Vacuum Value Research Articles

Scalar quarkonia at finite temperature

Masses and decay constants of the scalar quarkonia, ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{Q0}(Q=b,c)$ with quantum numbers ${I}^{G}({J}^{PC})={0}^{+}({0}^{++})$, are calculated in the framework of the QCD sum rules approach both in vacuum and finite temperature. The masses and decay constants remain unchanged up to $T\ensuremath{\simeq}100\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}$ but they start to diminish with increasing the temperature after this point. Near the critical or deconfinement temperature, the decay constants reach approximately to 25% of their values in vacuum, while the masses are decreased about 6% and 23% for bottom and charm cases, respectively. The results at zero temperature are consistent with the existing experimental values and predictions of the other nonperturbative approaches. Our predictions on the decay constants in vacuum, as well as the behavior of the masses and decay constants with respect to the temperature, can be checked in the future experiments.

Dark matter constraints from a cosmic index of refraction

The dark-matter candidates of particle physics invariably possess electromagnetic interactions, if only via quantum fluctuations. Taken en masse, dark matter can thus engender an index of refraction which deviates from its vacuum value. Its presence is signaled through frequency-dependent effects in the propagation and attenuation of light. We discuss theoretical constraints on the expansion of the index of refraction with frequency, the physical interpretation of the terms, and the particular observations needed to isolate its coefficients. This, with the advent of new opportunities to view gamma-ray bursts at cosmological distance scales, gives us a new probe of dark matter and a new possibility for its direct detection. As a first application we use the time delay determined from radio afterglow observations of distant gamma-ray bursts to realize a direct limit on the electric-charge-to-mass ratio of dark matter of |varepsilon|/M < 1 x 10^{-5} eV^{-1} at 95% CL.

Fermi-level pinning and charge neutrality level in nitrogen-doped Ge2Sb2Te5: Characterization and application in phase change memory devices

We study the dependence of the hole barrier height at the metal/α-Ge2Sb2Te5 interface as a function of nitrogen doping in Ge2Sb2Te5 as well as the vacuum work function of the metal. Materials parameters such as the band gap, dielectric constant, and electron affinity values of these nitrogen-doped films were also determined. All Ge2Sb2Te5 films studied in this work are amorphous. Following further physical analysis, the effective work functions of metals on nitrogen-doped Ge2Sb2Te5 films were obtained and found to differ from that of their values in vacuum. This led to the extraction of the slope parameter Sx and charge neutrality level ΦCNL which characterizes Ge2Sb2Te5. Appreciable metal Fermi-level pinning to the charge neutrality level of Ge2Sb2Te5, which is located near the valence band edge, was observed. We then demonstrate application of the extracted parameters to obtain the band alignment of α-Ge2Sb2Te5 with various other materials such as SiO2, giving good agreement with experimental results.

Gluon condensate in color superconductivity

In color superconductor the gluon condensate drops down at moderate density but goes up at high density and can even exceed its vacuum value when the density is high enough.

Variation of Ion Polarizability from Vacuum to Hydration: Insights from Hirshfeld Partitioning

The results of iterative Hirshfeld partitioning on the polarizability of monovalent anions (F(-), Cl(-), and Br(-)) and Na(+) in water clusters ranging from n = 0 to n = 25 are presented. In each case, the ions reach a limiting intrinsic polarizability in the fully hydrated state. For F(-), Cl(-), and Br(-) using B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ, the intrinsic polarizabilities in the condensed-phase limit are 47.2 +/- 0.7%, 47.2 +/- 0.3%, and 54.2 +/- 0.4% of their gas-phase value at the corresponding level of theory. The extent of this scaling depends on the basis set (we also consider B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ), but intrinsic polarizabilities are generally within 35-55% of the gas-phase value. The sodium cation is the least polarizable in the condensed-phase limit. The average intrinsic polarizability of water in these clusters decreases with the size of the cluster, which is consistent with earlier Hirshfeld analysis of intrinsic polarizabilities of pure water (Krishtal, A.; Senet, P.; Yang, M.; van Alsenoy, C. J. Chem. Phys. 2006, 125, 034312). Further analysis demonstrates that water molecules near ions in sufficiently large clusters (n = 25) have intrinsic polarizabilities similar to those of water molecules fully coordinated in a pure aqueous cluster. The observed binodal distribution of the water intrinsic polarizability within the cluster is attributed to polarizability differences between interior and exterior water molecules. This observation is in qualitative agreement with arguments based on Pauli's exclusion principle that suggest a reduced polarizability for condensed-phase water relative to the vacuum value.

Witten effect in a crystalline topological insulator

It has been noted a long time ago that a term of the form theta (e^2/2\pi h) B dot E may be added to the standard Maxwell Lagrangian without modifying the familiar laws of electricity and magnetism. theta is known to particle physicists as the 'axion' field and whether or not it has a nonzero expectation value in vacuum remains a fundamental open question of the Standard Model. A key manifestation of the axion term is the Witten effect: a unit magnetic monopole placed inside a medium with non-zero theta is predicted to bind a (generally fractional) electric charge -e(theta/2 pi+n) with n integer. Here we conduct a first test of the Witten effect, based on the recently established fact that the axion term with theta=pi emerges naturally in the description of the electromagnetic response of a new class of crystalline solids called topological insulators - materials distinguished by strong spin-orbit coupling and non-trivial band structure. Using a simple physical model for a topological insulator, we demonstrate the existence of a fractional charge bound to a monopole by an explicit numerical calculation. We also propose a scheme for generating an 'artificial' magnetic monopole in a topological insulator film, that may be used to facilitate the first experimental test of Witten's prediction.

Gauge threshold corrections in warped geometry

In this paper, we discuss the Kaluza–Klein threshold correction to low-energy gauge couplings in theories with warped extra dimension, which might be crucial for the gauge coupling unification when the warping is sizable. Explicit expressions of one-loop thresholds are derived for generic five-dimensional (5D) gauge theory on a slice of 5D anti-de Sitter space (AdS5), where some of the bulk gauge symmetries are broken by orbifold boundary conditions and/or by bulk Higgs vacuum values. The effects of the mass mixing between the bulk fields with different orbifold parities are included, as such a mixing is required in some classes of realistic warped unification models.

Stretched extra dimensions and bubbles of nothing in a toy model landscape

Using simple 6D junction conditions, we describe two surprising geometries. First in a case of transitions between ${\mathrm{dS}}_{4}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{S}_{2}$ vacua, the ${S}_{2}$ can be stretched significantly larger than the vacuum values both before and after the transition. The same mechanism can also lead to ``bubble of nothing'' geometries.

CONSTRAINTS ON THE COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT DUE TO SCALE INVARIANCE

We consider the standard model with local scale invariance. The theory shows exact scale invariance of dimensionally regulated action. We show that massless gauge fields, which may be Abelian or non-Abelian, lead to vanishing contribution to the cosmological constant in this theory. This result follows in the quantum theory, to all orders in the gauge couplings. However, we have not considered contributions higher orders in the gravitational coupling. Similarly we also find that massless fermion fields yield null contribution to the cosmological constant. The effective cosmological constant in this theory is nonzero due to the phenomenon of cosmological symmetry breaking, which also gives masses to all the massive fields, besides generating the Planck mass. We find a simple relationship between the curvature scalar and the vacuum value of the Higgs field in the limit when we ignore all other contributions to the energy density besides the vacuum energy.

Macroscopic Maxwell’s equations and negative index materials

We study the linear phenomenological Maxwell’s equations in the presence of a polarizable and magnetizable medium (magnetodielectric). For a dispersive, nonabsorptive, medium with equal electric and magnetic permeabilities ε(ω) and μ(ω), the latter can assume the value of −1 (+1 is their vacuum value) for a discrete set of frequencies ±ω̂n, i.e., for these frequencies the medium behaves as a negative index material (NIM). We show that such systems have a well-defined time evolution. In particular, the fields remain square integrable (and the electromagnetic energy finite) if this is the case at some initial time. Next we turn to Green’s function G(x,y,z) (a tensor), associated with the electric Helmholtz operator for a set of parallel layers filled with a material. We express it in terms of the well-known scalar s and p ones. For a half space filled with the material and with a single dispersive Lorentz form for ε(ω)=μ(ω), we obtain an explicit form for G. We find the usual behavior for NIMs for ω=±ω̂, there is no refection outside the evanescent regime and the transmission (refraction) shows the usual NIM behavior. We find that G has poles in ±ω̂, which lead to a modulation of the radiative decay probability of an excited atom. The formalism is free from ambiguities in the sign of the refractive index.

OXYGEN ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION OF THE SUN AND MEAN OXYGEN ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION OF THE PROTOSOLAR SILICATE DUST: EVIDENCE FROM REFRACTORY INCLUSIONS

Preliminary analysis of the oxygen isotopic composition of the solar wind recorded by the Genesis spacecraft suggests that the Sun is 16O-rich compared to most chondrules, fine-grained chondrite matrices, and bulk compositions of chondrites, achondrites, and terrestrial planets (Δ17O = –26.5‰ ± 5.6‰ and –33‰ ± 8‰ (2σ) versus Δ17O ~ ±5‰). The inferred 16O-rich composition of the Sun is similar or slightly lighter than the 16O-rich compositions of amoeboid olivine aggregates and typical calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) from primitive (unmetamorphosed) chondrites (Δ17O = –24‰ ± 2‰), which are believed to have condensed from and been melted in a gas of approximately solar composition (dust/gas ratio ~ 0.01 by weight) within the first 0.1 Myr of the solar system formation. Based on solar system abundances, 26% of the solar system oxygen must be initially contained in dust and 74% in gas. Because solar oxygen is dominated by the gas component, these observations suggest that oxygen isotopic composition of the solar nebula gas was initially 16O-rich. Due to significant thermal processing of the protosolar molecular cloud silicate dust (primordial dust) in the solar nebula and its possible isotope exchange with the isotopically evolved solar nebula gas, the mean oxygen isotopic composition of the primordial dust is not known. In CO self-shielding models, it is assumed that primordial dust and solar nebula gas had initially identical, 16O-rich compositions, similar to that of the Sun (Δ17O ~ –25‰ or –35‰), and solids subsequently evolved toward the terrestrial value (Δ17O = 0). However, there is no clear evidence that the oxygen isotopic compositions of the solar system solids evolved in the direction of increasing Δ17O with time and no 16O-rich primordial dust have yet been discovered. Here we argue that the assumption of the CO self-shielding models that primordial dust and solar nebula gas had initially identical 16O-rich compositions is incorrect. We show that igneous CAIs with highly fractionated oxygen isotopic compositions, fractionation and unidentified nuclear effects (FUN), and fractionation (F) CAIs, have Δ17O ranging from –0.5‰ to –24.8‰. Within an individual FUN or F CAI, oxygen isotopic compositions of spinel, forsterite, and pyroxene define a mass-dependent fractionation trend with a constant Δ17O value. The degree of mass-dependent fractionation of these minerals correlates with the sequence of their crystallization from the host CAI melt. These observations and evaporation experiments on CAI-like melts indicate that FUN and F CAIs formed by melting of solid precursors with diverse Δ17O values in vacuum (total pressure 50☉) ejecta. The 16O-depleted compositions of chondrules, fine-grained matrices, chondrites, and achondrites compared to the Sun's value reflect their formation in the protoplanetary disk regions with enhanced dust/gas ratio (up to 105× solar).

Supersymmetric model with Dirac neutrino masses

New models have recently been proposed in which a second Higgs doublet couples only to the lepton doublets and right-handed neutrinos, yielding Dirac neutrino masses. The vacuum value of this second "nu-Higgs" doublet is made very small by means of a very softly-broken $Z_2$ or U(1) symmetry. The latter is technically natural and avoids fine-tuning and very light scalars. We consider a supersymmetric version of this model, in which two additional doublets are added to the MSSM. If kinematically allowed, the decay of the heavy MSSM scalar into charged nu-Higgs scalars will yield dilepton events which can be separated from the W-pair background. In addition, the nu-Higgsinos can lead to very dramatic tetralepton, pentalepton and hexalepton events which have negligible background and can be detected at the LHC and the Tevatron.

Generalized bumblebee models and Lorentz-violating electrodynamics

The breaking of Lorentz symmetry via a dynamical mechanism, with a tensor field which takes on a non-zero expectation value in vacuum, has been a subject of significant research activity in recent years. In certain models of this type, the perturbations of the "Lorentz-violating field" about this background may be identified with known forces. I present the results of applying this interpretation to the "generalized bumblebee models" found in a prior work. In this model, the perturbations of a Lorentz-violating vector field can be interpreted as a photon field. However, the speed of propagation of this "bumblebee photon" is direction-dependent and differs from the limiting speed of conventional matter, leading to measurable physical effects. Bounds on the parameters of this theory can then be derived from resonator experiments, accelerator physics, and cosmic ray observations.

Molecular Bose-Einstein condensation in a Bose gas with a wide Feshbach resonance at finite temperatures

Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of Feshbach molecules in a homogeneous Bose gas is studied at finite temperatures in a single-channel mean-field approach where the Hartree-Fock energy and pairing gap are determined self-consistently. In the molecular-BEC state, the atomic excitation is gapped and the molecular excitation is gapless. The binding energy of Feshbach molecules is shifted from the vacuum value by many-body effects. When the scattering length ${a}_{s}$ of the atoms is negative, the system is subject to mechanical collapse due to negative compressibility. The system is stable in most regions with positive scattering lengths. However, at low temperatures near the resonance, the molecular-BEC state vanishes, and the coherent mixture of atomic and molecular BEC is subject to mechanical collapse.

Experiments on rotamak plasma equilibrium and shape control

A set of magnetic shaping coils and copper rings is installed in cylindrical chamber rotamak to allow for an active equilibrium control in 40 ms plasma discharges. The coils, which are powered by programmable current source, are used to control both the plasma shape and the boundary poloidal magnetic flux. Without the active equilibrium control, the boundary flux drops from its vacuum value of 0.3 mWb to zero after the plasma current is generated. If the coils are activated, the boundary magnetic flux can be sustained within the 0.2–0.3 mWb range, thus keeping the separatrix away from chamber wall during whole period of the shot. The passive copper rings help in eliminating the fast variations of the boundary magnetic flux. The response of rotamak plasma to the active equilibrium control is drastically different in regimes with or without external toroidal field. A model is presented that describes the change in plasma shape, plasma current, and pressure under the effect of active equilibrium coils.

Systematic approach to leptogenesis in nonequilibrium QFT: Vertex contribution to theCP-violating parameter

The generation of a baryon asymmetry via leptogenesis is usually studied by means of classical kinetic equations whose applicability to processes in the hot and expanding early universe is questionable. The approximations implied by the state-of-the-art description can be tested in a first-principle approach based on nonequilibrium field theory techniques. Here, we apply the Schwinger-Keldysh/Kadanoff-Baym formalism to a simple toy model of leptogenesis. We find that, within the toy model, medium effects increase the vertex contribution to the CP-violating parameter. At high temperatures it is a few times larger than in vacuum and asymptotically reaches the vacuum value as the temperature decreases. Contrary to the results obtained earlier in the framework of thermal field theory, the corrections are only linear in the particle number densities. An important feature of the Kadanoff-Baym formalism is that it is free of the double-counting problem, i.e. no need for real intermediate state subtraction arises. In particular, this means that the structure of the equations automatically ensures that the asymmetry vanishes in equilibrium. These results give a first glimpse into a number of new and interesting effects that can be studied in the framework of nonequilibrium field theory.

Computational Analysis of Solvent Effects in NMR Spectroscopy.

Solvent modeling became a standard part of first principles computations of molecular properties. However, a universal solvent approach is particularly difficult for the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) shielding and spin-spin coupling constants that in part result from collective delocalized properties of the solute and the environment. In this work, bulk and specific solvent effects are discussed on experimental and theoretical model systems comprising solvated alanine zwitterion and chloroform molecules. Density functional theory computations performed on larger clusters indicate that standard dielectric continuum solvent models may not be sufficiently accurate. In some cases, more reasonable NMR parameters were obtained by approximation of the solvent with partial atomic charges. Combined cluster/continuum models yielded the most reasonable values of the spectroscopic parameters, provided that they are dynamically averaged. The roles of solvent polarizability, solvent shell structure, and bulk permeability were investigated. NMR shielding values caused by the macroscopic solvent magnetizability exhibited the slowest convergence with respect to the cluster size. For practical computations, however, inclusion of the first solvation sphere provided satisfactory corrections of the vacuum values. The simulations of chloroform chemical shifts and CH J-coupling constants were found to be very sensitive to the molecular dynamics model used to generate the cluster geometries. The results show that computationally efficient solvent modeling is possible and can reveal fine details of molecular structure, solvation, and dynamics.

In-Medium Modifications of Low-Mass Vector Mesons in PHENIX at RHIC

Measurements at RHIC have established the creation of a Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP) in most central heavy-ion collisions. An important tool to understand properties of the QGP is study of the spectral shapes of low-mass vector mesons (LVM's), ρ, ω and ϕ, which can be modified in the medium by partial restoration of chiral symmetry. This modification may be accessed directly by measuring low-momentum LVM's via their decays into lepton pairs inside the hot matter. Since leptons are not subject to the strong interaction, they do not rescatter on their way out of the medium. The PHENIX experiment at RHIC has measured LVM production at mid-rapidity in p+ p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions at s N N = 200 GeV . Mass peaks for the LVM's have been observed in the di-electron invariant mass spectra with a resolution of 10 MeV/ c 2 in all of the three collision systems. The extracted spectra, mass and width of ω and ϕ in p+ p, d+Au and Au+Au, in the leptonic and hadronic decay channels are reviewed. As the widths of the mesons may be affected in the medium, the branching ratios of various decay modes may also be modified from the values in vacuum. The relative branching ratio is compared between ϕ → e + e − and ϕ → K + K − , which may be sensitive to the mass modification due to the small Q-value of ϕ → K + K − .

Generation of squeezed phonon states by optical excitation of a quantum dot

A theoretical analysis of the fluctuation properties of optical phonons generated by the optical excitation of a quantum dot is presented. In particular we study whether squeezed states may be generated where either the fluctuations of the displacement or of the momentum fall below the vacuum level. The calculations are based on a generating functions formalism which provides analytical results for the case of excitation by ultrashort optical pulses. While after a single pulse excitation no squeezing occurs we find that after an excitation with two phase-locked pulses phonon states can be created where the uncertainties of displacement or momentum temporarily fall below their vacuum values.

Properties of charmonia in a hot equilibrated medium

We investigate the properties of charmonia in a thermal medium, showing that with increasing temperature the decay widths of these mesons behave in a nontrivial way. Our analysis is based on a potential model with interaction potential extracted from thermal lattice QCD calculations of the free-energy of a static quark-antiquark pair. We find that in the crossover region some decay widths are extremely enhanced. In particular, at temperatures T ~ T c the decay widths of the J /Ψ that depend on the value of the wave function at the origin are enhanced with respect to the values in vacuum by about a factor 2. In the same temperature range the decay width of the process XcJ → J /Ψ + γ is enhanced by approximately a factor 6 with respect to the value in vacuum. At higher temperatures the charmonia states dissociate and the widths of both decay processes become vanishing small.