon decay $μ^+ \to e^+ν\barνγ$ by using for the first time an almost fully polarized muon source. We identified a large sample (~13000) of these decays in a total sample of 1.8x10^14 positive muon decays collected in the MEG experiment in the years 2009--2010 and measured the branching ratio B($μ^+ \to e^+ν\barνγ$) = (6.03+-0.14(stat.)+-0.53(sys.))x10^-8 for E_e > 45 MeV and E_γ > 40 MeV, consistent with the Standard Model prediction. The precise measurement of this decay mode provides a basic tool for the timing calibration, a normalization channel, and a strong quality check of the complete MEG experiment in the search for $μ^+ \to e^+γ$ process.

hep-ex

New constraint on the existence of the mu+-> e+ gamma decay

The analysis of a combined data set, totaling 3.6 \times 10^14 stopped muons on target, in the search for the lepton flavour violating decay mu^+ -> e^+ gamma is presented. The data collected by the MEG experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institut show no excess of events compared to background expectations and yield a new upper limit on the branching ratio of this decay of 5.7 \times 10^-13 (90% confidence level). This represents a four times more stringent limit than the previous world best limit set by MEG.

hep-ex

MEG Upgrade Proposal

We propose the continuation of the MEG experiment to search for the charged lepton flavour violating decay (cLFV) μ\to e γ, based on an upgrade of the experiment, which aims for a sensitivity enhancement of one order of magnitude compared to the final MEG result, down to the $6 \times 10^{-14}$ level. The key features of this new MEG upgrade are an increased rate capability of all detectors to enable running at the intensity frontier and improved energy, angular and timing resolutions, for both the positron and photon arms of the detector. On the positron-side a new low-mass, single volume, high granularity tracker is envisaged, in combination with a new highly segmented, fast timing counter array, to track positron from a thinner stopping target. The photon-arm, with the largest liquid xenon (LXe) detector in the world, totalling 900 l, will also be improved by increasing the granularity at the incident face, by replacing the current photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) with a larger number of smaller photosensors and optimizing the photosensor layout also on the lateral faces. A new DAQ scheme involving the implementation of a new combined readout board capable of integrating the diverse functions of digitization, trigger capability and splitter functionality into one condensed unit, is also under development. We describe here the status of the MEG experiment, the scientific merits of the upgrade and the experimental methods we plan to use.

physics.ins-det

New limit on the lepton-flavour violating decay mu -> e gamma

We present a new result based on an analysis of the data collected by the MEG detector at the Paul Scherrer Institut in 2009 and 2010, in search of the lepton flavour violating decay mu->e gamma. The likelihood analysis of the combined data sample, which corresponds to a total of 1.8 x 10**14 muon decays, gives a 90% C.L. upper limit of 2.4 x 10**-12 on the branching ratio of the mu->e gamma decay, constituting the most stringent limit on the existence of this decay to date.

hep-ex

A limit for the mu -> e gamma decay from the MEG experiment

A search for the decay mu -> e gamma, performed at PSI and based on data from the initial three months of operation of the MEG experiment, yields an upper limit on the branching ratio of BR(mu -> e gamma) < 2.8 x 10**-11 (90% C.L.). This corresponds to the measurement of positrons and photons from ~ 10**14 stopped mu-decays by means of a superconducting positron spectrometer and a 900 litre liquid xenon photon detector.

hep-ex

New Bounds from Searching for Muonium to Antimuonium Conversion

A new upper limit for the probability of spontaneous muonium to antimuonium conversion was established at ${\rm P_{M\bar{M}}} \leq 8.2 \cdot 10^{-11}$ (90%C.L.) in 0.1~T magnetic field, which implies consequences for speculative extensions to the standard model. Coupling parameters in R-parity violating supersymmetry and the mass of a flavour diagonal bileptonic gauge boson can be significantly restricted. A Z$_8$ model with radiative mass generation through heavy lepton seed and the minimal version of 331-GUT models are ruled out.

hep-ex

Increased Sensitivity to Possible Muonium to Antimuonium Conversion

A new experimental search for muonium-antimuonium conversion was conducted at the Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland. The preliminary analysis yielded one event fulfilling all required criteria at an expected background of 1.7(2) events due to accidental coincidences. An upper limit for the conversion probability in 0.1 T magnetic field is extracted as $8 \cdot 10^{-11}$ (90% CL).

hep-ex

Results from Searching for Muonium to Antimuonium Conversion

A new result from searching for muonium to antimuonium conversion is reported which sets an upper limit on the coupling constant in an assumed $(V-A) \times (V-A)$ type interaction of $G_{M\bar{M}} \leq 3\cdot 10^{-3} G_F$ ~ (90% C.L.). A particular Z_8 and a minimal 331 GUT model can be ruled out. Further new and stringent limits can be set for masses of bileptonic gauge bosons and $λ$ parameters in R-parity breaking supersymmetric models.

nucl-ex