Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Tests of N-Doped Zinc Oxide: A New Interesting Photocatalyst

open4noFast and simple synthetic methods for the preparation of bare and N-doped zinc oxide, involving a stirring or microwave assisted process, are proposed. All samples were characterized by XRD analysis, BET, and DRS-UV-Vis spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of these nanostructured oxides was investigated using phenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol as model molecules under UV-A and visible light irradiation. N-doping in ZnO nanostructures provided a significant increase in phenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation rate under Vis light, leading to a degradation rate higher than that obtained with bare ZnO. The release of chlorine as chloride ions from 2,4-dichlorophenol with N-doped ZnO was faster achieved as well and complete dechlorination was reached within 2 h of irradiation (N-doped ZnO) instead of 3 h (bare ZnO).openGionco, C.; Fabbri, D.; Calza, P.; Paganini, M.C.Gionco, C.; Fabbri, D.; Calza, P.; Paganini, M. C

Radiation hardness qualification of PbWO4 scintillation crystals for the CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPEnsuring the radiation hardness of PbWO4 crystals was one of the main priorities during the construction of the electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS experiment at CERN. The production on an industrial scale of radiation hard crystals and their certification over a period of several years represented a difficult challenge both for CMS and for the crystal suppliers. The present article reviews the related scientific and technological problems encountered

Determination of Unitarity Triangle parameters: where do we stand ?

In this note I review the current determination of the unitarity triangle parameters by using the theoretical and experimental information available in summer 2000.Comment: Invited talk given at the 7th International Conference on B-Physics at Hadron Machines- Beauty2000, Kibbutz Maagan, Israel, September 13-18, 200

Light quark masses and CKM matrix elements from lattice QCD

I give a brief overview of recent results from lattice QCD calculations which are relevant for the phenomenology of the Standard Model. I discuss, in particular, the lattice determination of light quark masses and the calculation of those hadronic quantities, such as semileptonic form factors, decay constants and B-parameters, which are of particular interest for the analysis of the CKM mixing matrix and the origin of CP violation.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, uses espcrc2.sty (included). Based on invited talk given at the QCD 98 Euroconference, Montpellier, France, 2-8 July 199

Testing radiative neutrino mass generation via R-parity violation at the Tevatron

An R-parity violating SUSY model with lepton-number violating couplings $\lambda'_{i33}$, i=2,3 can generate a neutrino mass spectrum that explains the recent results from neutrino oscillation experiments. These R-parity violating couplings lead to a clean signal with at least one isolated lepton and at least three tagged $b$ jets that is accessible in chargino and neutralino production at the Tevatron collider. This signature can be probed at $3 \sigma$ up to $m_{1/2} = 230$ GeV (320 GeV) with an integrated luminosity of $2 fb^{-1}$ ($30 fb^{-1}$).Comment: Version to appear in PL

Status of the CKM matrix

An updated determination of the parameters of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix is presented.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, uses espcrc2.sty. Talk given at the "7th Topical Seminar on the Legacy of LEP and SLC", 8-11 October 2001, Siena (Italy

Lattice QCD, Flavor Physics and the Unitarity Triangle Analysis

Lattice QCD has always played a relevant role in the studies of flavor physics and, in particular, in the Unitarity Triangle (UT) analysis. Before the starting of the B factories, this analysis relied on the results of lattice QCD simulations to relate the experimental determinations of semileptonic B decays, K-Kbar and B_{d,s}-B_{d,s}bar mixing to the CKM parameters. In the last years much more information has been obtained from the direct determination of the UT angles from non-leptonic B decays. In this talk, after a presentation of recent averages of lattice QCD results, we compare the outcome of the "classical" UT analysis (UTlattice) with the analysis based on the angles determinations (UTangles). We discuss the role of the different determinations of Vub, and show that current data do not favour the value measured in inclusive decays. Finally we show that the recent measurement of Delta ms, combined with Delta md and epsilonK, allows a quite accurate extraction of the values of the hadronic parameters, BK, fBs*sqrt(B_Bs) and xi. These values, obtained "experimentally" by assuming the validity of the Standard Model, are compared with the theoretical predictions from lattice QCD.Comment: Contribution to the proceedings of HQL06, Munich, October 16th-20th 2006. 11 page