arXiv subjects

A. Pukhov

Publications and source records attributed to A. Pukhov.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Simulations of stable compact proton beam acceleration from a two-ion-species ultrathin foil

We report stable laser-driven proton beam acceleration from ultrathin foils consisting of two ion species: heavier carbon ions and lighter protons. Multi-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations show that the radiation pressure leads to very fast and complete spatial separation of the species. The laser pulse does not penetrate the carbon ion layer, avoiding the proton Rayleigh-Taylor-like (RT) instability. Ultimately, the carbon ions are heated and spread extensively in space. In contrast, protons always ride on the front of the carbon ion cloud, forming a compact high quality bunch. We introduce a simple three-interface model to interpret the instability suppression in the proton layer. The model is backed by simulations of various compound foils such as carbon-deuterium (C-D) and carbon-tritium (C-T) foils. The effects of the carbon ions' charge state on proton acceleration are also investigated. It is shown that with the decrease of the carbon ion charge state, both the RT-like instability and the Coulomb explosion degrade the energy spectrum of the protons. Finally, full 3D simulations are performed to demonstrate the robustness of the stable two-ion-species regime.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2010

Dark matter in UED : the role of the second KK level

We perform a complete calculation of the relic abundance of the KK-photon LKP in the universal extra dimension model including all coannihilation channels and all resonances. We show that the production of level 2 particles which decay dominantly into SM particles contribute significantly to coannihilation processes involving level 1 KK-leptons. As a result the preferred dark matter scale is increased to $R^{-1}=1.3$~TeV. A dark matter candidate at or below the TeV scale can only be found in the non-minimal model by reducing the mass splittings between the KK-particles and the LKP. The LKP nucleon scattering cross section is typically small, $σ< 10^{-10}$~pb, unless the KK-quarks are nearly degenerate with the LKP.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Indirect search for dark matter with micrOMEGAs2.4

We present a new module of micrOMEGAs devoted to the computation of indirect signals from dark matter annihilation in any new model with a stable weakly interacting particle. The code provides the mass spectrum, cross-sections, relic density and exotic fluxes of gamma rays, positrons and antiprotons. The propagation of charged particles in the Galactic halo is handled with a new module that allows to easily modify the propagation parameters.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Light mixed sneutrinos as thermal dark matter

In supersymmetric models with Dirac neutrino masses, a left-right mixed sneutrino can be a viable dark matter candidate. We examine the MSSM+$\tildeν_R$ parameter space where this is the case with particular emphasis on light sneutrinos with masses below 10 GeV. We discuss implications for direct and indirect dark matter searches, including the relevant uncertainties, as well as consequences for collider phenomenology.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

SLHAplus: a library for implementing extensions of the standard model

We provide a library to facilitate the implementation of new models in codes such as matrix element and event generators or codes for computing dark matter observables. The library contains a SLHA reader routine as well as diagonalisation routines. This library is available in CalcHEP and micrOMEGAs. The implementation of models based on this library is supported by LanHEP and FeynRules.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Stable laser-driven proton beam acceleration from a two-specie ultra-thin foil

By using multi-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation, we present a new regime of stable proton beam acceleration which takes place when a two-specie shaped foil is illuminated by a circularly polarized laser pulse. It is observed that the lighter protons are nearly-instantaneously separated from the heavier carbon ions due to the charge-to-mass ratio difference. The heavy-ions layer extensively expands in space and acts to buffer the proton layer from the Rayleigh-Taylor-like (RT) instability that would have otherwise degraded the proton beam acceleration. A simple three-interface model is formulated to qualitatively explain the stabilization of the light-ions acceleration. Due to the absence of the RT-like instability, the produced high quality mono-energetic proton bunch can be well maintained even after the laser-foil interaction concludes.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2010

micrOMEGAs : a tool for dark matter studies

micrOMEGAs is a tool for cold dark matter (DM) studies in generic extensions of the standard model with a R-parity like discrete symmetry that guarantees the stability of the lightest odd particle. The code computes the DM relic density, the elastic scattering cross sections of DM on nuclei relevant for direct detection, and the spectra of positrons, anti-protons and photons originating from DM annihilation including porpagation of charged cosmic rays. The cross sections and decay properties of new particles relevant for collider studies are included as well as constraints from the flavour sector on the parameter space of supersymmetric models.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

New Physics at the LHC. A Les Houches Report: Physics at TeV Colliders 2009 - New Physics Working Group

We present a collection of signatures for physics beyond the standard model that need to be explored at the LHC. First, are presented various tools developed to measure new particle masses in scenarios where all decays include an unobservable particle. Second, various aspects of supersymmetric models are discussed. Third, some signatures of models of strong electroweak symmetry are discussed. In the fourth part, a special attention is devoted to high mass resonances, as the ones appearing in models with warped extra dimensions. Finally, prospects for models with a hidden sector/valley are presented. Our report, which includes brief experimental and theoretical reviews as well as original results, summarizes the activities of the "New Physics" working group for the "Physics at TeV Colliders" workshop (Les Houches, France, 8-26 June, 2009).

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Three-dimensional relativistic particle-in-cell hybrid code based on an exponential integrator

In this paper we present a new three dimensional (3D) full electromagnetic relativistic hybrid plasma code H-VLPL (hybrid virtual laser plasma laboratory). The full kinetic particle-in-cell (PIC) method is used to simulate low density hot plasmas while the hydrodynamic model applies to the high density cold background plasma. To simulate the linear electromagnetic response of the high density plasma, we use a newly developed form of an exponential integrator method. It allows us to simulate plasmas of arbitrary densities using large time steps. The model reproduces the plasma dispersion and gives correct spatial scales like the plasma skin depth even for large grid cell sizes. We test the hybrid model validity by applying it to some physical examples.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2010

Enhanced relativistic harmonics by electron nanobunching

It is shown that when an few-cycle, relativistically intense, p-polarized laser pulse is obliquely incident on overdense plasma, the surface electrons may form ultra-thin, highly compressed layers, with a width of a few nanometers. These electron "nanobunches" emit synchrotron radiation coherently. We calculate the one-dimensional synchrotron spectrum analytically and obtain a slowly decaying power-law with an exponent of 4/3 or 6/5. This is much flatter than the 8/3 power of the BGP (Baeva-Gordienko-Pukhov) spectrum, produced by a relativistically oscillating bulk skin layer. The synchrotron spectrum cut-off frequency is defined either by the electron relativistic $γ$-factor, or by the thickness of the emitting layer. In the numerically demonstrated, locally optimal case, the radiation is emitted in the form of a single attosecond pulse, which contains almost the entire energy of the full optical cycle.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2009

SUSY Les Houches Accord 2

The Supersymmetry Les Houches Accord (SLHA) provides a universal set of conventions for conveying spectral and decay information for supersymmetry analysis problems in high energy physics. Here, we propose extensions of the conventions of the first SLHA to include various generalisations: the minimal supersymmetric standard model with violation of CP, R-parity, and flavour, as well as the simplest next-to-minimal model.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

SUSY Les Houches Accord: Interfacing SUSY Spectrum Calculators, Decay Packages, and Event Generators

An accord specifying a unique set of conventions for supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model together with generic file structures for 1) supersymmetric model specifications and input parameters, 2) electroweak scale supersymmetric mass and coupling spectra, and 3) decay tables is defined, to provide a universal interface between spectrum calculation programs, decay packages, and high energy physics event generators.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Dark Matter with Dirac and Majorana Gaugino Masses

We consider the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model allowing both Dirac and Majorana gauginos. The Dirac masses are obtained by pairing up extra chiral multiplets: a singlet S for U(1)_Y, a triplet T for SU(2) and an octet O for SU(3) with the respective gauginos. The electroweak symmetry breaking sector is modified by the couplings of the new fields S and T to the Higgs doublets. We discuss two limits: i) both the adjoint scalars are decoupled with the main effect being the modification of the Higgs quartic coupling; ii) the singlet remaining light, and due to its direct coupling to sfermions, providing a new contribution to the soft masses and inducing new decay/production channels. We discuss the LSP in this scenario; after mentioning the possibility that it may be a Dirac gravitino, we focus on the case where it is identified with the lightest neutralino, and exhibit particular values of the parameter space where the relic density is in agreement with WMAP data. This is illustrated for different scenarios where the LSP is either a bino (in which case it can be a Dirac fermion) or bino-higgsino/wino mixtures. We also point out in each case the peculiarity of the model with respect to dark matter detection experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Constraining the MSSM with universal gaugino masses and implication for searches at the LHC

Using a Markov chain Monte Carlo approach, we find the allowed parameter space of a MSSM model with seven free parameters. In this model universality conditions at the GUT scale are imposed on the gaugino sector. We require in particular that the relic density of dark matter saturates the value extracted from cosmological measurements assuming a standard cosmological scenario. We characterize the parameter space of the model that satisfies experimental constraints and illustrate the complementarity of the LHC searches, B-physics observables and direct dark matter searches for further probing the parameter space of the model. We also explore the different decay chains expected for the coloured particles that would be produced at LHC.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

High quality GeV proton beams from a density-modulated foil target

We study proton acceleration from a foil target with a transversely varying density using multi-dimensional Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulations. In order to reduce electron heating and deformation of the target, circularly polarized Gaussian laser pulses at intensities of the order of 1022Wcm-2 are used. It is shown that when the target density distribution fits that of the laser intensity profile, protons accelerated from the center part of the target have quasi-monoenergetic spectra and are well collimated. In our two-dimensional PIC simulations, the final peak energy can be up to 1.4 GeV with the full-width of half maximum divergence cone of less than 4o. We observe highly efficient energy conversion from the laser to the protons in the simulations.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2009

Electron Self-injection in Multidimensional Relativistic Plasma Wakefields

We present an analytical model for electron self-injection in nonlinear, multidimensional plasma wave excited by short laser pulse in the bubble regime or by short electron beam in the blowout regime. In this regimes, which are typical for electron acceleration in the last experiments, the laser radiation pressure or the electron beam charge pushes out background plasma electrons forming a plasma cavity - bubble - with a huge ion charge. The plasma electrons can be trapped in the bubble and accelerated by the plasma wakefields up to very high energies. The model predicts the condition for electron trapping and the trapping cross section in terms of the bubble radius and the bubble velocity. The obtained results are in a good agreement with results of 3D PIC simulations.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2009

Enhanced collimated GeV monoenergetic ion acceleration from a shaped foil target irradiated by a circularly polarized laser pulse

Using multi-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations we study ion acceleration from a foil irradiated by a circularly polarized laser pulse at 1022W/cm^2 intensity. When the foil is shaped initially in the transverse direction to match the laser intensity profile, the center part of the target can be uniformly accelerated for a longer time compared to a usual flat target. Target deformation and undesirable plasma heating are effectively suppressed. The final energy spectrum of the accelerated ion beam is improved dramatically. Collimated GeV quasi-mono-energetic ion beams carrying as much as 18% of the laser energy are observed in multi-dimensional simulations. Radiation damping effects are also checked in the simulations.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2009

Neutralino Relic Density in the CPVMSSM at the ILC

We discuss ILC measurements for a specific MSSM scenario with CP phases, where the lightest neutralino, a candidate for dark matter, annihilates through t-channel exchange of light staus. These prospective ILC measurements are used to fit the underlying model parameters. A collider prediction of the relic density of the neutralino from this fit gives 0.116<Omega h2<0.19 at 95%CL.

hep-ph↗