arXiv subjects

Wei Kou

Publications and source records attributed to Wei Kou.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Orbital Angular Momentum as a Transverse Probe of Elliptic Small-$x$ Gluon Tomography

We propose a new way to probe elliptic small-$x$ gluon geometry in hard diffractive dijet deep inelastic scattering: a localized lepton wave packet carrying orbital angular momentum is used as a tunable transverse analyzer of the target. Unlike the conventional plane-wave setup, where the probe provides a fixed transverse projection, the OAM mode supplies additional radial and azimuthal structure while leaving the target dipole matrix element unchanged. We characterize the resulting elliptic response through $S_M=D_M-C_M$ and find finite-yield response nodes whose origin depends on the OAM channel. In the present benchmark, the $M=1$ crossing is associated mainly with a zero of the direct response, whereas the $M=3$ channel exhibits a nontrivial cancellation $D_3=C_3\neq0$. Signed transverse response densities show that this node results from a spatial cancellation rather than from a disappearance of the underlying scattering strength, and its position can be shifted by changing the beam--target offset. The specific sensitive value of $M$ depends on the analyzer profile and kinematics; the broader result is that localized OAM wave packets provide a controllable probe-side degree of freedom for small-$x$ gluon tomography.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

A Lawson-inspired Cycle-Closure Criterion for Deuterium--Tritium Muon-Catalyzed Fusion

Deuterium--tritium muon-catalyzed fusion is limited by a cycle-closure problem: a negative muon must complete enough catalytic cycles before decay or effective alpha sticking removes it from reuse. We formulate a Lawson-inspired criterion for this single-muon cycle. The effective cycle strength is defined as $\mathcal{L}_\mu=\Lambda_c\tau_\mu$, where $\Lambda_c$ is the effective cycle-completion rate and $\tau_\mu$ is the muon lifetime. Together with the residual effective sticking probability $\omega_S^{\rm eff}$, it gives the mean fusion yield per useful muon, $N_{\rm fus,\mu}=\mathcal{L}_\mu/(1+\omega_S^{\rm eff}\mathcal{L}_\mu)$. Introducing the useful D--T cycle energy $E_{\rm use}$, the system factor $\eta_{\rm sys}$, and the effective muon cost $E_\mu^{\rm cost}$, the one-muon gain is $G_\mu=(\eta_{\rm sys}E_{\rm use}/E_\mu^{\rm cost})N_{\rm fus,\mu}$. This leads to the required cycle strength $\mathcal{L}_\mu^{\rm req}=G_\mu N_L/(1-\omega_S^{\rm eff}G_\mu N_L)$, with $N_L=E_\mu^{\rm cost}/(\eta_{\rm sys}E_{\rm use})$, and to the conditional sticking boundary $\omega_S^{\rm eff}<1/(G_\mu N_L)$. The criterion separates rate-limited, sticking-limited, and cost-limited regimes in the $(\omega_S^{\rm eff},\mathcal{L}_\mu)$ plane. When representative historical D--T $\mu{\rm CF}$ anchors are projected onto this plane, they lie in a high-yield region but remain constrained by the effective-sticking boundary under conventional multi-GeV muon-cost accounting. The framework provides a compact diagnostic for assessing whether future improvements act mainly by increasing the effective cycle-completion rate, reducing residual sticking, or lowering the useful cost of delivered muons.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2026

Twisting Small-$x$ Gluon Tomography with Orbital Angular Momentum

We propose an orbital-angular-momentum-resolved extension of small-$x$ gluon tomography in hard diffractive dijet deep inelastic scattering. In the standard plane-wave setup, the elliptic correlation between the dijet relative momentum and the target recoil probes the elliptic component of the small-$x$ gluon Wigner distribution through a fixed transverse readout. We show that replacing the plane-wave lepton current by a twisted wave-packet current promotes this readout into a tunable OAM--Bessel projection kernel. The exchanged virtual photon is not treated as an asymptotic vortex particle; the OAM dependence enters through the transverse structure of the lepton electromagnetic current. The resulting observable is a family of $M$-resolved elliptic correlations $A_2^{(M)}(q_T,R_\gamma)$, where $q_T$ denotes the transverse Bessel scale of the projection kernel, not the transverse momentum of the exchanged photon. We derive the normalized linear response and show that it contains a subtraction from the deformation of the total diffractive rate. Consequently, the elliptic response can vanish while the diffractive rate remains finite. This finite-rate null is a normalized projection zero of the response to the target elliptic gluon component, not a disappearance of diffraction. It is not available as a tunable mode zero in the standard single plane-wave readout, and provides an external projection basis in which the response to the same small-$x$ elliptic geometry can be probed with either sign or tuned to zero.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

External-Field-Assisted Muon Reactivation in Muon-Catalyzed Fusion: A Rate-Network Criterion for Reducing Alpha Sticking

Alpha sticking is a major loss channel in deuterium--tritium muon-catalyzed fusion. We study whether an additional external-field-assisted stripping channel can reduce the residual sticking loss after conventional collisional reactivation. The external contribution is written as $R_X=f_XP_X\eta_X$, where $f_X$ is the space--time overlap between the external field and the residual stuck $(\alpha\mu)^+$ population, $P_X$ is the microscopic stripping probability, and $\eta_X$ is the probability that the stripped $\mu^-$ is returned to the $d\mu/t\mu\to dt\mu$ fusion cycle before escape or decay. This gives $\omega_S^{\rm eff}=\omega_S^0(1-R_{\rm col})(1-R_X)$ and leads directly to a probability-level no-go condition, $\eta_X^{\rm crit}>1$, for any target improvement requiring more recycling than is probabilistically available. We construct an energy-resolved post-stripping rate network including slowing down, atomic capture, free escape, muon decay, atomic-stage loss, ordinary molecular formation, and an effective resonant $dt\mu$ channel. Benchmark scans show that the useful regime is a transport window: the stripped muon must be confined and recycled efficiently. With the reference inputs used here, the best-performing scenario increases the cycle yield from $N_{\rm fus,\mu}=112.6$ in the collision-only case to $N_{\rm fus,\mu}=156.5$. Resonant molecular formation suppresses atomic-stage loss and broadens the high-recycling region, but it cannot compensate for prompt escape or poor field--population overlap. The rate network therefore identifies the transport and overlap conditions required for external-field-assisted reactivation to reduce residual alpha sticking.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2026

Muon-Catalyzed Nuclear Fusion: Physical Mechanism, Bottleneck Breakthroughs, and an Engineering Pathway

Muon-catalyzed nuclear fusion (\mucf) replaces atomic electrons with negative muons, compressing atomic orbitals by about two orders of magnitude and enabling deuterium--tritium (D--T) fusion under near-room-temperature conditions. This paper reviews the physical principles of \mucf{} and formulates its essential dynamics as a four-step cycle: muonic-atom formation, muon transfer, resonant \dtmu{} molecular formation, and D--T fusion with muon release and recycling. A kinetic model is used to quantify the number of catalysis cycles per muon and the corresponding energy gain. We focus on the central limitation of catalytic efficiency, namely the alpha-sticking effect, and discuss possible breakthrough routes including nuclear-spin and muon dual polarization, in-flight muon-catalyzed fusion, and heavy-ion-driven magneto-inertial fusion. Within the idealized assumptions of the present model, a four-dimensional synergistic scheme combining dual polarization, high-density confinement, electric-field-assisted muon recovery, and resonant enhancement may increase the number of catalysis cycles per muon from the present experimental record of about 150 to more than 500, potentially enabling an energy gain $Q>2$. On this basis, we propose a conceptual fusion--fission fuel-breeding hybrid reactor, denoted as \mucf-FBR, which exploits the 14.1-MeV neutron yield of \mucf{} to breed ${}^{239}\mathrm{Pu}$ from a ${}^{238}\mathrm{U}$ blanket in a decoupled fusion--fission operating mode. This concept may offer advantages in engineering robustness, radiation-damage tolerance, and natural-uranium utilization.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Probing Proton Structure via Physics-Guided Neural Networks in Holographic QCD

Describing the proton structure function $F_2$ in the non-perturbative and transition regimes of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) remains a significant theoretical challenge. In this work, we introduce a Physics-Guided Neural Network (PGNN) that integrates Holographic QCD with deep learning. By embedding the five-dimensional $\text{AdS}_5$ Dirac equation and the string diffusion kernel directly into the computational graph, the network is strictly constrained to the physical proton mass ($M_p \equiv 0.938 \text{ GeV}$). Applying this framework to high-precision SLAC deep inelastic scattering data yields a global fit of $\chi^2/\text{d.o.f.} \simeq 0.91$. Rather than relying on predetermined empirical forms, the network dynamically extracts the transition between the $s$-channel bulk fermion mechanism (hadronic resonance excitations) and the $t$-channel holographic Pomeron exchange (diffractive background), identifying a kinematic crossover near $x \approx 0.19$. Furthermore, the optimization naturally recovers a Pomeron intercept of $\alpha_0 \approx 1.0786$ and generates higher-twist scale-breaking effects through the evolution of resonance mass spectra. This demonstrates that embedding analytical differential equations into neural networks provides an interpretable, data-driven approach for phenomenological studies of strongly coupled systems.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Probing a Fifth Force in Muonic Atoms through Lamb Shifts and Hyperfine Structure

Motivated by the ATOMKI anomalies in 8Be and 4He transitions, we study X17-induced Lamb shifts and hyperfine splittings in muonic atoms with stable nuclei up to Z <= 15. The bound-state problem is solved within the Gaussian Expansion Method using a unified Hamiltonian that includes the standard electromagnetic baseline together with vector and pseudoscalar X17 exchange. The spin-independent Lamb shift is described by a coherent vector muon-nucleus interaction, while the spin-dependent hyperfine sector is built isotope by isotope from shell-model spin fractions. We find a clear complementarity between mediator hypotheses: the vector Lamb-shift signal grows toward heavier nuclei, the vector hyperfine scenario favors odd-N nuclei, and the pseudoscalar scenario favors odd-Z nuclei. Using a signal-to-precision ratio, we identify muonic deuterium, muonic helium-3 ion, and muonic helium-4 ion as the most promising near-term Lamb-shift probes among systems with existing precision benchmarks. For future spectroscopy, the largest vector Lamb-shift signal is predicted in muonic silicon-29, while the leading 1S hyperfine targets are silicon-29 for the vector scenario and phosphorus-31 for the pseudoscalar scenario. The main theoretical uncertainty comes from the Schmidt-model treatment of nuclear spin content.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2026

Extraction of the color dipole amplitude with physics-informed neural networks

The process-independence of the color dipole amplitude is a cornerstone of high-energy Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). However, standard phenomenological approaches typically rely on rigid parametric ansatzes and often require ad-hoc geometric adjustments to reconcile inclusive and diffractive measurements. To resolve this tension, we introduce Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) employing a ``Teacher--Student'' strategy. The physics-based momentum-space Balitsky-Kovchegov evolution dynamics act as the ``Teacher,'' constraining the solution manifold, while the network ``Student'' is refined against inclusive HERA $F_2$ data. This approach extracts a model-independent dipole amplitude without assuming initial states. Strikingly, we demonstrate that this amplitude -- without parameter retuning or geometric rescaling -- successfully predicts the absolute normalization and kinematic dependence of exclusive $J/\psi$ photoproduction cross-sections. This parameter-free prediction of the saturation dynamics provides promising evidence for the process-independence of the gluon saturation scale and establishes PINNs as a transformative paradigm for uncovering non-perturbative QCD structures.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Probing Saturon-like Limits in QCD Systems

High-occupancy QCD matter enters a saturated regime when its entropy or occupancy approaches the unitarity bound $\sim 1/\alpha$, the ``saturon" criterion. We test this criterion for protons and nuclei at small $x$ using analytic and numerical solutions of the BK equation. From these solutions we construct the gluon occupancy $N_g(x)$ and a thermodynamic entropy $S(x)$ via an Unruh-like temperature $T = Q_s/(2\pi)$ and an emergent gluon mass $M_g \sim Q_s$. For protons, both $N_g$ and $S$ rise toward small $x$ yet stay below $1/\alpha_s$ in our baseline setup. For nuclei, by contrast, the nuclear entropy $S_A$ attains the $1/\alpha_s$ benchmark in a small-$x$ window where the proton does not. This singles out nuclei as the natural environment to search for saturon-like behavior and motivates precision small-$x$ measurements and high-occupancy $pA$ and $AA$ collisions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Emergence of Photon Bose-Einstein Condensation from Down-Scattering in Cold Electron Media

In this study, we examine the emergence of photon Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) resulting from the interaction of high-energy photons with a cold electron gas, modeled via a modified Kompaneets equation. Beginning with an initial black-body photon spectrum, we perform numerical simulations to track the evolution of the photon distribution under the influence of inverse Compton scattering, wherein photons dissipate energy through collisions with cold electrons. Our results demonstrate a pronounced enhancement of photon number density at the low-energy tail, indicative of a BEC-like phase transition. This phenomenon is further corroborated by an analysis of the entropy evolution during the cooling process, revealing that the condensate configuration corresponds to the entropy maximum, in accordance with thermodynamic principles. These findings establish a comprehensive theoretical framework for photon BEC formation in cold electron environments and underscore the significance of entropy maximization as a driving mechanism for condensation.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

First Extraction of the $\phi$-$^{4}\mathrm{He}$ scattering length from near-threshold $\phi$ photoproduction on helium-4

We present a model-independent extraction of the phi-4He scattering length from near-threshold phi photoproduction on helium-4, based on LEPS Collaboration data for the coherent process gamma + 4He -> phi + 4He and the Vector Meson Dominance framework. Assuming an energy-independent differential cross section, we extract the absolute value of the phi-4He scattering length |alpha_{phi4He}| = (3.33 +- 0.06) x 10^{-4} fm from a fit at threshold t_thr. This value is orders of magnitude smaller than those for phi-N and phi-d scattering lengths, indicating an inverse dependence of |alpha_VA| on the target nucleus mass. Our results provide new insight into the phi-nucleus interaction, supporting the notion of weak phi-nucleus coupling. We further explore the dependence of |alpha_VA| on the vector meson mass, the target atom mass, and the threshold energy. An approximate exponential suppression of |alpha_VA| is observed with increasing vector meson mass or target atom mass, indicating that heavier vector mesons or heavier target nuclei exhibit weaker couplings in vector meson-nucleus interactions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Physics-Informed Neural Network Approach to Quark-Antiquark Color Flux Tube

We introduce a physics-informed neural network (PINNs) framework for modelling the spatial distribution of chromodynamic fields induced by quark-antiquark pairs, based on lattice Monte Carlo simulations. In contrast to conventional neural networks, PINNs incorporate physical laws-expressed here as differential equations governing type-II superconductivity-directly into the training objective. By embedding these equations into the loss function, we guide the network to learn physically consistent solutions. Adopting an inverse problem approach, we extract the parameters of the superconducting equations from lattice QCD data and subsequently solve them. To accommodate physical boundary conditions, we recast the system into an integro-differential form and extend the analysis within the fractional PINNs framework. The accuracy of the reconstructed field distribution is assessed via relative $L_2$-error norms. We further extract physical observables such as the string tension and the mean width of the flux tube, offering quantitative insight into the confinement mechanism. This method enables the reconstruction of colour field profiles as functions of quark-antiquark separation without recourse to predefined parametric models. Our results illuminate aspects of the dual Meissner effect and highlight the promise of data-driven strategies in addressing non-perturbative challenges in quantum chromodynamics.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

High-Precision Physics Experiments at Huizhou Large-Scale Scientific Facilities

In response to the capabilities presented by the High-Intensity Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) and the Accelerator-Driven Subcritical System (CiADS), as well as the proposed Chinese Advanced Nuclear Physics Research Facility (CNUF), we are assembling a consortium of experts in relevant discipline--both domestically and internationally--to delineate high-precision physics experiments that leverage the state-of-the-art research environment afforded by CNUF. Our focus encompasses six primary domains of inquiry: hadron physics--including endeavors such as the super eta factory and investigations into light hadron structures; muon physics; neutrino physics; neutron physics; the testing of fundamental symmetries; and the exploration of quantum effects within nuclear physics, along with the utilization of vortex accelerators. We aim to foster a well-rounded portfolio of large, medium, and small-scale projects, thus unlocking new scientific avenues and optimizing the potential of the Huizhou large scientific facility. The aspiration for international leadership in scientific research will be a guiding principle in our strategic planning. This initiative will serve as a foundational reference for the Institute of Modern Physics in its strategic planning and goal-setting, ensuring alignment with its developmental objectives while striving to secure a competitive edge in technological advancement. Our ambition is to engage in substantive research within these realms of high-precision physics, to pursue groundbreaking discoveries, and to stimulate progress in China's nuclear physics landscape, positioning Huizhou as a preeminent global hub for advanced nuclear physics research.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Revisiting the deuteron mass radius via near-threshold $\rho^0$, $\omega$ and $\phi$ meson photoproduction

We present a comprehensive analysis of near-threshold photoproduction of $\rho^0$, $\omega$, and $\phi$ mesons on a deuterium target, utilizing published datasets from DESY and SLAC for $\rho^0$ and $\omega$ production, as well as data from the LEPS and CLAS Collaborations for $\phi$ production. In extracting the deuteron mass radius, we adopt a dipole parametrization for the scalar gravitational form factor, which effectively captures the $|t|$-dependence of the differential cross sections associated with vector meson photoproduction. In addition, results from alternative commonly used form factor parametrizations are also considered and compared. Employing the vector meson dominance (VMD) framework and invoking low-energy Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) theorems, we extract the deuteron mass radius from near-threshold photoproduction data of $\rho^0$, $\omega$, and $\phi$ mesons. The mass radii obtained from the various datasets are found to be consistent within statistical uncertainties, yielding an average value of $2.03 \pm 0.13$ fm under the dipole form assumption. We also provide a detailed discussion of the sensitivity of the extracted radius to different choices of gravitational form factor models. Our result represents a significant improvement in precision compared to earlier estimates based solely on $\phi$ meson photoproduction, offering new constraints for theoretical models of nuclear structure and deepening our understanding of the mass distribution within the deuteron.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Machine Learning Insights into Quark-Antiquark Interactions: Probing Field Distributions and String Tension in QCD

Understanding the interactions between quark-antiquark pairs is essential for elucidating quark confinement within the framework of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). This study investigates the field distribution patterns that arise between these pairs by employing advanced machine learning techniques, namely multilayer perceptrons (MLP) and Kolmogorov-Arnold networks (KAN), to analyze data obtained from lattice QCD simulations. The models developed through this training are then applied to calculate the string tension and width associated with chromo flux tubes, and these results are rigorously compared to those derived from lattice QCD. Moreover, we introduce a preliminary analytical expression that characterizes the field distribution as a function of quark separation, utilizing the KAN methodology. Our comprehensive quantitative analysis underscores the potential of integrating machine learning approaches into conventional QCD research.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Unveiling the Secrets of Vortex Neutron Decay

Investigation of decay and scattering processes of particles in a vortex state offers a novel and promising approach for probing particle structure. Our study reveals distinct properties of vortex neutron decay, which deviate from those of classical plane-wave neutron decay. We present the energy-angle distributions of the final-state electron and antineutrino in unpolarized vortex neutrons, as well as angle distributions integrated over their energies. Notably, we provide theoretical calculations of the decay behavior of neutrons with varying vortex cone angles and initial energies. We propose that identifying the vortex state of the initial neutron can be achieved by analyzing the angular and energy distributions of the final-state particles, introducing new degrees of freedom for studying weak interactions and neutron decay kinematics that have been previously overlooked in particle physics. This timely investigation takes advantage of recent advancements in vortex neutron preparation and analysis, opening up new avenues for exploring the fundamental properties of matter.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Maximum Entropy Method for Valence Quark Distributions in Exotic Hadrons: A Study of the $Z_c(3900)$ Case

In this study we demonstrate the application of the Maximum Entropy Method (MEM) to determine the valence quark distribution of exotic hadrons. Our investigation yields three key findings. Firstly, we observe a significant shift towards smaller Bjorken scale $x$ in the peak position of the valence quark distribution for hadrons with an increasing number of valence quarks, consistent with previous results by Kawamura and Kumano. Secondly, assuming that the $Z_c(3900)$ initially consists of four valence quarks, we employ MEM to determine its initial valence quark distribution, estimating a radius of $r_c=1.276$ fm at an extremely low resolution scale $Q^2$. Furthermore, we identify a notable discrepancy between our computed charge form factor $G_c(q)$ at leading order and the outcomes of hadron molecular state calculations. We propose that this form factor can be extracted from the QCD counting rule cross-section, which is grounded in Generalized Distribution Amplitudes (GDA) linked to the multi-quark states.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Locating Quark-Antiquark String Breaking in QCD through Chiral Symmetry Restoration and Hawking-Unruh Effect

The relationship between QCD and the string model offers a valuable perspective for exploring the interaction potential between quarks. In this study, we investigate the restoration of chiral symmetry in connection with the Unruh effect experienced by accelerating observers. Utilizing the Schwinger model, we analyze the critical point at which the string or chromoelectric flux tube between quark-antiquarks breaks with increasing separation between quarks. In this study, the critical distance for quark-antiquark chromoelectric flux tube or string breaking is determined to be $r_c=1.294\pm0.040$ fm. The acceleration and Unruh temperature corresponding to this critical point signify the transition of the system's chiral symmetry from a broken to a restored state. Our estimates for the critical acceleration ($a_c=1.14\times 10^{34}$ cm/s$^{2}$) and Unruh temperature ($T_c=0.038$ GeV) align with previous studies. This analysis illuminates the interplay between chiral symmetry restoration, the Unruh effect, and the breaking of the string or chromoelectric flux tube within the context of quark interactions.

hep-ph↗