New electron source concept for single-shot sub-100 fs electron diffraction in the 100 keV range

We present a method for producing sub-100 fs electron bunches that are suitable for single-shot ultrafast electron diffraction experiments in the 100 keV energy range. A combination of analytical results and state-of-the-art numerical simulations show that it is possible to create 100 keV, 0.1 pC, 20 fs electron bunches with a spotsize smaller than 500 micron and a transverse coherence length of 3 nm, using established technologies in a table-top set-up. The system operates in the space-charge dominated regime to produce energy-correlated bunches that are recompressed by established radio-frequency techniques. With this approach we overcome the Coulomb expansion of the bunch, providing an entirely new ultrafast electron diffraction source concept

Performance of the MIND detector at a Neutrino Factory using realistic muon reconstruction

A Neutrino Factory producing an intense beam composed of nu_e(nubar_e) and nubar_mu(nu_mu) from muon decays has been shown to have the greatest sensitivity to the two currently unmeasured neutrino mixing parameters, theta_13 and delta_CP . Using the `wrong-sign muon' signal to measure nu_e to nu_mu(nubar_e to nubar_mu) oscillations in a 50 ktonne Magnetised Iron Neutrino Detector (MIND) sensitivity to delta_CP could be maintained down to small values of theta_13. However, the detector efficiencies used in previous studies were calculated assuming perfect pattern recognition. In this paper, MIND is re-assessed taking into account, for the first time, a realistic pattern recognition for the muon candidate. Reoptimisation of the analysis utilises a combination of methods, including a multivariate analysis similar to the one used in MINOS, to maintain high efficiency while suppressing backgrounds, ensuring that the signal selection efficiency and the background levels are comparable or better than the ones in previous analyses

Compression of sub-relativistic space-charge-dominated electron bunches for single-shot femtosecond electron diffraction

We demonstrate compression of 95 keV, space-charge-dominated electron bunches to sub-100 fs durations. These bunches have sufficient charge (200 fC) and are of sufficient quality to capture a diffraction pattern with a single shot, which we demonstrate by a diffraction experiment on a polycrystalline gold foil. Compression is realized by means of velocity bunching as a result of a velocity chirp, induced by the oscillatory longitudinal electric field of a 3 GHz radio-frequency cavity. The arrival time jitter is measured to be 80 fs

A Constraint on Yukawa-Coupling Unification from Lepton-Flavor Violating Processes

We present a new constraint on a lepton mixing matrix $V$ from lepton-flavor violating (LFV) processes in supersymmetric standard models with massive neutrinos. Here, we assume Yukawa-coupling unification $f_{\nu 3}\simeq f_{\rm top}$, in which $\tau$-neutrino Yukawa coupling $f_{\nu 3}$ is unified into top-quark Yukawa coupling $f_{\rm top}$ at the unification scale $M_*\simeq 3\times 10^{16}$ GeV. We show that the present experimental bound on $\mu \to e \gamma$ decay already gives a stringent limit on the lepton mixing (typically $V_{13}<0.02$ for $V_{23}=1/\sqrt{2}$). Therefore, many existing neutrino-mass models are strongly constrained. Future improvement of bounds on LFV processes will provide a more significant impact on the models with the Yukawa-coupling unification. We also stress that a precise measurement of a neutrino mixing $(V_{MNS})_{e3}$ in future neutrino experiments would be very important, since the observation of non-zero $(V_{MNS})_{e3}$, together with negative experimental results for the LFV processes, have a robust potential to exclude a large class of SUSY standard models with the Yukawa-coupling unification.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

On the complementarity of Hyper-K and LBNF

The next generation of long-baseline experiments is being designed to make a substantial step in the precision of measurements of neutrino-oscillation probabilities. Two qualitatively different proposals, Hyper-K and LBNF, are being considered for approval. This document outlines the complimentarity between Hyper-K and LBNF.Comment: 5 pager

Initial report from the ICFA Neutrino Panel

In July 2013 ICFA established the Neutrino Panel with the mandate "To promote international cooperation in the development of the accelerator-based neutrino-oscillation program and to promote international collaboration in the development a neutrino factory as a future intense source of neutrinos for particle physics experiments". This, the Panel's Initial Report, presents the conclusions drawn by the Panel from three regional "Town Meetings" that took place between November 2013 and February 2014. After a brief introduction and a short summary of the status of the knowledge of the oscillation parameters, the report summarises the approved programme and identifies opportunities for the development of the field. In its conclusions, the Panel recognises that to maximise the discovery potential of the accelerator-based neutrino-oscillation programme it will be essential to exploit the infrastructures that exist at CERN, FNAL and J-PARC and the expertise and resources that reside in laboratories and institutes around the world. Therefore, in its second year, the Panel will consult with the accelerator-based neutrino-oscillation community and its stakeholders to: develop a road-map for the future accelerator-based neutrino-oscillation programme that exploits the ambitions articulated at CERN, FNAL and J-PARC and includes the programme of measurement and test-beam exposure necessary to ensure the programme is able to realise its potential; develop a proposal for a coordinated "Neutrino RD" programme, the accelerator and detector R&D programme required to underpin the next generation of experiments; and to explore the opportunities for the international collaboration necessary to realise the Neutrino Factory.Comment: ICFA Neutrino Panel 2014(01

Matter profile effect in neutrino factory

We point out that the matter profile effect --- the effect of matter density fluctuation on the baseline --- is very important to estimate the parameters in a neutrino factory with a very long baseline. To make it clear, we propose the method of the Fourier series expansion of the matter profile. By using this method, we can take account of both the matter profile effect and its ambiguity. For very long baseline experiment, such as L=7332km, in the analysis of the oscillation phenomena we need to introduce a new parameter $a_{1}$--- the Fourier coefficient of the matter profile --- as a theoretical parameter to deal with the matter profile effects.Comment: 21 pages, 15 figure

Construction of the alpha-X photo-injector cavity

JACoW web site http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/Accelconf/e06/We will describe the construction and low power testing of an RF cavity to be used as a photo-injector for the ALPHA-X project within the Department of Physics at the University of Strathclyde (UK). The gun is a two and a half cell S-band cavity, employing a metallic photocathode. RF power is coupled to the gun via a co-axial power coupler. The specification of the gun and the low power measurements made to achieve the correct mode frequency and field flatness will be presented