Charm at FAIR

Charmed mesons in hot and dense matter are studied within a self-consistent coupled-channel approach for the experimental conditions of density and temperature expected at the CBM experiment at FAIR/GSI. The $D$ meson spectral function broadens with increasing density with an extended tail towards lower energies due to $\Lambda_c(2593) N^{-1}$ and $\Sigma_c(2800) N^{-1}$ excitations. The in-medium $\bar D$ meson mass increases with density. We also discuss the consequences for the renormalized properties in nuclear matter of the charm scalar $D_{s0}(2317)$ and D(2400), and the predicted hidden charm X(3700) resonances at FAIR energies.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the proceedings of ExcitedQCD 09, Zakopane, Poland, 8-14 February 200

Concurrent magneto-optical imaging and magneto-transport readout of electrical switching of insulating antiferromagnetic thin films

We demonstrate stable and reversible current induced switching of large-area ($> 100\;\mu m^2$) antiferromagnetic domains in NiO/Pt by performing concurrent transport and magneto-optical imaging measurements in an adapted Kerr microscope. By correlating the magnetic images of the antiferromagnetic domain changes and magneto-transport signal response in these current-induced switching experiments, we disentangle magnetic and non-magnetic contributions to the transport signal. Our table-top approach establishes a robust procedure to subtract the non-magnetic contributions in the transport signal and extract the spin-Hall magnetoresistance response associated with the switching of the antiferromagnetic domains enabling one to deduce details of the antiferromagnetic switching from simple transport measurements.Comment: 12+2 pages, 3+2 figures, V2: Corrected equation for R_transv calculation, results unaffecte

Kˉ∗\bar K^* meson in dense matter

We study the properties of $\bar K^*$ mesons in nuclear matter using a unitary approach in coupled channels within the framework of the local hidden gauge formalism and incorporating the $\bar K \pi$ decay channel in matter. The in-medium $\bar K^* N$ interaction accounts for Pauli blocking effects and incorporates the $\bar K^*$ self-energy in a self-consistent manner. We also obtain the $\bar K^*$ (off-shell) spectral function and analyze its behaviour at finite density and momentum. At normal nuclear matter density, the $\bar K^*$ meson feels a moderately attractive potential while the $\bar K^*$ width becomes five times larger than in free space. We estimate the transparency ratio of the $\gamma A \to K^+ K^{* -} A^\prime$ reaction, which we propose as a feasible scenario at present facilities to detect the changes of the properties of the $\bar K^*$ meson in the nuclear medium.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures, one new section added, version published in Phys. ReV. C, http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevC.82.04521