Forward observables at RHIC, the Tevatron run II and the LHC

We present predictions on the total cross sections and on the ratio of the real part to the imaginary part of the elastic amplitude (rho parameter) for present and future pp and pbar p colliders, and on total cross sections for gamma p -> hadrons at cosmic-ray energies and for gamma gamma -> hadrons up to sqrt(s)=1 TeV. These predictions are based on a study of many possible analytic parametrisations and invoke the current hadronic dataset at t=0. The uncertainties on total cross sections, including the systematic theoretical errors, reach 1% at RHIC, 3% at the Tevatron, and 10% at the LHC, whereas those on the rho parameter are respectively 10%, 17%, and 26%.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, LaTeX, presented at the Second International "Cetraro" Workshop & NATO Advanced Research Workshop "Diffraction 2002", Alushta, Crimea, Ukraine, August 31 - September 6, 200

Solidification of small para-H2 clusters at zero temperature

We have determined the ground-state energies of para-H$_2$ clusters at zero temperature using the diffusion Monte Carlo method. The liquid or solid character of each cluster is investigated by restricting the phase through the use of proper importance sampling. Our results show inhomogeneous crystallization of clusters, with alternating behavior between liquid and solid phases up to N=55. From there on, all clusters are solid. The ground-state energies in the range N=13--75 are established and the stable phase of each cluster is determined. In spite of the small differences observed between the energy of liquid and solid clusters, the corresponding density profiles are significantly different, feature that can help to solve ambiguities in the determination of the specific phase of H$_2$ clusters.Comment: 17 pages, accepted for publication in J. Phys. Chem.

Benchmarks for the Forward Observables at RHIC, the Tevatron-run II and the LHC

We present predictions on the total cross sections and on the ratio of the real part to the imaginary part of the elastic amplitude (rho parameter) for present and future pp and pbar p colliders, and on total cross sections for gamma p -> hadrons at cosmic-ray energies and for gamma gamma-> hadrons up to sqrt{s}=1 TeV. These predictions are based on an extensive study of possible analytic parametrisations invoking the biggest hadronic dataset available at t=0. The uncertainties on total cross sections, including the systematic errors due to contradictory data points from FNAL, can reach 1.9% at RHIC, 3.1% at the Tevatron, and 4.8% at the LHC, whereas those on the rho parameter are respectively 5.4%, 5.2%, and 5.4%.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables, RevTeX

Precise measurement of RudsR_{\text{uds}} and RR between 1.84 and 3.72 GeV at the KEDR detector

The present work continues a series of the KEDR measurements of the $R$ value that started in 2010 at the VEPP-4M $e^+e^-$ collider. By combining new data with our previous results in this energy range we measured the values of $R_{\text{uds}}$ and $R$ at nine center-of-mass energies between 3.08 and 3.72 GeV. The total accuracy is about or better than $2.6\%$ at most of energy points with a systematic uncertainty of about $1.9\%$. Together with the previous precise $R$ measurement at KEDR in the energy range 1.84-3.05 GeV, it constitutes the most detailed high-precision $R$ measurement near the charmonium production threshold.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1610.02827 and substantial text overlap with arXiv:1510.0266

Feasibility studies of time-like proton electromagnetic form factors at PANDA at FAIR

Simulation results for future measurements of electromagnetic proton form factors at \PANDA (FAIR) within the PandaRoot software framework are reported. The statistical precision with which the proton form factors can be determined is estimated. The signal channel $\bar p p \to e^+ e^-$ is studied on the basis of two different but consistent procedures. The suppression of the main background channel, $\textit{i.e.}$ $\bar p p \to \pi^+ \pi^-$, is studied. Furthermore, the background versus signal efficiency, statistical and systematical uncertainties on the extracted proton form factors are evaluated using two different procedures. The results are consistent with those of a previous simulation study using an older, simplified framework. However, a slightly better precision is achieved in the PandaRoot study in a large range of momentum transfer, assuming the nominal beam conditions and detector performance

Strong interface-induced spin-orbit coupling in graphene on WS2

Interfacial interactions allow the electronic properties of graphene to be modified, as recently demonstrated by the appearance of satellite Dirac cones in the band structure of graphene on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) substrates. Ongoing research strives to explore interfacial interactions in a broader class of materials in order to engineer targeted electronic properties. Here we show that at an interface with a tungsten disulfide (WS2) substrate, the strength of the spin-orbit interaction (SOI) in graphene is very strongly enhanced. The induced SOI leads to a pronounced low-temperature weak anti-localization (WAL) effect, from which we determine the spin-relaxation time. We find that spin-relaxation time in graphene is two-to-three orders of magnitude smaller on WS2 than on SiO2 or hBN, and that it is comparable to the intervalley scattering time. To interpret our findings we have performed first-principle electronic structure calculations, which both confirm that carriers in graphene-on-WS2 experience a strong SOI and allow us to extract a spin-dependent low-energy effective Hamiltonian. Our analysis further shows that the use of WS2 substrates opens a possible new route to access topological states of matter in graphene-based systems.Comment: Originally submitted version in compliance with editorial guidelines. Final version with expanded discussion of the relation between theory and experiments to be published in Nature Communication