arXiv subjects

Y. F. Li

Publications and source records attributed to Y. F. Li.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Measurement of the Reactor Antineutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay

This Letter reports a measurement of the flux and energy spectrum of electron antineutrinos from six 2.9~GW$_{th}$ nuclear reactors with six detectors deployed in two near (effective baselines 512~m and 561~m) and one far (1,579~m) underground experimental halls in the Daya Bay experiment. Using 217 days of data, 296,721 and 41,589 inverse beta decay (IBD) candidates were detected in the near and far halls, respectively. The measured IBD yield is (1.55 $\pm$ 0.04) $\times$ 10$^{-18}$~cm$^2$/GW/day or (5.92 $\pm$ 0.14) $\times$ 10$^{-43}$~cm$^2$/fission. This flux measurement is consistent with previous short-baseline reactor antineutrino experiments and is $0.946\pm0.022$ ($0.991\pm0.023$) relative to the flux predicted with the Huber+Mueller (ILL+Vogel) fissile antineutrino model. The measured IBD positron energy spectrum deviates from both spectral predictions by more than 2$σ$ over the full energy range with a local significance of up to $\sim$4$σ$ between 4-6 MeV. A reactor antineutrino spectrum of IBD reactions is extracted from the measured positron energy spectrum for model-independent predictions.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2015

Resonantly excited betatron hard X-Rays from Ionization Injected Electron Beam in a Laser Plasma Accelerator

A new scheme for bright hard x-ray emission from laser wakefield electron accelerator is reported, where pure nitrogen gas is adopted. Intense Betatron x-ray beams are generated from ionization injected K-shell electrons of nitrogen into the accelerating wave bucket. The x-ray radiation shows synchrotron-like spectrum with total photon yield 8$\times$10$^8$/shot and $10^8$ over 110keV. In particular, the betatron hard x-ray photon yield is 10 times higher compared to the case of helium gas under the same laser parameters. Particle-in-cell simulation suggests that the enhancement of the x-ray yield results from ionization injection, which enables the electrons to be quickly accelerated to the driving laser region for subsequent betatron resonance. Employing the present scheme,the single stage nitrogen gas target could be used to generate stable high brightness betatron hard x-ray beams.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2014

Search for a Light Sterile Neutrino at Daya Bay

A search for light sterile neutrino mixing was performed with the first 217 days of data from the Daya Bay Reactor Antineutrino Experiment. The experiment's unique configuration of multiple baselines from six 2.9~GW$_{\rm th}$ nuclear reactors to six antineutrino detectors deployed in two near (effective baselines 512~m and 561~m) and one far (1579~m) underground experimental halls makes it possible to test for oscillations to a fourth (sterile) neutrino in the $10^{\rm -3}~{\rm eV}^{2} < |Δm_{41}^{2}| < 0.3~{\rm eV}^{2}$ range. The relative spectral distortion due to electron antineutrino disappearance was found to be consistent with that of the three-flavor oscillation model. The derived limits on $\sin^22θ_{14}$ cover the $10^{-3}~{\rm eV}^{2} \lesssim |Δm^{2}_{41}| \lesssim 0.1~{\rm eV}^{2}$ region, which was largely unexplored.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2014

Independent Measurement of Theta13 via Neutron Capture on Hydrogen at Daya Bay

A new measurement of the $θ_{13}$ mixing angle has been obtained at the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment via the detection of inverse beta decays tagged by neutron capture on hydrogen. The antineutrino events for hydrogen capture are distinct from those for gadolinium capture with largely different systematic uncertainties, allowing a determination independent of the gadolinium-capture result and an improvement on the precision of $θ_{13}$ measurement. With a 217-day antineutrino data set obtained with six antineutrino detectors and from six 2.9 GW$_{th}$ reactors, the rate deficit observed at the far hall is interpreted as $\sin^22θ_{13}=0.083\pm0.018$ in the three-flavor oscillation model. When combined with the gadolinium-capture result from Daya Bay, we obtain $\sin^22θ_{13}=0.089\pm0.008$ as the final result for the six-antineutrino-detector configuration of the Daya Bay experiment.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2013

Pragmatic View of Short-Baseline Neutrino Oscillations

We present the results of global analyses of short-baseline neutrino oscillation data in 3+1, 3+2 and 3+1+1 neutrino mixing schemes. We show that the data do not allow us to abandon the simplest 3+1 scheme in favor of the more complex 3+2 and 3+1+1 schemes. We present the allowed region in the 3+1 parameter space, which is located at $Δ{m}^2_{41}$ between 0.82 and 2.19 $\text{eV}^2$ at $3σ$. The case of no oscillations is disfavored by about $6σ$, which decreases dramatically to about $2σ$ if the LSND data are not considered. Hence, new high-precision experiments are needed to check the LSND signal.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Day-Night Asymmetries in Active-Sterile Solar Neutrino Oscillations

Day-night asymmetries in active-sterile solar neutrino oscillations are discussed in the general $3+N_{s}$ mixing framework with three active and N_s sterile neutrinos. Analytical expressions of the probability of neutrino flavor transitions in the Earth in the perturbative approximation and in the slab approximation are presented and the effects of active-sterile mixing and of the CP-violating phases are discussed. The accuracy of the analytical approximations and the properties of the day-night asymmetries are illustrated numerically in the 3+1 neutrino mixing framework.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Observation of in-gap surface states in the Kondo insulator SmB6 by photoemission

Kondo insulators (KIs) are strongly correlated materials in which the interactions between 4f and conduction electrons lead to a hybridization gap opening at low temperature 1-2. SmB6 is a typical KI, but its resistivity does not diverge at low temperatures, which was attributed to some in-gap states 3-10. However after several decades of research, the nature and origin of the in-gap states remain unclear. Recent band calculation and transport measurements suggest that the in-gap states could actually be ascribed to topological surface states. SmB6 thus might be the first realization of topological Kondo insulator (TKI) 13, the strongly correlated version of topological insulator (TI) 11,12. Here by performing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we directly observed several dispersive states within the hybridization gap of SmB6, which cross the Fermi level and show negligible kz dependence, indicative of their surface origin. Furthermore, the circular dichroism (CD) ARPES results of the in-gap states suggest the chirality of orbital momentum, and temperature dependent measurements have shown that the in-gap states vanish simultaneously with the hybridization gap around 150 K. These strongly suggest their possible topological origin.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

CP-violating Phases in Active-Sterile Solar Neutrino Oscillations

Effects of CP-violating phases in active-sterile solar neutrino oscillations are discussed in a general scheme of 3+N_{s} mixing, without any constraint on the mixing between the three active and the N_{s} sterile neutrinos, assuming only a realistic hierarchy of neutrino mass-squared differences. A generalized Parke formula describing the neutrino oscillation probabilities inside the Sun is calculated. The validity of the analytical calculation and the probability variation due to the unknown CP-violating phases are illustrated with a numerical calculation of the evolution equation in the case of 3+1 neutrino mixing.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Update of Short-Baseline Electron Neutrino and Antineutrino Disappearance

We present a complete update of the analysis of electron neutrino and antineutrino disappearance experiments in terms of neutrino oscillations in the framework of 3+1 neutrino mixing, taking into account the Gallium anomaly, the reactor anomaly, solar neutrino data and nu_e-C scattering data. We discuss the implications of a recent 71Ga(3He,3H)71Ge measurement which give information on the neutrino cross section in Gallium experiments. We discuss the solar bound on active-sterile mixing and present our numerical results. We discuss the connection between the results of the fit of neutrino oscillation data and the heavy neutrino mass effects in beta-decay experiments (considering new Mainz data) and neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments (considering the recent EXO results).

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Short-Baseline Electron Neutrino Oscillation Length After Troitsk

We discuss the implications for short-baseline electron neutrino disappearance in the 3+1 mixing scheme of the recent Troitsk bounds on the mixing of a neutrino with mass between 2 and 100 eV. Considering the Troitsk data in combination with the results of short-baseline nu_e and antinu_e disappearance experiments, which include the reactor and Gallium anomalies, we derive a 2 sigma allowed range for the effective neutrino squared-mass difference between 0.85 and 43 eV^2. The upper bound implies that it is likely that oscillations in distance and/or energy can be observed in radioactive source experiments. It is also favorable for the ICARUS@CERN experiment, in which it is likely that oscillations are not washed-out in the near detector. We discuss also the implications for neutrinoless double-beta decay.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Light Sterile Neutrinos: A White Paper

This white paper addresses the hypothesis of light sterile neutrinos based on recent anomalies observed in neutrino experiments and the latest astrophysical data.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Q_6 flavor symmetry model for the extension of the minimal standard model by three right-handed sterile neutrinos

The extension of the minimal standard model by three right-handed sterile neutrinos with masses smaller than the electroweak scale (nuMSM) is discussed in a Q_6 flavor symmetry framework. The lightness of the keV sterile neutrino and the near mass degeneracy of two heavier sterile neutrinos are naturally explained by exploiting group properties of Q_6. A normal hierarchical mass spectrum and an approximately mu-tau symmetric mass matrix are predicted for three active neutrinos. Nonzero theta_{13} can be obtained together with a deviation of theta_{23} from the maximality, where both mixing angles are consistent with the latest global data including T2K and MINOS results. Furthermore, the tiny active-sterile mixing is related to the mass ratio between the lightest active and lightest sterile neutrinos.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Neutrinos as Hot or Warm Dark Matter

Both active and sterile sub-eV neutrinos can serve for hot dark matter (DM). On the other hand, keV sterile neutrinos could be a good candidate for warm DM. The beta-decaying (e.g., H-3 and Ru-106) and EC-decaying (e.g., Ho-163) nuclei are considered as the most promising targets to capture those extremely low energy neutrinos and antineutrinos, respectively. We calculate the capture rates of relic electron neutrinos and antineutrinos against the corresponding beta-decay or EC-decay backgrounds in different flavor mixing schemes. We stress that such direct laboratory measurements of hot or warm DM might not be hopeless in the long term.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Vanishing effective mass of the neutrinoless double beta decay including light sterile neutrinos

Light sterile neutrinos with masses at the sub-eV or eV scale are hinted by current experimental and cosmological data. Assuming the Majorana nature of these hypothetical particles, we discuss their effects in the neutrinoless double beta decay by exploring the implications of a vanishing effective Majorana neutrino mass. Allowed ranges of neutrino masses, mixing angles and Majorana CP-violating phases are illustrated in some instructive cases for both normal and inverted mass hierarchies of three active neutrinos.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Captures of Hot and Warm Sterile Antineutrino Dark Matter on EC-decaying Ho-163 Nuclei

Capturing low-energy electron antineutrinos on radioactive Ho-163 nuclei, which decay into Dy-163 via electron capture (EC), is a noteworthy opportunity to detect relic sterile antineutrinos. Such hypothetical particles are more or less implied by current experimental and cosmological data, and they might be a part of hot dark matter or a candidate for warm dark matter in the Universe. Using the isotope Ho-163 as a target and assuming reasonable active-sterile antineutrino mixing angles, we calculate the capture rate of relic electron antineutrinos against the corresponding EC-decay background in the presence of sterile antineutrinos at the sub-eV or keV mass scale. We show that the signature of hot or warm sterile antineutrino dark matter should in principle be observable, provided the target is big enough and the energy resolution is good enough.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

A Possible Detection of the Cosmic Antineutrino Background in the Presence of Flavor Effects

Lusignoli and Vignati have recently pointed out that it is in principle possible to directly detect the cosmic antineutrino background by using the rather stable isotope holmium-163 as a target, which can decay into dysprosium-163 via electron capture (EC) with a very small energy release. In this paper we calculate the rate of the relic antineutrino capture on holmium-163 nuclei against the corresponding EC decay rate by taking account of different neutrino mass hierarchies and reasonable values of theta_13. We show that such flavor effects are appreciable and even important in some cases, and stress that a calorimetric measurement of the cosmic antineutrino background might be feasible in the far future.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Possible Capture of keV Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter on Radioactive beta-decaying Nuclei

There exists an observed "desert" spanning six orders of magnitude between O(0.5) eV and O(0.5) MeV in the fermion mass spectrum. We argue that it might accommodate one or more keV sterile neutrinos as a natural candidate for warm dark matter. To illustrate this point of view, we simply assume that there is one keV sterile neutrino nu_4 and its flavor eigenstate nu_s weakly mixes with three active neutrinos. We clarify different active-sterile neutrino mixing factors for the radiative decay of nu_4 and beta decays in a self-consistent parametrization. A direct detection of this keV sterile neutrino dark matter in the laboratory is in principle possible since the nu_4 component of nu_e can leave a distinct imprint on the electron energy spectrum when it is captured on radioactive beta-decaying nuclei. We carry out an analysis of its signatures in the capture reactions nu_e + ^{3}H \to ^{3}He + e^- and nu_e + ^{106}Ru \to ^{106}Rh + e^- against the beta-decay backgrounds, and conclude that this experimental approach might not be hopeless in the long run.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Direct Detection of the Cosmic Neutrino Background Including Light Sterile Neutrinos

Current cosmological data drop an interesting hint about the existence of sub-eV sterile neutrinos, which should be a part of the cosmic neutrino background (C$ν$B). We point out that such light sterile neutrinos may leave a distinct imprint on the electron energy spectrum in the capture of relic electron neutrinos by means of radioactive beta-decaying nuclei. We examine possible signals of sterile neutrinos relative to active neutrinos, characterized by their masses and sensitive to their number densities, in the reaction $ν^{}_e + ~^3{\rm H} \to ~^3{\rm He} + e^-$ against the corresponding tritium beta decay. We stress that this kind of direct laboratory detection of the C$ν$B and its sterile component might not be hopeless in the long term.

astro-ph.CO↗