The Rashba Hamiltonian and electron transport

The Rashba Hamiltonian describes the splitting of the conduction band as a result of spin-orbit coupling in the presence of an external field and is commonly used to model the electronic structure of confined narrow-gap semiconductors. Due to the mixing of spin states some care has to be exercised in the calculation of transport properties. We derive the velocity operator for the Rashba-split conduction band and demonstrate that the transmission of an interface between a ferromagnet and a Rashba-split semiconductor does not depend on the magnetization direction, in contrast with previous assertions in the literature.Comment: one tex file, two figures; paper to appear in this form in PRB (RC

Testing factorization in B -> D(*)X decays

In QCD the amplitude for B0 -> D(*)+pi- factorizes in the large Nc limit or in the large energy limit Q >> Lambda_QCD where Q = {m_b, m_c, m_b-m_c}. Data also suggests factorization in exclusive processes B-> D* pi+ pi- pi- pi0 and B-> D* omega pi-, however by themselves neither large Nc nor large Q can account for this. Noting that the condition for large energy release in B0-> D+ pi- is enforced by the SV limit, m_b, m_c >> m_b-m_c >> Lambda, we propose that the combined large Nc and SV limits justify factorization in B -> D(*) X. This combined limit is tested with the inclusive decay spectrum measured by CLEO. We also give exact large Nc relations among isospin amplitudes for B -> D(*)X and B -> D(*) D-bar(*)X, which can be used to test factorization through exclusive or inclusive measurements. Predictions for the modes B-> D(*) pi pi, B-> D(*)K K-bar and B-> D(*) D-bar(*) K are discussed using available data.Comment: 15 pages, 3 included .eps figures, minor change

Nonfactorization and the decays Ds+→ϕπ+,ϕρ+D_s^+ \to \phi \pi^+, \phi \rho^+ and ϕl+νl\phi l^+ \nu_l

In six chosen scenarios for the $q^2$ dependence of the form factors involved in $D_s^+ \rightarrow \phi$ transition, we have determined the allowed domain of $x = A_2(0) / A_1(0)$ and $y = V(0)/A_1(0)$ from the experimentally measured ratios $R_{sl} = \Gamma(D_s^+ \rightarrow \phi l^+ \nu_l)/\Gamma(D_s^+ \rightarrow \phi \pi^+)$ and $R_h = \Gamma(D_s^+ \rightarrow \phi \rho^+)/\Gamma(D_s^+ \rightarrow \phi \pi^+)$ in a scheme that uses the $N_c =3$ value of the phenomenological parameter $a_1$ and includes nonfactorized contribution. We find that the experimentally measured values of $x$ and $y$ from semileptonic decays of $D_s^+$ favor solutions which have significant nonfactorized contribution, and, in particular, $R_{sl}$ favors solutions in scenarios where $A_1(q^2)$ is either flat or decreasing with $q^2$.Comment: 15 pages, Latex, four figure (available on request)

Subleading Shape Functions in Inclusive B Decays

The contributions of subleading shape functions to inclusive decay distributions of B mesons are derived from a systematic two-step matching of QCD current correlators onto soft-collinear and heavy-quark effective theory. At tree-level, the results can be expressed in terms of forward matrix elements of bi-local light-cone operators. Four-quark operators, which arise at O(g^2), are included. Their effects can be absorbed entirely into a redefinition of other shape functions. Our results are in disagreement with some previous studies of subleading shape-function effects in the literature. A numerical analysis of B->X_u+l+nu decay distributions suggests that power corrections are small, with the possible exception of the endpoint region of the charged-lepton energy spectrum.Comment: 22 pages, 2 figures; several typos corrected; version published in JHE

Time-of-arrival distribution for arbitrary potentials and Wigner's time-energy uncertainty relation

A realization of the concept of "crossing state" invoked, but not implemented, by Wigner, allows to advance in two important aspects of the time of arrival in quantum mechanics: (i) For free motion, we find that the limitations described by Aharonov et al. in Phys. Rev. A 57, 4130 (1998) for the time-of-arrival uncertainty at low energies for certain mesurement models are in fact already present in the intrinsic time-of-arrival distribution of Kijowski; (ii) We have also found a covariant generalization of this distribution for arbitrary potentials and positions.Comment: 4 pages, revtex, 2 eps figures include

The Multimodal Brain Tumor Image Segmentation Benchmark (BRATS)

In this paper we report the set-up and results of the Multimodal Brain Tumor Image Segmentation Benchmark (BRATS) organized in conjunction with the MICCAI 2012 and 2013 conferences. Twenty state-of-the-art tumor segmentation algorithms were applied to a set of 65 multi-contrast MR scans of low-and high-grade glioma patients-manually annotated by up to four raters-and to 65 comparable scans generated using tumor image simulation software. Quantitative evaluations revealed considerable disagreement between the human raters in segmenting various tumor sub-regions (Dice scores in the range 74%-85%), illustrating the difficulty of this task. We found that different algorithms worked best for different sub-regions (reaching performance comparable to human inter-rater variability), but that no single algorithm ranked in the top for all sub-regions simultaneously. Fusing several good algorithms using a hierarchical majority vote yielded segmentations that consistently ranked above all individual algorithms, indicating remaining opportunities for further methodological improvements. The BRATS image data and manual annotations continue to be publicly available through an online evaluation system as an ongoing benchmarking resource

Nonfactorization and Color-Suppressed B→ψ(ψ(2S))+K(K∗)B \to \psi (\psi(2S))+K(K^*) Decays

Using $N_c=3$ value of the parameter $a_2=0.09$ but including a modest nonfactorized amplitude, we show that it is possible to understand all data, including polarization, for color-suppressed $B\to\psi(\psi(2S))+K(K^*)$ decays in all commonly used models of form factors. We show that for $B\to\psi +K$ decay one can define an effective $a_2$, which is process-dependent and, in general, complex; but it is not possible to define an effective $a_2$ for $B\to\psi +K^*$ decay. We also explain why nonfactorized amplitudes do not play a significant role in color-favored B decays.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, one figure (not included

Nonmesonic weak decay spectra of Λ4^4_\LambdaHe

To comprehend the recent Brookhaven National Laboratory experiment E788 on $^4_\Lambda$He, we have outlined a simple theoretical framework, based on the independent-particle shell model, for the one-nucleon-induced nonmesonic weak decay spectra. Basically, the shapes of all the spectra are tailored by the kinematics of the corresponding phase space, depending very weakly on the dynamics, which is gauged here by the one-meson-exchange-potential. In spite of the straightforwardness of the approach a good agreement with data is acheived. This might be an indication that the final-state-interactions and the two-nucleon induced processes are not very important in the decay of this hypernucleus. We have also found that the $\pi+K$ exchange potential with soft vertex-form-factor cutoffs $(\Lambda_\pi \approx 0.7$ GeV, $\Lambda_K \approx 0.9$ GeV), is able to account simultaneously for the available experimental data related to $\Gamma_p$ and $\Gamma_n$ for $^4_\Lambda$H, $^4_\Lambda$He, and $^5_\Lambda$He.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, submitted for publication; v2: major revision, 18 pages, one author added, table, figures and bibliography change

Final-state interaction and s-quark helicity conservation in B -> J/psi K*

The Section of charm quark spin conservation is deleted since it involves more dynamical assumptions than previously stated. A few comments are added in view of new experimental results.Comment: To replace the earlier version of hep-ph/0106354. Minor additions and one deletion with no change in the main argument nor the conclusio