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Liu, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Liu, J..

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

β -delayed neutron emissions from N > 50 gallium isotopes

β-delayed γ-neutron spectroscopy has been performed on the decay of A = 84 to 87 gallium isotopes at the RI-beam Factory at the RIKEN Nishina Center using a high-efficiency array of 3 He neutron counters (BRIKEN). β-2n-γ events were measured in the decays of all of the four isotopes for the first time, which is direct evidence for populating the excited states of two-neutron daughter nuclei. Detailed decay schemes with the γ branching ratios were obtained for these isotopes, and the neutron emission probabilities (P xn ) were updated from the previous study. Hauser-Feshbach statistical model calculations were performed to understand the experimental branching ratios. We found that the P 1n and P 2n values are sensitive to the nuclear level densities of 1n daughter nuclei and showed that the statistical model reproduced the P 2n /P 1n ratio better when experimental levels plus shell-model level densities fit by the Gilbert-Cameron formula were used as the level-density input. We also showed the neutron and γ branching ratios are sensitive to the ground-state spin of the parent nucleus. Our statistical model analysis suggested J ≤ 3 for the unknown ground-state spin of the odd-odd nucleus 86 Ga, from the I γ (4 + → 2 + )/I γ (2 + → 0 + ) ratio of 84 Ga and the P 2n /P 1n ratio. In conclusion, these results show the necessity of detailed understanding of the decay scheme, including data from neutron spectroscopy, in addition to γ measurements of the multineutron emitters.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of Electron-Neutrino Charged-Current Cross Sections on 127 I with the COHERENT NaI$ν$E Detector

Using an 185-kg NaI[Tl] array, COHERENT has measured the inclusive electron-neutrino chargedcurrent cross section on 127 I with pion decay-at-rest neutrinos produced by the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Iodine is one the heaviest targets for which low-energy (≤ 50 MeV) inelastic neutrino-nucleus processes have been measured, and this is the first measurement of its inclusive cross section. After a five-year detector exposure, COHERENT reports a flux-averaged cross section for electron neutrinos of ${9.2}_{–1.8}^{+2.1}$ × 10 –40 cm 2 . This corresponds to a value that is ~41% lower than predicted using the MARLEY event generator with a measured Gamow-Teller strength distribution. In addition, the observed visible spectrum from charged-current scattering on 127 I has been measured between 10 and 55 MeV, and the exclusive zero-neutron and one-or-more-neutron emission cross sections are measured to be ${5.2}_{–3.1}^{+3.4}$ × 10 –40 and ${2.2}_{—2.2}^{+3.5}$ × 10 –40 cm 2 , respectively.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Developing new analysis tools for near surface radio-based neutrino detectors

The ARIANNA experiment is an Askaryan radio detector designed to measure high-energy neutrino induced cascades within the Antarctic ice. Ultra-high-energy neutrinos above 10 16 eV have an extremely low flux, so experimental data captured at trigger level need to be classified correctly to retain as much neutrino signal as possible. We first describe two new physics-based neutrino selection methods, or "cuts", (the updown and dipole cut) that extend the previously published analysis to a specialized ARIANNA station with 8 antenna channels, which is double the number used in the prior analysis. For a standard trigger with a threshold signal to noise ratio at 4.4, the new cuts produce a neutrino efficiency of > 95% per station-year of operation, while rejecting 99.93% of the background (corresponding to 53 remaining experimental background events). When the new cuts are combined with a previously developed cut using neutrino waveform templates, all background is removed at no change of efficiency. In addition, the neutrino efficiency is extrapolated to 1,000 station-years of operation, obtaining 91%. This work then introduces a new selection method (the deep learning cut) to augment the identification of neutrino events by using deep learning methods and compares the efficiency to the physics-based analysis. The deep learning cut gives 99% signal efficiency per station-year of operation while rejecting 99.997% of the background (corresponding to 2 remaining experimental background events), which are subsequently removed by the waveform template cut at no significant change in efficiency. Here the results of the deep learning cut were verified using measured cosmic rays which shows that the simulations do not introduce artifacts with respect to experimental data. The paper demonstrates that the background rejection and signal efficiency of near surface antennas meets the requirements of a large scale future array, as considered in baseline design of the radio component of IceCube-Gen2.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2023

First Measurement of the Nuclear-Recoil Ionization Yield in Silicon at 100 eV

We measured the nuclear-recoil ionization yield in silicon with a cryogenic phonon-sensitive gram-scale detector. Neutrons from a mono-energetic beam scatter off of the silicon nuclei at angles corresponding to energy depositions from 4 keV down to 100 eV, the lowest energy probed so far. The results show no sign of an ionization production threshold above 100 eV. In conclusion, these results call for further investigation of the ionization yield theory and a comprehensive determination of the detector response function at energies below the keV scale.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Towards robust PICOSEC Micromegas precise timing detectors

The PICOSEC Micromegas (MM) detector is a precise timing gaseous detector consisting of a Cherenkov radiator combined with a photocathode and a MM amplifying structure. A 100-channel PICOSEC MM prototype with 10 × 10 cm 2 active area equipped with a Cesium Iodide (CsI) photocathode demonstrated a time resolution below σ = 18 ps. The objective of this work is to improve the PICOSEC MM detector robustness aspects, i.e. integration of resistive MM and carbon-based photocathodes, while maintaining good time resolution. The PICOSEC MM prototypes have been tested in laboratory conditions and successfully characterised with 150 GeV/c muon beams at the CERN SPS H4 beam line. The excellent timing performance below σ = 20 ps for an individual pad obtained with the 10 × 10 cm 2 area resistive PICOSEC MM of 20 MΩ/$\square$ showed no significant time resolution degradation as a result of adding a resistive layer. A single-pad prototype equipped with a 12 nm thick Boron Carbide (B 4 C) photocathode presented a time resolution below σ = 35 ps, opening up new possibilities for detectors with robust photocathodes. The results made the concept more suitable for the experiments in need of robust detectors with good time resolution.

RETHGEM↗
DOE OSTI2023

Results of the Photometric LSST Astronomical Time-series Classification Challenge (PLAsTiCC)

Abstract Next-generation surveys like the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) on the Vera C. Rubin Observatory (Rubin) will generate orders of magnitude more discoveries of transients and variable stars than previous surveys. To prepare for this data deluge, we developed the Photometric LSST Astronomical Time-series Classification Challenge (PLAsTiCC), a competition that aimed to catalyze the development of robust classifiers under LSST-like conditions of a nonrepresentative training set for a large photometric test set of imbalanced classes. Over 1000 teams participated in PLAsTiCC, which was hosted in the Kaggle data science competition platform between 2018 September 28 and 2018 December 17, ultimately identifying three winners in 2019 February. Participants produced classifiers employing a diverse set of machine-learning techniques including hybrid combinations and ensemble averages of a range of approaches, among them boosted decision trees, neural networks, and multilayer perceptrons. The strong performance of the top three classifiers on Type Ia supernovae and kilonovae represent a major improvement over the current state of the art within astronomy. This paper summarizes the most promising methods and evaluates their results in detail, highlighting future directions both for classifier development and simulation needs for a next-generation PLAsTiCC data set.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

A large area 100-channel PICOSEC Micromegas detector with time resolution at the 20 ps level

Abstract The PICOSEC Micromegas precise timing detector is based on a Cherenkov radiator coupled to a photocathode operating in a semi-transparent mode and a Micromegas amplification structure. The first proof of concept single-channel prototype was able to achieve a time resolution below 25 ps. One of the crucial aspects in the development of precise timing gaseous detectors applicable in high-energy physics experiments is a modular design that enables large area coverage. The first 19-channel multi-pad prototype with an active area of approximately 10 cm 2 suffered from degraded timing resolution due to the non-uniformity of the preamplification gap thickness. A new 100 cm 2 detector module with 100 channels based on a rigid hybrid ceramic/FR4 Micromegas board for improved drift gap uniformity was developed. Initial measurements with 80 GeV/c muons showed improvements in timing response over the measured pads and a time resolution below 25 ps. More recent measurements with a thinner drift gap detector module and newly developed RF pulse amplifiers show that the pad centre resolution can be enhanced to the level of 17 ps. This work will present the development of the detector from structural simulations, design, and beam test commissioning with a focus on the timing performance of a thinner drift gap detector module in combination with new electronics using an automated timing scan method.

Utrobicic, A.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Energetic Electron Precipitation Driven by Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves from ELFIN’s Low Altitude Perspective

We review comprehensive observations of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave-driven energetic electron precipitation using data collected by the energetic electron detector on the Electron Losses and Fields InvestigatioN (ELFIN) mission, two polar-orbiting low-altitude spinning CubeSats, measuring 50-5000 keV electrons with good pitch-angle and energy resolution. EMIC wave-driven precipitation exhibits a distinct signature in energy-spectrograms of the precipitating-to-trapped flux ratio: peaks at >0.5 MeV which are abrupt (bursty) (lasting ~17 s, or ΔL ~ 0.56) with significant substructure (occasionally down to sub-second timescale). We attribute the bursty nature of the precipitation to the spatial extent and structuredness of the wave field at the equator. Multiple ELFIN passes over the same MLT sector allow us to study the spatial and temporal evolution of the EMIC wave - electron interaction region. Case studies employing conjugate ground-based or equatorial observations of the EMIC waves reveal that the energy of moderate and strong precipitation at ELFIN approximately agrees with theoretical expectations for cyclotron resonant interactions in a cold plasma. Using multiple years of ELFIN data uniformly distributed in local time, we assemble a statistical database of ~50 events of strong EMIC wave-driven precipitation. Most reside at L ~ 5 – 7 at dusk, while a smaller subset exists at L ~ 8 – 12 at post-midnight. The energies of the peak-precipitation ratio and of the half-peak precipitation ratio (our proxy for the minimum resonance energy) exhibit an L-shell dependence in good agreement with theoretical estimates based on prior statistical observations of EMIC wave power spectra. The precipitation ratio’s spectral shape for the most intense events has an exponential falloff away from the peak (i.e., on either side of ~ 1.45 MeV). It too agrees well with quasi-linear diffusion theory based on prior statistics of wave spectra. It should be noted though that this diffusive treatment likely includes effects from nonlinear resonant interactions (especially at high energies) and nonresonant effects from sharp wave packet edges (at low energies). Sub-MeV electron precipitation observed concurrently with strong EMIC wave-driven >1 MeV precipitation has a spectral shape that is consistent with efficient pitch-angle scattering down to ~ 200-300 keV by much less intense higher frequency EMIC waves at dusk (where such waves are most frequent). At ~100 keV, whistler-mode chorus may be implicated in concurrent precipitation. These results confirm the critical role of EMIC waves in driving relativistic electron losses. Nonlinear effects may abound and require further investigation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Polarized fusion and potential in situ tests of fuel polarization survival in a tokamak plasma

Abstract The use of spin-polarized fusion fuels would provide a significant boost towards the ignition of a burning plasma. The cross section for D + T → α + n, would be increased by 1.5 if the fuels were injected with parallel polarization. Furthermore, our simulations demonstrate additional non-linear power gains in large-scale machines such as ITER, due to increased alpha heating. Such benefits require the survival of spin polarizations for periods comparable to the particle confinement time. During the 1980s, calculations predicted that polarizations could survive a plasma environment, although concerns persisted regarding the cumulative impacts of wall recycling. In that era, technical challenges prevented direct tests and left the large scale fueling of a power reactor beyond reach. Over the last decades, this situation has changed dramatically. Detailed simulations of ITER have predicted negligible wall recycling in a high-power reactor, and recent advances in laser-driven sources project the capability of producing large quantities of ∼100% polarized D and T. The remaining crucial step is an in-situ demonstration of polarization survival in a plasma. For this, we outline a measurement strategy using the isospin-mirror reaction, D + 3 He → α + p. Polarized 3 He avoids the complexities of handling tritium, while encompassing the same spin-physics. We evaluate two methods of delivering deuterium, using dynamically polarized Lithium-Deuteride (with vector polarization P V D of 70%) or frozen-spin Hydrogen-Deuteride (with P V D of 40%), together with a method of injecting optically-pumped 3 He (with 65% polarization). Pellets of these materials all have long polarization decay times (∼6 min for LiD at 2 K, ∼2 months for HD at 2 K, and ∼3 d for 3 He at 77 K), all far greater than a plasma shot in a research tokamak such as DIII-D (∼20 s). Both species can be propelled from a single cryogenic injection gun. We review plasma requirements and strategies for detecting polarization survival. Polarization alters both fusion yields and the angular distribution of fusion products, and each of these provides a potential signal. In this paper we simulate a selection of shots with similar characteristics in a future high-T ion H plasma, and find ratios of yields from shots with fuel spins parallel and antiparallel reaching 1.3 (HD + 3 He) to 1.6 (LiD + 3 He) over a wide range of poloidal angles. (A companion paper finds sensitivity to fusion product angular distributions as reflected in the pitch angles of protons and alphas reaching the plasma facing wall.)

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Modeling of plasma beta effects on the island divertor transport in the standard configuration of W7-X

The influence of plasma beta effects on the edge plasma transport in the Wendelstein 7-X standard configuration is studied systematically by using EMC3-EIRENE combined with a 3D equilibrium code named HINT. The magnetic topology changes induced by plasma beta effects are significantly reflected in plasma transport behaviors and heat flux patterns on divertor targets. After validating the modeling strategy by comparisons with experimental data, the extended simulations for high performance plasmas show that the threshold separatrix density for accessing the power detachment is reduced in higher beta plasmas. Compared with the vacuum field case, the impurity radiation distributions with finite beta effects are modified in the magnetic island region. The divertor heat flux is distributed more evenly along the toroidal direction on the strike line at the vertical target. The strike line on the horizontal target moves towards the pumping gap with an increase in the plasma beta. In addition, the different pressure profiles with the same central beta also result in a modified heat flux pattern on the divertor targets.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Reversal of spin-polarization near the Fermi level of the Rashba semiconductor BiTeCl

Abstract Spin–orbit coupling forms the physical basis for quantum materials with non-trivial topology and potential spintronics applications. The Rashba interaction is a textbook model of spin–orbit interactions, with charge carriers undergoing linear, isotropic spin-splitting in momentum space. Recently, non-centrosymmetric semiconductors in the family BiTe X ( X = Cl, Br, I) have been identified as exemplary Rashba materials due to the strong splitting of their bulk bands, yet a detailed investigation of their spin textures, and their relationships to local crystal symmetry, is currently lacking. We perform high-efficiency spin-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to directly image the spin texture of surface states of BiTeCl, and we find dramatic deviations from idealized behavior, including a reversal of the spin-polarization near the Fermi level. We show that this behavior can be described by higher-order contributions to the canonical Rashba model with the surface states localized to individual trilayers of the crystal. Due to the prominence of these effects near the Fermi level, they should have a strong impact on the spin-dependent transport of carriers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗