A FP-LAPW Study of Structural, Electronic, Elastic and Mechanical Properties of CePd3 Intermetallic Compound

A theoretical study of structural, electronic, elastic and mechanical properties of CePd3 intermetallic compound has been investigated systematically using first principles density functional theory. The calculations are carried out within LSDA for the exchange correlation potential. The ground state properties such as lattice parameter (a0), bulk modulus (B) and its pressure derivative (B′) are calculated and obtained lattice parameter of this compound shows well agreement with the experimental results. We have calculated the elastic constants (C11, C12 and C44), which has not been calculated and measured yet. From energy dispersion curves, it is found that the studied compound is metallic in nature. Ductility of this compound is analyzed using Pugh’s criteria and Cauchy’s pressure (C11- C12). The mechanical properties such as Young’s modulus, shear modulus, anisotropic ratio, Poison’s ratio have been calculated for the first time using the Voigt–Reuss–Hill (VRH) averaging scheme. The average sound velocities (vm), density (ρ) and Debye temperature (θD) of this compound are also estimated from the elastic constants. Keywords: Pugh’scriteria; Density functional theory; Elastic constants; Ductility. 

Structural, Electronic, Thermal, Mechanical and Elastic Properties of Rpd3 (R = La & Y) Compounds Based on Ab-initio Calculation

The structural, electronic, thermal, mechanical and elastic properties of cubic non magnetic RPd3 (R = La &Y) compounds which crystallize in the AuCu3 structure have been studied using ab-initio full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within density functional theory (DFT) using generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for exchange correlation potential. The ground states properties such as lattice parameter (a), bulk modulus (B) and pressure derivative (B') have been obtained using optimization method. The elastic properties such as Young’s modulus (E), Poisson’s ratio (?) and anisotropic ratio (A) and thermal are predicted for first time. The ductility of these compounds has been analyzed using Pugh criteria. Keywords: Ab-initio; Density functional theory; Elastic constants; Ductility. 

LHC Magnet Tests: Operational Techniques and Empowerment for Successful Completion

The LHC magnet tests operation team developed various innovative techniques, particularly since early 2004, to complete the superconductor magnet tests by Feb. 2007. Overall and cryogenic priority handling, rapid on-bench thermal cycling, rule-based goodness evaluation on round-the-clock basis, multiple, mashed web systems are some of these techniques applied with rigour for successful tests completion in time. This paper highlights these operation empowerment tools which had a pivotal role for success. A priority handling method was put in place to enable maximum throughput from twelve test benches, having many different constraints. For the cryogenics infrastructure, it implied judicious allocation of limited resources to the benches. Rapid On-Bench Thermal Cycle was a key strategy to accelerate magnets tests throughput, saving time and simplifying logistics. First level magnet appraisal was developed for 24 hr decision making so as to prepare a magnet further for LHC or keep it on standby. Web based systems (Tests Management and E-Traveller) were other essential ideas to track & coordinate various stages of tests handled by different teams

Measurement of the nuclear modification factor and prompt charged particle production in p-Pb and pp Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5 TeV

The production of prompt charged particles in proton-lead collisions and in proton-proton collisions at the nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy √sNN=5  TeV is studied at LHCb as a function of pseudorapidity (η) and transverse momentum (pT) with respect to the proton beam direction. The nuclear modification factor for charged particles is determined as a function of η between −4.8<η<−2.5 (backward region) and 2.0<η<4.8 (forward region), and pT between 0.2<pT<8.0  GeV/c. The results show a suppression of charged particle production in proton-lead collisions relative to proton-proton collisions in the forward region and an enhancement in the backward region for pT larger than 1.5  GeV/c. This measurement constrains nuclear PDFs and saturation models at previously unexplored values of the parton momentum fraction down to 10−6

Measurement of the Bs0 →μ+μ- decay properties and search for the B0 →μ+μ- and Bs0 →μ+μ-γ decays

An improved measurement of the decay B0s→μ+μ− and searches for the decays B0→μ+μ− and B0s→μ+μ−γ are performed at the LHCb experiment using data collected in proton-proton collisions at √s=7, 8 and 13 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 1, 2 and 6  fb−1, respectively. The B0s→μ+μ− branching fraction and effective lifetime are measured to be B(B0s→μ+μ−)=(3.09+0.46+0.15−0.43−0.11)×10−9 and τ(B0s→μ+μ−)=(2.07±0.29±0.03)  ps, respectively, where the uncertainties include both statistical and systematic contributions. No significant signal for B0→μ+μ− and B0s→μ+μ−γ decays is found and the upper limits B(B0→μ+μ−)4.9  GeV/c2. Additionally, the ratio between the B0→μ+μ− and B0s→μ+μ− branching fractions is measured to be Rμ+μ−<0.095 at 95% confidence level. The results are in agreement with the Standard Model predictions

Test of lepton universality in beauty-quark decays

The standard model (SM) of particle physics provides precise predictions for the properties and interactions of fundamental particles, which have been confirmed by numerous experiments since the inception of the model in the 1960s. However, it is clear that the model is incomplete. The SM is unable to explain cosmological observations of the dominance of matter over antimatter, the apparent dark matter content of the Universe, or the patterns seen in the interaction strengths of the particles. Particle physicists have therefore been searching for ‘new physics’, that is, new particles and interactions that can explain the SM’s shortcomings

Precise determination of the B s 0 – B ¯ s 0 oscillation frequency

Mesons comprising a beauty quark and strange quark can oscillate between particle (Bs0) and antiparticle (B¯s0) flavour eigenstates, with a frequency given by the mass difference between heavy and light mass eigenstates, Δms. Here we present a measurement of Δms using Bs0→Ds−π+ decays produced in proton–proton collisions collected with the LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The oscillation frequency is found to be Δms = 17.7683 ± 0.0051 ± 0.0032 ps−1, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. This measurement improves on the current Δms precision by a factor of two. We combine this result with previous LHCb measurements to determine Δms = 17.7656 ± 0.0057 ps−1, which is the legacy measurement of the original LHCb detector

First measurement of the C P -violating phase in B s 0 → J / ψ ( → e + e - ) ϕ decays

A flavour-tagged time-dependent angular analysis of Bs0→J/ψϕ decays is presented where the J/ψ meson is reconstructed through its decay to an e+e- pair. The analysis uses a sample of pp collision data recorded with the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8\,Te V, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3\,fb-1. The CP-violating phase and lifetime parameters of the Bs0 system are measured to be ϕs=0.00±0.28±0.07\,rad, ΔΓs=0.115±0.045±0.011\,ps-1 and Γs=0.608±0.018±0.012\,ps-1 where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This is the first time that CP-violating parameters are measured in the Bs0→J/ψϕ decay with an e+e- pair in the final state. The results are consistent with previous measurements in other channels and with the Standard Model predictions

Observation of the Decay Λ0b→Λ+cτ−¯ν

The first observation of the semileptonic b-baryon decay Λb0→Λc+τ-ν¯τ, with a significance of 6.1σ, is reported using a data sample corresponding to 3 fb-1 of integrated luminosity, collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV at the LHC. The τ- lepton is reconstructed in the hadronic decay to three charged pions. The ratio K=B(Λb0→Λc+τ-ν¯τ)/B(Λb0→Λc+π-π+π-) is measured to be 2.46±0.27±0.40, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The branching fraction B(Λb0→Λc+τ-ν¯τ)=(1.50±0.16±0.25±0.23)% is obtained, where the third uncertainty is from the external branching fraction of the normalization channel Λb0→Λc+π-π+π-. The ratio of semileptonic branching fractions R(Λc+)B(Λb0→Λc+τ-ν¯τ)/B(Λb0→Λc+μ-ν¯μ) is derived to be 0.242±0.026±0.040±0.059, where the external branching fraction uncertainty from the channel Λb0→Λc+μ-ν¯μ contributes to the last term. This result is in agreement with the standard model prediction