1,695 research outputs found
The Non-Mesonic Weak Decay of Double-Lambda Hypernuclei: A Microscopic Approach
The non--mesonic weak decay of double-- hypernuclei is studied
within a microscopic diagrammatic approach. Besides the nucleon--induced
mechanism, , widely studied in single-- hypernuclei,
additional hyperon--induced mechanisms, ,
and , are
accessible in double-- hypernuclei and are investigated here. As in
previous works on single-- hypernuclei, we adopt a nuclear matter
formalism extended to finite nuclei via the local density approximation and a
one--meson exchange weak transition potential (including the ground state
pseudoscalar and vector octets mesons) supplemented by correlated and
uncorrelated two--pion--exchange contributions. The weak decay rates are
evaluated for hypernuclei in the region of the experimentally accessible light
hypernuclei Be and B. Our
predictions are compared with a few previous evaluations. The rate for the
decay is dominated by --, -- and
--exchange and turns out to be about 2.5\% of the free decay
rate, , while the total rate for the and decays, dominated by
--exchange, amounts to about 0.25\% of . The
experimental measurement of these decays would be essential for the beginning
of a systematic study of the non--mesonic decay of strangeness
hypernuclei. This field of research could also shed light on the possible
existence and nature of the --dibaryon.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure
Evidence for polarons in iron pnictides of the Ln-1111 and AE-122 families
Examination of the electrical resistivities of iron pnictides shows that they
can be accounted by conduction by polarons. Their activation energies show a
linear behaviour with the critical temperatures of the spin density waves
(SDW), T*, as both vary with pressure. The slope matches the ratio SDW gap to
T*, while the intercept can be related to the transition temperature of the
lattice distortion, T0. An adapted Landau free energy predicts the observed
order of the transitions, according to which is higher, T* or T0. Simple
arguments favour combined Jahn-Teller antiferromagnetic bipolarons.Comment: 14 pages with 4 Figure
Structural transformations and disordering in zirconolite (CaZrTi2O7) at high pressure
There is interest in identifying novel materials for use in radioactive waste applications and studying their behavior under high pressure conditions. The mineral zirconolite (CaZrTi2O7) exists naturally in trace amounts in diamond-bearing deep-seated metamorphic/igneous environments, and it is also identified as a potential ceramic phase for radionuclide sequestration. However, it has been shown to undergo radiation-induced metamictization resulting in amorphous forms. In this study we probed the high pressure structural properties of this pyrochlore-like structure to study its phase transformations and possible amorphization behavior. Combined synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy studies reveal a series of high pressure phase transformations. Starting from the ambient pressure monoclinic structure, an intermediate phase with P21/m symmetry is produced above 15.6 GPa via a first order transformation resulting in a wide coexistence range. Upon compression to above 56 GPa a disordered metastable phase III with a cotunnite-related structure appears that is recoverable to ambient conditions. We examine the similarity between the zirconolite behavior and the structural evolution of analogous pyrochlore systems under pressure.<br/
Active and Passive Quantum Erasers for Neutral Kaons
Quantum marking and quantum erasure are discussed for the neutral kaon
system. Contrary to other two-level systems, strangeness and lifetime of a
neutral kaon state can be alternatively measured via an "active" or a "passive"
procedure. This offers new quantum erasure possibilities. In particular, the
operation of a quantum eraser in the "delayed choice" mode is clearly
illustrated.Comment: 17 pages, LaTeX, 1 figure, references added, accepted by Phys. Rev.
Pressure effects in the triangular layered cobaltites NaxCoO2
We have measured transport properties as a function of temperature and
pressure up to 30GPa in the NaxCoO2 system. For the x=0.5 sample the transition
temperature at 53K increases with pressure, while paradoxically the sample
passes from an insulating to a metallic ground state. A similar transition is
observed in the x=0.31 sample under pressure. Compression on the x=0.75 sample
transforms the sample from a metallic to an insulating state. We discuss our
results in terms of interactions between band structure effects and Na+ order.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure
Evidences of a consolute critical point in the Phase Separation regime of La(5/8-y)Pr(y)Ca(3/8)MnO(3) (y = 0.4) single crystals
We report on DC and pulsed electric field sensitivity of the resistance of
mixed valent Mn oxide based La(5/8-y)Pr(y)Ca(3/8)MnO(3) (y = 0.4) single
crystals as a function of temperature. The low temperature regime of the
resistivity is highly current and voltage dependent. An irreversible transition
from high (HR) to a low resistivity (LR) is obtained upon the increase of the
electric field up to a temperature dependent critical value (V_c). The
current-voltage characteristics in the LR regime as well as the lack of a
variation in the magnetization response when V_c is reached indicate the
formation of a non-single connected filamentary conducting path. The
temperature dependence of V_c indicates the existence of a consolute point
where the conducting and insulating phases produce a critical behavior as a
consequence of their separation.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, corresponding author: C. Acha ([email protected]
Electrical transport properties of manganite powders under pressure
We have measured the electrical resistance of micrometric to nanometric
powders of the LaPrCaMnO (LPCMO with y=0.3) manganite
for hydrostatic pressures up to 4 kbar. By applying different final thermal
treatments to samples synthesized by a microwave assisted denitration process,
we obtained two particular grain characteristic dimensions (40 nm and 1000 nm)
which allowed us to analyze the grain size sensitivity of the electrical
conduction properties of both the metal electrode interface with manganite (Pt
/ LPCMO) as well as the intrinsic intergranular interfaces formed by the LPCMO
powder, conglomerate under the only effect of external pressure. We also
analyzed the effects of pressure on the phase diagram of these powders. Our
results indicate that different magnetic phases coexist at low temperatures and
that the electrical transport properties are related to the intrinsic
interfaces, as we observe evidences of a granular behavior and an electronic
transport dominated by the Space Charge limited Current mechanism.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Physica B Corresponding
author: C. Acha ([email protected]
- …