arXiv subjects

H. Chen

Publications and source records attributed to H. Chen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2026

Study of few-electron backgrounds in the LUX-ZEPLIN detector

The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment aims to detect rare interactions between dark matter particles and xenon. Although the detector is designed to be the most sensitive to GeV/$c^2$--TeV/$c^2$ Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), it is also capable of measuring low-energy ionization signals down to a single electron that may be produced by scatters of sub-GeV/$c^2$ dark matter. The major challenge in exploiting this sensitivity is to understand and suppress the ionization background in the few-electron regime. We report a characterization of the delayed electron backgrounds following energy depositions in the LZ detector under different detector conditions. In addition, we quantify the probability for photons to be emitted in coincidence with electron emission from the high voltage grids. We then demonstrate that spontaneous grid electron emission can be identified and rejected with a high efficiency using a coincident photon tag, which provides a tool to improve the sensitivity of future dark matter searches.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2026

Low-Energy Radon Backgrounds from Electrode Grids in Dual-Phase Xenon TPCs

The dual-phase xenon time projection chamber (TPC) is a powerful technology to detect rare interactions such as scatters of dark matter particles on nuclei. In particular, the built-in gain of ionization signals in a dual-phase TPC makes it sensitive to events in the few-electron regime, as expected from low-mass dark matter interactions. The pursuit of this low-energy sensitivity through ionization-only signal detection has so far been hindered by excessive electron backgrounds observed across experiments. Much of this background is attributed to the plate-out of $^{222}$Rn decay chain isotopes on the high voltage electrode grid surfaces that span the full cross section of the TPC. This work presents a first-principle model constructed for this background, the predictions of which are consistent with data from the LZ and LUX experiments. We then discuss mitigation strategies of this background in future dual-phase TPCs and the possibility of applying this grid background model to ionization-only dark matter searches.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Suppression of Electromagnetic Pulses from Laser-Target Interactions by Strong Magnetic Fields

Laser-target interactions generate intense electromagnetic pulses (EMP) that can interfere with measurements and damage equipment. In this paper we show that applying a magnetic field to nanosecond pulse laser-target interactions decreases the magnitude of EMP. We demonstrate this effect in two experiments with different geometries (spherical vs. planar), laser intensities (${\sim}10^{13}$ vs. ${\sim} 10^{15}$~W/cm$^2$) and applied field strength (12~T vs. 0.1~T) that both observed suppression of EMP in the ${\sim} 1$~GHz band (by factors of $0.65\times$ and $0.32\times$ respectively). We then observe the opposite effect at high intensities with a picosecond pulse: for planar experiments with laser intensities ${\sim}10^{19}$~W/cm$^2$ and magnetic fields of 6--10~T, the magnitude of EMP is increased by a factor of $1.75\times$. These results provide a benchmark for models of EMP generation, but suggest that magnetic fields are not a viable solution for mitigating EMP on the high intensity laser facilities where it is most damaging.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2026

Dark matter effects on the properties of hybrid neutron stars

We study the effects of dark matter on the properties of hybrid neutron stars, in particular the influence on the mass-radius relation, the value of the maximum mass, and the hadron-quark phase transition. To single out the equilibrium configurations of dark-matter-admixed hybrid neutron stars (DHSs), we also study their radial oscillations. Both the stellar structure equations and the radial oscillation equations are solved for the two-fluid system, where the ordinary matter component and dark matter component couple only through gravity. For the ordinary matter components, we adopt the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock method for nuclear matter, and the Dyson-Schwinger or the field-correlator model for quark matter. For the dark matter component, we use a non-self-annihilating self-interacting fermionic model. We find that the presence of dark matter in DHSs leads to a decrease of the critical mass of the hadron-quark phase transition, a related possible onset of quark matter in dark-matter accreting stars, and a significant reduction of radial oscillation frequencies.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2026

Inverse Design of Tunable Infrared Metasurface Absorbers via a Conditional Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Network

Narrowband perfect absorbers are interesting for spectrum sensing, molecular detection, and infrared imaging. However, their design remains constrained by intuitive, iterative methods that lack flexibility, while also facing challenges in multi-objective optimization. Here, we introduce a deep learning-enabled inverse-design framework that overcomes these limitations through a conditional Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Network (WGAN). The main contribution of this work is a dual-channel image encoding scheme that jointly represents the geometry and thickness of a Si$_3$N$_4$ meta-layer, facilitating the network to learn the distribution of viable structures for a target optical response. This approach naturally solves the inherent ``one-to-many'' design issue, giving a diverse portfolio of functional candidates from a single input spectrum. The designed absorbers achieve exceptional spectral fidelity, with resonance peak errors below 5 nm, a mean squared error (MSE) on the order of $10^{-3}$, and the capacity to produce over 10 distinct, high-performance designs per target. Furthermore, we demonstrate the model's robustness under oblique illumination, showing that it can be efficiently fine-tuned to maintain spectral accuracy across incidence angles from $10^\circ$ to $40^\circ$ by transfer learning, thus extending its practical utility to non-normal operating conditions. Full-wave simulations confirm that the generated geometries support a hybrid plasmonic-dielectric resonance, leading to near-perfect absorption and strong near-field enhancement. Our study provides a robust, physics-aware design paradigm that moves beyond conventional parametric optimization. The introduced framework establishes a versatile platform for the on-demand inverse design of advanced photonic devices for sensing, spectroscopy, and optical signal processing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Sensitivity of the CUPID experiment to $0νββ$ decay of $^{100}$Mo

CUPID is a next-generation bolometric experiment to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay ($0νββ$) of $^{100}$Mo using Li$_2$MoO$_4$ scintillating crystals. It will operate 1596 crystals at $\sim$10 mK in the CUORE cryostat at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. Each crystal will be facing two Ge-based bolometric light detectors for $α$ rejection. We compute the discovery and the exclusion sensitivity of CUPID to $0νββ$ in a Frequentist and a Bayesian framework. This computation is done numerically based on pseudo-experiments. For the CUPID baseline scenario, with a background and an energy resolution of $1.0 \times 10^{-4}$ counts/keV/kg/yr and 5 keV FWHM at the Q-value, respectively, this results in a Bayesian exclusion sensitivity (90% c.i.) of $\hat{T}_{1/2} > 1.6 \times 10^{27} \ \mathrm{yr}$, corresponding to the effective Majorana neutrino mass of $\hat{m}_{ββ} < \ 9.6$ -- $28 \ \mathrm{meV}$. The Frequentist discovery sensitivity (3$σ$) is $\hat{T}_{1/2}= 1.0 \times 10^{27} \ \mathrm{yr}$, corresponding to $\hat{m}_{ββ}= \ 12$ -- $36 \ \mathrm{meV}$.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2026

Search for Cosmic Ray Electron Boosted Dark Matter with the CDEX-10 Experiment

We present new constraints on the cosmic ray electron boosted light dark matter (CReDM) using the 205.4 kg$\cdot$day data of the CDEX-10 experiment located at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. The cosmic ray electron spectrum and distribution in the Galaxy are generated by the $\tt GALPROP$ code package. In the calculation process of DM-electron scattering process in the Galaxy, we consider the energy-dependency of the DM-electron scattering cross section. The constraints on CReDM are set for both heavy and light mediator scenarios using the CDEX-10 dataset. The result exceeds previous Standard Halo Model (SHM) limits for DM mass lower than 0.6 MeV in heavy mediator case and corresponds to the best sensitivity among all direct detection experiments from 1 keV to 0.5 MeV in the light mediator scenario.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

E-XQR-30: Evidence for an Increase in the Ionization State of Metal Absorbers from z~6 to z~2

We investigate the evolution of the ionization state of metal-enriched gas in and around galaxies near the epoch of reionization using a sample of 488 metal absorption systems at 4.3<z<6.3 from the E-XQR-30 survey. We classify the absorption systems based on whether they display only low-ionization absorption (CII, SiII, MgII), only high-ionization absorption (CIV, SiIV), or both. The percentage of low-ionization-only systems decreases from 24% at $z\sim$6 to 2% at $z\sim$4.3, whilst the fraction of high-ionization-only systems increases from 52% to 82%. For mixed absorbers (with both low and high ionization absorption), we use the column density ratios log(N_CII/N_CIV) and log(N_SiII/N_SiIV) to quantify the average ionization as a function of redshift. The log(N_SiII/N_SiIV) ratio does not change significantly over 5$\lesssim z \lesssim$6.3. We combine the E-XQR-30 log(N_CII/N_CIV) measurements with literature measurements at $z\sim$2-4 and find that the log(N_CII/N_CIV) ratio declines by a factor of $\sim$20 between $z\sim$6 and $z\sim$2. To explore possible drivers of this evolution, we run photoionization models of gas slabs illuminated by a uniform UV background at fixed density, metallicity and HI column density. We find that the increase in the ionization state of metal absorbers towards lower redshifts can likely be explained by some combination of 1) an increase in the metallicity of CIV-absorbing gas and 2) a decrease in the typical HI column densities of the absorbing gas, driven by the declining cosmic mean density and a rapid rise in the strength of the UV background during the final stages of reionization.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Constraints on inelastic dark matter from the CDEX-1B experiment

We present limits on spin-independent inelastic weakly interacting massive particles (WIMP)-nucleus scattering using the 737.1 kg$\cdot$day dataset from the CDEX-1B experiment. Expected nuclear recoil spectra for various inelastic WIMP masses $m_χ$ and mass splittings $δ$ are calculated under the standard halo model. An accurate background model of CDEX-1B is constructed by simulating all major background sources. The model parameters are then determined through maximum likelihood estimation and Markov chain Monte Carlo fitting. The resulting 90\% confidence level upper limits on the WIMP-nucleon cross section $σ_{\mathrm{n}}$ exclude certain DAMA/LIBRA allowed regions: the $χ^2 < 4$ regions for $δ< 30$ keV at $m_χ= 250$ GeV and the $χ^2 < 9$ region for $δ< 50$ keV at $m_χ= 500$ GeV. The method is applicable to other inelastic dark matter scenarios, and the upcoming CDEX-50 experiment is expected to improve sensitivity by four orders of magnitude.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

A Virgo Environmental Survey Tracing Ionised Gas Emission (VESTIGE). XIX. The discovery of a spectacular 230 kpc Halpha tail following NGC 4569 in the Virgo cluster

Context. Galaxies fly inside galaxy clusters and ram pressure by the ICM can remove a large amount of the ISM from the galaxy, and deposit the gas in the ICM. The ISM decoupled from the host galaxy leaves a long trail following the moving galaxy. Such long trails track the galaxy motion and can be detected with sensitive data in Halpha. Aims. We study the Halpha tail trailing NGC 4569 in the Virgo cluster. Methods. The initial discovery was made with the deep Halpha imaging data with CFHT, from the VESTIGE project. The follow-up spectroscopic observations were made with APO/DIS, MMT/Binospec and CFHT/SITELLE. Results. Besides the known 80 kpc Halpha tail downstream of NGC 4569, the deep Halpha imaging data allow the Halpha tail detected to at least 230 kpc from the galaxy. More importantly, the Halpha clumps implied from the imaging data are confirmed with the spectroscopic data. The Halpha clumps show a smooth radial velocity gradient across about 1300 km/s, eventually reaching the velocity of the cluster. Conclusions. This discovery, for the first time, demonstrates the full deceleration process of the stripped ISM. This discovery also showcases the potential with wide-field Halpha survey on galaxy clusters to discover intracluster optical emission-line clouds originated from cluster galaxies. These clouds provide kinematic tracers to the infall history of cluster galaxies and the turbulence in the ICM. They are also excellent multi-phase objects to study the classical cloud crushing problem and other relevant important physical processes.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Lattice Boltzmann models for the hydrodynamic equations in multiphase flow with high density ratio

Multiphase flows with high density ratios, such as water and air flows, have recently been simulated using the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method. This approach corresponds to solving the phase field equations, such as the Cahn-Hilliard and Allen-Cahn equations, and the hydrodynamic equations, typically the Navier-Stokes and pressure equations for pseudo-incompressible fluids. Due to the high density ratio, the higher-order numerical truncation errors associated with spatial density gradients can become significant. These errors can lead to problems such as inaccuracies in shear stress, violations of Galilean invariance, and undesirable dependencies on absolute pressure for the pseudo-incompressible solutions. To overcome such problems, the moments of the distribution function and the equilibrium state must be carefully designed while ensuring robustness. In this work, we propose a new scheme based on the lattice kinetic scheme (LKS), which directly solves the velocity and pressure fields in the similar discrete space as the LB method. When mapping the LKS-based models to the LB models, the original LKS models are simplified for computational efficiency and the filter collision operator is implemented. Benchmark test cases confirm that the proposed scheme effectively addresses these issues, achieving high accuracy and robustness while eliminating the iterative steps typically required in the LKS. One of the most significant improvements is the accuracy of the airflow field induced by water motion, likely due to improved momentum transfer across the interface.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2025

Constraints on dark matter boosted by supernova shock within the effective field theory framework from the CDEX-10 experiment

Supernova shocks can boost dark matter (DM) particles to high, yet nonrelativistic, velocities, providing a suitable mechanism for analysis within the framework of the nonrelativistic effective field theory (NREFT). These accelerated DM sources extend the experimental ability to scan the parameter space of light DM into the sub-GeV region. In this study, we specifically analyze DM accelerated by the Monogem Ring supernova remnant, whose age ($\sim 68000$ yr) and distance to Earth ($\sim 300$ parsec) are strategically matched to enable detection with current terrestrial detectors. Utilizing the 205.4 kg$\cdot$day data obtained from the CDEX-10 experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory, we derive new constraints on boosted DM within the NREFT framework. The NREFT coupling constant exclusion regions now penetrate the sub-GeV mass range, with optimal sensitivity achieved for operators $\mathcal{O}_{3}$, $\mathcal{O}_{6}$, $\mathcal{O}_{15}$ in the 0.4--0.6 GeV mass range.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

The XLZD Design Book: Towards the Next-Generation Liquid Xenon Observatory for Dark Matter and Neutrino Physics

This report describes the experimental strategy and technologies for XLZD, the next-generation xenon observatory sensitive to dark matter and neutrino physics. In the baseline design, the detector will have an active liquid xenon target of 60 tonnes, which could be increased to 80 tonnes if the market conditions for xenon are favorable. It is based on the mature liquid xenon time projection chamber technology used in current-generation experiments, LZ and XENONnT. The report discusses the baseline design and opportunities for further optimization of the individual detector components. The experiment envisaged here has the capability to explore parameter space for Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) dark matter down to the neutrino fog, with a 3$σ$ evidence potential for WIMP-nucleon cross sections as low as $3\times10^{-49}\rm\,cm^2$ (at 40 GeV/c$^2$ WIMP mass). The observatory will also have leading sensitivity to a wide range of alternative dark matter models. It is projected to have a 3$σ$ observation potential of neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{136}$Xe at a half-life of up to $5.7\times 10^{27}$ years. Additionally, it is sensitive to astrophysical neutrinos from the sun and galactic supernovae.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Global linear drift-wave eigenmode structures on flux surfaces in stellarators: ion temperature gradient mode

Turbulent transport greatly impacts the performance of stellarator magnetic confinement devices. While significant progress has been made on the numerical front, theoretical understanding of turbulence in stellarators is still lacking. In particular, due to nonaxisymmetry, different field lines couple within flux surfaces, the effects from which have yet to be adequately studied. In this work, we numerically simulate the linear electrostatic ion-temperature-gradient modes in stellarators using the global gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code GTC. We find that the linear eigenmode structures are nonuniform across field lines on flux surfaces and are localized at the downstream of the ion diamagnetic drift. Based on a simple model from Zocco et al. [Phys. Plasmas 23, 082516 (2016); 27, 022507 (2020)], we show that the localization can be explained from the nonzero imaginary part of the binormal wavenumber. We further demonstrate that a localized surface-global eigenmode can be constructed from local gyrokinetic codes stella and GX, only if we first solve the local dispersion relation with real wavenumbers on each field line, and then do an analytic continuation to the complex-wavenumber plane. These results suggest that the complex-wavenumber spectra from surface-global effects are required to understand the linear drift-wave eigenmode structures in stellarators.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2025

Origin of gas in the Magellanic Bridge: MeerKAT detection of HI 21-cm absorption

HI 21-cm absorption lines are investigated to determine the origin of the neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) of the Magellanic Bridge (MB). Using the MeerKat Absorption Line Survey (MALS) data we report the detection of an HI absorption line at a peak signal-to-noise ratio of 10 caused by MB gas against the radio source J033242.97-724904.5. In combination with earlier data obtained with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) our new detected HI line permits the exploration of the MB atomic hydrogen gas across 4-6 kpc. The radial velocity profiles from the ATCA data and new data from MALS are analysed. Apart from the excitation conditions, the radial velocity structure of the HI gas seen in emission and absorption is investigated. Eventually the gas-to-dust ratio is quantified to identify the origin of the MB gas being either from the SMC (Small Magellanic Cloud) or the LMC (Large Magellanic Cloud). The HI absorption lines towards lines of sight separated by several kpc consistently coincide with the densest and perhaps coolest gas at the lower radial-velocity limit of the corresponding HI emission profiles. The gas-to-dust ratio is found to be consistent with an origin of the MB gas from the LMC. The large scale velocity distribution as seen from the HI absorption features favors the LMC-SMC direct collision scenario over the close fly-by scenario, as also currently found by numerical simulations.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Low-energy nuclear recoil calibration of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment with a photoneutron source

The LZ experiment is a liquid xenon time-projection chamber (TPC) searching for evidence of particle dark matter interactions. In the simplest assumption of elastic scattering, many dark matter models predict an energy spectrum which rises quasi-exponentially with decreasing energy transfer to a target atom. LZ expects to detect coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering of $^{8}$B solar neutrinos, the signal from which is very similar to a dark matter particle with mass of about 5.5 GeV/$c^{2}$, which result in typical nuclear recoil energies of $<$5 keV$_{\text{nr}}$. Therefore, it is of crucial importance to calibrate the response of recoiling xenon nuclei to keV-energy recoils. This analysis details the first in situ photoneutron calibration of the LZ detector and probes its response in this energy regime.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2025

Decadal upgrade strategy for KAGRA toward post-O5 gravitational-wave astronomy

The KAGRA Collaboration has investigated a ten-year upgrade strategy for the KAGRA gravitational wave detector, considering a total of 14 upgrade options that vary in mirror mass, quantum noise reduction techniques, and the quality of cryogenic suspensions. We evaluated the scientific potential of these configurations with a focus on key targets such as parameter estimation of compact binary coalescences, binary neutron star post-merger signals, and continuous gravitational waves. Rather than aiming to improve all science cases uniformly, we prioritized those most sensitive to the detector configuration. Technical feasibility was assessed based on required hardware developments, associated R\&D efforts, cost, and risk. Our study finds that a high-frequency upgrade plan that enhances sensitivity over a broad frequency range above ~200 Hz offers the best balance between scientific return and technical feasibility. Such an upgrade would enable sky localization of binary neutron star mergers at 100 Mpc to better than 0.5 deg$^2$ in a LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA network, and improve the measurement precision of tidal deformability parameter by approximately 10% at median, compared to a network without KAGRA.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Generalized weighted EP elements in Banach algebras

We propose a new class of generalized inverses with weights, which represent a natural extension of EP (Moore-Penrose) and *-DMP (Drazin-Moore-Penrose) elements in a Banach *-algebra. This paper presents various characteristics of weighted EP elements. Moreover, we characterize the weighted EP element through the core-EP decomposition and a polar-like property. Finally, we explore weighted *-DMP elements and uncover several new properties of *-DMP elements.

math.FA↗