Extension of the operational lifetime of the proportional chambers in the HERMES spectrometer

Abstract The experience of the extension of the proportional chambers lifetime at the HERMES (DESY) experiment is presented. A non-invasive technique against the aging process while continuously operating the detectors in the gap of the HERMES spectrometer magnet was performed. It was found that adding 0.14% water to the 65%Ar+30%CO2+5%CF4 gas mixture perfectly cancelled the appearance of self-sustained current (Malter effect). The studies of the remedy for the lifetime extension were performed with the test prototypes of the original proportional chambers. For the complete recovery of the aged test proportional chambers a special training method was developed as well. Training of the aged proportional chamber at 80%CF4+20%CO2 mixture glow discharge with reversed high voltage demonstrated a complete recovery of the detector

On partial derivatives of multivariate Bernstein polynomials

It is shown that Bernstein polynomials for a multivariate function converge to this function along with partial derivatives provided that the latter derivatives exist and are continuous. This result may be useful in some issues of stochastic calculus

Microwave-induced pi-junction transition in a superconductor / quantum-dot / superconductor structure

Using the nonequilibrium Green function, we show that microwave irradiation can reverse the supercurrent flowing through a superconductor / quantum-dot / superconductor structure. In contrast with the conventional sideband effect in normal-metal / quantum-dot / normal-metal junctions, the photon-assisted structures appear near $E_{0}=\frac{n}{2}\hbar \omega (n=\pm 1,\pm 2...)$, where $E_{0}$ is the resonant energy level of the quantum dot and $\omega$ is the frequency of microwave field. Each photon-assisted structure is composed of a negative and a positive peak, with an abrupt jump from the negative peak to the positive peak around $E_{0}=\frac{n}{2}\hbar \omega$. The microwave-induced $\pi$-junction transition is interpreted in the picture of photon-assisted Andreev bound states, which are formed due to multiple photon-assisted Andreev reflection between the two superconductors. Moreover, the main resonance located at $E_{0}=0$ can also be reversed with proper microwave strength and frequency.Comment: 10 pagres, 3 figure

Domain wall effects in ferromagnet-superconductor structures

We investigate how domain structure of the ferromagnet in superconductor-ferromagnet heterostructures may change their transport properties. We calculate the distribution of current in the superconductor induced by magnetic field of Bloch domain walls, find the ``lower critical'' magnetization of the ferromagnet that provides vortices in the superconductor

DETERMINATION OF THE ELECTRIC DRIVE POWER FOR LIGHTLY ARMORED CATERPILLAR AND WHEELED VEHICLES USING SINGLE- OR TWO-STAGE MECHANICAL GEARBOXES

When designing electromechanical transmissions (EMT) for lightly armored caterpillar and wheeled vehicles (LACWV), there is often a problem that the coefficient of adaptability of the traction motor (TM) at the minimum design power is not sufficient to meet the requirements for the power range of the transmission. In the literature, several ways have been worked out to solve this problem, however, there was not found a single algorithm allowing to formalize and step by step pass the process of choosing the most rational structure of the EMT. The purposeof the proposed work is the formation of scientifically based methodology for evaluating the possibility of using single-stage gearboxes in EMT for LACWV and calculation of the required TM power of the selected type for single- or two-stage mechanical gearboxes. Methodology. To carry out the research, the theory of motion of caterpillar and wheeled vehicles was used. Result. A formalized methodology for determining the required mechanical power of the electric drive for the LACWV is proposed, depending on the power capabilities of the motor-generator set, the torque characteristics of the selected TM and the number of stages in the mechanical gearboxes. Scientific novelty. For the first time, a formalized connection has been established between the tactical and technical requirements for LACWV, the characteristics of the selected TM, the structure and parameters of the mechanical gearboxes. Practical value. The toolkit for the engineering and design personnel developing the EMT for the LACWV was obtained. Work with the algorithm is illustrated by the example of power selection and gear ratios of mechanical gearboxes for the multi-purpose lightly armored caterpillar tractor MT-LB

Josephson currents through spin-active interfaces

The Josephson coupling of two isotropic s-wave superconductors through a small, magnetically active junction is studied. This is done as a function of junction transparency and of the degree of spin-mixing occurring in the barrier. In the tunneling limit, the critical current shows an anomalous 1/T temperature dependence at low temperatures and for certain magnetic realizations of the junction. The behavior of the Josephson current is governed by Andreev bound states appearing within the superconducting gap and the position of these states in energy is tunable with the magnetic properties of the barrier. This study is done using the equilibrium part of the quasiclassical Zaitsev-Millis-Rainer-Sauls boundary condition for spin-active interfaces and a general solution of the boundary condition is found. This solution is a generalization of the one recently presented by Eschrig [M. Eschrig, Phys. Rev B 61, 9061 (2000)] for spin-conserving interfaces and allows an effective treatment of the problem of a superconductor in proximity to a magnetically active material.Comment: 8 pages + 3 eps figure

Spontaneous Spin Polarized Currents in Superconductor-Ferromagnetic Metal Heterostructures

We study a simple microscopic model for thin, ferromagnetic, metallic layers on semi-infinite bulk superconductor. We find that for certain values of the exchange spliting, on the ferromagnetic side, the ground states of such structures feature spontaneously induced spin polarized currents. Using a mean-field theory, which is selfconsistent with respect to the pairing amplitude $\chi$, spin polarization $\vec{m}$ and the spontaneous current $\vec{j}_s$, we show that not only there are Andreev bound states in the ferromagnet but when their energies $E_n$ are near zero they support spontaneous currents parallel to the ferromagnetic-superconducting interface. Moreover, we demonstrate that the spin-polarization of these currents depends sensitively on the band filling.Comment: 4 pages, 5 Postscript figures (included

Beam-helicity asymmetries for single-hadron production in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering from unpolarized hydrogen and deuterium targets

A measurement of beam-helicity asymmetries for single-hadron production in deep-inelastic scattering is presented. Data from the scattering of 27.6 GeV electrons and positrons off gaseous hydrogen and deuterium targets were collected by the HERMES experiment. The asymmetries are presented separately as a function of the Bjorken scaling variable, the hadron transverse momentum, and the fractional energy for charged pions and kaons as well as for protons and anti-protons. These asymmetries are also presented as a function of the three aforementioned kinematic variables simultaneously

Dynamics of gravity driven three-dimensional thin films on hydrophilic-hydrophobic patterned substrates

We investigate numerically the dynamics of unstable gravity driven three-dimensional thin liquid films on hydrophilic-hydrophobic patterned substrates of longitudinal stripes and checkerboard arrangements. The thin film can be guided preferentially on hydrophilic longitudinal stripes, while fingers develop on adjacent hydrophobic stripes if their width is large enough. On checkerboard patterns, the film fingering occurs on hydrophobic domains, while lateral spreading is favoured on hydrophilic domains, providing a mechanism to tune the growth rate of the film. By means of kinematical arguments, we quantitatively predict the growth rate of the contact line on checkerboard arrangements, providing a first step towards potential techniques that control thin film growth in experimental setups.Comment: 30 pages, 12 figure

Longitudinal double-spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of electrons and positrons by protons and deuterons

A comprehensive collection of results on longitudinal double-spin asymmetries is presented for charged pions and kaons produced in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of electrons and positrons on the proton and deuteron, based on the full HERMES data set. The dependence of the asymmetries on hadron transverse momentum and azimuthal angle extends the sensitivity to the flavor structure of the nucleon beyond the distribution functions accessible in the collinear framework. No strong dependence on those variables is observed. In addition, the hadron charge-difference asymmetry is presented, which under certain model assumptions provides access to the helicity distributions of valence quarks