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A. Robert

Publications and source records attributed to A. Robert.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2023

A Nearby Polluted White Dwarf with a 6.2 h Spin Period

This letter reports the first detection of a periodic light curve whose modulation is unambiguously due to rotation in a polluted white dwarf. TESS observations of WD 2138-332, at a distance of 16.1 pc, reveal a 0.39 per cent amplitude modulation with a 6.19 h period. While this rotation is relatively rapid for isolated white dwarfs, it falls within the range of spin periods common to those with detectable magnetic fields, where WD 2138-332 is notably both metal-rich and weakly magnetic. Within the local 20 pc volume of white dwarfs, multi-sector TESS data find no significant periodicities among the remaining 16 polluted objects (five of which are also magnetic), whereas six of 23 magnetic and metal-free targets have light curves consistent with rotation periods between 0.7 and 35 h (three of which are new discoveries). This indicates the variable light curve of WD 2138-332 is primarily a result of magnetism, as opposed to an inhomogeneous distribution of metals. From 13 magnetic and metallic degenerates with acceptable TESS data, a single detection of periodicity suggests that polluted white dwarfs are not rotating as rapidly as their magnetic counterparts, and planet ingestion is thus unlikely to be a significant channel for rapid rotation.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2023

First demonstration of 30 eVee ionization energy resolution with Ricochet germanium cryogenic bolometers

The future Ricochet experiment aims to search for new physics in the electroweak sector by measuring the Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering process from reactor antineutrinos with high precision down to the sub-100 eV nuclear recoil energy range. While the Ricochet collaboration is currently building the experimental setup at the reactor site, it is also finalizing the cryogenic detector arrays that will be integrated into the cryostat at the Institut Laue Langevin in early 2024. In this paper, we report on recent progress from the Ge cryogenic detector technology, called the CryoCube. More specifically, we present the first demonstration of a 30~eVee (electron equivalent) baseline ionization resolution (RMS) achieved with an early design of the detector assembly and its dedicated High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) based front-end electronics. This represents an order of magnitude improvement over the best ionization resolutions obtained on similar heat-and-ionization germanium cryogenic detectors from the EDELWEISS and SuperCDMS dark matter experiments, and a factor of three improvement compared to the first fully-cryogenic HEMT-based preamplifier coupled to a CDMS-II germanium detector. Additionally, we discuss the implications of these results in the context of the future Ricochet experiment and its expected background mitigation performance.

astro-ph.IM↗
arXiv2023

Results from a Prototype TES Detector for the Ricochet Experiment

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS) offers valuable sensitivity to physics beyond the Standard Model. The Ricochet experiment will use cryogenic solid-state detectors to perform a precision measurement of the CE$\nu$NS spectrum induced by the high neutrino flux from the Institut Laue-Langevin nuclear reactor. The experiment will employ an array of detectors, each with a mass of $\sim$30 g and a targeted energy threshold of 50 eV. Nine of these detectors (the "Q-Array") will be based on a novel Transition-Edge Sensor (TES) readout style, in which the TES devices are thermally coupled to the absorber using a gold wire bond. We present initial characterization of a Q-Array-style detector using a 1 gram silicon absorber, obtaining a baseline root-mean-square resolution of less than 40 eV.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2022

Fast neutron background characterization of the future Ricochet experiment at the ILL research nuclear reactor

The future Ricochet experiment aims at searching for new physics in the electroweak sector by providing a high precision measurement of the Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering (CENNS) process down to the sub-100 eV nuclear recoil energy range. The experiment will deploy a kg-scale low-energy-threshold detector array combining Ge and Zn target crystals 8.8 meters away from the 58 MW research nuclear reactor core of the Institut Laue Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, France. Currently, the Ricochet collaboration is characterizing the backgrounds at its future experimental site in order to optimize the experiment's shielding design. The most threatening background component, which cannot be actively rejected by particle identification, consists of keV-scale neutron-induced nuclear recoils. These initial fast neutrons are generated by the reactor core and surrounding experiments (reactogenics), and by the cosmic rays producing primary neutrons and muon-induced neutrons in the surrounding materials. In this paper, we present the Ricochet neutron background characterization using $^3$He proportional counters which exhibit a high sensitivity to thermal, epithermal and fast neutrons. We compare these measurements to the Ricochet Geant4 simulations to validate our reactogenic and cosmogenic neutron background estimations. Eventually, we present our estimated neutron background for the future Ricochet experiment and the resulting CENNS detection significance.

astro-ph.IM↗
arXiv2021

Ricochet Progress and Status

We present an overview of recent progress towards the Ricochet coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering CE$\nu$NS experiment. The ILL research reactor in Grenoble, France has been selected as the experiment site, after in situ studies of vibration and particle backgrounds. We present background rate estimates specific to that site, along with descriptions of the planned CryoCube and Q-Array detector payloads.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2019

Bottom-up strategies for the assembling of magnetic systems using nanoclusters

In the frame of the 20th Anniversary of the Journal of Nanoparticle Research (JNR), our aim is to start from the historical context twenty, years ago and to give some recent results and perspectives concerning nanomagnets prepared from clusters preformed in the gas phase using the Low Energy Cluster Beam Deposition (LECBD) technique. In this paper, we focus our attention on the typical case of Co clusters embedded in various matrices to study interface magnetic anisotropy and magnetic interactions as a function of volume concentrations, and on still current and perspectives through two examples of binary metallic 3d-5d TM (namely CoPt and FeAu) clusters assemblies to illustrate size-related and nanoalloy phenomena on magnetic properties in well-defined mass-selected clusters. The structural and magnetic properties of these cluster assemblies were investigated using various experimental techniques that include High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometry, as well as synchrotron techniques such as Extended X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) and X-Ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD). Depending on the chemical nature of both NPs and matrix, we observe different magnetic responses compared to their bulk counterparts. In particular, we show how finite size effects (size reduction) enhance their magnetic moment and how specific relaxation in nanoalloys can impact their magnetic anisotropy.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2019

LPNHE scientific perspectives for the European Strategy for Particle Physics

This note summarizes the activities and the scientific and technical perspectives of the Laboratoire de Physique Nucleaire et de Hautes Energies (LPNHE) at Sorbonne University, Paris. Although the ESPP is specifically aimed at particle physics, we discuss in this note in parallel the three scientific lines developed at LPNHE (Particle Physics, Astroparticles, Cosmology), first with the current scientific activities, then for the future activities. However, our conclusions and recommendations are focused on the particle physics strategy.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2018

Disentangling charge and structural contributions during coherent atomic motions studied by ultrafast resonant x-ray diffraction

We report on the ultrafast dynamics of charge order and structural response during the photoinduced suppression of charge and orbital order in a mixed-valence manganite. Employing femtosecond time-resolved resonant x-ray diffraction below and at the Mn K absorption edge, we present a method to disentangle the transient charge order and structural dynamics in thin films of Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3. Based on the static resonant scattering spectra, we extract the dispersion correction of charge ordered Mn3+ and Mn4+ ions, allowing us to separate the transient contributions of purely charge order from structural contributions to the scattering amplitude after optical excitation. Our finding of a coherent structural mode at around 2.3 THz, which primarily modulates the lattice, but does not strongly affect the charge order, confirms the picture of the charge order being the driving force of the combined charge, orbital and structural transition.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2017

Direct Experimental Observation of the Gas Filamentation Effect using a Two-bunch X-ray FEL Beam

We report the experimental observation of the filamentation effect in gas devices designed for X-ray Free-electron Lasers. The measurements were carried out at the Linac Coherent Light Source on the X-ray Correlation Spectroscopy (XCS) instrument using a Two-bunch FEL beam at 6.5 keV with 122.5 ns separation passing through an Argon gas cell. The relative intensities of the two pulses of the Two-bunch beam were measured, after and before the gas cell, from the X-ray scattering off thin targets by using fast diodes with sufficient temporal resolution. It was found that the after-to-before ratio of the intensities of the second pulse was consistently higher than that of the first pulse, revealing lower effective attenuation of the gas cell due to the heating and subsequent gas density reduction in the beam path by the first pulse. This measurement is important in guiding the design and/or mitigating the adverse effect in gas devices for high repetition-rate FELs such as the LCLS-II and the European XFEL or other future high repetition-rate upgrade to existing FEL facilities

physics.app-ph↗
arXiv2016

Multiplicity and transverse momentum fluctuations in inelastic proton-proton interactions at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron

Measurements of multiplicity and transverse momentum fluctuations of charged particles were performed in inelastic p+p interactions at 20, 31, 40, 80 and 158 GeV/c beam momentum. Results for the scaled variance of the multiplicity distribution and for three strongly intensive measures of multiplicity and transverse momentum fluctuations \$Δ[P_{T},N]\$, \$Σ[P_{T},N]\$ and \$Φ_{p_T}\$ are presented. For the first time the results on fluctuations are fully corrected for experimental biases. The results on multiplicity and transverse momentum fluctuations significantly deviate from expectations for the independent particle production. They also depend on charges of selected hadrons. The string-resonance Monte Carlo models EPOS and UrQMD do not describe the data. The scaled variance of multiplicity fluctuations is significantly higher in inelastic p+p interactions than in central Pb+Pb collisions measured by NA49 at the same energy per nucleon. This is in qualitative disagreement with the predictions of the Wounded Nucleon Model. Within the statistical framework the enhanced multiplicity fluctuations in inelastic p+p interactions can be interpreted as due to event-by-event fluctuations of the fireball energy and/or volume.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2016

Production of $Λ$ hyperons in inelastic p+p interactions at 158 GeV/$c$

Inclusive production of $Λ$-hyperons was measured with the large acceptance NA61/SHINE spectrometer at the CERN SPS in inelastic p+p interactions at beam momentum of 158~\GeVc. Spectra of transverse momentum and transverse mass as well as distributions of rapidity and x$_{_F}$ are presented. The mean multiplicity was estimated to be $0.120\,\pm0.006\;(stat.)\,\pm 0.010\;(sys.)$. The results are compared with previous measurements and predictions of the EPOS, UrQMD and FRITIOF models.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2016

Ultrafast energy and momentum resolved dynamics of magnetic correlations in photo-doped Mott insulator Sr$_2$IrO$_4$

Measuring how the magnetic correlations throughout the Brillouin zone evolve in a Mott insulator as charges are introduced dramatically improved our understanding of the pseudogap, non-Fermi liquids and high $T_C$ superconductivity. Recently, photoexcitation has been used to induce similarly exotic states transiently. However, understanding how these states emerge has been limited because of a lack of available probes of magnetic correlations in the time domain, which hinders further investigation of how light can be used to control the properties of solids. Here we implement magnetic resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at a free electron laser, and directly determine the magnetization dynamics after photo-doping the Mott insulator Sr$_2$IrO$_4$. We find that the non-equilibrium state 2~ps after the excitation has strongly suppressed long-range magnetic order, but hosts photo-carriers that induce strong, non-thermal magnetic correlations. The magnetism recovers its two-dimensional (2D) in-plane Néel correlations on a timescale of a few ps, while the three-dimensional (3D) long-range magnetic order restores over a far longer, fluence-dependent timescale of a few hundred ps. The dramatic difference in these two timescales, implies that characterizing the dimensionality of magnetic correlations will be vital in our efforts to understand ultrafast magnetic dynamics.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2015

Itinerant and localized magnetization dynamics in antiferromagnetic Ho

Using femtosecond time-resolved resonant magnetic x-ray diffraction at the Ho L3 absorption edge, we investigate the demagnetization dynamics in antiferromagnetically ordered metallic Ho after femtosecond optical excitation. Tuning the x-ray energy to the electric dipole (E1, 2p -> 5d) or quadrupole (E2, 2p -> 4f) transition allows us to selectively and independently study the spin dynamics of the itinerant 5d and localized 4f electronic subsystems via the suppression of the magnetic (2 1 3-tau ) satellite peak. We find demagnetization timescales very similar to ferromagnetic 4f systems, suggesting that the loss of magnetic order occurs via a similar spin-flip process in both cases. The simultaneous demagnetization of both subsystems demonstrates strong intra-atomic 4f-5d exchange coupling. In addition, an ultrafast lattice contraction due to the release of magnetostriction leads to a transient shift of the magnetic satellite peak.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2014

LBNO-DEMO: Large-scale neutrino detector demonstrators for phased performance assessment in view of a long-baseline oscillation experiment

In June 2012, an Expression of Interest for a long-baseline experiment (LBNO) has been submitted to the CERN SPSC. LBNO considers three types of neutrino detector technologies: a double-phase liquid argon (LAr) TPC and a magnetised iron detector as far detectors. For the near detector, a high-pressure gas TPC embedded in a calorimeter and a magnet is the baseline design. A mandatory milestone is a concrete prototyping effort towards the envisioned large-scale detectors, and an accompanying campaign of measurements aimed at assessing the detector associated systematic errors. The proposed $6\times 6\times 6$m$^3$ DLAr is an industrial prototype of the design discussed in the EoI and scalable to 20 kton or 50~kton. It is to be constructed and operated in a controlled laboratory and surface environment with test beam access, such as the CERN North Area (NA). Its successful operation and full characterisation will be a fundamental milestone, likely opening the path to an underground deployment of larger detectors. The response of the DLAr demonstrator will be measured and understood with an unprecedented precision in a charged particle test beam (0.5-20 GeV/c). The exposure will certify the assumptions and calibrate the response of the detector, and allow to develop and to benchmark sophisticated reconstruction algorithms, such as those of 3-dimensional tracking, particle ID and energy flow in liquid argon. All these steps are fundamental for validating the correctness of the physics performance described in the LBNO EoI.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2014

Measurement of negatively charged pion spectra in inelastic p+p interactions at $p_{lab}$ = 20, 31, 40, 80 and 158 GeV/c

We present experimental results on inclusive spectra and mean multiplicities of negatively charged pions produced in inelastic p+p interactions at incident projectile momenta of 20, 31, 40, 80 and 158 GeV/c ($\sqrt{s} = $ 6.3, 7.7, 8.8, 12.3 and 17.3 GeV, respectively). The measurements were performed using the large acceptance NA61/SHINE hadron spectrometer at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron. Two-dimensional spectra are determined in terms of rapidity and transverse momentum. Their properties such as the width of rapidity distributions and the inverse slope parameter of transverse mass spectra are extracted and their collision energy dependences are presented. The results on inelastic p+p interactions are compared with the corresponding data on central Pb+Pb collisions measured by the NA49 experiment at the CERN SPS. The results presented in this paper are part of the NA61/SHINE ion program devoted to the study of the properties of the onset of deconfinement and search for the critical point of strongly interacting matter. They are required for interpretation of results on nucleus-nucleus and proton-nucleus collisions.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2014

All-diamond optical assemblies for a beam-multiplexing X-ray monochromator at the Linac Coherent Light Source

A double-crystal diamond (111) monochromator recently implemented at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) enables splitting of the primary X-ray beam into a pink (transmitted) and a monochromatic (reflected) branch. The first monochromator crystal with a thickness of 100 um provides sufficient X-ray transmittance to enable simultaneous operation of two beamlines. Here we report on the design, fabrication, and X-ray characterization of the first and second (300-um-thick) crystals utilized in the monochromator and the optical assemblies holding these crystals. Each crystal plate has a region of about 5 X 2 mm2 with low defect concentration, sufficient for use in X-ray optics at the LCLS. The optical assemblies holding the crystals were designed to provide mounting on a rigid substrate and to minimize mounting-induced crystal strain. The induced strain was evaluated using double-crystal X-ray topography and was found to be small over the 5 X 2 mm2 working regions of the crystals.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2013

Bulk modulus of the nanoparticle system in concentrated magnetic fluids and local field-induced structural anisotropy

In the present study we probe the bulk modulus and the structure of concentrated magnetic fluids by Small Angle X-ray Scattering. The electrostatically stabilized nanoparticles experience a repulsive interparticle potential modulated by dipolar magnetic interactions. On the interparticle distance lengthscale, we show that nanoparticles are trapped under-field in oblate cages formed by their first neighbours. We propose a theoretical model of magnetostriction for the field-induced deformation of the cage. This model captures the anisotropic features of the experimentally observed scattering pattern on the local scale in these strongly interacting colloidal dispersions.

cond-mat.soft↗