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At least 595 records · Page 33
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Renormalization-group approach to Kohn-Luttinger superconductivity: Amplification of the pairing gap from ℓ 4 to ℓ

Here, we revisit the renormalization group (RG) analysis of the Kohn-Luttinger (KL) mechanism for superconductivity. The KL mechanism leads to superconductivity in a system with a repulsive bare interaction. The key ingredient is the screening effect that renders the induced interaction attractive in channels with nonzero angular momentum ℓ ≠ 0, thereby triggering the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) instability. According to the original argument, the resulting gap is exponentially small, with its exponent scaling as −ℓ 4 . However, the KL mechanism was originally formulated within perturbation theory, where the series is known to converge poorly in certain cases—most notably, for the 𝑝-wave paring gap induced by a repulsive 𝑠-wave contact interaction. This poor convergence may be attributed to a divergent integrand in a specific class of diagrams containing both the BCS logarithm and the Kohn anomaly, suggesting that one must resum the Kohn anomaly contributions separately from the BCS logarithm. In this work, we incorporate the Kohn anomaly contribution into the 𝛽 function of the RG equation governing the BCS instability near the Fermi surface. Our solution shows that the KL gap exponent is then proportional to −ℓ, indicating a significant enhancement of the KL mechanism beyond the previously known result. To illustrate this, we study the spin-triplet 𝑝-wave pairing gap arising from a repulsive 𝑠-wave contact interaction and compare our RG-based results with those obtained from the Bethe-Salpeter equation in perturbation theory.

nuclear matter in neutron stars↗
DOE OSTI2026

Semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering on a polarized spin-1 target. II. Deuteron and spectator nucleon tagging

We develop the theoretical framework for semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering on a polarized spin-1 target and apply it to scattering on the polarized deuteron with spectator nucleon tagging. In Part I (previous article), we present the general form of the semi-inclusive cross section and polarization observables for the spin-1 target. In Part II (this article), we consider deep-inelastic scattering on the polarized deuteron with spectator nucleon tagging as a special case of target fragmentation. Methods of light-front quantization are employed to separate nuclear and hadronic structure in the high-energy process and achieve a composite description. The light-front wave function of the polarized deuteron is obtained from a rotationally covariant three-dimensional wave function in the center-of-mass frame of the proton-neutron system. The tagged structure functions are computed in the impulse approximation. The momentum and spin distribution of the active nucleon are controlled by the deuteron polarization and the detected spectator momentum (𝐷/𝑆 wave ratio). The cross section and spin asymmetries are evaluated for general deuteron polarization (vector and tensor, longitudinal and transverse) as functions of the spectator momentum. Tensor-polarized spin asymmetries of order unity are achieved for spectator momenta of approximately 300 MeV, which select configurations with a large 𝐷 wave. Sum rules for the tagged spin structure functions are derived. The results can be used for simulations of spectator tagging in future polarized fixed-target experiments (Jefferson Lab) or at the Electron-Ion Collider.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Toward a long-lifetime polarized photoelectron gun for the Ce+BAF positron source

The addition of spin-polarized, continuous-wave (c.w.) positron beams to the 12 GeV Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) would provide a significant capability to the experimental nuclear physics program at Jefferson Lab. Based on bremsstrahlung and pair-production in a high-Z target, the positron source requires a 120 MeV spin-polarized c.w. electron beam of several milliamperes. While the beam dynamics of the high-current electron beam are tenable, sustaining this current for weeks of user operations requires an unprecedented charge lifetime from a high-polarization GaAs-based photocathode. A promising approach to exceed the kilocoulomb charge lifetime barrier is reducing the ion back-bombardment fluence at the photocathode. By increasing the laser size and managing the emittance growth with an adequate cathode/anode design, significantly enhanced charge lifetime may be achieved. Based upon a new simulation model that qualitatively explains the lifetime data previously measured at different spot sizes, we describe the practical implications on the parameter space available for a kilocoulomb-lifetime polarized photogun design.

Bruker, M.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Toward a long-lifetime polarized photoelectron gun for the Ce+BAF positron source

The addition of spin-polarized, continuous-wave (c.w.) positron beams to the 12 GeV Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) would provide a significant capability to the experimental nuclear physics program at Jefferson Lab. Based on bremsstrahlung and pair-production in a high-Z target, the positron source requires a 120 MeV spin-polarized c.w. electron beam of several milliamperes. While the beam dynamics of the high-current electron beam are tenable, sustaining this current for weeks of user operations requires an unprecedented charge lifetime from a high-polarization GaAs-based photocathode. A promising approach to exceed the kilocoulomb charge lifetime barrier is reducing the ion back-bombardment fluence at the photocathode. By increasing the laser size and managing the emittance growth with an adequate cathode/anode design, significantly enhanced charge lifetime may be achieved. Based upon a new simulation model that qualitatively explains the lifetime data previously measured at different spot sizes, we describe the practical implications on the parameter space available for a kilocoulomb-lifetime polarized photogun design.

Bruker, M.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Second Target Station Project (CHESS Technical Report)

CHESS is a direct geometry neutron spectrometer designed to detect and analyze weak signals intrinsic to small cross-sections (e.g., small mass, small magnetic moments or neutron absorbing materials). This instrument is optimized to enable unprecedented characterization of quantum materials, spin liquids, thermoelectric and battery materials, liquids, and soft matter. The ability to simultaneously measure dynamic processes over a wide energy range for very small samples will make CHESS the spectrometer of choice for the initial exploration of new materials. The broad dynamic range will also be well matched to measurements of relaxation processes and excitations in soft and biological matter. The 15 Hz repetition rate of STS enables use of multiple incident energies within a single source pulse, greatly expanding the information gained in a single experiment. An essential feature of CHESS is the capability for polarization analysis to separate nuclear from magnetic scattering or coherent from incoherent scattering in hydrogenous materials, and better understanding spin-anisotropic correlations. This instrument will employ advanced sample environments such as high-pressure cells, dilution refrigerators, high field cryo-magnets and polarization devices, as well as combinations of these, to solve problems at the forefront of materials research. CHESS will be one of the flagship spectrometers of the Second Target Station (STS), providing world leading capabilities.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Probing the core of the strong nuclear interaction

The strong nuclear interaction between nucleons (protons and neutrons) is the effective force that holds the atomic nucleus together. This force stems from fundamental interactions between quarks and gluons (the constituents of nucleons) that are described by the equations of quantum chromodynamics. However, as these equations cannot be solved directly, nuclear interactions are described using simplified models, which are well constrained at typical inter-nucleon distances but not at shorter distances. This limits our ability to describe high-density nuclear matter such as that in the cores of neutron stars. Here we use high-energy electron scattering measurements that isolate nucleon pairs in short-distance, high-momentum configurations, accessing a kinematical regime that has not been previously explored by experiments, corresponding to relative momenta between the pair above 400 mega electron volts per c (c, speed of light in vacuum). As the relative momentum between two nucleons increases and their separation thereby decreases, we observe a transition from a spin-dependent tensor force to a predominantly spin-independent scalar force. These results demonstrate the usefulness of using such measurements to study the nuclear interaction at short distances and also support the use of point-like nucleon models with two- and three-body effective interactions to describe nuclear systems up to densities several times higher than the central density of the nucleus.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ising spin ladders of orthopyroxene CoGeO 3

Here, we present thermodynamic and spectroscopic measurements for an orthopyroxene CoGeO 3 with magnetic Co 2+ ions that form quasi-one-dimensional ladders. We show that noncollinear magnetic order below 𝑇 𝑁 = 32 K can be stabilized by a strong local easy-axis anisotropy of 𝑗 eff = 1/2 moments, which is induced by ligand octahedra distortions. Extraction of a magnetic Hamiltonian from inelastic neutron scattering measurements supports this interpretation and allows us to establish an effective magnetic model. The resulting exchange Hamiltonian justifies CoGeO 3 as a realization of an Ising spin ladder compound.

Maksimov, Pavel A. [Joint Inst. for Nuclear Resear↗
DOE OSTI2022

General tensor structure for electron scattering in terms of invariant responses

The general structure of semi-inclusive polarized electron scattering from polarized spin-1/2 targets is developed for use at all energy scales, from modest-energy nuclear physics applications to use in very high energy particle physics. The leptonic and hadronic tensors that enter in the formalism are constructed in a general covariant way in terms of kinematic factors that are frame dependent but model independent and invariant response functions which contain all of the model-dependent dynamics. In the process of developing the general problem the relationships to the conventional responses expressed in terms of the helicity components of the exchanged virtual photon are presented. For semi-inclusive electron scattering with polarized electrons and polarized spin-1/2 targets one finds that 18 invariant response functions are required, each depending on four Lorentz scalar invariants. Additionally it is shown how the semi-inclusive cross sections are related via integrations over the momentum of the selected coincidence particle and sums over open channels.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Vibronic Coupling and Exciton Chirality: Electronic and Structural Rearrangement between Helical to Zero Momentum Molecular Exciton States

Helical porphyrin aggregates are attractive macromolecular nanostructures for biomimetic light-harvesting and energy transfer in solar energy technology due to their large light absorbing cross sections and promising energy conservation benefits from chiral-induced spin selectivity. However, with these soft materials, it is imperative that we understand how the nuclear degrees of freedom impact the excitonic energy landscape and dynamics, particularly pertaining to how it influences the chiral angular momentum of the excitons. To this end, we have measured time-resolved depolarization ratios using femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy to uncover the vibronic coupling guided by molecular vibrations between excitons of different angular momentum in helical tetra(sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin aggregates. We find that while transient absorption anisotropy reveals rapid (1 ps lifetime) exciton rotation from helical to achiral states in the Q-band, time-resolved vibrational depolarization ratios evolve on remarkably faster time scales (<500 fs lifetime) for the totally symmetric 1530 cm –1 vibration and the nontotally symmetric 1540 cm –1 vibration. The time-resolved depolarization ratios of the 1540 cm –1 vibration, in particular, show strong evidence of vibronic coupling and nonadiabatic exciton behavior that mediates the nonradiative transition between chiral and achiral excitons. Furthermore, our study shows that for rational design of helical molecular aggregates for exciton transport, the vibronic coupling between excitons of different angular momenta driven by molecular vibrations must be considered especially in the case where chiral-induced spin selectivity is desired.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Role of Strong Gravity and the Nuclear Equation of State on Neutron-star Common-envelope Accretion

Common-envelope evolution is important in the formation of neutron star binaries within the isolated binary formation channel. As a neutron star inspirals within the envelope of a primary massive star, it accretes and spins up. Because neutron stars are in the strong-gravity regime, they have a substantial relativistic mass deficit, i.e., their gravitational mass is less than their baryonic mass. This effect causes some fraction of the accreted baryonic mass to convert into neutron star binding energy. The relativistic mass deficit also depends on the nuclear equation of state, since more compact neutron stars will have larger binding energies. We model the mass growth and spin-up of neutron stars inspiraling within common-envelope environments and quantify how different initial binary conditions and hadronic equations of state affect the post-common-envelope neutron star's mass and spin. From these models, we find that neutron star mass growth is suppressed by ≈15%–30%. We also find that for a given amount of accreted baryonic mass, more compact neutron stars will spin-up faster while gaining less gravitational mass, and vice versa. Here, this work demonstrates that a neutron star's strong gravity and nuclear microphysics plays a role in neutron-star-common-envelope evolution, in addition to the macroscopic astrophysics of the envelope. Strong gravity and the nuclear equation of state may thus affect both the population properties of neutron star binaries and the cosmic double neutron star merger rate.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

A greedy algorithm for computing eigenvalues of a symmetric matrix with localized eigenvectors

Here, we present a greedy algorithm for computing selected eigenpairs of a large sparse matrix $H$ that can exploit localization features of the eigenvector. When the eigenvector to be computed is localized, meaning only a small number of its components have large magnitudes, the proposed algorithm identifies the location of these components in a greedy manner, and obtains approximations to the desired eigenpairs of $H$ by computing eigenpairs of a submatrix extracted from the corresponding rows and columns of $H$. Even when the eigenvector is not completely localized, the approximate eigenvectors obtained by the greedy algorithm can be used as good starting guesses to accelerate the convergence of an iterative eigensolver applied to $H$. We discuss a few possibilities for selecting important rows and columns of $H$ and techniques for constructing good initial guesses for an iterative eigensolver using the approximate eigenvectors returned from the greedy algorithm. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach with examples from nuclear quantum many-body calculations and many-body localization studies of quantum spin chains.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Atomic Orbital Energy Matching vs Overlap in Actinide-Ligand Dative Bonding

Prebonding conditions and dative bond formation in actinide(IV)hexachloride complexes with U, Np, and Pu are studied by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, focusing on the interplay of atomic orbital (AO) overlap and AO energy matching in the formation of molecular orbitals (MOs) and the subsequent identification of dative bonds. The extent of donation is tracked via population analysis, MO localization, and bond-order criteria. DFT Fock matrices are used to setup models in which varying numbers of valence AOs interact to form dative bonds. The results confirm, among other effects, a contribution to metal−ligand covalency from the actinide (An) 6p shell. Better matching of An(5f) and Cl(3p) energies occurs as the An(5f) level stabilizes with increasing An effective nuclear charge. A near-degeneracy occurs in the case of the α-spin orbitals of the Pu system, but it is inconsequential. Altogether, better AO energy matching for An(5f) and Cl(3p) along the series U, Np, Pu is counter-balanced by decreasing AO overlap and decreasing availability of 5f acceptor orbitals, leading to similar bond orders and extents of donation in the three systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Electron spin resonance spectroscopy with femtoliter detection volume

We report electron spin resonance measurements of donors in silicon at millikelvin temperatures using a superconducting LC planar micro-resonator and a Josephson parametric amplifier. The resonator includes a nanowire inductor, defining a femtoliter detection volume. Due to strain in the substrate, the donor resonance lines are heavily broadened. In this work, single-spin to photon coupling strengths up to ~ 3 kHz are observed. The single shot sensitivity is 120 ± 24 spins/Hahn echo, corresponding to ≈ 12 ± 3 spins / Hz for repeated acquisition.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1974

Research program in nuclear and solid state physics

The survey of negative pion absorption reactions on light and medium nuclei was continued. Muon spin precession was studied using an iron target. An impulse approximation model of the pion absorption process implied that the ion will absorb almost exclusively on nucleon pairs, single nucleon absorption being suppressed by energy and momentum conservation requirements. For measurements on both paramagnetic and ferromagnetic iron, the external magnetic field was supplied by a large C-type electromagnet carrying a current of about 100 amperes.

Source record↗