The DRIFT Directional Dark Matter Detector and First Studies of the Head-Tail Effect

Measurement of the direction of the elastic nuclear recoil track and ionization charge distribution along it, gives unique possibility for unambiguous detection of the dark matter WIMP particle. Within current radiation detection technologies only Time Projection Chambers filled with low pressure gas are capable of such measurement. Due to the character of the electronic and nuclear stopping powers of low energy nuclear recoils in the gas, an asymmetric ionization charge distribution along their tracks may be expected. Preliminary study of this effect, called Head-Tail, has been carried out here using the SRIM simulation program for Carbon and Sulfur in 40 Torr carbon disulfide, as relevant to the DRIFT detector. Investigations were focused on ion tracks projected onto the axis of the initial direction of motion in the energy range between 10 and 400 keV. Results indicate the likely existence of an asymmetry influenced by two competing effects: the nature of the stopping power and range straggling. The former tends to result in the Tail being greater than the Head and the latter the reverse. It has been found that for projected tracks the mean position of the ionization charge flows from 'head' to 'tail' with the magnitude depending on the ion type and its energy.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of Dark 2007 Sixth International Heidelberg conference on "Dark Matter in Astro & Particle Physics", Sydney, Australia 24th-28th September 200

Measurement of the Scintillation Efficiency of Na Recoils in NaI(Tl) down to 10 keV Nuclear Recoil Energy relevant to Dark Matter Searches

We present preliminary results of measurements of the quenching factor for Na recoils in NaI(Tl) at room temperature, made at a dedicated neutron facility at the University of Sheffield. Measurements have been performed with a 2.45 MeV mono-energetic neutron generator in the energy range from 10 keV to 100 keV nuclear recoil energy. A BC501A liquid scintillator detector was used to tag neutrons. Cuts on pulse-shape discrimination from the BC501A liquid scintillator detector and neutron time-of-flight were performed on pulses recorded by a digitizer with a 2 ns sampling time. Measured quenching factors range from 19% to 26%, in agreement with other experiments. From pulse-shape analysis, a mean time of pulses from electron and nuclear recoils are compared down to 2 keV electron equivalent energy.Comment: to appear in Proc. 6th Int. Workshop on the Identification of Dark Matter, 11-16 September 2006, Rhodes, Greece; 6 pages, 4 figures; corrected preliminary theoretical estimation curve plotted in figure

Forces and atomic relaxations in the pSIC approach with ultrasoft pseudopotentials

We present the scheme that allows for efficient calculations of forces in the framework of pseudopotential self-interaction corrected (pSIC) formulation of the density functional theory. The scheme works with norm conserving and also with ultrasoft pseudopotentials and has been implemented in the plane-wave basis code {\sc quantum espresso}. We have performed tests of the internal consistency of the derived expressions for forces considering ZnO and CeO$_2$ crystals. Further, we have performed calculations of equilibrium geometry for LaTiO$_3$, YTiO$_3$, and LaMnO$_3$ perovskites and also for Re and Mn pairs in silicon. Comparison with standard DFT and DFT+U approaches shows that in the cases where spurious self-interaction matters, the pSIC approach predicts different geometry, very often closer to the experimental data.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure

Origin of bulk uniaxial anisotropy in zinc-blende dilute magnetic semiconductors

It is demonstrated that the nearest neighbor Mn pair on the GaAs (001) surface has a lower energy for the [-110] direction comparing to the [110] case. According to the group theory and the Luttinger's method of invariants, this specific Mn distribution results in bulk uniaxial in-plane and out-of-plane anisotropies. The sign and magnitude of the corresponding anisotropy energies determined by a perturbation method and ab initio computations are consistent with experimental results.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur

Influence of band structure effects on domain-wall resistance in diluted ferromagnetic semiconductors

Intrinsic domain-wall resistance (DWR) in (Ga,Mn)As is studied theoretically and compared to experimental results. The recently developed model of spin transport in diluted ferromagnetic semiconductors [Van Dorpe et al., Phys. Rev. B 72, 205322 (2005)] is employed. The model combines the disorder-free Landauer-B\"uttiker formalism with the tight-binding description of the host band structure. The obtained results show how much the spherical 4x4 kp model [Nguyen, Shchelushkin, and Brataas, cond-mat/0601436] overestimates DWR in the adiabatic limit, and reveal the dependence of DWR on the magnetization profile and crystallographic orientation of the wall.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. B - Rapid Com

Динамические характеристики ёмкостных датчиков влажности

The sensor design features and the sensing material properties which can influence the response time of the polymer-based capacitive humidity sensors are shortly discussed. The ways of specifying the dynamic properties of capacitive humidity sensors in technical data sheets by the leading companies on the market are briefly characterized and discussed.The schematic view and operation of the experimental setup for determining of the dynamic parameters of capacitive humidity sensors at different temperatures of humid air are described. The dynamic behaviour of polymer-based capacitive humidity sensors was registered as the measurement profiles for both positive and negative step changes in humidity level. The response and recovery times, as well as the time constants for the exponential approximation fits of the step responses, were determined either graphically or analytically, based on the collected data.The changes of these parameters under atmospheric pressure within the temperature range from – 30 °C to + 20 °C were analysed. The exemplary transient measurement profiles are shown, together with the illustrations of the graphical method for determining the response and recovery times. Also, the plots of the relationship between response and recovery times as well as time constants, and temperature, are presented. Some explanations of the obtained results are suggested.Рассмотрены конструктивные параметры и свойства чувствительных материалов, влияющие на время отклика ёмкостных датчиков влажности на основе полимеров. Выполнен краткий обзор и анализ способов определения динамических характеристик ёмкостных датчиков влажности в технической документации ведущих производителей, представленных на рынке.Приведено описание схемы и работы экспериментальной установки для определения динамических характеристик ёмкостных датчиков влажности при различных значениях температуры влажного воздуха. Динамические характеристики ёмкостных датчиков влажности на основе полимеров определялись в виде отклика выходного сигнала при ступенчатом изменении влажности как с положительным, так и с отрицательным шагом. Времена отклика и восстановления, а также постоянные времени для экспоненциальной аппроксимации отклика на ступенчатое воздействие, определялись на основе результатов измерений графически либо аналитически.Проанализированы изменения указанных параметров в пределах температур от – 30 °С до + 20 °С при атмосферном давлении. Приведены примеры полученных переходных характеристик, проиллюстрирован графический метод определения времён отклика и восстановления. Представлены графики зависимости времён отклика и восстановления, а также постоянных времени, от температуры. Предложены возможные объяснения полученных результатов