High Resolution Ionization of Ultracold Neutral Plasmas

Collective effects, such as waves and instabilities, are integral to our understanding of most plasma phenomena. We have been able to study these in ultracold neutral plasmas by shaping the initial density distribution through spatial modulation of the ionizing laser intensity. We describe a relay imaging system for the photoionization beam that allows us to create higher resolution features and its application to extend the observation of ion acoustic waves to shorter wavelengths. We also describe the formation of sculpted density profiles to create fast expansion of plasma into vacuum and streaming plasmas

Absence of Klein's paradox for massive bosons coupled by nonminimal vector interactions

A few properties of the nonminimal vector interactions in the Duffin-Kemmer-Petiau theory are revised. In particular, it is shown that the space component of the nonminimal vector interaction plays a peremptory role for confining bosons whereas its time component contributes to the leakage. Scattering in a square step potential with proper boundary conditions is used to show that Klein's paradox does not manifest in the case of a nonminimal vector coupling

On the contribution of nearly-critical spin and charge collective modes to the Raman spectra of high-Tc cuprates

We discuss how Raman spectra are affected by nearly-critical spin and charge collective modes, which are coupled to charge carriers near a stripe quantum critical point. We show that specific fingerprints of nearly-critical collective modes can indeed be observed in Raman spectra and that the selectivity of Raman spectroscopy in momentum space may also be exploited to distinguish the spin and charge contribution. We apply our results to discuss the spectra of high-Tc superconducting cuprates finding that the collective modes should have masses with substantial temperature dependence in agreement with their nearly critical character. Moreover spin modes should be more diffusive than charge modes indicating that in stripes the charge is nearly ordered, while spin modes are strongly overdamped and fluctuate with high frequency.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Emergence of Kinetic Behavior in Streaming Ultracold Neutral Plasmas

We create streaming ultracold neutral plasmas by tailoring the photoionizing laser beam that creates the plasma. By varying the electron temperature, we control the relative velocity of the streaming populations, and, in conjunction with variation of the plasma density, this controls the ion collisionality of the colliding streams. Laser-induced fluorescence is used to map the spatially resolved density and velocity distribution function for the ions. We identify the lack of local thermal equilibrium and distinct populations of interpenetrating, counter-streaming ions as signatures of kinetic behavior. Experimental data is compared with results from a one-dimensional, two-fluid numerical simulation.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Bound states of bosons and fermions in a mixed vector-scalar coupling with unequal shapes for the potentials

The Klein-Gordon and the Dirac equations with vector and scalar potentials are investigated under a more general condition, $V_{v}+V_{s}= \mathrm{constant}$. These intrinsically relativistic and isospectral problems are solved in a case of squared hyperbolic potential functions and bound states for either particles or antiparticles are found. The eigenvalues and eigenfuntions are discussed in some detail and the effective Compton wavelength is revealed to be an important physical quantity. It is revealed that a boson is better localized than a fermion when they have the same mass and are subjected to the same potentials.Comment: 3 figure

CP violation in semileptonic tau lepton decays

The leading order contribution to the direct CP asymmetry in tau^{+/-} -> K^{+/-} pi^0 nu_{tau} decay rates is evaluated within the Standard Model. The weak phase required for CP violation is introduced through an interesting mechanism involving second order weak interactions, which is also responsible for tiny violations of the Delta S= Delta Q rule in K_{l3} decays. The calculated CP asymmetry turns out to be of order 10^{-12}, leaving a large window for studying effects of non-standard sources of CP violation in this observable.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, version published in Phys.Rev.

Phase Diagram of the Holstein-Hubbard Two-Leg Ladder

Using a functional renormalization group method, we obtain the phase diagram of the two-leg ladder system within the Holstein-Hubbard model, which includes both electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions. Our renormalization group technique allows us to analyze the problem for both weak and strong electron-phonon coupling. We show that, in contrast results from conventional weak coupling studies, electron-phonon interactions can dominate electron-electron interactions because of retardation effects.Comment: 4 page