Clover Fermions Research Articles

Unpolarized transverse momentum dependent parton distributions of the nucleon from lattice QCD

We present a first lattice QCD calculation of the unpolarized nucleon’s isovector transverse-momentum-dependent parton distribution functions (TMDPDFs), which are essential to predict observables of multiscale, semi-inclusive processes in the standard model. We use a Nf=2+1+1 MILC ensemble with valence clover fermions on a highly improved staggered quark (HISQ) sea to compute the quark momentum distributions in a large-momentum nucleon on the lattice. The state-of-the-art techniques in renormalization and extrapolation in the correlation distance on the lattice are adopted. The perturbative kernel up to next-to-next-to-leading order is taken into account, and the dependence on the pion mass and the hadron momentum is explored. Our results are qualitatively comparable with phenomenological TMDPDFs, which provide an opportunity to predict high energy scatterings from first principles. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Gluon moment and parton distribution function of the pion from Nf=2+1+1 lattice QCD

We present the first calculation of the pion gluon moment from lattice QCD in the continuum-physical limit. The calculation is done using clover fermions for the valence action with three pion masses, 220, 310 and 690 MeV, and three lattice spacings, 0.09, 0.12, and 0.15 fm, using ensembles generated by MILC Collaboration with 2+1+1 flavors of highly improved staggered quarks (HISQ). On the lattice, we nonperturbatively renormalize the gluon operator in RI/MOM scheme using the cluster-decomposition error reduction (CDER) technique to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the renormalization constant. We extrapolate the pion gluon moment to the continuum-physical limit and obtain ⟨x⟩g=0.394(58)stat+NPR(39)mixing in the MS¯ scheme at 2 GeV, with first error being the statistical error and uncertainties in nonperturbative renormalization, and the second being a systematic uncertainty estimating the effect of ignoring quark mixing. Our pion gluon momentum fraction has a central value lower than two recent single-ensemble lattice-QCD results near physical pion mass but is consistent with the recent global fits by JAM and xFitter and with most QCD-model estimates. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Transverse-momentum-dependent wave functions of the pion from lattice QCD

We present a lattice QCD calculation of the transverse-momentum-dependent wave function (TMDWF) of the pion using large-momentum effective theory. Numerical simulations are based on one ensemble with 2+1+1 flavors of highly improved staggered quarks with lattice spacing a=0.121 fm from the MILC collaboration, and one with 2+1 flavor clover fermions and tree-level Symanzik gauge action generated by the CLS collaboration with a=0.098 fm. As a key ingredient, the soft function is first obtained by incorporating the one-loop perturbative contributions and a proper normalization. Based on this and the equal-time quasi-TMDWF simulated on the lattice, we extract the TMDWF. The results for both lattice ensembles are compatible and a comparison with a phenomenological parametrization is made. Our studies provide a first attempt of calculation of TMDWFs which will eventually lead to crucial theory inputs for making predictions for exclusive processes under QCD factorization. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Moments of nucleon unpolarized, polarized, and transversity parton distribution functions from lattice QCD at the physical point

The second Mellin moments ⟨x⟩ of the nucleon’s unpolarized, polarized, and transversity parton distribution functions are computed. Two lattice QCD ensembles at the physical pion mass are used: these were generated using a tree-level Symanzik-improved gauge action and 2+1 flavor tree-level improved Wilson Clover fermions coupling via 2-level HEX-smearing. The moments are extracted from forward matrix elements of local leading twist operators. We determine renomalization factors in RI-(S)MOM and match to MS¯ at scale 2 GeV. Our findings show that operators that exhibit vanishing kinematics at zero momentum can have significantly reduced excited-state contamination. The resulting polarized moment is used to quantify the longitudinal contribution to the quark spin-orbit correlation. All our results agree within two sigma with previous lattice results. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Masses of the conjectured H-dibaryon at different temperatures*

Abstract We present a lattice QCD determination of masses of the conjectured H-dibaryon, denoted as , at nine different temperatures: 0.24, 0.63, 0.76, 0.84, 0.95, 1.09, 1.27, 1.52, and 1.90. The masses of baryons N, Σ, Ξ, and Λ at different temperatures were also computed. The simulations were performed on an anisotropic lattice with flavours of clover fermion at a quark mass corresponding to . The thermal ensembles were provided by the FASTSUM collaboration, whereas the zero temperature ensembles were provided by the Hadspec collaboration. We also calculated the spectral density of the correlation function of those particles. The spectral density distributions show a rich peak structure at the lowest temperature; at intermediate temperatures, the mass values of those particles obtained by the extrapolation method reflect a two-peak structure. While the spectral density for the octet baryon becomes smooth at 1.27, 1.52, and 1.90, the spectral density for the H-dibaryon becomes smooth at . At , the mass difference of the H-dibaryon and Λ pair, expressed as , was estimated to be MeV, which suggests the existence of a bound H-dibaryon state.

Pion valence-quark generalized parton distribution at physical pion mass

We present the first lattice-QCD x-dependent pion valence-quark generalized parton distribution (GPD) calculated directly at physical pion mass using the Large-Momentum Effective Theory (LaMET) with next-to-next-to-leading order perturbative matching correction. We use clover fermions for the valence action on 2+1+1 flavors of highly improved staggered quarks (HISQ), generated by MILC Collaboration, with lattice spacing a≈0.09 fm and box size L≈5.5 fm; the pion two-point measurements number up to O(106) with boost momentum 1.73 GeV. The pion valence distribution is renormalized in hybrid scheme with Wilson-line mass subtraction at large distances in coordinate space, followed by a procedure to match it to the MS‾ scheme. We focus on the zero-skewness limit, where the GPD has a probability-density interpretation in the longitudinal Bjorken x and the transverse impact-parameter distributions. We take the integral of our GPD functions to generate leading moment so that we can make comparisons with past lattice-QCD and experimental determinations of the pion form factors and found consistent agreement among them. We predict the higher GPD moments and reveal x-dependent tomography of the pion for the first time using lattice QCD.

Overlap quark propagator near the physical pion mass

The Landau-gauge quark propagator is calculated using overlap valence fermions on 2+1-flavour dynamical clover fermion gauge fields from the PACS-CS collaboration with pion mass mπ∼156 MeV and spatial volume ∼(3 fm)3. The observed features of the mass and renormalisation functions are discussed, including a comparison with recent results using O(a)-improved Wilson fermions on 2-flavour dynamical gauge fields.

Erratum: Nonperturbative renormalization in lattice QCD with three flavors of clover fermions: Using periodic and open boundary conditions [Phys. Rev. D 103 , 094511 (2021)

Erratum: Nonperturbative renormalization in lattice QCD with three flavors of clover fermions: Using periodic and open boundary conditions [Phys. Rev. D <b>103</b> , 094511 (2021)

Speeding up lattice QCD simulation on Arm architectures with multigrid algorithm

Lattice quantum chromodynamics (lattice QCD) is the non-perturbative definition of the QCD theory from first principle and can be systematically improved. Meanwhile, it is one of the most important high performance computing application in high energy physics. The physics research of lattice QCD benefited enormously from the development of computer hardware and algorithms, and particle physicists can now study strong interaction at physical pion mass, smaller lattice spacing and larger volume. On the other hand, with the emerging of supercomputers and clusters based on Arm architectures, it is necessary to implement the algorithms and conduct the simulations on these machines to maximize the utilization of the limited computing resources. In this paper, we implemented and ported the multigrid (MG) algorithm, the state of the art algorithm to solve the sparse linear Dirac equation Dx = b on the lattice for clover fermion on a cluster with Arm based processors.

Improved renormalization scheme for nonlocal operators

In this paper we present an improved regularization-independent (RI)-type prescription appropriate for the nonperturbative renormalization of gauge-invariant nonlocal operators. In this prescription, the nonperturbative vertex function is improved by subtracting unwanted finite lattice spacing ($a$) effects, calculated in lattice perturbation theory. The method is versatile and can be applied to a wide range of fermion and gluon actions, as well as types of nonlocal operators. The presence of operator mixing can also be accommodated. Compared to the standard ${\mathrm{RI}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ prescription, this variant can be recast as a supplementary finite renormalization, whose coefficients bring about corrections of higher order in $a$; consequently, it coincides with standard ${\mathrm{RI}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ as $a\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$---however, it can afford us a smoother and more controlled extrapolation to the continuum limit. In this proof-of-concept calculation we focus on nonlocal fermion bilinear operators containing a straight Wilson line. In the numerical implementation we use Wilson clover fermions and Iwasaki improved gluons. The finite-$a$ terms were calculated to one-loop level in lattice perturbation theory, and to all orders in $a$, using the same action as the nonperturbative vertex functions. We find that the method leads to significant improvement in the perturbative region indicated by small and intermediate values of the length of the Wilson line. This results in a robust extraction of the renormalization functions in that region. We have also applied the above method to operators with stout-smeared links. We show how to perform the perturbative correction for any number of smearing iterations and evaluate its effect on the power divergent renormalization coefficients.

First glimpse into the kaon gluon parton distribution using lattice QCD

In this work, we present the first results on the gluon parton distribution of the kaon from lattice quantum chromodynamics. We carry out the lattice calculation at pion mass around 310~MeV and two lattice spacings, 0.15 and 0.12~fm, using $2+1+1$-flavor HISQ ensembles generated by MILC Collaboration. The kaon correlators are calculated using clover fermions and momentum-smearing sources with maximum boost momentum around 2~GeV and high statistics (up to 324,000 measurements). We study the dependence of the resulting reduced Ioffe-time pseudo-distributions at multiple boost momenta and lattice spacings. We then extract the kaon gluon distribution function in the $\overline{\text{MS}}$ scheme at $\mu = 2$~GeV, neglecting the mixing between the gluon and singlet-quark sectors. Our results at the smaller lattice spacing are consistent with phenomenological determinations.

Quark and Gluon Momentum Fractions in the Pion from N_{f}=2+1+1 Lattice QCD.

We perform the first full decomposition of the pion momentum into its gluon and quark contributions. We employ an ensemble generated by the Extended Twisted Mass Collaboration with N_{f}=2+1+1 Wilson twisted mass clover fermions at maximal twist tuned to reproduce the physical pion mass. We present our results in the MS[over ¯] scheme at 2GeV. We find ⟨x⟩_{u+d}=0.601(28), ⟨x⟩_{s}=0.059(13), ⟨x⟩_{c}=0.019(05), and ⟨x⟩_{g}=0.52(11) for the separate contributions, respectively, whose sum saturates the momentum sum rule.

Gluon parton distribution of the pion from lattice QCD

We present the first determination of the x-dependent pion gluon distribution from lattice QCD using the pseudo-PDF approach. We use lattice ensembles with 2+1+1 flavors of highly improved staggered quarks (HISQ), generated by MILC Collaboration, at two lattice spacings a≈0.12 and 0.15 fm and three pion masses Mπ≈220, 310 and 690 MeV. We use clover fermions for the valence action and momentum smearing to achieve pion boost momentum up to 2.29 GeV. We find that the dependence of the pion gluon parton distribution on lattice spacing and pion mass is mild. We compare our results from the lightest pion mass ensemble with the determination by JAM and xFitter global fits.

First lattice QCD calculation of semileptonic decays of charmed-strange baryons Ξ c * *Supported in part by Natural Science Foundation of China (11735010, U2032102, 11653003, 12005130, 11521505, 12070131001, 11975127, 11935017, 12005130, 12125503), Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (15DZ2272100), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation and the National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents (BX20190207), National Key Research and Development Program of China

While the standard model is the most successful theory to describe all the interactions and constituents of elementary particle physics, it has been constantly scrutinized for over four decades. Weak decays of charm quarks can be used to measure the coupling strength between quarks in different families and serve as an ideal probe for CP violation. As the lowest charm-strange baryons with three different flavors, baryons (composed of or ) have been extensively studied in experiments. In this study, we use state-of-the-art lattice QCD techniques to generate 2+1 clover fermion ensembles with two lattice spacings, . Then, we present the first ab-initio lattice QCD calculation of the form factors. Our theoretical results for the decay widths are consistent with and approximately two times more precise than the latest measurements by the ALICE and Belle collaborations. Based on the latest experimental measurements, we independently obtain the quark-mixing matrix element , which is in good agreement with results from other theoretical approaches.

Distribution Amplitudes of K^{*} and ϕ at the Physical Pion Mass from Lattice QCD.

We present the first lattice QCD calculation of the distribution amplitudes of longitudinally and transversely polarized vector mesons K^{*} and ϕ using large momentum effective theory. We use the clover fermion action on three ensembles with 2+1+1 flavors of highly improved staggered quarks action, generated by the MIMD Lattice Computation Collaboration, at physical pion mass and {0.06,0.09,0.12} fm lattice spacings and choose three different hadron momenta P_{z}={1.29,1.72,2.15} GeV. The resulting lattice matrix elements are nonperturbatively renormalized in a recently proposed hybrid scheme. An extrapolation to the continuum and infinite momentum limit is carried out. We find that, while the longitudinal distribution amplitudes tend to be close to the asymptotic form, the transverse ones deviate rather significantly from the asymptotic form. Our final results provide crucial abinitio theory inputs for analyzing pertinent exclusive processes.

Determination of the Collins-Soper Kernel from Lattice QCD

We present lattice results for the non-perturbative Collins-Soper (CS) kernel, which describes the energy-dependence of transverse momentum-dependent parton distributions (TMDs). The CS kernel is extracted from the ratios of first Mellin moments of quasi-TMDs evaluated at different nucleon momenta. The analysis is done with dynamical Nf = 2 + 1 clover fermions for the CLS ensemble H101 (a = 0.0854 fm, mπ = mK = 422 MeV). The computed CS kernel is in good agreement with experimental extractions and previous lattice studies.

Nonperturbative renormalization in lattice QCD with three flavors of clover fermions: Using periodic and open boundary conditions

We present the nonperturbative computation of renormalization factors in the RI'-(S)MOM schemes for the QCD gauge field ensembles generated by the CLS (coordinated lattice simulations) effort with three flavors of nonperturbatively improved Wilson (clover) quarks. We use ensembles with the standard (anti-)periodic boundary conditions in the time direction as well as gauge field configurations with open boundary conditions. Besides flavor-nonsinglet quark-antiquark operators with up to two derivatives we also consider three-quark operators with up to one derivative. For the RI'-SMOM scheme results we make use of the recently calculated three-loop conversion factors to the modified minimal subtraction scheme.

P -wave nucleon-pion scattering amplitude in the Δ(1232) channel from lattice QCD

We determine the $\Delta(1232)$ resonance parameters using lattice QCD and the L\"uscher method. The resonance occurs in elastic pion-nucleon scattering with $J^P=3/2^+$ in the isospin $I = 3/2$, $P$-wave channel. Our calculation is performed with $N_f=2+1$ flavors of clover fermions on a lattice with $L\approx 2.8$ fm. The pion and nucleon masses are $m_\pi =255.4(1.6)$ MeV and $m_N=1073(5)$ MeV, and the strong decay channel $\Delta \rightarrow \pi N$ is found to be above the threshold. To thoroughly map out the energy-dependence of the nucleon-pion scattering amplitude, we compute the spectra in all relevant irreducible representations of the lattice symmetry groups for total momenta up to $\vec{P}=\frac{2\pi}{L}(1,1,1)$, including irreps that mix $S$ and $P$ waves. We perform global fits of the amplitude parameters to up to 21 energy levels, using a Breit-Wigner model for the $P$-wave phase shift and the effective-range expansion for the $S$-wave phase shift. From the location of the pole in the $P$-wave scattering amplitude, we obtain the resonance mass $m_\Delta=1378(7)(9)$ MeV and the coupling $g_{\Delta\text{-}\pi N}=23.8(2.7)(0.9)$.

I=1/2 S -wave and P -wave Kπ scattering and the κ and K* resonances from lattice QCD

We present a lattice-QCD determination of the elastic isospin-$1/2$ $S$-wave and $P$-wave $K\pi$ scattering amplitudes as a function of the center-of-mass energy using L\"uscher's method. We perform global fits of $K$-matrix parametrizations to the finite-volume energy spectra for all irreducible representations with total momenta up to $\sqrt{3}\frac{2\pi}{L}$; this includes irreps that mix the $S$- and $P$-waves. Several different parametrizations for the energy dependence of the $K$-matrix are considered. We also determine the positions of the nearest poles in the scattering amplitudes, which correspond to the broad $\kappa$ resonance in the $S$-wave and the narrow $K^*(892)$ resonance in the $P$-wave. Our calculations are performed with $2+1$ dynamical clover fermions for two different pion masses of $317.2(2.2)$ and $175.9(1.8)$ MeV. Our preferred $S$-wave parametrization is based on a conformal map and includes an Adler zero; for the $P$-wave we use a standard pole parametrization including Blatt-Weisskopf barrier factors. The $S$-wave $\kappa$-resonance pole positions are found to be $\left[0.86(12) - 0.309(50)\,i\right]\:{\rm GeV}$ at the heavier pion mass and $\left[0.499(55)- 0.379(66)\,i\right]\:{\rm GeV}$ at the lighter pion mass. The $P$-wave $K^*$-resonance pole positions are found to be $\left[ 0.8951(64) - 0.00250(21)\,i \right]\:{\rm GeV}$ at the heavier pion mass and $\left[0.8718(82) - 0.0130(11)\,i\right]\:{\rm GeV}$ at the lighter pion mass, which corresponds to couplings of $g_{K^* K\pi}=5.02(26)$ and $g_{K^* K\pi}=4.99(22)$, respectively.

Pion and kaon distribution amplitudes in the continuum limit

We present a lattice-QCD calculation of the pion, kaon and $\eta_s$ distribution amplitudes using large-momentum effective theory (LaMET). Our calculation is carried out using three ensembles with 2+1+1 flavors of highly improved staggered quarks (HISQ), generated by MILC collaboration, at 310 MeV pion mass with 0.06, 0.09 and 0.12 fm lattice spacings. We use clover fermion action for the valence quarks and tune the quark mass to match the lightest light and strange masses in the sea. The resulting lattice matrix elements are nonperturbatively renormalized in regularization-independent momentum-subtraction (RI/MOM) scheme and extrapolated to the continuum. We use two approaches to extract the $x$-dependence of the meson distribution amplitudes: 1) we fit the renormalized matrix elements in coordinate space to an assumed distribution form through a one-loop matching kernel; 2) we use a machine-learning algorithm trained on pseudo lattice-QCD data to make predictions on the lattice data. We found the results are consistent between these methods with the latter method giving a less smooth shape. Both approaches suggest that as the quark mass increases, the distribution amplitude becomes narrower. Our pion distribution amplitude has broader distribution than predicted by light-front constituent-quark model, and the moments of our pion distributions agree with previous lattice-QCD results using the operator production expansion.