Romanian 14 GHz ECR Ion Source RECRIS: main features and first operation

RECRIS, the romanian 14 GHz ECR ion source, designed to be used as a facility for atomic physics and material studies with highly charged ion beams, have been recently completed. The general design [1], the main characteristics and the detailed measurements of the radial [2] and axial magnetic fields are presented. A maximum axial magnetic field of 1.4 T and a mirror ratio of up to 4 were obtained. The dependence of the mirror ratio and of the ECR plasma zone volume on the configuration of the axial magnetic system configuration was studied. The first operation of this source is described, showing a good stability

Spinless photon dark matter from two universal extra dimensions

We explore the properties of dark matter in theories with two universal extra dimensions, where the lightest Kaluza-Klein state is a spin-0 neutral particle, representing a six-dimensional photon polarized along the extra dimensions. Annihilation of this 'spinless photon' proceeds predominantly through Higgs boson exchange, and is largely independent of other Kaluza-Klein particles. The measured relic abundance sets an upper limit on the spinless photon mass of 500 GeV, which decreases to almost 200 GeV if the Higgs boson is light. The phenomenology of this dark matter candidate is strikingly different from Kaluza-Klein dark matter in theories with one universal extra dimension. Elastic scattering of the spinless photon with quarks is helicity suppressed, making its direct detection challenging, although possible at upcoming experiments. The prospects for indirect detection with gamma rays and antimatter are similar to those of neutralinos. The rates predicted at neutrino telescopes are below the sensitivity of next-generation experiments.Comment: 22 pages. Figure 7 corrected, leading to improved prospects for direct detection. Some clarifying remarks include

Detection of neurotoxin (verotoxin) among Echerichia coll porcine isolates from postweaning diarrhoea

Des 45 souches d ’Escherichia coli isolées de diarrhée du post-sevrage des porcelets, appartenant principalement au sérogroupe 0141 : K85, 66 % produisent une neurotoxine (N.T. ou V.T.) et 60 % à la fois une neuro toxine et la fraction thermolabile (L.T. de l’entérotoxine). Ces résultats confirment l’existence de souches mixtes chez les porcs sevrés atteints d’entérite et devraient être l’occasion d’une nouvelle étude d’une préven tion médicale à partir de vaccins contenant S T., L.T. et V.T.Of 45 isolates of E. coli from pigs with post-weaning diarrhoea, mainly belonged to serogroup 0141 : K85, 66 per cent produce neurotoxin (NT ou VT) and 60 per cent both neurotoxin and heat-labile enterotoxin (LT). These data confirmed the existence Of mixed strains in weaned pigs with enteric disease and offered an opportunity for a new study of a medical prevention with ST, LT and VT vaccines

The influence of ambipolarity on plasma confinement and the performace of ECRIS

International audienceCharge diffusion in an ECRIS discharge is usually characterized by non ambipolar behavior. While the ions are transported to the radial walls, electrons are lost axially from the magnetic trap. Global neutrality is maintained via compensating currents in the conducting walls of the vacuum chamber. It is assumed that this behavior reduces the ion breeding times compared to a truly ambipolar plasma. We have carried out a series of dedicated experiments in which the ambipolarity of the ECRIS plasma was influenced by inserting special metal-dielectric structures (MD layers) into the plasma chamber of the Frankfurt 14GHz ECRIS. The measurements demonstrate the positive influence on the source performance when the ECR plasma is changed towards more ambipolar behavior

Comment on "Exact results for survival probability in the multistate Landau-Zener model"

We correct the proof of Brundobler-Elser formula (BEF) provided in [2004 \textit{J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys.} \textbf{37} 4069] and continued in Appendix of [2005 \textit{J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys.} \textbf{38} 907]. After showing that some changes of variables employed in these articles are used erroneously, we propose an alternative change of variables which solves the problem. In our proof, we reveal the connection between the BEF for a general $N$-level Landau-Zener system and the exactly solvable bow-tie model. The special importance of the diabatic levels with maximum/minimum slope is emphasized throughout.Comment: 10 page

Metal-dielectric structures for high charge state ion production in ECR plasma

Metal-dielectric (MD) structures of pure (99.999%) aluminum foils were previously studied [1, 2] in the National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering (NIPNE), Bucharest, Romania showing high secondary electron emission properties. Consequently, 26 mm diameter disks of such structures (Al-Al2O3) were tested in the ECR ion source of the Institut fuer Kernphysik (IKF) der J. W. Goethe Universitat, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, allowing to demonstrate their ability to significantly increase the ECRIS performances in what concerns the production of high charge state ions [3]. New experiments carried on in Bucharest on a special facility [2] stressed out the possibility to develop high emissive MD structures starting from lower purity (99%) aluminum foils. This result allowed us to make a special cylinder of 1 mm wall thickness electrolytically treated so that only the inner face had a MD structure layer while the external surface remained metallic. Such a cylinder introduced in the plasma chamber of an ECR ion source provides a high rate of secondary electrons that enhance the ECR plasma electron density while its metallic external surface provides a good electric and thermal contact with the plasma chamber. The tests performed with such a MD aluminum cylinder in the IKF 14 GHz ECR ion source, successfully demonstrated the possibility to shift the ECRIS output toward very high charge states (Ar16+) due to the strong secondary electron emission of the MD inner surface of the cylinder

Dynamical Symmetry Breaking in Warped Compactifications

We study dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking in the Randall-Sundrum scenario. We show that one extra dimension is enough to give the correct pattern of electroweak symmetry breaking in a simple model with gauge bosons and the right-handed top quark in the bulk. The top quark mass is also in agreement with experiment. Furthermore, we propose an extended scenario with all Standard Model gauge bosons and fermions propagating in the bulk, which naturally accommodates the fermion mass hierarchies. No new fields or interactions beyond the observed in the Standard Model are required.Comment: 16 pages, no figures. v3 : Final version, to be published in Phys. Rev.

Minimal Universal Extra Dimensions in CalcHEP/CompHEP

We present an implementation of the model of minimal universal extra dimensions (MUED) in CalcHEP/CompHEP. We include all level-1 and level-2 Kaluza-Klein (KK) particles outside the Higgs sector. The mass spectrum is automatically calculated at one loop in terms of the two input parameters in MUED: the radius of the extra dimension and the cut-off scale of the model. We implement both the KK number conserving and the KK number violating interactions of the KK particles. We also account for the proper running of the gauge coupling constants above the electroweak scale. The implementation has been extensively cross-checked against known analytical results in the literature and numerical results from other programs. Our files are publicly available and can be used to perform various automated calculations within the MUED model.Comment: 32 pages, 4 figures, 6 tables, invited contribution for New Journal of Physics Focus Issue on 'Extra Space Dimensions', the model file can be downloaded from http://home.fnal.gov/~kckong/mued

Minimal Composite Higgs Model with Light Bosons

We analyze a composite Higgs model with the minimal content that allows a light Standard-Model-like Higgs boson, potentially just above the current LEP limit. The Higgs boson is a bound state made up of the top quark and a heavy vector-like quark. The model predicts that only one other bound state may be lighter than the electroweak scale, namely a CP-odd neutral scalar. Several other composite scalars are expected to have masses in the TeV range. If the Higgs decay into a pair of CP-odd scalars is kinematically open, then this decay mode is dominant, with important implications for Higgs searches. The lower bound on the CP-odd scalar mass is loose, in some cases as low as $\sim$ 100 MeV, being set only by astrophysical constraints.Comment: 33 pages, latex. Corrections in eqs. 3.21, 3.23, 4.1, 4.5-10. One figure adde