arXiv subjects

L. Cao

Publications and source records attributed to L. Cao.

234 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

nEXO Pre-Conceptual Design Report

The projected performance and detector configuration of nEXO are described in this pre-Conceptual Design Report (pCDR). nEXO is a tonne-scale neutrinoless double beta ($0νββ$) decay search in $^{136}$Xe, based on the ultra-low background liquid xenon technology validated by EXO-200. With $\simeq$ 5000 kg of xenon enriched to 90% in the isotope 136, nEXO has a projected half-life sensitivity of approximately $10^{28}$ years. This represents an improvement in sensitivity of about two orders of magnitude with respect to current results. Based on the experience gained from EXO-200 and the effectiveness of xenon purification techniques, we expect the background to be dominated by external sources of radiation. The sensitivity increase is, therefore, entirely derived from the increase of active mass in a monolithic and homogeneous detector, along with some technical advances perfected in the course of a dedicated R&D program. Hence the risk which is inherent to the construction of a large, ultra-low background detector is reduced, as the intrinsic radioactive contamination requirements are generally not beyond those demonstrated with the present generation $0νββ$ decay experiments. Indeed, most of the required materials have been already assayed or reasonable estimates of their properties are at hand. The details described herein represent the base design of the detector configuration as of early 2018. Where potential design improvements are possible, alternatives are discussed. This design for nEXO presents a compelling path towards a next generation search for $0νββ$, with a substantial possibility to discover physics beyond the Standard Model.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2018

Study of charmless decays $B^{\pm} \to K^{0}_{S} K^{0}_{S} h^{\pm}$ ($h=K,π$) at Belle

We report a search for charmless hadronic decays of charged $B$ mesons to the final states $K^{0}_{S} K^{0}_{S} K^{\pm}$ and $K^{0}_{S} K^{0}_{S} π^{\pm}$ . The results are based on a $711 {fb}^{-1}$ data sample that contains $772 \times 10^6$ $B \bar{B}$ pairs, and was collected at the $Υ(4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^{+}e^{-}$ collider. For $B^{\pm} \to K^{0}_{S} K^{0}_{S} K^{\pm}$ decays, the measured branching fraction and direct $CP$ asymmetry are $[10.64\pm0.49(stat)\pm 0.44(syst)]\times10^{-6}$ and [$-0.6\pm3.9(stat)\pm 3.4(syst)$] %, respectively. In the absence of a statistically significant signal for $B^{\pm}\to K^{0}_{S} K^{0}_{S} π^{\pm}$, we set the 90 % confidence-level upper limit on its branching fraction at $1.14 \times 10^{-6}$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2018

Study of Silicon Photomultiplier Performance in External Electric Fields

We report on the performance of silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) light sensors operating in electric field strength up to 30 kV/cm and at a temperature of 149K, relative to their performance in the absence of an external electric field. The SiPM devices used in this study show stable gain, photon detection efficiency, and rates of correlated pulses, when exposed to external fields, within the estimated uncertainties. No observable physical damage to the bulk or surface of the devices was caused by the exposure.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2018

Characterization of an Ionization Readout Tile for nEXO

A new design for the anode of a time projection chamber, consisting of a charge-detecting "tile", is investigated for use in large scale liquid xenon detectors. The tile is produced by depositing 60 orthogonal metal charge-collecting strips, 3~mm wide, on a 10~\si{\cm} $\times$ 10~\si{\cm} fused-silica wafer. These charge tiles may be employed by large detectors, such as the proposed tonne-scale nEXO experiment to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay. Modular by design, an array of tiles can cover a sizable area. The width of each strip is small compared to the size of the tile, so a Frisch grid is not required. A grid-less, tiled anode design is beneficial for an experiment such as nEXO, where a wire tensioning support structure and Frisch grid might contribute radioactive backgrounds and would have to be designed to accommodate cycling to cryogenic temperatures. The segmented anode also reduces some degeneracies in signal reconstruction that arise in large-area crossed-wire time projection chambers. A prototype tile was tested in a cell containing liquid xenon. Very good agreement is achieved between the measured ionization spectrum of a $^{207}$Bi source and simulations that include the microphysics of recombination in xenon and a detailed modeling of the electrostatic field of the detector. An energy resolution $σ/E$=5.5\% is observed at 570~\si{keV}, comparable to the best intrinsic ionization-only resolution reported in literature for liquid xenon at 936~V/\si{cm}.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

A unified ab-initio approach to the correlated quantum dynamics of ultracold fermionic and bosonic mixtures

We extent the recently developed Multi-Layer Multi-Configuration Time-Dependent Hartree method for Bosons (ML-MCTDHB) for simulating the correlated quantum dynamics of bosonic mixtures to the fermionic sector and establish a unifying approach for the investigation of the correlated quantum dynamics of mixture of indistinguishable particles, be it fermions or bosons. Relying on a multi-layer wave-function expansion, the resulting Multi-Layer Multi-Configuration Time-Dependent Hartree method for Mixtures (ML-MCTDHX) can be adapted to efficiently resolve system-specific intra- and inter-species correlations. The versatility and efficiency of ML-MCTDHX is demonstrated by applying it to the problem of colliding few-atom mixtures of both Bose-Fermi and Fermi-Fermi type. Thereby, we elucidate the role of correlations in the transmission and reflection properties of the collisional events. In particular, we present examples where the reflection (transmission) at the other atomic species is a correlation-dominated effect, i.e.\ it is suppressed in the mean-field approximation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2016

Rabi oscillation induced $π$-phase flip in an unbalanced Ramsey atom interferometer

We present an observation of zero to $π$ phase flips induced by Rabi oscillation in an unbalanced Ramsey atom interferometer. The phase shift and visibility are experimentally investigated by modulating either the polarization or duration of Raman lasers, and they are well explained by a theoretical model. In an atom interferometer, the $π$-phase flips are caused not only by the sign of Rabi frequency but also by the Rabi oscillation. Considering the $π$-phase flips, we propose the composite-light-pulse sequences for realizing the large-momentum-transfer beam splitter and mirror, which have the high immunity to the external phase noise in building the cold atom interferometer.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2015

18-Months Operation of Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope: A Highly Stable Photometric Performance

We here report the photometric performance of Lunar-based Ultraviolet telescope (LUT), the first robotic telescope working on the Moon, for its 18-months operation. In total, 17 IUE standards have been observed in 51 runs until June 2015, which returns a highly stable photometric performance during the past 18 months (i.e., no evolution of photometric performance with time). The magnitude zero point is determined to be $17.53\pm0.05$ mag, which is not only highly consistent with the results based on its first 6-months operation, but also independent on the spectral type of the standard from which the magnitude zero point is determined. The implications of this stable performance is discussed, and is useful for next generation lunar-based astronomical observations.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2015

An Unprecedented Constraint on Water Content in the Sunlit Lunar Exosphere Seen by Lunar-Based Ultraviolet Telescope of Chang'e-3 Mission

The content of $\mathrm{OH/H_2O}$ molecules in the tenuous exosphere of the Moon is still an open issue at present. We here report an unprecedented upper limit of the content of the OH radicals, which is obtained from the in-situ measurements carried out \rm by the Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope, a payload of Chinese Chang'e-3 mission. By analyzing the diffuse background in the images taken by the telescope, the column density and surface concentration of the OH radicals are inferred to be $<10^{11}\ \mathrm{cm^{-2}}$ and $<10^{4}\ \mathrm{cm^{-3}}$ (by assuming a hydrostatic equilibrium with a scale height of 100km), respectively, by assuming that the recorded background is fully contributed by their resonance fluorescence emission. The resulted concentration is lower than the previously reported value by about two orders of magnitude, and is close to the prediction of the sputtering model. In addition, the same measurements and method allow us to derive a surface concentration of $<10^{2}\ \mathrm{cm^{-3}}$ for the neutral magnesium, which is lower than the previously reported upper limit by about two orders of magnitude. These results are the best known of the OH (MgI) content in the lunar exosphere to date.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2015

Negative quench induced excitation dynamics for ultracold bosons in one-dimensional lattices

The nonequilibrium dynamics following a quench of strongly repulsive bosonic ensembles in one-dimensional finite lattices is investigated by employing interaction quenches and/or a ramp of the lattice potential. Both sudden and time-dependent quenches are analyzed in detail. For the case of interaction quenches we address the transition from the strong repulsive to the weakly-interacting regime, suppressing in this manner the heating of the system. The excitation modes such as the cradle process and the local breathing mode are examined via local density observables. In particular, the cradle mode is inherently related to the initial delocalization and, following a negative interaction quench, can be excited only for incommensurate setups with filling larger than unity. Alternatively, a negative quench of the lattice depth which favors the spatial delocalization is used to access the cradle mode for setups with filling smaller than unity. Our results shed light on possible schemes to control the cradle and the breathing modes. Finally, employing the notion of fidelity we study the dynamical response of the system after a diabatic or adiabatic parameter modulation for short and long evolution times. The evolution of the system is obtained numerically using the ab-initio multi-layer multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree method for bosons which permits to follow non-equilibrium dynamics including the corresponding investigation of higher-band effects.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2014

Photometric Calibration on Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope for Its First Six Months of Operation on Lunar Surface

We reported the photometric calibration of Lunar-based Ultraviolet telescope (LUT), the first robotic astronomical telescope working on the lunar surface, for its first six months of operation on the lunar surface. Two spectral datasets (set A and B) from near-ultraviolet (NUV) to optical band were constructed for 44 International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) standards, because of the LUT's relatively wide wavelength coverage. Set A were obtained by extrapolating the IUE NUV spectra ($λ<3200Å$) to optical band basing upon the theoretical spectra of stellar atmosphere models. Set B were exactly the theoretical spectra from 2000Å to 8000Å extracted from the same model grid. In total, seven standards have been observed in 15 observational runs until May 2014. The calibration results show that the photometric performance of LUT is highly stable in its first six months of operation. The magnitude zero points obtained from the two spectral datasets are also consistent with each other, i.e., $\mathrm{zp=17.54\pm0.09}$mag (set A) and $\mathrm{zp=17.52\pm0.07}$mag (set B).

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2014

Interaction Quench Induced Multimode Dynamics of Finite Atomic Ensembles

The correlated non-equilibrium dynamics of few-boson systems in one-dimensional finite lattices is investigated. Starting from weak interactions we perform a sudden interaction quench and employ the numerically exact Multi-Layer Multi-Configuration time-dependent Hartree method for bosons to obtain the resulting quantum dynamics. Focusing on the low-lying modes of the finite lattice we observe the emergence of density-wave tunneling, breathing and cradle-like processes. In particular, the tunneling induced by the quench leads to a "global" density-wave oscillation. The resulting breathing and cradle modes are inherent to the local intrawell dynamics and connected to excited-band states. Moreover, the interaction quenches couple the density-wave and the cradle modes allowing for resonance phenomena. These are associated with an avoided-crossing in the respective frequency spectrum and lead to a beating dynamics for the cradle. Finally, complementing the numerical studies, an effective Hamiltonian in terms of the relevant Fock states is derived for the description of the spectral properties and the related resonant dynamics.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2013

Jamming graphs: A local approach to global mechanical rigidity

We revisit the concept of minimal rigidity as applied to soft repulsive, frictionless sphere packings in two-dimensions with the introduction of the jamming graph. Minimal rigidity is a purely combinatorial property encoded via Laman's theorem in two-dimensions. It constrains the global, average coordination number of the graph, for example. However, minimal rigidity does not address the geometry of local mechanical stability. The jamming graph contains both properties of global mechanical stability at the onset of jamming and local mechanical stability. We demonstrate how jamming graphs can be constructed using local moves via the Henneberg construction such that these graphs fall under the jurisdiction of correlated percolation. We then probe how jamming graphs destabilize, or become unjammed, by deleting a bond and computing the resulting rigid cluster distribution. We also study how the system restabilizes with the addition of new contacts and how a jamming graph with extra/redundant contacts destabilizes. The latter endeavor allows us to probe a disc packing in the rigid phase and uncover a potentially new diverging lengthscale associated with the random deletion of contacts as compared to the study of cut-out (or frozen in) subsystems.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2012

Magnetism in MoS2 induced by MeV proton irradiation

Molybdenum disulphide, a diamagnetic layered dichalcogenide solid, is found to show magnetic ordering at room temperature when exposed to a 2 MeV proton beam. The temperature dependence of magnetization displays ferrimagnetic behavior with a Curie temperature of 895 K. A disorder mode corresponding to a zone-edge phonon and a Mo valence higher than +4, have been detected in the irradiated samples using Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The possible origins of long-range magnetic ordering in irradiated MoS2 samples are discussed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2012

Correlated percolation and tricriticality

The recent proliferation of correlated percolation models---models where the addition of edges/vertices is no longer independent of other edges/vertices---has been motivated by the quest to find discontinuous percolation transitions. The leader in this proliferation is what is known as explosive percolation. A recent proof demonstrates that a large class of explosive percolation-type models does not, in fact, exhibit a discontinuous transition[O. Riordan and L. Warnke, Science, {\bf 333}, 322 (2011)]. We, on the other hand, discuss several correlated percolation models, the $k$-core model on random graphs, and the spiral and counter-balance models in two-dimensions, all exhibiting discontinuous transitions in an effort to identify the needed ingredients for such a transition. We then construct mixtures of these models to interpolate between a continuous transition and a discontinuous transition to search for a tricritical point. Using a powerful rate equation approach, we demonstrate that a mixture of $k=2$-core and $k=3$-core vertices on the random graph exhibits a tricritical point. However, for a mixture of $k$-core and counter-balance vertices, heuristic arguments and numerics suggest that there is a line of continuous transitions as the fraction of counter-balance vertices is increased from zero with the line ending at a discontinuous transition only when all vertices are counter-balance. Our results may have potential implications for glassy systems and a recent experiment on shearing a system of frictional particles to induce what is known as jamming.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2012

Level statistics for quantum $k$-core percolation

Quantum $k$-core percolation is the study of quantum transport on $k$-core percolation clusters where each occupied bond must have at least $k$ occupied neighboring bonds. As the bond occupation probability, $p$, is increased from zero to unity, the system undergoes a transition from an insulating phase to a metallic phase. When the lengthscale for the disorder, $l_d$, is much greater than the coherence length, $l_c$, earlier analytical calculations of quantum conduction on the Bethe lattice demonstrate that for $k=3$ the metal-insulator transition (MIT) is discontinuous, suggesting a new universality class of disorder-driven quantum MITs. Here, we numerically compute the level spacing distribution as a function of bond occupation probability $p$ and system size on a Bethe-like lattice. The level spacing analysis suggests that for $k=0$, $p_q$, the quantum percolation critical probability, is greater than $p_c$, the geometrical percolation critical probability, and the transition is continuous. In contrast, for $k=3$, $p_q=p_c$ and the transition is discontinuous such that these numerical findings are consistent with our previous work to reiterate a new universality class of disorder-driven quantum MITs.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2011

Lunar Exosphere Influence on Lunar-based Near-ultraviolet Astronomical Observations

The potential effect of the lunar exosphere on the near-ultraviolet sky background emission is predicted for Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT: a funded Chinese scientific payload for the Chang'e-III mission). Using the upper limit on the OH concentration inferred from the recent MIP CHACE results, our calculations show that the sky brightness due to the illuminated exosphere is $<8.7\ \mathrm{photon\ s^{-1}\ cm^{-2}\ arcsec^{-2}}$ within the wavelength range 245-340 nm. By evaluating the signal-to-noise ratios of observations of an AB=13 mag point source at a series of sky background levels, our analysis indicates that the detection performance of LUT can be moderately degraded by the lunar exosphere emission in most cases. An AB=13 mag point source can still be detected by the telescope at a signal-to-noise ratio more than 8 when the OH concentration is less than $2\times10^8\ \mathrm{molecules\ cm^{-3}}$. However, the effect on the performance is considerable when the exosphere is as dense as suggested by CHACE.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2010

Quantum $k$-core conduction on the Bethe lattice

Classical and quantum conduction on a bond-diluted Bethe lattice is considered. The bond dilution is subject to the constraint that every occupied bond must have at least $k-1$ neighboring occupied bonds, i.e. $k$-core diluted. In the classical case, we find the onset of conduction for $k=2$ is continuous, while for $k=3$, the onset of conduction is discontinuous with the geometric random first-order phase transition driving the conduction transition. In the quantum case, treating each occupied bond as a random scatterer, we find for $k=3$ that the random first-order phase transition in the geometry also drives the onset of quantum conduction giving rise to a new universality class of Anderson localization transitions.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2007

A GEM TPC End-Panel Pre-Prototype

A GEM TPC end panel pre-prototype was constructed for a large LC-TPC prototype to test its basic design philosophy and some of its engineering details. Its interim test results are presented.

physics.ins-det↗