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J. de Vries

Publications and source records attributed to J. de Vries.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decays from Operator Mixing

We perform a complete one-loop Renormalization Group (RG) analysis of neutrinoless double-beta decays within the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). Although several effective operators do not contribute to these processes at tree level, we show that they can generate sizable contributions through operator mixing. By accounting for the full one-loop RG evolution within the SMEFT, we find that the resulting constraints provide the most stringent bounds on numerous dimension-seven operators, improving upon limits derived from meson decays. We also highlight the importance of contributions beyond the first leading logarithm, which can provide the leading effects for specific operators and flavor combinations.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2026

Statistics and systematics of electron EDM searches with BaF

The NL-$e$EDM experiment searches for a non-zero electric dipole moment of the electron $d_e$ ($e$EDM) in the ground state of barium monofluoride (BaF). A beam of BaF from a supersonic expansion source is probed with the spin precession method presented in \cite{Boeschoten2024}. This method permits the extraction of an $e$EDM value as well as values for parameters causing a possible systematic bias leading to a false $e$EDM. The currently achievable sensitivity is limited by statistics collected in a period of 34 hours and yields an $d_e$ of $2(3) \times 10^{-25}$ $e\,$cm. Furthermore, from the same dataset sufficiently strong limits on parameters which can induce a false $e$EDM are extracted. These are mainly the electric field \textbf{E} and the intensity of the lasers fields in the fiducial volume of the experiment. We summarize the steps required to upgrade of the experiment to reach a competitive level on $d_e$, e.g. an intense laser-cooled beam from a cryogenic buffer gas source and the light collection efficiency of fluorescence.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2025

Precision spectroscopy of the $A^2Π$ $\leftarrow$ $X^2Σ^+$ transition in BaF

High-resolution spectroscopy on the $A^2Π$ - $X^2Σ^+$ electronic system of $^{138}$Ba$^{19}$F is performed using a cold molecular beam produced by a buffer gas source. The hyperfine structure in both $X^2Σ^+$ ground and $A^2Π$ excited states is fully resolved and absolute transition frequencies of individual components are measured at the sub-MHz level making use of frequency-comb laser calibration. Sets of molecular constants for the $X^2Σ^+$($v=0,1$) and $A^2Π$($v=0,1$) levels are determined, with improved accuracy for the $T_{v',v''}$ band origins and spin-orbit interaction constants for the $A^2Π$ excited states, that represent the presently measured highly accurate transitions for low-$J$ states as well as previously determined transition frequencies in Fourier-transform emission studies for rotational levels as high as $J \geq 100$. The extracted molecular constants reproduce the measured transition frequencies at the experimental absolute accuracy of 1 MHz. The work is of relevance for future laser cooling schemes, and is performed in the context of a measurement of the electron dipole moment for which BaF is a target system.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2025

Confronting the low-scale seesaw and leptogenesis with neutrinoless double beta decay

We revisit the impact of heavy neutrinos with masses in the MeV-GeV range on neutrinoless double beta decay ($0νββ$) in view of updated results for the lifetime of this process. Working in a minimal realistic extension of the Standard Model by two right-handed neutrino flavours, we show that the non-observation of $0νββ$ will impose strong bounds on the heavy neutrino properties that are complementary to the limits obtained from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and collider searches. For an inverted mass hierarchy of the light neutrinos we find that improved limits on $0νββ$ from next-generation experiments, assuming an improvement of two orders of magnitude on the current $0νββ$ limits will restrict the allowed parameter space for fixed mass splitting to narrow bands in the mass-mixing plane. Further combining this with the requirement to explain the baryon asymmetry of the universe via leptogenesis reduces these bands to windows in parameter space that are constrained in all directions and can be targeted by direct searches at accelerators, and restricts the mass splitting to values that can be resolved at experiments. For a normal mass hierarchy, restricting the allowed parameter will require even stronger $0νββ$ limits, and only parts of the parameter space can then be probed.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2024

Dark matter scattering off ${}^4$He in chiral effective field theory

We study dark matter scattering off ${}^4$He and other light nuclei using chiral effective field theory. We consider scalar DM interactions and include both one- and two-nucleon scattering processes. The DM interactions and nuclear wave functions are obtained from chiral effective field theory and we work up to fourth order in the chiral expansion for the latter to investigate the chiral convergence. The results for the scattering rates can be used to determine the sensitivity of planned experiments to detect relatively light dark matter particles using ${}^4$He. We find that next-to-leading-order scalar currents are smaller than expected from power counting for scattering off ${}^4$He confirming earlier work. However, the results for two-nucleon corrections exhibit a linear regulator dependence indicating potential problems in the applied power counting. We observe a linear correlation between the, in principle not observable, D-wave probability of various light nuclei and the scalar two-nucleon matrix elements, again pointing towards potentially missing contributions.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2024

Neutrinoless double beta decay rates in the presence of light sterile neutrinos

We investigate neutrinoless double-beta decay ($0νββ$) in minimal extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics where gauge-singlet right-handed neutrinos give rise to Dirac and Majorana neutrino mass terms. We argue that the standard treatment of these scenarios, based on mass-dependent nuclear matrix elements, is missing important contributions to the $0νββ$ amplitude. First, new effects arise from the exchange of neutrinos with very small (ultrasoft) momenta, for which we compute the associated nuclear matrix elements for the decays of ${}^{76}$Ge and ${}^{136}$Xe. These contributions can dominate the $0νββ$ rate in cases with light sterile neutrinos. The ultrasoft terms are also relevant in the more standard scenario of just three light Majorana neutrinos where they lead to a $10\%$ reduction of the total $0νββ$ amplitude. Secondly, we highlight the importance of short-range terms associated with medium-heavy sterile neutrinos and provide explicit formulae that can be used in phenomenological analyses. As examples we discuss impact of these new effects in several explicit scenarios, including a realistic $3+2$ model with two right-handed gauge-singlet neutrinos.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2024

The double-layer potential for spectral constants revisited

We thoroughly analyse the double-layer potential's role in approaches to spectral sets in the spirit of Delyon--Delyon, Crouzeix and Crouzeix--Palencia. While the potential is well-studied, we aim to clarify on several of its aspects in light of these references. In particular, we illustrate how the associated integral operators can be used to characterize the convexity of the domain and the inclusion of the numerical range in its closure. We furthermore give a direct proof of a result by Putinar--Sandberg -- a generalization of Berger--Stampfli's mapping theorem -- circumventing dilation theory. Finally, we show for matrices that any smooth domain whose closure contains the numerical range admits a spectral constant only depending on the extremal function and vector. This constant is consistent with the so far best known absolute bound $1+\sqrt{2}$.

math.FA↗
arXiv2022

CP-violating axion interactions in effective field theory

Axions are introduced to explain the observed smallness of the $\bar θ$ term of QCD. Standard Model extensions typically contain new sources of CP violation, for instance to account for the baryon asymmetry of the universe. In the presence of additional CP-violating sources a Peccei-Quinn mechanism does not remove all CP violation, leading to CP-odd interactions among axions and Standard Model fields. In this work, we use effective field theory to parametrize generic sources of beyond-the-Standard-Model CP violation. We systematically compute the resulting CP-odd couplings of axions to leptons and hadrons by using chiral perturbation theory. We discuss in detail the phenomenology of the CP-odd axion couplings and compare limits from axion searches, such as fifth force and monopole-dipole searches and astrophysics, to direct limits on the CP-violating operators from electric dipole moment experiments. While limits from electric dipole moment searches are tight, the proposed ARIADNE experiment can potentially improve the existing constraints in a window of axion masses.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2022

Electric dipole moments of baryons with bottom quarks

Triggered by experimental prospects to measure electromagnetic dipole moments of baryons containing a bottom quark, we calculate the CP-odd electric dipole moments (EDMs) of spin-1/2 single-bottom baryons. We consider CP-violating dimension-six operators in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory that involve bottom quarks, and apply heavy-baryon chiral perturbation theory to compute the EDMs of several baryons. We discuss the expected size of the EDMs for beyond-the-Standard Model physics appearing at the TeV scale.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2021

Nucleon decay in the deuteron

We calculate the lifetime of the deuteron from dimension-six quark operators that violate baryon number by one unit. We construct an effective field theory for $|ΔB|=1$ interactions that give rise to nucleon and $ΔB=1$ deuteron decay in a systematic expansion. We show that up to and including next-to-leading order the deuteron decay rate is given by the sum of the decay rates of the free proton and neutron. The first nuclear correction is expected to contribute at the few-percent level and comes with an undetermined low-energy constant. We discuss its relation to earlier potential-model calculations.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2020

Parity- and time-reversal-violating nuclear forces

Parity-violating and time-reversal conserving (PVTC) and parity-violating and time-reversal-violating (PVTV) forces in nuclei form only a tiny component of the total interaction between nucleons. The study of these tiny forces can nevertheless be of extreme interest because they allow to obtain information on fundamental symmetries using nuclear systems. The PVTC interaction derives from the weak interaction between the quarks inside nucleons and nuclei and the study of PVTC effects opens a window on the quark-quark weak interaction. The PVTV interaction is sensitive to more exotic interactions at the fundamental level, in particular to strong CP violation in the Standard Model Lagrangian, or even to exotic phenomena predicted in various beyond-the-Standard-Model scenarios. The presence of these interactions can be revealed either by studying various asymmetries in polarized scattering of nuclear systems, or by measuring the presence of non-vanishing permanent electric dipole moments of nucleons, nuclei and diamagnetic atoms and molecules. In this contribution, we review the derivation of the nuclear PVTC and PVTV interactions within various frameworks. We focus in particular on the application of chiral effective field theory, which allows for a more strict connection with the fundamental interactions at the quark level. We investigate PVTC and PVTV effects induced by these potential on several few-nucleon observables, such as the longitudinal asymmetry in proton-proton scattering and radiative neutron-proton capture, and the electric dipole momentsof the deuteron and the trinucleon system.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2019

A renormalized approach to neutrinoless double-beta decay

The process at the heart of neutrinoless double-beta decay, $nn \rightarrow p p\, e^- e^-$ induced by a light Majorana neutrino, is investigated in pionless and chiral effective field theory. We show in various regularization schemes the need to introduce a short-range lepton-number-violating operator at leading order, confirming earlier findings. We demonstrate that such a short-range operator is only needed in spin-singlet $S$-wave transitions, while leading-order transitions involving higher partial waves depend solely on long-range currents. Calculations are extended to include next-to-leading corrections in perturbation theory, where to this order no additional undetermined parameters appear. We establish a connection based on chiral symmetry between neutrinoless double-beta decay and nuclear charge-independence breaking induced by electromagnetism. Data on the latter confirm the need for a leading-order short-range operator, but do not allow for a full determination of the corresponding lepton-number-violating coupling. Using a crude estimate of this coupling, we perform ab initio calculations of the matrix elements for neutrinoless double-beta decay for $^6$He and $^{12}$Be. We speculate on the phenomenological impact of the leading short-range operator on the basis of these results.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2019

Baryon-number violation by two units and the deuteron lifetime

We calculate the lifetime of the deuteron with dimension-nine quark operators that violate baryon number by two units. We construct an effective field theory for $|ΔB|=2$ interactions that give rise to neutron-antineutron ($n$-$\bar{n}$) oscillations and dinucleon decay within a consistent power counting. We calculate the ratio of the deuteron lifetime to the square of the $n$-$\bar{n}$ oscillation time up to next-to-leading order. Our result, which is analytical and has a quantified uncertainty, is smaller by a factor $\simeq 2.5$ than earlier estimates based on nuclear models, which impacts the indirect bound on he $n$-$\bar{n}$ oscillation time and future experiments. We discuss how combined measurements of $n$-$\bar{n}$ oscillations and deuteron decay can help to identify the sources of baryon-number violation.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2019

A neutrinoless double beta decay master formula from effective field theory

We present a master formula describing the neutrinoless-double-beta decay ($0νββ$) rate induced by lepton-number-violating (LNV) operators up to dimension nine in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory. We provide an end-to-end framework connecting the possibly very high LNV scale to the nuclear scale, through a chain of effective field theories. Starting at the electroweak scale, we integrate out the heavy Standard Model degrees of freedom and we match to an $SU(3)_c\otimes U(1)_{\mathrm{em}}$ effective theory. After evolving the resulting effective Lagrangian to the QCD scale, we use chiral perturbation theory to derive the lepton-number-violating chiral Lagrangian. The chiral Lagrangian is used to derive the two-nucleon $0νββ$ transition operators to leading order in the chiral power counting. Based on renormalization arguments we show that in various cases short-range two-nucleon operators need to be enhanced to leading order. We show that all required nuclear matrix elements can be taken from existing calculations. Our final result is a master formula that describes the $0νββ$ rate in terms of phase-space factors, nuclear matrix elements, hadronic low-energy constants, QCD evolution factors, and high-energy LNV Wilson coefficients, including all the interference terms. Our master formula can be easily matched to any model where LNV originates at energy scales above the electroweak scale. As an explicit example, we match our formula to the minimal left-right-symmetric model in which contributions of operators of different dimension compete, and we discuss the resulting phenomenology.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2019

The phenomenology of electric dipole moments in models of scalar leptoquarks

We study the phenomenology of electric dipole moments (EDMs) induced in various scalar leptoquark models. We consider generic leptoquark couplings to quarks and leptons and match to Standard Model effective field theory. After evolving the resulting operators to low energies, we connect to EDM experiments by using up-to-date hadronic, nuclear, and atomic matrix elements. We show that current experimental limits set strong constraints on the possible CP-violating phases in leptoquark models. Depending on the quarks and leptons involved in the interaction, the existing searches for EDMs of leptons, nucleons, atoms, and molecules all play a role in constraining the CP-violating couplings. We discuss the impact of hadronic and nuclear uncertainties as well as the sensitivities that can be achieved with future EDM experiments. Finally, we study the impact of EDM constraints on a specific leptoquark model that can explain the recent $B$-physics anomalies.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2018

Constraining the top-Higgs sector of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory

Working in the framework of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory, we study chirality-flipping couplings of the top quark to Higgs and gauge bosons. We discuss in detail the renormalization group evolution to lower energies and investigate direct and indirect contributions to high- and low-energy CP-conserving and CP-violating observables. Our analysis includes constraints from collider observables, precision electroweak tests, flavor physics, and electric dipole moments. We find that indirect probes are competitive or dominant for both CP-even and CP-odd observables, even after accounting for uncertainties associated with hadronic and nuclear matrix elements, illustrating the importance of including operator mixing in constraining the Standard Model Effective Field Theory. We also study scenarios where multiple anomalous top couplings are generated at the high scale, showing that while the bounds on individual couplings relax, strong correlations among couplings survive. Finally, we find that enforcing minimal flavor violation does not significantly affect the bounds on the top couplings.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2018

A new leading contribution to neutrinoless double-beta decay

Within the framework of chiral effective field theory we discuss the leading contributions to the neutrinoless double-beta decay transition operator induced by light Majorana neutrinos. Based on renormalization arguments in both dimensional regularization with minimal subtraction and a coordinate-space cutoff scheme, we show the need to introduce a leading-order short-range operator, missing in all current calculations. We discuss strategies to determine the finite part of the short-range coupling by matching to lattice QCD or by relating it via chiral symmetry to isospin-breaking observables in the two-nucleon sector. Finally, we speculate on the impact of this new contribution on nuclear matrix elements of relevance to experiment.

hep-ph↗