arXiv subjects

C. Peng

Publications and source records attributed to C. Peng.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Near-Threshold J/$\psi \to \mu^+\mu^-$ Photoproduction and the Gluonic Gravitational Form Factors of the Proton

We report on the measurement of the two-dimensional differential cross section for near-threshold J/$\psi \to \mu^+\mu^-$ photoproduction from the J/$\psi$-007 experiment in Hall C at Jefferson Lab. Our results agree with the previously published J/$\psi \to e^+e^-$ results. We extract the integrated photoproduction cross section and find no evidence for open-charm contributions. A combined analysis of both decay channels following a Holographic QCD approach yields improved experimental constraints on the gluonic gravitational form factor $\mathcal{C}_g(t)$. Our results agree with recent lattice QCD calculations and we obtain $\mathcal{C}_g(t)$ with a comparable statistical precision to lattice QCD. Our results support a spatial picture where gluons dominate at larger radii with a confining inward pressure. This work provides new input for exploring the mechanical properties of gluons inside the proton.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2025

Weyl Fermion Manipulation through Magnetic Transitions in the Ferromagnetic Non-Centrosymmetric Weyl semimetal PrAlSi

PrAlSi, a non-centrosymmetric ferromagnetic Weyl semimetal candidate with a Curie temperature of 17.8K, offers a unique platform for exploring the interplay of symmetry breaking and topological electronic structures. Up to now, the Weyl fermion distribution as well as their evolution across the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic phase transition in PrAlSi has not been explored. Here, we uncover the presence of Weyl fermions in PrAlSi and demonstrate they could be manipulated through the magnetic phase transition. Our ab-initio calculations indicate a shift in the momentum and energy positions of Weyl fermions, alongside an increase in Weyl point numbers due to band splitting. The predicted band splitting and shifting of Weyl fermions are corroborated by our angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy experiments. Such manipulation of Weyl fermions leads to the appearance of a net chirality charge and a significant modulation in optical conductivity, as proposed by our calculations. Our research presents a novel method for adjusting the properties of Weyl semimetals by controlling Weyl fermions through magnetic phase transitions, positioning PrAlSi as a model system.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Studying the Strangeness $D$-Term in Hall C via Exclusive $\phi$ Electroproduction

We propose a measurement of exclusive electroproduction of $\phi$ mesons near threshold in Hall C. We will measure the |t|-dependence of the exclusive $\phi$ electroproduction cross section, which has recently been proposed as an observable sensitive to the strangeness $D$-term. The contribution of strangeness to the total $D$-term is presently unknown, with different arguments favoring $D_s$ being large, being small, or even having opposite sign from the total $D$-term. Our exploratory measurement is designed to distinguish between these hypotheses. If $D_s$ turns out to be small, $\phi$ electroproduction can be used to study the gluon $D$-term. In addition, this dataset will allow us to perform measurements of other exclusive meson final states, including the first measurement of $\eta'$ electroproduction and multi-differential measurements of $\eta$ and $\omega$ electroproduction.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2024

Quasielastic $\overrightarrow{^{3}\mathrm{He}}(\overrightarrow{e},{e'})$ Asymmetry in the Threshold Region

A measurement of the double-spin asymmetry from electron-$^{3}$He scattering in the threshold region of two- and three-body breakup of $^{3}$He was performed at Jefferson Lab, for Q$^{2}$ values of 0.1 and 0.2 (GeV/$c$)$^{2}$. The results of this measurement serve as a stringent test of our understanding of few-body systems. When compared with calculations from plane wave impulse approximation and Faddeev theory, we found that the Faddeev calculations, which use modern nuclear potentials and prescriptions for meson-exchange currents, demonstrate an overall good agreement with data.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2024

Performance of a coarsely pixelated LAPPD photosensor for the SoLID gas Cherenkov detectors

The SoLID spectrometer's gas Cherenkov counters require photosensors that operate in a high luminosity and high background environment. The reference design features arrays of 9 or 16 tiled multi-anode photomultipliers (MaPMTs), distributed across 32 sectors, to serve the light-gas and heavy-gas Cherenkov counters, respectively. To assess the viability of a pixelated INCOM Large Area Picosecond Photodetector (LAPPD$^{\rm TM}$) as an alternative photosensor to replace MaPMT arrays in either detector, we evaluated its performance under realistic SoLID running conditions in Hall C at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab). The results of this test confirmed that the coarse-pixelated (2.5$\times$2.5 cm$^2$ pixel size) LAPPD is capable of handling the total projected signal and background rates of the three pillar SoLID experiments. The tested photosensor detected Cherenkov signals with the capability of separating single-electron events from pair production events while rejecting background. Although the design was not aimed at ring-imaging Cherenkov detectors, Cherenkov disk images were captured in two different gas radiators. Through a direct comparison with a GEANT4 simulation, we confirmed the experimental performance of the LAPPD.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2023

Turbulence modulation by suspended finite-sized particles -- Towards physics-based multiphase subgrid modeling

The presence of a dispersed phase substantially modifies small-scale turbulence. However, there has not been a comprehensive mechanistically-based understanding to predict turbulence modulation. Based on the energy flux balance, we propose a theoretical model to predict the turbulent kinetic energy modulation in isotropic turbulence due to the dispersed phase. The comparison between model predictions and results from particle-resolved simulations and high-fidelity experiments validates the performance of the model over a wide range of turbulence and particle parameters.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2023

Topological electronic structure and spin texture of quasi-one-dimensional higher-order topological insulator Bi4Br4

The notion of topological insulators (TIs), characterized by an insulating bulk and conducting topological surface states, can be extended to higher-order topological insulators (HOTIs) hosting gapless modes localized at the boundaries of two or more dimensions lower than the insulating bulk1-5. In this work, by performing high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements with submicron spatial and spin resolutions, we systematically investigate the electronic structure and spin texture of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) HOTI candidate Bi4Br4. In contrast to the bulk-state-dominant spectra on the (001) surface, we observe gapped surface states on the (100) surface, whose dispersion and spin-polarization agree well with our ab initio calculations. Moreover, we reveal in-gap states connecting the surface valence and conduction bands, which is an explicit signature of the existence of hinge states inside the (100) surface gap. Our findings provide compelling evidence for the HOTI phase of Bi4Br4. The identification of the higher-order topological phase will lay the promising prospect of applications based on 1D spin-momentum locked current in electronic and spintronic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Measurement of the Generalized Polarizabilities of the Proton in Virtual Compton Scattering

We propose to conduct a measurement of the Virtual Compton Scattering reaction in Hall C that will allow the precise extraction of the two scalar Generalized Polarizabilities (GPs) of the proton in the region of $Q^2=0.05~(GeV/c)^2$ to $Q^2=0.50~(GeV/c)^2$. The Generalized Polarizabilities are fundamental properties of the proton, that characterize the system's response to an external electromagnetic (EM) field. They describe how easily the charge and magnetization distributions inside the system are distorted by the EM field, mapping out the resulting deformation of the densities in the proton. As such, they reveal unique information regarding the underlying system dynamics and provide a key for decoding the proton structure in terms of the theory of the strong interaction that binds its elementary quark and gluon constituents together. Recent measurements of the proton GPs have challenged the theoretical predictions, particularly in regard to the electric polarizability. The magnetic GP, on the other hand, can provide valuable insight to the competing paramagnetic and diamagnetic contributions in the proton, but it is poorly known within the region where the interplay of these processes is very dynamic and rapidly changing.The unique capabilities of Hall C, namely the high resolution of the spectrometers combined with the ability to place the spectrometers in small angles, will allow to pin down the dynamic signature of the GPs through high precision measurements combined with a fine mapping as a function of $Q^2$. The experimental setup utilizes standard Hall C equipment, as was previously employed in the VCS-I (E12-15-001) experiment, namely the HMS and SHMS spectrometers and a 10 cm liquid hydrogen target. A total of 59 days of unpolarized 75 $\mu A$ electron beam with energy of 1100 MeV (6 days) and 2200 MeV (53 days) is requested for this experiment.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2023

Artificial Intelligence for the Electron Ion Collider (AI4EIC)

The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a state-of-the-art facility for studying the strong force, is expected to begin commissioning its first experiments in 2028. This is an opportune time for artificial intelligence (AI) to be included from the start at this facility and in all phases that lead up to the experiments. The second annual workshop organized by the AI4EIC working group, which recently took place, centered on exploring all current and prospective application areas of AI for the EIC. This workshop is not only beneficial for the EIC, but also provides valuable insights for the newly established ePIC collaboration at EIC. This paper summarizes the different activities and R&D projects covered across the sessions of the workshop and provides an overview of the goals, approaches and strategies regarding AI/ML in the EIC community, as well as cutting-edge techniques currently studied in other experiments.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2023

A new direct detection electron scattering experiment to search for the X17 particle

A new electron scattering experiment (E12-21-003) to verify and understand the nature of hidden sector particles, with particular emphasis on the so-called X17 particle, has been approved at Jefferson Lab. The search for these particles is motivated by new hidden sector models introduced to account for a variety of experimental and observational puzzles: excess in $e^+e^-$ pairs observed in multiple nuclear transitions, the 4.2$\sigma$ disagreement between experiments and the standard model prediction for the muon anomalous magnetic moment, and the small-scale structure puzzle in cosmological simulations. The aforementioned X17 particle has been hypothesized to account for the excess in $e^+e^-$ pairs observed from the $^8$Be M1, $^4$He M0, and, most recently, $^{12}$C E1 nuclear transitions to their ground states observed by the ATOMKI group. This experiment will use a high resolution electromagnetic calorimeter to search for or set new limits on the production rate of the X17 and other hidden sector particles in the $3 - 60$ MeV mass range via their $e^+e^-$ decay (or $\gamma\gamma$ decay with limited tracking). In these models, the $1 - 100$ MeV mass range is particularly well-motivated and the lower part of this range still remains unexplored. Our proposed direct detection experiment will use a magnetic-spectrometer-free setup (the PRad apparatus) to detect all three final state particles in the visible decay of a hidden sector particle for an effective control of the background and will cover the proposed mass range in a single setting. The use of the well-demonstrated PRad setup allows for an essentially ready-to-run and uniquely cost-effective search for hidden sector particles in the $3 - 60$ MeV mass range with a sensitivity of 8.9$\times$10$^{-8}$ - 5.8$\times$10$^{-9}$ to $\epsilon^2$, the square of the kinetic mixing interaction constant between hidden and visible sectors.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2022

Solid State Detectors and Tracking for Snowmass

Tracking detectors are of vital importance for collider-based high energy physics (HEP) experiments. The primary purpose of tracking detectors is the precise reconstruction of charged particle trajectories and the reconstruction of secondary vertices. The performance requirements from the community posed by the future collider experiments require an evolution of tracking systems, necessitating the development of new techniques, materials and technologies in order to fully exploit their physics potential. In this article we summarize the discussions and conclusions of the 2022 Snowmass Instrumentation Frontier subgroup on Solid State and Tracking Detectors (Snowmass IF03).

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2022

Determining the Proton's Gluonic Gravitational Form Factors

The proton is one of the main building blocks of all visible matter in the universe. Among its intrinsic properties are its electric charge, mass, and spin. These emerge from the complex dynamics of its fundamental constituents, quarks and gluons, described by the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Using electron scattering, its electric charge and spin, shared among the quark constituents, have been the topic of active investigation. An example is the novel precision measurement of the proton's electric charge radius. In contrast, little is known about the proton's inner mass density, dominated by the energy carried by the gluons, which are hard to access through electron scattering since gluons carry no electromagnetic charge. Here, we chose to probe this gluonic gravitational density using a small color dipole, the $J/\psi$ particle, through its threshold photoproduction. From our data, we determined, for the first time, the proton's gluonic gravitational form factors. We used a variety of models and determined, in all cases, a mass radius that is notably smaller than the electric charge radius. In some cases, the determined radius, although model dependent, is in excellent agreement with first-principle predictions from lattice QCD. This work paves the way for a deeper understanding of the salient role of gluons in providing gravitational mass to visible matter.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2021

A Direct Detection Search for Hidden Sector New Particles in the 3-60 MeV Mass Range

In our quest to understand the nature of dark matter and discover its non-gravitational interactions with ordinary matter, we propose an experiment using a \pbo ~calorimeter to search for or set new limits on the production rate of i) hidden sector particles in the $3 - 60$ MeV mass range via their $e^+e^-$ decay (or $\gamma\gamma$ decay with limited tracking), and ii) the hypothetical X17 particle, claimed in multiple recent experiments. The search for these particles is motivated by new hidden sector models and dark matter candidates introduced to account for a variety of experimental and observational puzzles: the small-scale structure puzzle in cosmological simulations, anomalies such as the 4.2$\sigma$ disagreement between experiments and the standard model prediction for the muon anomalous magnetic moment, and the excess of $e^+e^-$ pairs from the $^8$Be M1 and $^4$He nuclear transitions to their ground states observed by the ATOMKI group. In these models, the $1 - 100$ MeV mass range is particularly well-motivated and the lower part of this range still remains unexplored. Our proposed direct detection experiment will use a magnetic-spectrometer-free setup (the PRad apparatus) to detect all three final state particles in the visible decay of a hidden sector particle allowing for an effective control of the background and will cover the proposed mass range in a single setting. The use of the well-demonstrated PRad setup allows for an essentially ready-to-run and uniquely cost-effective search for hidden sector particles in the $3 - 60$ MeV mass range with a sensitivity of 8.9$\times$10$^{-8}$ - 5.8$\times$10$^{-9}$ to $\epsilon^2$, the square of the kinetic mixing interaction constant between hidden and visible sectors. This updated proposal includes our response to the PAC49 comments.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2021

Measurement of the Bjorken Sum at very low $Q^2$

We present new data on the Bjorken sum $\overline \Gamma_1^{p-n}(Q^2)$ at 4-momentum transfer $ 0.021 \leq Q^2 \leq 0.496$ GeV$^2$. The data were obtained in two experiments performed at Jefferson Lab: EG4 on polarized protons and deuterons, and E97110 on polarized $^3$He from which neutron data were extracted. The data cover the domain where chiral effective field theory ($\chi$EFT), the leading effective theory of the Strong Force at large distances, is expected to be applicable. We find that our data and the predictions from $\chi$EFT are only in marginal agreement. This is somewhat surprising as the contribution from the $\Delta(1232)$ resonance is suppressed in this observable, which should make it more reliably predicted by $\chi$EFT than quantities in which the $\Delta$ contribution is important. The data are also compared to a number of phenomenological models with various degrees of agreement.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2021

Inherited Weak Topological Insulator Signatures in Topological Hourglass Semimetal Nb3XTe6 (X = Si, Ge)

Using spin-resolved and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, we have identified bulk band inversion and spin polarized surface state evolved from a weak topological insulator (TI) phase in van der Waals materials Nb3XTe6 (X = Si, Ge). The fingerprints of weak TI homologically emerge with hourglass fermions, as multi nodal chains composed by the same pair of valence and conduction bands gapped by spin orbit coupling. The novel topological state, with a pair of valence and conduction bands encoding both weak TI and hourglass semimetal nature, is essential and guaranteed by nonsymmorphic symmetry. It is distinct from TIs studied previously based on band inversions without symmetry protections.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Observation of multi Dirac fermion cloning induced by moir\'e potential in graphene-SiC heterostructure

We reexamine the electronic structure of graphene on SiC substrate by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We directly observed multiply cloning of Dirac cone, in addition to ones previously attributed to reconstruction. The locations, relative distances and anisotropy of Dirac cone replicas fully agree with the moir\'e pattern of graphene-SiC heterostructure. Our results provide a straightforward example of moir\'e potential modulation in engineering electronic structure with Dirac fermions.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Measurement of the generalized spin polarizabilities of the neutron in the low $Q^2$ region

Understanding the nucleon spin structure in the regime where the strong interaction becomes truly strong poses a challenge to both experiment and theory. At energy scales below the nucleon mass of about 1 GeV, the intense interaction among the quarks and gluons inside the nucleon makes them highly correlated. Their coherent behaviour causes the emergence of effective degrees of freedom, requiring the application of non-perturbative techniques, such as chiral effective field theory. Here, we present measurements of the neutron's generalized spin-polarizabilities that quantify the neutron's spin precession under electromagnetic fields at very low energy-momentum transfer squared down to 0.035 GeV$^2$. In this regime, chiral effective field theory calculations are expected to be applicable. Our data, however, show a strong discrepancy with these predictions, presenting a challenge to the current description of the neutron's spin properties.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2021

The PRad Windowless Gas Flow Target

We report on a windowless, high-density, gas flow target at Jefferson Lab that was used to measure $r_p$, the root-mean-square charge radius of the proton. To our knowledge, this is the first such system used in a fixed-target experiment at a (non-storage ring) electron accelerator. The target achieved its design goal of an areal density of 2$\times$10$^{18}$ atoms/cm$^2$, with the gas uniformly distributed over the 4 cm length of the cell and less than 1% residual gas outside the cell. This design eliminated scattering from the end caps of the target cell, a problem endemic to previous measurements of the proton charge radius in electron scattering experiments, and permitted a precise, model-independent extraction of $r_p$ by reaching unprecedentedly low values of $Q^2$, the square of the electron's transfer of four-momentum to the proton.

physics.ins-det↗