arXiv subjects

J. Müller

Publications and source records attributed to J. Müller.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Vertical Beam Polarization at MAMI

For the first time a vertically polarized electron beam has been used for physics experiments at MAMI in the energy range between 180 and 855 MeV. The beam-normal single-spin asymmetry $A_{\mathrm{n}}$, which is a direct probe of higher-order photon exchange beyond the first Born approximation, has been measured in the reaction $^{12}\mathrm C(\vec e,e')^{12}\mathrm C$. Vertical polarization orientation was necessary to measure this asymmetry with the existing experimental setup. In this paper we describe the procedure to orient the electron polarization vector vertically, and the concept of determining both its magnitude and orientation with the available setup. A sophisticated method has been developed to overcome the lack of a polarimeter setup sensitive to the vertical polarization component.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2016

Momentum dependence of the imaginary part of the $ω$- and $η^\prime$-nucleus optical potential

The photoproduction of $ω$ and $η^\prime$ mesons off carbon and niobium nuclei has been measured as a function of the meson momentum for incident photon energies of 1.2-2.9 GeV at the electron accelerator ELSA. The mesons have been identified via the $ω\rightarrow π^0 γ\rightarrow 3 γ$ and $η^\prime\rightarrow π^0 π^0η\rightarrow 6 γ$ decays, respectively, registered with the CBELSA/TAPS detector system. From the measured meson momentum distributions the momentum dependence of the transparency ratio has been determined for both mesons. Within a Glauber analysis the in-medium $ω$ and $η^\prime$ widths and the corresponding absorption cross sections have been deduced as a function of the meson momentum. The results are compared to recent theoretical predictions for the in-medium $ω$ width and $η^\prime$-N absorption cross sections. The energy dependence of the imaginary part of the $ω$- and $η^\prime$-nucleus optical potential has been extracted. The finer binning of the present data compared to the existing data allows a more reliable extrapolation towards the production threshold. The modulus of the imaginary part of the $η^\prime$ nucleus potential is found to be about three times smaller than recently determined values of the real part of the $η^\prime$-nucleus potential, which makes the $η^\prime$ meson a suitable candidate for the search for meson-nucleus bound states. For the $ω$ meson, the modulus of the imaginary part near threshold is comparable to the modulus of the real part of the potential. As a consequence, only broad structures can be expected which makes the observation of $ω$ mesic states very difficult experimentally.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2016

Determination of the real part of the η'-Nb optical potential

The excitation function and momentum distribution of η' mesons have been measured in photoproduction off 93^Nb in the energy range of 1.2-2.9 GeV. The experiment has been performed with the combined Crystal Barrel and MiniTAPS detector system, using tagged photon beams from the ELSA electron accelerator. Information on the sign and magnitude of the real part of the η'-Nb potential has been extracted from a comparison of the data with model calculations. An attractive potential of -(41 \pm 10(stat) \pm 15(syst)) MeV depth at normal nuclear matter density is deduced within model uncertainties. This value is consistent with the potential depth of -(37 \pm 10(stat) \pm 10(syst)) MeV obtained in an earlier measurement for a light nucleus (carbon). This relatively shallow η'-nucleus potential will make the search for η'-nucleus bound states more difficult.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2016

Double-polarization observable G in neutral-pion photoproduction off the proton

This paper reports on a measurement of the double-polarization observable G in $π^0$ photoproduction off the proton using the CBELSA/TAPS experiment at the ELSA accelerator in Bonn. The observable G is determined from reactions of linearly-polarized photons with longitudinally-polarized protons. The polarized photons are produced by bremsstrahlung off a properly oriented diamond radiator. A frozen spin butanol target provides the polarized protons. The data cover the photon energy range from 617 to 1325 MeV and a wide angular range. The experimental results for G are compared to predictions by the Bonn-Gatchina (BnGa), Jülich-Bonn (JüBo), MAID and SAID partial wave analyses. Implications of the new data for the pion photoproduction multipoles are discussed.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2015

The polarization observables T, P, and H and their impact on $γp \to pπ^0$ multipoles

Data on the polarization observables T, P, and H for the reaction $γp\to pπ^0$ are reported. Compared to earlier data from other experiments, our data are more precise and extend the covered range in energy and angle substantially. The results were extracted from azimuthal asymmetries measured using a transversely polarized target and linearly polarized photons. The data were taken at the Bonn electron stretcher accelerator ELSA with the CBELSA/TAPS detector. Within the Bonn-Gatchina partial wave analysis, the new polarization data lead to a significant narrowing of the error band for the multipoles for neutral-pion photoproduction.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2015

Ferroelectric properties of charge-ordered alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2I3

A detailed investigation of the out-of-plane electrical properties of charge-ordered alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2I3 provides clear evidence for ferroelectricity. Similar to multiferroic alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Cl, the polar order in this material is ascribed to the occurrence of bond- and site-centered charge order. Dielectric response typical for relaxor ferroelectricity is found deep in the charge-ordered state. We suggest an explanation in terms of the existence of polar and nonpolar stacks of the organic molecules in this material, preventing long-range ferroelectricity. The results are discussed in relation to the formation or absence of electronic polar order in related charge-transfer salts.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Origin of the glass-like dynamics in molecular metals $\pmbκ$-(BEDT-TTF)$_{\textbf{2}}$X: implications from fluctuation spectroscopy and $\pmb{\textit{ab initio}}$ calculations

We have studied the low-frequency dynamics of the charge carriers in different organic charge-transfer salts $κ$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$X with polymeric anions X by using resistance noise spectroscopy. Our aim is to investigate the structural, glass-like transition caused by the conformational degrees of freedom of the BEDT-TTF molecules' terminal ethylene groups. Although of fundamental importance for studies of the electronic ground-state properties, the phenomenology of the glassy dynamics is only scarcely investigated and its origin is not understood. Our systematic studies of fluctuation spectroscopy of various different compounds reveal a universal, pronounced maximum in the resistance noise power spectral density related to the glass transition. The energy scale of this precess can be identified with the activation energy of the glass-like ethylene endgroup structural dynamics as determined from thermodynamic and NMR measurements. For the first time for this class of 'plastic crystals', we report a typical glassy property of the relaxation time, namely a Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann law, and are able to determine the degree of fragility of the glassy system. Supporting $\textit{ab initio}$ calculations provide an explanation for the origin and phenomenology of the glassy dynamics in different systems in terms of a simple two-level model, where the relevant energy scales are determined by the coupling of the ethylene endgroups to the anions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Critical Slowing Down of the Charge Carrier Dynamics at the Mott Metal-Insulator Transition

We report on the dramatic slowing down of the charge carrier dynamics in a quasi-two-dimensional organic conductor, which can be reversibly tuned through the Mott metal-insulator transition (MIT). At the finite-temperature critical endpoint we observe a divergent increase of the resistance fluctuations accompanied by a drastic shift of spectral weight to low frequencies, demonstrating the critical slowing down of the order parameter (doublon density) fluctuations. The slow dynamics is accompanied by non-Gaussian fluctuations, indicative of correlated charge carrier dynamics. A possible explanation is a glassy freezing of the electronic system as a precursor of the Mott MIT.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Mott metal-insulator transition induced by utilizing a glass-like structural ordering in low-dimensional molecular conductors

We utilize a glass-like structural transition in order to induce a Mott metal-insulator transition in the quasi-two-dimensional organic charge-transfer salt $κ$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Br. In this material, the terminal ethylene groups of the BEDT-TTF molecules can adopt two different structural orientations within the crystal structure, namely eclipsed (E) and staggered (S) with the relative orientation of the outer C$-$C bonds being parallel and canted, respectively. These two conformations are thermally disordered at room temperature and undergo a glass-like ordering transition at $T_g \sim 75\,$K. When cooling through $T_g$, a small fraction that depends on the cooling rate remains frozen in the S configuration, which is of slightly higher energy, corresponding to a controllable degree of structural disorder. We demonstrate that, when thermally coupled to a low-temperature heat bath, a pulsed heating current through the sample causes a very fast relaxation with cooling rates at $T_g$ of the order of several 1000$\,$K/min. The freezing of the structural degrees of freedom causes a decrease of the electronic bandwidth $W$ with increasing cooling rate, and hence a Mott metal-insulator transition as the system crosses the critical ratio $(W/U)_{c}$ of bandwidth to on-site Coulomb repulsion $U$. Due to the glassy character of the transition, the effect is persistent below $T_g$ and can be reversibly repeated by melting the frozen configuration upon warming above $T_g$. Both by exploiting the characteristics of slowly-changing relaxation times close to this temperature and by controlling the heating power, the materials can be fine-tuned across the Mott transition. A simple model allows for an estimate of the energy difference between the E and S state as well as the accompanying degree of frozen disorder in the population of the two orientations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

The N(1520) 3/2- helicity amplitudes from an energy-independent multipole analysis based on new polarization data on photoproduction of neutral pions

New data on the polarization observables T, P, and H for the reaction $γp \to pπ^0$ are reported. The results are extracted from azimuthal asymmetries when a transversely polarized butanol target and a linearly polarized photon beam are used. The data were taken at the Bonn electron stretcher accelerator ELSA using the CBELSA/TAPS detector. These and earlier data are used to perform a truncated energy-independent partial wave analysis in sliced-energy bins. This energy-independent analysis is compared to the results from energy-dependent partial wave analyses.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2014

Experimental constraints on the $ω$-nucleus real potential

In a search for $ω$ mesic states, the production of $ω$-mesons in coincidence with forward going protons has been studied in photon induced reactions on $^{12}$C for incident photon energies of 1250 - 3100 MeV. The $π^0 γ$ pairs from decays of bound or quasi-free $ω$-mesons have been measured with the CBELSA/TAPS detector system in coincidence with protons registered in the MiniTAPS forward array. Structures in the total energy distribution of the $π^0 γ$ pairs, which would indicate the population and decay of bound $ω~^{11}$B states, are not observed. The $π^0 γ$ cross section of 0.3 nb/MeV/sr observed in the bound state energy regime between -100 and 0 MeV may be accounted for by yield leaking into the bound state regime because of the large in-medium width of the $ω$-meson. A comparison of the measured total energy distribution with calculations suggests the real part $V_0$ of the $ω~^{11}$B potential to be small and only weakly attractive with $V_0(ρ=ρ_0) = -15\pm$ 35(stat) $\pm$20(syst) MeV in contrast to some theoretical predictions of attractive potentials with a depth of 100 - 150 MeV.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2014

First measurement of the helicity asymmetry for $γp\rightarrow pπ^0$ in the resonance region

The first measurement of the helicity dependence of the photoproduction cross section of single neutral pions off protons is reported for photon energies from 600 to 2300\,MeV, covering nearly the full solid angle. The data are compared to predictions from the SAID, MAID, and BnGa partial wave analyses. Strikingly large differences between data and predictions are observed which are traced to differences in the helicity amplitudes of well known and established resonances. Precise values for the helicity amplitudes of several resonances are reported.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2013

Multiferroicity in the Mott Insulating Charge-Transfer Salt κ-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Cl

The recently proposed multiferroic state of the charge-transfer salt κ-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Cl [P. Lunkenheimer et al., Nature Mater., vol. 11, pp. 755-758, Sept. 2012] has been studied by dc-conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and measurements of the dielectric constant on various, differently prepared single crystals. In the majority of crystals we confirm the existence of an order-disorder-type ferroelectric state which coincides with antiferromagnetic order. This phenomenology rules out scenarios which consider an inhomogeneous, short-range-ordered ferroelectric state. Measurements of the dielectric constant and the magnetic susceptibility on the same crystals reveal that both transitions lie very close to each other or even collapse, indicating that both types of order are intimately coupled to each other. We address issues of the frequency dependence of the dielectric constant ε' and the dielectric loss ε'' and discuss sample-to-sample variations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Determination of the η'-nucleus optical potential

The excitation function and momentum distribution of $η^\prime$ mesons have been measured in photon induced reactions on $^{12}{}$C in the energy range of 1250-2600 MeV. The experiment was performed with tagged photon beams from the ELSA electron accelerator using the Crystal Barrel and TAPS detectors. The data are compared to model calculations to extract information on the sign and magnitude of the real part of the $η^\prime$-nucleus potential. Within the model, the comparison indicates an attractive potential of -($37 \pm 10(stat)\pm10(syst)$) MeV depth at normal nuclear matter density. Since the modulus of this depth is larger than the modulus of the imaginary part of the $η^\prime$-nucleus potential of -($10\pm2.5$) MeV, determined by transparency ratio measurements, a search for resolved $η^\prime$-bound states appears promising.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2012

Electronic phase separation due to magnetic polaron formation in the semimetallic ferromagnet EuB$_6$ - A weakly-nonlinear-transport study

We report measurements of weakly nonlinear electronic transport, as measured by third-harmonic voltage generation $V_{3ω}$, in the low-carrier density semimetallic ferromagnet EuB$_6$, which exhibits an unusual magnetic ordering with two consecutive transitions at $T_{c_1} = 15.6$\,K and $T_{c_2} = 12.5$\,K. Upon cooling in zero magnetic field through the ferromagnetic transition, the dramatic drop in the linear resistivity at the upper transition $T_{c_1}$ coincides with the onset of nonlinearity, and upon further cooling is followed by a pronounced peak in $V_{3 ω}$ at the lower transition $T_{c_2}$. Likewise, in the paramagnetic regime, a drop of the material's magnetoresistance $R(H)$ precedes a magnetic-field-induced peak in nonlinear transport. A striking observation is a linear temperature dependence of $V_{3ω}^{\rm peak}(H)$. We suggest a picture where at the upper transition $T_{c_1}$ the coalescing MP form a conducting path giving rise to a strong decrease in the resistance. The MP formation sets in at around $T^\ast \sim 35$\,K below which these entities are isolated and strongly fluctuating, while growing in number. The MP then start to form links at $T_{c_1}$, where percolative electronic transport is observed. The MP merge and start forming a continuum at the threshold $T_{c_2}$. In the paramagnetic temperature regime $T_{c_1} < T < T^\ast$, MP percolation is induced by a magnetic field, and the threshold accompanied by charge carrier delocalization occurs at a single critical magnetization.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

Well-established nucleon resonances revisited by double-polarization measurements

The first measurement is reported of the double-polarization observable G in photoproduction of neutral pions off protons, covering the photon energy range from 620 to 1120 MeV and the full solid angle. G describes the correlation between the photon polarization plane and the scattering plane for protons polarized along the direction of the incoming photon. The observable is highly sensitive to contributions from baryon resonances. The new results are compared to the predictions from SAID, MAID, and BnGa partial wave analyses. In spite of the long-lasting efforts to understand γp -> pπ 0 as the simplest photoproduction reaction, surprisingly large differences between the new data and the latest predictions are observed which are traced to different contributions of the N (1535) with spin-parity J^P = 1/2^- and N (1520) with J^P = 3/2^- . In the third resonance region, where N (1680) with J^P = 5/2^+ production dominates, the new data are reasonably close to the predictions.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2012

Magnetically-driven electronic phase separation in the semimetallic ferromagnet EuB$_6$

From measurements of fluctuation spectroscopy and weak nonlinear transport on the semimetallic ferromagnet EuB$_6$ we find direct evidence for magnetically-driven electronic phase separation consistent with the picture of percolation of magnetic polarons (MP), which form highly conducting magnetically-ordered clusters in a paramagnetic and 'poorly conducting' background. These different parts of the conducting network are probed separately by the noise spectroscopy/nonlinear transport and the conventional linear resistivity. We suggest a comprehensive and 'universal' scenario for the MP percolation, which occurs at a critical magnetization either induced by ferromagnetic order at zero field or externally applied magnetic fields in the paramagentic region.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Multiferroicity in an organic charge-transfer salt: Electric-dipole-driven magnetism

Multiferroics, showing simultaneous ordering of electrical and magnetic degrees of freedom, are remarkable materials as seen from both the academic and technological points of view. A prominent mechanism of multiferroicity is the spin-driven ferroelectricity, often found in frustrated antiferromagnets with helical spin order. There, similar to conventional ferroelectrics, the electrical dipoles arise from an off-centre displacement of ions. However, recently a different mechanism, namely purely electronic ferroelectricity, where charge order breaks inversion symmetry, has attracted considerable interest. Here we provide evidence for this exotic type of ferroelectricity, accompanied by antiferromagnetic spin order, in a two-dimensional organic charge-transfer salt, thus representing a new class of multiferroics. Quite unexpectedly for electronic ferroelectrics, dipolar and spin order arise nearly simultaneously. This can be ascribed to the loss of spin frustration induced by the ferroelectric ordering. Hence, here the spin order is driven by the ferroelectricity, in marked contrast to the spin-driven ferroelectricity in helical magnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗