Obtaining Au thin films in atmosphere of reactive nitrogen through magnetron sputtering

4d and 5d series of the transition metals are used to the obtaining nitrides metallic, due to the synthesis of PtN, AgN and AuN in the last years. Different nitrides are obtained in the Plasma Assisted Physics Vapour Deposition system, due to its ionization energy which is necessary for their formation. In this paper a Magnetron Sputtering system was used to obtain Au thin films on Si wafers in Nitrogen atmosphere. The substrate temperature was varied between 500 to 950°C. The samples obtained at high temperatures (>500°C) show Au, Si and N elements, as it is corroborated in the narrow spectrum obtained for X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy; besides the competition of orientation crystallographic texture between (111) and (311) directions was present in the X-Ray Diffraction analysis to the sample heated at 950°C

Pion's valence-quark GPD and its extension beyond DGLAP region

We briefly report on a recent computation, with the help of a fruitful algebraic model, sketching the pion valence dressed-quark generalized parton distribution and, very preliminary, discuss on a possible avenue to get reliable results in both Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi (DGLAP) and Efremov-Radyushkin-Brodsky-Lepage (ERBL) kinematial regions.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, contribution to 21st International conference on Few-Body Problem

AuNx stabilization with interstitial nitrogen atoms: A Density Functional Theory Study

Researchers have been studying 4d and 5d Series Transition Metal Nitrides lately as a result of the experimental production of AuN, PtN, CuN. In this paper, we used the Density Functional Theory (DFT) implementing a pseudopotential plane-wave method to study the incorporation of nitrogen atoms in the face-centered cube (fcc) lattice of gold (Au). First, we took the fcc structure of gold, and gradually located the nitrogen atoms in tetrahedral (TH) and octahedral (OH) interstitial sites. AuN stabilized in: 2OH (30%), 4OH and 4TH (50%), 4OH - 2TH (close to the wurtzite structure) and 6TH (60%). This leads us to think that AuN behaves like a Transition Metal Nitride since the nitrogen atoms look for tetrahedral sites. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Finite-size effects on multibody neutrino exchange

The effect of multibody massless neutrino exchanges between neutrons inside a finite-size neutron star is studied. We use an effective Lagrangian, which incorporates the effect of the neutrons on the neutrinos. Following Schwinger, it is shown that the total interaction energy density is computed by comparing the zero point energy of the neutrino sea with and without the star. It has already been shown that in an infinite-size star the total energy due to neutrino exchange vanishes exactly. The opposite claim that massless neutrino exchange would produce a huge energy is due to an improper summation of an infrared-divergent quantity. The same vanishing of the total energy has been proved exactly in the case of a finite star in a one-dimensional toy model. Here we study the three-dimensional case. We first consider the effect of a sharp star border, assumed to be a plane. We find that there is a non- vanishing of the zero point energy density difference between the inside and the outside due to the refraction index at the border and the consequent non-penetrating waves. An analytical and numerical calculation for the case of a spherical star with a sharp border confirms that the preceding border effect is the dominant one. The total result is shown to be infrared-safe, thus confirming that there is no need to assume a neutrino mass. The ultraviolet cut-offs, which correspond in some sense to the matching of the effective theory with the exact one, are discussed. Finally the energy due to long distance neutrino exchange is of the order of $10^{-8} -- 10^{-13} GeV per neutron$, i.e. negligible with respect to the neutron mass density.Comment: Latex file (Revtex), 34 pages, 8 postscripted figure

A scoping study of crime facilitated by the metaverse

The metaverse is an emerging convergence of technologies (e.g., virtual reality and blockchains) that enables users to experience mixed/extended realities for various legitimate purposes (e.g., gaming, tourism, manufacturing and education). Unfortunately, the crime and security implications of emerging technologies are often overlooked. To anticipate crimes that the metaverse might facilitate, we report the findings of a nominal group technique (NGT) study, which involved a state-of-the-art scoping review of the existing literature and elicitation exercises with two groups of experts (one a diverse group from the UK and Europe, the other representing international law enforcement) with a wide range of expertise. A total of 30 crime threats were identified in the literature or by participants. The elicitation exercises also explored how harmful, frequent, achievable and defeatable participants anticipated that the crimes identified would be. Ratings for these aspects were largely consistent across the two samples, with crimes of a sexual nature (e.g., child sexual abuse material), and crimes against the person (e.g., hate crime) being rated as presenting the highest future risks (i.e. being high harm and high frequency) and being the most difficult to address. The findings illuminate understanding of the most (and least) harmful and likely crime threats the metaverse could facilitate and consequently help stakeholders to prioritise which offences to focus on. In discussing how the crime threats might be addressed, we consider roles and responsibilities and how theory about the management of physical places might inform crime prevention in the metaverse(s)

Extra gauge bosons and lepton flavor universality violation in Υ\Upsilon and BB meson decays

Lepton flavor universality can be tested through the ratio of semileptonic $B$ meson decays and leptonic $\Upsilon$ meson decays, with $\Upsilon \equiv \Upsilon(nS)$ ($n=1,2,3$). For the charged-current transitions $b \to c\tau\bar{\nu}_\tau$, discrepancies between the experiment and the Standard Model (SM) have been observed in recent years by different flavor facilities as BABAR, Belle, and LHCb. While for the neutral-current transitions $b \bar{b} \to \tau\bar{\tau}$, the BABAR experiment reported recently a new measurement of leptonic decay ratio $R_{\Upsilon(3S)} = {\rm BR}(\Upsilon(3S) \to \tau^+\tau^-)/{\rm BR}(\Upsilon(3S) \to \mu^+\mu^-)$, showing an agreement with the SM at the $1.8 \sigma$ level. In light of this new BABAR result and regarding the connection between new physics (NP) interpretations to the charged-current $b \to c \tau \bar{\nu}_{\tau}$ anomalies and neutral-current $b \bar{b} \to \tau \bar{\tau}$ processes, in this study, we revisit the NP consequences of this measurement within a simplified model with extra massive gauge bosons that coupled predominantly to left-handed leptons of the third-generation. We show that the BABAR measurement of $R_{\Upsilon(3S)}$ cannot be easily accommodated (within its experimental $1\sigma$ range) together with the other $b \to c\tau\bar{\nu}_\tau$ data, hinting towards a new anomalous observable.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. v2: Discussion improved, references adde

Analysing the charged scalar boson contribution to the charged-current BB meson anomalies

Experimental measurements collected by the BABAR, Belle, and LHCb experiments on different observables associated with the semileptonic transition $b \to c \tau \bar{\nu}_\tau$, indicate the existence of disagreement respect with the Standard Model predictions. We analyse the charged scalar boson contributions to these charged-current $B$ meson anomalies within the framework of two Higgs doublet model with the most general Yukawa couplings to quarks and leptons from the third generation, involving left-handed and right-handed (sterile) neutrinos. We perform a phenomenological study of the Yukawa couplings parameter space that accommodates these anomalies. We consider the most recent data from HFLAV world-average and Belle combination, and the upper limits ${\rm BR}(B_c^- \to \tau^- \bar{\nu}_{\tau}) < 30\%$ and $10\%$. In addition, we include in our study the prospect measurements on $R(D^{(\ast)})$ that the Belle II experiment could achieve and explore, for the first time, the future implications for the corresponding charged scalar Yukawa couplings. This analysis updates the existing literature and includes new important observables. Our results show that current experimental $b\rightarrow c \tau \bar{\nu}_\tau$ data and Belle II projection favor the interpretation of a charged scalar boson interacting with right-handed neutrinos. Furthermore, as a side analysis regarding the charged scalar boson interpretation, we revisit the relation between $R(D^\ast)$ and ${\rm BR}(B_c^- \to \tau^- \bar{\nu}_{\tau})$ by investigating whether the claim that pseudoscalar new physics interpretations of $R(D^{\ast})$ are implausible due to the $B_c$ lifetime is still valid, to the light of the recent data and Belle II prospects on $R(D^{\ast})$. Lastly, we reexamine addressing the $R(D^{(\ast)})$ anomalies in the context of the 2HDM of Type II.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures (14 plots), 7 Tables. V3: typos corrected, discussion improve

Influence of MWCNT/surfactant dispersions on the mechanical properties of Portland cement pastes

This work studies the reinforcing effect of Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) on cement pastes. A 0.35% solid concentration of MWCNT in powder was dispersed in deionized water with sodium dodecyl sulfate (cationic surfactant), cetylpyridinium chloride (anionic surfactant) and triton X-100 (amphoteric surfactant) using an ultrasonic tip processor. Three concentrations of each surfactant (1mM, 10mM and 100mM) were tested, and all samples were sonicated until an adequate dispersion degree was obtained. Cement pastes with additions of carbon nanotubes of 0.15% by mass of cement were produced in two steps; first the dispersions of MWCNT were combined with the mixing water using an ultrasonic tip processor to guarantee homogeneity, and then cement was added and mixed until a homogeneous paste was obtained. Direct tensile strength, apparent density and open porosity of the pastes were measured after 7 days of curing. It was found that the MWCNT/surfactants dispersions decrease the mechanical properties of the cement based matrix due to an increased porosity caused by the presence of surfactants. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd