arXiv subjects

M. Bhattacharya

Publications and source records attributed to M. Bhattacharya.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2026

Search for the production of Higgs-portal scalar bosons in the NuMI beam using the MicroBooNE detector

We present the strongest experimental limits to date on the mixing angle, $θ$, with which a new scalar particle, $S$, mixes with the Higgs field in the mass range $110\text{ MeV}<m_S<155\text{ MeV}$. This result uses the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber to search for decays of these Higgs-portal scalar particles through the $S\rightarrow e^+e^-$ channel with the decays of kaons in the NuMI neutrino beam acting as the source of the scalar particles. The analysis uses an exposure of $2.01\times 10^{21}$ protons on target of NuMI beam data including periods when the beam focusing system was configured to focus positively charged hadrons and separate periods when negatively charged hadrons were focused. The analysis searches for scalar particles produced from kaons decaying in flight in the beam's decay volume and at rest in the target and absorber. At $m_S=125\text{ MeV}$ ($m_S=150\text{ MeV})$ we set a limit of $θ<3.19\times 10^{-4}$ ($θ<2.79\times 10^{-4}$) at the 95% confidence level.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Scintillation light calibrations, systematic uncertainties, and triggering efficiency in the MicroBooNE detector

Scintillation light, produced alongside ionisation charge from particle interactions, plays a critical role in liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) detectors. A detailed understanding of its production and detection mechanisms is essential for robust calibration, systematic uncertainty evaluation, and physics analysis. This article describes the MicroBooNE light simulation, light-based triggering schemes, photomultiplier tube gain calibration, light response stability, and light-based systematic uncertainties over the course of five years of data collection. In addition, we present a measurement of scintillation light triggering efficiency, focusing on the lowest-light regime relevant to rare-event searches and low-energy neutrino interactions. Finally, we discuss two notable observations in MicroBooNE's data, both reported here for the first time: an approximately 50% decline in MicroBooNE's light yield over time, concentrated in the first two years of running; and a higher than expected O(200 kHz) rate of single photoelectron noise. The results presented provide an important benchmark of long-term light detection performance in LArTPC neutrino detectors.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2026

Measurements of differential charged-current cross sections on argon for electron neutrinos with final-state protons in MicroBooNE

This work presents single-differential electron-neutrino charged-current cross sections on argon measured using the MicroBooNE detector at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The analysis uses data recorded when the Neutrinos at the Main Injector beam was operating in both neutrino and antineutrino modes, with exposures of $2 \times 10^{20}$ and $5 \times 10^{20}$ protons on target, respectively. A selection algorithm targeting electron-neutrino charged-current interactions with at least one proton, one electron, and no pions in the final topology is used to measure differential cross sections as a function of outgoing electron energy, total visible energy, and opening angle between the electron and the most energetic proton. The interaction rate as a function of proton multiplicity is also reported. The total cross section is measured as [4.1 $\pm$ 0.3 (stat.) $\pm$ 1.1 (syst.)]$ $$\times 10^{-39} \mathrm{cm}^{2}/ \mathrm{nucleon}$. The unfolded cross-section measurements are compared to predictions from neutrino event generators commonly employed in the field. Good agreement is seen across all variables within uncertainties.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Measurement of single charged pion production in charged-current $ν_μ$-Ar interactions with the MicroBooNE detector

We present flux-averaged charged-current $ν_μ$ cross-section measurements on argon for final states containing exactly one $π^\pm$ and no other hadrons except nucleons. The analysis uses data from the MicroBooNE experiment in the Booster Neutrino Beam, corresponding to $1.11 \times 10^{21}$ protons on target. Total and single-differential cross-section measurements are provided within a phase space restricted to muon momenta above 150 MeV, pion momenta above 100 MeV, and muon-pion opening angles smaller than 2.65 rad. Differential cross sections are reported with respect to the scattering angles of the muon and pion relative to the beam direction, their momenta, and their combined opening angle. The differential cross section with respect to muon momentum is based on a subset of selected events with the muon track fully contained in the detector, whereas the cross section with respect to pion momentum is based on a subset of selected events rich in pions that have not hadronically scattered on the argon before coming to rest. The latter has not been measured on argon before. The total cross section is measured as $(3.75~\pm~0.07~\textrm{(stat.)}~\pm~0.80~\textrm{(syst.)}) \times 10^{-38} \, \text{cm}^2/\text{Ar}$ at a mean energy of approximately 0.8 GeV. Comparisons of the measured cross sections with predictions from multiple neutrino-nucleus interaction generators show good overall agreement, except at very forward muon angles.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Atomic-superfluid heat engines controlled by twisted light

We theoretically propose a quantum heat engine using a setup consisting of a ring-trapped Bose-Einstein condensate placed in a Fabry-Pérot cavity where the optical field carries orbital angular momentum. We first show that the cavity-enhanced light-atom coupling leads to the emergence of polaritonic modes whose character can be reversibly switched between photonlike and phononlike by detuning sweeps, allowing work extraction governed by distinct reservoirs. We investigate the dependence of the engine efficiency on the orbital angular momentum. Beyond ideality, we discuss finite-time scenarios based on shortcuts to adiabaticity such that the efficiency retains its ideal-operation value, despite finite-time operation. Our analysis identifies orbital angular momentum as a control knob that can reconfigure the performance of such quantum heat engines.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Search for Light Sterile Neutrinos With Two Neutrino Beams at MicroBooNE

The existence of three distinct neutrino flavours, $ν_{e}$, $ν_μ$, and $ν_τ$, is a central tenet of the Standard Model of particle physics. Quantum-mechanical interference can allow a neutrino of one initial flavour to be detected some time later as a different flavour, a process called neutrino oscillation. Several anomalous observations inconsistent with this three-flavour picture have motivated the hypothesis that an additional neutrino state exists which does not interact directly with matter, termed a "sterile" neutrino, $ν_s$. This includes anomalous observations from the LSND and MiniBooNE experiments, consistent with $ν_μ\rightarrowν_{e}$ transitions at a distance inconsistent with the three-neutrino picture. Here, we use data obtained from the MicroBooNE liquid-argon time projection chamber in two accelerator neutrino beams to exclude the single light sterile neutrino interpretation of the LSND and MiniBooNE anomalies at the 95\% confidence level (CL). Additionally, we rule out a significant portion of the parameter space that could explain the gallium anomaly. This is the first measurement to use two accelerator neutrino beams to break a degeneracy between $ν_{e}$ appearance and disappearance that would otherwise weaken the sensitivity to the sterile neutrino hypothesis. We find no evidence for either $ν_μ\rightarrowν_{e}$ flavour transitions or $ν_{e}$ disappearance that would indicate non-standard flavour oscillations. Our results show that previous anomalous observations consistent with $ν_μ\rightarrowν_{e}$ transitions cannot be explained by introducing a single sterile neutrino state.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Measurement of three-dimensional inclusive muon-neutrino charged-current cross sections on argon with the MicroBooNE detector

We report the measurement of the differential cross section $d^{2}σ(E_ν)/ d\cos(θ_μ) dP_μ$ for inclusive muon-neutrino charged-current scattering on argon. This measurement utilizes data from 6.4$\times10^{20}$ protons on target of exposure collected using the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber located along the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam with a mean neutrino energy of approximately 0.8~GeV. The mapping from reconstructed kinematics to truth quantities, particularly from reconstructed to true neutrino energy, is validated within uncertainties by comparing the distribution of reconstructed hadronic energy in data to that of the model prediction in different muon scattering angle bins after applying a conditional constraint from the muon momentum distribution in data. The success of this validation gives confidence that the missing energy in the MicroBooNE detector is well-modeled within uncertainties in simulation, enabling the unfolding to a three-dimensional measurement over muon momentum, muon scattering angle, and neutrino energy. The unfolded measurement covers an extensive phase space, providing a wealth of information useful for future liquid argon time projection chamber experiments measuring neutrino oscillations. Comparisons against a number of commonly used model predictions are included and their performance in different parts of the available phase-space is discussed.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Proposals for realizing a Josephson diode in Atomtronic circuits

The Josephson diode, a non-reciprocal quantum element analogous to the familiar semiconductor p-n junction diode, has been realized in solid-state systems but remains unexplored in tunable atomtronic circuits. In this work, we propose and numerically demonstrate the realization of the Josephson diode effect in an atomtronic circuit consisting of a ring-shaped Bose-Einstein condensate and with optical barriers serving as Josephson junctions. Our implementation of this macroscopic non-reciprocal quantum phenomenon is based on realizing the required inversion symmetry breaking through asymmetric barrier placement and an asymmetric alternating current (AC) drive, enabling position- and drive-tunable diode effects with efficiencies up to 15% and 91%, respectively. While standard time-of-flight absorption imaging can readily observe these effects, we employ cavity optomechanics for in situ, real-time, and non-destructive measurements of the relevant condensate dynamics. Our results establish a highly tunable platform for nonreciprocal Josephson transport, opening avenues for diode-based neutral-atom technologies in future quantum circuits.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2025

Enhanced search for neutral current $Δ$ radiative single-photon production in MicroBooNE

We report results from an updated search for neutral current (NC) resonant $Δ$(1232) baryon production and subsequent $Δ$ radiative decay (NC $Δ\rightarrow N γ$). We consider events with and without final state protons; events with a proton can be compared with the kinematics of a $Δ(1232)$ baryon decay, while events without a visible proton represent a more generic phase space. In order to maximize sensitivity to each topology, we simultaneously make use of two different reconstruction paradigms, Pandora and Wire-Cell, which have complementary strengths, and select mostly orthogonal sets of events. Considering an overall scaling of the NC $Δ\rightarrow N γ$ rate as an explanation of the MiniBooNE anomaly, our data exclude this hypothesis at 94.4% CL. When we decouple the expected correlations between NC $Δ\rightarrow N γ$ events with and without final state protons, and allow independent scaling of both types of events, our data exclude explanations in which excess events have associated protons, and do not exclude explanations in which excess events have no associated protons.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

First Measurement of Charged Current Muon Neutrino-Induced $K^+$ Production on Argon using the MicroBooNE Detector

The MicroBooNE experiment is an 85 tonne active mass liquid argon time projection chamber neutrino detector exposed to the on-axis Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) at Fermilab. One of MicroBooNE's physics goals is the precise measurement of neutrino interactions on argon in the 1 GeV energy regime. Building on the capabilities of the MicroBooNE detector, this analysis identifies $K^{+}$ mesons, a key signature for the study of strange particle production in neutrino interactions. This measurement is furthermore valuable for background estimation for future nucleon decay searches and for improved reconstruction and particle identification capabilities in experiments such as the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). In this letter, we present the first-ever measurement of a flux-integrated cross section for charged-current muon neutrino induced $K^{+}$ production on argon nuclei, determined to be 7.93 $\pm$ 3.22 (stat.) $\pm$ 2.83 (syst.) $\times~10^{-42}\;$ cm$^2$/nucleon based on an analysis of 6.88$\times10^{20}$ protons on target. This result was found to be consistent with model predictions from different neutrino event generators within the reported uncertainties.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

First measurement of $ν_e$ + $\barν_e$ charged current single charged pion production differential cross sections on argon using the MicroBooNE detector

Understanding electron neutrino interactions is crucial for measurements of neutrino oscillations and searches for new physics in neutrino experiments. We present the first measurement of the flux-averaged $ν_e$ + $\barν_e$ charged current single charged pion production cross section on argon using the MicroBooNE detector and data from the NuMI neutrino beam. The total cross section is measured to be (0.93 $\pm$ 0.13 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.27 (syst.)) $\times 10^{-39}$ cm$^2$/nucleon at a mean $ν_e$ + $\barν_e$ energy of 730 MeV. Differential cross sections are also reported in electron energy, electron and pion angles, and electron-pion opening angle.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Search for an Anomalous Production of Charged-Current $ν_e$ Interactions Without Visible Pions Across Multiple Kinematic Observables in MicroBooNE

This Letter presents an investigation of low-energy electron-neutrino interactions in the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam by the MicroBooNE experiment, motivated by the excess of electron-neutrino-like events observed by the MiniBooNE experiment. This is the first measurement to use data from all five years of operation of the MicroBooNE experiment, corresponding to an exposure of $1.11\times 10^{21}$ protons on target, a $70\%$ increase on past results. Two samples of electron neutrino interactions without visible pions are used, one with visible protons and one without any visible protons. The MicroBooNE data show reasonable agreement with the nominal prediction, with $p$-values $\ge 26.7\%$ when the two $ν_e$ samples are combined, though the prediction exceeds the data in limited regions of phase space. The data is further compared to two empirical models that modify the predicted rate of electron-neutrino interactions in different variables in the simulation to match the unfolded MiniBooNE low energy excess. In the first model, this unfolding is performed as a function of electron neutrino energy, while the second model aims to match the observed shower energy and angle distributions of the MiniBooNE excess. This measurement excludes an electron-like interpretation of the MiniBooNE excess based on these models at $> 99\%$ CL$_\mathrm{s}$ in all kinematic variables.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Fractional Shapiro steps in a Cavity-Coupled Josephson ring condensate

The Josephson effect presents a fundamental example of macroscopic quantum coherence as well as a crucial enabler for metrology (e.g. voltage standard), sensing (e.g. Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) and quantum information processing (Josephson qubits). Recently, there has been a major renewal of interest in the effect, following its observation in Bose, Fermi, and dipolar atomic condensates, in exciton-polariton condensates, and in momentum space. We present theoretically a nondestructive, \textit{in situ} and real time protocol for observing the AC and DC Josephson effects including integer (recently observed in cold atoms) and fractional (hitherto unobserved in cold atoms) Shapiro steps, using a ring condensate coupled to an optical cavity. Our analysis presents a metrology standard that does not require measurmement of atomic number and that challenges the conventional wisdom that quantum computations cannot be observed without being destroyed. Our results have implications for the fields of atomtronics, sensing, metrology and quantum information processing.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2025

Cavity Optomechanical Quantum Memory for Twisted Photons Using a Ring BEC

We theoretically propose a photonic orbital angular momentum (OAM) quantum memory platform based on an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate confined in a ring trap and placed inside a Fabry-Perot cavity driven by Laguerre-Gaussian beams. In contrast to electromagnetically induced transparency-based protocols, our memory does not require change of internal atomic levels. The optical states are instead stored in the large Hilbert space of topologically protected and long-lived motional states (persistent currents) of the condensate, yielding a storage time three orders of magnitude better than presently available. Further, the use of a cavity provides orders of magnitude more resonances, and hence bandwidth, for reading and writing than internal atomic transitions. Finally, the analogy to cavity optomechanics suggests a natural path to wavelength conversion, OAM transduction, and nondestructive readout of the memory.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Measurement of the Positive Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment to 127 ppb

A new measurement of the magnetic anomaly $a_μ$ of the positive muon is presented based on data taken from 2020 to 2023 by the Muon $g-2$ Experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL). This dataset contains over 2.5 times the total statistics of our previous results. From the ratio of the precession frequencies for muons and protons in our storage ring magnetic field, together with precisely known ratios of fundamental constants, we determine $a_μ = 116\,592\,0710(162) \times 10^{-12}$ (139 ppb) for the new datasets, and $a_μ = 116\,592\,0705(148) \times 10^{-12}$ (127 ppb) when combined with our previous results. The new experimental world average, dominated by the measurements at FNAL, is $a_μ(\text{exp}) =116\,592\,0715(145) \times 10^{-12}$ (124 ppb). The measurements at FNAL have improved the precision on the world average by over a factor of four.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

First study of neutrino angle reconstruction using quasielastic-like interactions in MicroBooNE

We investigate the expected precision of the reconstructed neutrino direction using a νμ-argon quasielastic-like event topology with one muon and one proton in the final state and the reconstruction capabilities of the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber. This direction is of importance in the context of DUNE sub-GeV atmospheric oscillation studies. MicroBooNE allows for a data-driven quantification of this resolution by investigating the deviation of the reconstructed muon-proton system orientation with respect to the well-known direction of neutrinos originating from the Booster Neutrino Beam with an exposure of 1.3 x 1021 protons on target. Using simulation studies, we derive the expected sub-GeV DUNE atmospheric-neutrino reconstructed simulated spectrum by developing a reweighting scheme as a function of the true neutrino energy. We further report flux-integrated single- and double-differential cross section measurements of charged-current νμ quasielastic-like scattering on argon as a function of the muon-proton system angle using the full MicroBooNE data sets. We also demonstrate the sensitivity of these results to nuclear effects and final state hadronic reinteraction modeling.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Data-driven model validation for neutrino-nucleus cross section measurements

Neutrino-nucleus cross section measurements are needed to improve interaction modeling to meet the precision needs of neutrino experiments in efforts to measure oscillation parameters and search for physics beyond the Standard Model. We review the difficulties associated with modeling neutrino-nucleus interactions that lead to a dependence on event generators in oscillation analyses and cross section measurements alike. We then describe data-driven model validation techniques intended to address this model dependence. The method relies on utilizing various goodness-of-fit tests and the correlations between different observables and channels to probe the model for defects in the phase space relevant for the desired analysis. These techniques shed light on relevant mis-modeling, allowing it to be detected before it begins to bias the cross section results. We compare more commonly used model validation methods which directly validate the model against alternative ones to these data-driven techniques and show their efficacy with fake data studies. These studies demonstrate that employing data-driven model validation in cross section measurements represents a reliable strategy to produce robust results that will stimulate the desired improvements to interaction modeling.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

First double-differential cross section measurement of neutral-current $π^0$ production in neutrino-argon scattering in the MicroBooNE detector

We report the first double-differential cross section measurement of neutral-current neutral pion (NC$π^0$) production in neutrino-argon scattering, as well as single-differential measurements of the same channel in terms of final states with and without protons. The kinematic variables of interest for these measurements are the $π^0$ momentum and the $π^0$ scattering angle with respect to the neutrino beam. A total of 4971 candidate NC$π^0$ events fully-contained within the MicroBooNE detector are selected using data collected at a mean neutrino energy of $\sim 0.8$~GeV from $6.4\times10^{20}$ protons on target from the Booster Neutrino Beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. After extensive data-driven model validation to ensure unbiased unfolding, the Wiener-SVD method is used to extract nominal flux-averaged cross sections. The results are compared to predictions from commonly used neutrino event generators, which tend to overpredict the measured NC$π^0$ cross section, especially in the 0.2-0.5~GeV/c $π^0$ momentum range and at forward scattering angles. Events with at least one proton present in the final state are also underestimated. This data will help improve the modeling of NC$π^0$ production, which represents a major background in measurements of charge-parity violation in the neutrino sector and in searches for new physics beyond the Standard Model.

hep-ex↗