Cold nuclear matter effects on J/ψ yields as a function of rapidity and nuclear geometry in d+A collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV

We present measurements of J/ψ yields in d+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200  GeV recorded by the PHENIX experiment and compare them with yields in p+p collisions at the same energy per nucleon-nucleon collision. The measurements cover a large kinematic range in J/ψ rapidity (-2.2<y<2.4) with high statistical precision and are compared with two theoretical models: one with nuclear shadowing combined with final state breakup and one with coherent gluon saturation effects. In order to remove model dependent systematic uncertainties we also compare the data to a simple geometric model. The forward rapidity data are inconsistent with nuclear modifications that are linear or exponential in the density weighted longitudinal thickness, such as those from the final state breakup of the bound state.

Observation of X(3872)→J/ψγ and search for X(3872)→ψ'γ in B decays

We report a study of B→(J/ψγ)K and B→(ψ'γ)K decay modes using 772×10⁶ B ̅B events collected at the Υ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB energy-asymmetric e(+)e(-) collider. We observe X(3872)→J/ψγ and report the first evidence for χ(c2)→J/ψγ in B→(X_{c ̅cγ)K decays, while in a search for X(3872)→ψ'γ no significant signal is found. We measure the branching fractions, B(B(±)→X(3872)K(±))B(X(3872)→J/ψγ)=(1.78(-0.44)(+0.48)±0.12)×10(-6), B(B(±)→χ(c2)K(±))=(1.11(-0.34)(+0.36)±0.09)×10(-5), B(B(±)→X(3872)K(±))B(X(3872)→ψ'γ)<3.45×10⁶ (upper limit at 90% C.L.), and also provide upper limits for other searches.

Evidence for the suppressed decay B(-)→DK(-), D→K(+)π(-)

The suppressed decay chain B(-)→DK(-), D→K(+)π(-), where D indicates a D(¯)(0) or D(0) state, provides important information on the CP-violating angle ϕ(3). We measure the ratio R(DK) of the decay rates to the favored mode B(-)→DK(-), D→K(-)π(+) to be R(DK)=[1.63(-0.41)(+0.44)(stat)(-0.13)(+0.07)(syst)]×10(-2), which indicates the first evidence of the signal with a significance of 4.1σ. We also measure the asymmetry A(DK) between the charge-conjugate decays to be A(DK)=-0.39(-0.28)(+0.26)(stat)(-0.03)(+0.04)(syst). The results are based on the full 772×10(6) BB(¯) pair data sample collected at the Υ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector.

Rotational symmetry breaking in the hidden-order phase of URu2Si2

A second-order phase transition is characterized by spontaneous symmetry breaking. The nature of the broken symmetry in the so-called "hidden-order" phase transition in the heavy-fermion compound URu(2)Si(2), at transition temperature T(h) = 17.5 K, has posed a long-standing mystery. We report the emergence of an in-plane anisotropy of the magnetic susceptibility below T(h), which breaks the four-fold rotational symmetry of the tetragonal URu(2)Si(2). Two-fold oscillations in the magnetic torque under in-plane field rotation were sensitively detected in small pure crystals. Our findings suggest that the hidden-order phase is an electronic "nematic" phase, a translationally invariant metallic phase with spontaneous breaking of rotational symmetry.

Azimuthal anisotropy of π⁰ production in Au+Au collisions at sqrt((s)NN)=200 GeV: path-length dependence of jet quenching and the role of initial geometry

We have measured the azimuthal anisotropy of π⁰ production for 1<p(T)<18  GeV/c for Au+Au collisions at sqrt((s)NN)=200  GeV. The observed anisotropy shows a gradual decrease for 3≲p(T)≲7-10  GeV/c, but remains positive beyond 10  GeV/c. The magnitude of this anisotropy is underpredicted, up to at least ∼10  GeV/c, by current perturbative QCD (PQCD) energy-loss model calculations. An estimate of the increase in anisotropy expected from initial-geometry modification due to gluon saturation effects and fluctuations is insufficient to account for this discrepancy. Calculations that implement a path-length dependence steeper than what is implied by current PQCD energy-loss models show reasonable agreement with the data.

Elliptic and hexadecapole flow of charged hadrons in Au+Au collisions at sq.rt(s(NN))=200 GeV

Differential measurements of the elliptic (v(2)) and hexadecapole (v(4)) Fourier flow coefficients are reported for charged hadrons as a function of transverse momentum (p(T)) and collision centrality or number of participant nucleons (N(part)) for Au+Au collisions at sq.rt(s(NN))=200  GeV. The v(2,4) measurements at pseudorapidity |η|≤0.35, obtained with four separate reaction-plane detectors positioned in the range 1.0<|η|<3.9, show good agreement, indicating the absence of significant Δη-dependent nonflow correlations. Sizable values for v(4)(p(T)) are observed with a ratio v(4)(p(T),N(part))/v(2)(2)(p(T),N(part))≈0.8 for 50≲N(part)≲200, which is compatible with the combined effects of a finite viscosity and initial eccentricity fluctuations. For N(part)≳200 this ratio increases up to 1.7 in the most central collisions.

Transition in yield and azimuthal shape modification in dihadron correlations in relativistic heavy ion collisions

Hard-scattered parton probes produced in collisions of large nuclei indicate large partonic energy loss, possibly with collective produced-medium response to the lost energy. We present measurements of π^{0} trigger particles at transverse momenta p{T}{t}=4-12  GeV/c and associated charged hadrons (p{T}{a}=0.5-7  GeV/c) vs relative azimuthal angle Δϕ in Au+Au and p+p collisions at sqrt[s{NN}]=200  GeV. The Au+Au distribution at low p{T}{a}, whose shape has been interpreted as a medium effect, is modified for p{T}{t}<7  GeV/c. At higher p{T}{t}, the data are consistent with unmodified or very weakly modified shapes, even for the lowest measured p{T}{a}, which quantitatively challenges some medium response models. The associated yield of hadrons opposing the trigger particle in Au+Au relative to p+p (I{AA}) is suppressed at high p{T} (I{AA}≈0.35-0.5), but less than for inclusive suppression (R{AA}≈0.2).

Evolution of the Fermi surface of BaFe2(As1-xPx){2} on entering the superconducting dome

Using the de Haas-van Alphen effect we have measured the evolution of the Fermi surface of BaFe2(As1-xPx){2} as a function of isoelectric substitution (As/P) for 0.41<x<1 (T{c} up to 25 K). We find that the volumes of electron and hole Fermi surfaces shrink linearly with decreasing x. This shrinking is accompanied by a strong increase in the quasiparticle effective mass as x is tuned toward the maximum T{c}. These results are not explained by simple band structure calculations, and it is likely that these trends originate from the same many-body interactions which give rise to superconductivity.

Sign reversal of field-angle resolved heat capacity oscillations in a heavy Fermion superconductor CeCoIn5 and d{x{2}-y{2}} pairing symmetry

To identify the superconducting gap symmetry in CeCoIn5 (T{c}=2.3 K), we measured the angle-resolved specific heat (C{phi}) in a field rotated around the c axis down to a very low temperature, 0.05T{c}, and made detailed theoretical calculations. In a field of 1 T, a sign reversal of the fourfold angular oscillation in C{phi} was observed at T approximately 0.1T{c} upon entering a quasiclassical regime where the maximum of C{phi} corresponds to the antinodal direction, coinciding with the angle-resolved density of states (ADOS) calculation. The C{phi} behavior, which exhibits minima along the [110] directions, unambiguously allows us to conclude d{x{2}-y{2}} symmetry of this system. The ADOS-quasiclassical region is confined to a narrow T and H domain within T/T{c} approximately 0.1 and 1.5 T (0.13H{c2}).

Spin susceptibility of noncentrosymmetric heavy-fermion superconductor CeIrSi3 under pressure: 29Si Knight-shift study on single crystal

We report 29Si NMR study on a single crystal of the heavy-fermion superconductor CeIrSi3 without an inversion symmetry along the c axis. The 29Si Knight-shift measurements under pressure have revealed that the spin susceptibility for the ab plane decreases slightly below T(c), whereas along the c axis it does not change at all. The result can be accounted for by the spin susceptibility in the superconducting state being dominated by the strong antisymmetric (Rashba-type) spin-orbit interaction that originates from the absence of an inversion center along the c axis and it being much larger than superconducting condensation energy. This is the first observation which exhibits an anisotropy of the spin susceptibility below T(c) in the noncentrosymmetric superconductor dominated by strong Rashba-type spin-orbit interaction.

Measurement of bottom versus charm as a function of transverse momentum with electron-hadron correlations in p + p collisions at square root of s = 200 GeV

The momentum distribution of electrons from semileptonic decays of charm and bottom quarks for midrapidity |y|<0.35 in p+p collisions at square root of s=200 GeV is measured by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider over the transverse momentum range 2<pT<7 GeV/c. The ratio of the yield of electrons from bottom to that from charm is presented. The ratio is determined using partial D/D-->e(+/-)K(-/+)X (K unidentified) reconstruction. It is found that the yield of electrons from bottom becomes significant above 4 GeV/c in pT. A fixed-order-plus-next-to-leading-log perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculation agrees with the data within the theoretical and experimental uncertainties. The extracted total bottom production cross section at this energy is sigma(bb)=3.2(-1.1)(+1.2)(stat)(-1.3)(+1.4)(syst)mub.

Gluon-spin contribution to the proton spin from the double-helicity asymmetry in inclusive pi0 production in polarized p+p collisions at [sqrt]s=200 GeV

The double helicity asymmetry in neutral pion production for pT=1 to 12 GeV/c was measured with the PHENIX experiment to access the gluon-spin contribution, DeltaG, to the proton spin. Measured asymmetries are consistent with zero, and at a theory scale of micro2=4 GeV2 a next to leading order QCD analysis gives DeltaG[0.02,0.3]=0.2, with a constraint of -0.7<DeltaG[0.02,0.3]<0.5 at Deltachi2=9 (approximately 3sigma) for the sampled gluon momentum fraction (x) range, 0.02 to 0.3. The results are obtained using predictions for the measured asymmetries generated from four representative fits to polarized deep inelastic scattering data. We also consider the dependence of the DeltaG constraint on the choice of the theoretical scale, a dominant uncertainty in these predictions.

Prediction of permeability of FD-4 through porous poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) membrane by multiple linear regression and artificial neural network

The aim of this study was to predict the permeability through porous poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) membranes of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran molecular weight 4400 (FD-4) as a model of peptide and protein drug movement. Homogeneous standard membranes were prepared by redox polymerization. Permeability data were predicted by an artificial neural network (ANN) as a function of polymerization factors, and the accuracy was compared with that of conventional multiple linear regression (MLR). Good linearity was observed with each model, with the correlation coefficient of a leave-one-out cross-validation (Rcross) being 0.857 for the MLR model and 0.876 for the ANN model. The mean bias and mean accuracy for the ANN were somewhat smaller than those of the MLR. The ANN method provides an accurate quantitative approximation of the permeability coefficient of FD-4, as judged by conventional MLR, and could be applied to prediction of the non-linear relation between polymerization factors and the permeability of FD-4.

Unconventional superconductivity of NpPd(5)Al(2)

The high quality single crystals of NpPd(5)Al(2) with the body-centered tetragonal structure were grown by the Pb flux method. NpPd(5)Al(2) was found to be the first Np-based heavy fermion superconductor with the relatively high critical temperature T(sc) = 4.9 K. The upper critical field H(c2) is large and highly anisotropic. Corresponding to the heavy electronic state, the initial slope of H(c2) is large, but H(c2) at low temperatures is suppressed by the magnetic field, indicating a strong Pauli paramagnetic effect and the first-order transition at H(c2). These results imply that NpPd(5)Al(2) is located at the proximity of the antiferromagnetic ordering, which might be hidden by the superconductivity. The d-wave superconductivity with a spin singlet state is most likely realized in NpPd(5)Al(2).

Possible phase transition deep inside the hidden order phase of ultraclean URu2Si2

To elucidate the underlying nature of the hidden order (HO) state in heavy-fermion compound URu(2)Si(2), we measure electrical transport properties of ultraclean crystals in a high field, low temperature regime. Unlike previous studies, the present system with much less impurity scattering resolves a distinct anomaly of the Hall resistivity at H;{*} = 22.5 T, well below the destruction field of the HO phase = or approximately 36 T. In addition, a novel quantum oscillation appears above a magnetic field slightly below H;{*}. These results indicate an abrupt reconstruction of the Fermi surface, which implies a possible phase transition well within the HO phase caused by a band-dependent destruction of the HO parameter.

Point-contact spectroscopy of the heavy-fermion superconductor CePt(3)Si

Differential resistance spectra (dV/dI-V characteristics) have been measured for point contacts between the heavy-fermion superconductor (HFS) CePt(3)Si and a normal metal. Some contacts show a peak at V = 0 that is characteristic of HFS coexisting with a magnetic order such as UPd(2)Al(3), UNi(2)Al(3) and URu(2)Si(2). The evolution of the peak occurs well above the antiferromagnetic transition temperature T(N)∼2.2 K, so that the direct relationship with the magnetic transition is questionable. The half-width of the peak seems to reflect the crystal field splitting or the spin-wave gap as observed for the above-mentioned HFSs, possibly suggesting that some common scattering process induces the zero-bias peaks in these materials.

Novel quantum criticality in CeRu2Si2 near absolute zero observed by thermal expansion and magnetostriction

We report linear thermal expansion and magnetostriction measurements for CeRu2Si2 in magnetic fields up to 52.6 mT and at temperatures down to 1 mK. At high temperatures, this compound showed Landau-Fermi-liquid behavior: The linear thermal expansion coefficient and the magnetostriction coefficient were proportional to the temperature and magnetic field, respectively. In contrast, a pronounced non-Fermi-liquid effect was found below 50 mK. The negative contribution of thermal expansion and magnetostriction suggests the existence of an additional quantum critical point.

Onset of pi(0) suppression studied in Cu+Cu collisions at sqrt S NN=22.4, 62.4, and 200 GeV

Neutral pion transverse momentum (p(T)) spectra at midrapidity (|y| less than or approximately 0.35) were measured in Cu+Cu collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=22.4, 62.4, and 200 GeV. Relative to pi_(0) yields in p+p collisions scaled by the number of inelastic nucleon-nucleon collisions (N(coll) the pi_(0) yields for p(T) more than or approximately 2 GeV/c in central Cu+Cu collisions are suppressed at 62.4 and 200 GeV whereas an enhancement is observed at 22.4 GeV. A comparison with a jet-quenching model suggests that final state parton energy loss dominates in central Cu+Cu collisions at 62.4 and 200 GeV, while the enhancement at 22.4 GeV is consistent with nuclear modifications in the initial state alone.