Search

The interaction of antikaons (K−) with nucleons and nuclei in the low-energy regime represents a very active research field in hadron physics. A unique and rather direct experimental access to the antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths is provided by precision X-ray spectroscopy of transitions in low-lying states in the lightest kaonic atoms (i.e. kaonic hydrogen and deuterium). In the SIDDHARTA experiment at the electron-positron collider DAFNE of LNFINFN we measured the most precise values of the strong interaction observables in conic hydrogen. The strong interaction on the 1s ground state of the electromagnetically bound K-p atom causes an energy shift and broadening of the 1s state. SIDDHARTA will extend the spectroscopy to kaonic deuterium to get access to the antikaon-neutron interaction and thus the isospin dependent scattering lengths. At J-PARC a kaon beam is used in a complementary experiment with a different setup for spectroscopy of kaonic deuterium atoms. The talk will give an overview of the of the upcoming experiments SIDDHARTA and the complementary experiment at J-PARC.Furthermore, the implications of the experiments for the theory of low-energy strong interaction with strangeness will be discussed.

The interaction of antikaons with nucleons and nuclei in the low-energy regime represents an active research field in hadron physics with still many important open questions. The investigation of light kaonic atoms, in which one electron is replaced by a negatively charged kaon, is a unique tool to provide precise information on this interaction; the energy shift and the broadening of the low-lying states of such atoms, induced by the kaon-nucleus hadronic interaction, can be determined with high precision from the atomic X-ray spectroscopy, and this experimental method provides unique information to understand the low energy kaon-nucleus interaction at the production threshold. The lightest atomic systems, like the kaonic hydrogen and the kaonic deuterium deliver, in a model-independent way, the isospin-dependent kaon-nucleon scattering lengths. The most precise kaonic hydrogen measurement to-date, together with an exploratory measurement of kaonic deuterium, were carried out in 2009 by the SIDDHARTA collaboration at the DAΦNE electron-positron collider of LNF-INFN, combining the excellent quality kaon beam delivered by the collider with new experimental techniques, as fast and very precise X-ray detectors, like the Silicon Drift Detectors. The SIDDHARTA results triggered new theoretical work, which achieved major progress in the understanding of the low-energy strong interaction with strangeness reflected by the antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths calculated with the antikaon-proton amplitudes constrained by the SIDDHARTA data. The most important open question is the experimental determination of the hadronic energy shift and width of kaonic deuterium; presently, a major upgrade of the setup, SIDDHARTA-2, is being realized to reach this goal. In this paper, the results obtained in 2009 and the proposed SIDDHARTA-2 upgrades are presented.

Hadronic atoms being Coulomb-bound systems in which the electron is substituted by a hadron like a negatively charged K meson are perfect probes for the study of strong interaction at lowest energies using x-ray spectroscopy. New large area x-ray detectors (silicon drift detectors, SDDs) were developed to provide excellent energy resolution as well as timing capability. For the first time large area SDDs were employed to measure the L-lines of kaonic helium at high precision thus succeeding in clarifying a puzzle persisting for 30 years since the 70's. An array of about 200 even more sophisticated SDDs (1 [cm.sup.2] SDDs with monolithically integrated FET) will be used to perform precision measurements (i.e., at the eV level) of kaonic hydrogen and kaonic deuterium at the DAFNE [PHI] factory of LNF/Italy. The new x-ray detectors and their performance for precision experiments in the accelerator environment are presented. Index Terms--kaonic atoms, silicon drift detectors, strong interaction studies, X-ray spectroscopy.

In the exotic atoms where one atomic 1s electron is replaced by a K−, the strong interaction between the K− and the nucleus introduces an energy shift and broadening of the low-lying kaonic atomic levels which are determined by only the electromagnetic interaction. By performing X-ray spectroscopy for Z = 1,2 kaonic atoms, the SIDDHARTA experiment determined with high precision the shift and width for the 1s state of K− p and the 2p state of kaonic helium-3 and kaonic helium-4. These results provided unique information of the kaon-nucleus interaction in the low energy limit.

The strong interaction of antikaons (K−) with nucleons and nuclei in the low-energy regime represents an active research field connected intrinsically with few-body physics. There are important open questions like the question of antikaon nuclear bound states - the prototype system being K−pp. A unique and rather direct experimental access to the antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths is provided by precision X-ray spectroscopy of transitions in low-lying states of light kaonic atoms like kaonic hydrogen isotopes. In the SIDDHARTA experiment at the electron-positron collider DAΦNE of LNF-INFN we measured the most precise values of the strong interaction observables, i.e. the strong interaction on the 1s ground state of the electromagnetically bound K−p atom leading to a hadronic shift ϵ1s and a hadronic broadening Γ1s of the 1s state. The SIDDHARTA result triggered new theoretical work which achieved major progress in the understanding of the low-energy strong interaction with strangeness. Antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths have been calculated constrained by the SIDDHARTA data on kaonic hydrogen. For the extraction of the isospin-dependent scattering lengths a measurement of the hadronic shift and width of kaonic deuterium is necessary. Therefore, new X-ray studies with the focus on kaonic deuterium are in preparation (SIDDHARTA2). Many improvements in the experimental setup will allow to measure kaonic deuterium which is challenging due to the anticipated low X-ray yield. Especially important are the data on the X-ray yields of kaonic deuterium extracted from a exploratory experiment within SIDDHARTA.

X-ray spectroscopy of light kaonic atoms is a unique tool to provide precise information on the fundamental K̄N interaction at the low-energy limit and the in-medium nuclear interaction of K−. The future experiments of kaonic deuterium strong-interaction shift and width (SIDDHARTA-2 and J-PARC E57) can extract the isospin dependent K−N interaction at threshold. The high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of kaonic helium with microcalorimeters (J-PARC E62) has the possibility to solve the long-standing potential-strength problem of the attractive K−-nucleus interaction. Here, the recent experimental results and the future projects of X-ray spectroscopy of light kaonic atoms are presented.

The AMADEUS experiment deals with the investigation of the low-energy kaon-nuclei hadronic interaction at the DAΦNE collider at LNF-INFN, fundamental to respond to longstanding open questions in the non-perturbative QCD in the strangeness sector. One of the most interesting aspects is to understand how hadron masses and interactions change in the nuclear environment. The antikaon-nucleon potential is investigated searching for signals from possible bound kaonic clusters, which would imply a strongly attractive antikaon-nucleon potential. AMADEUS step 0 consists in the analysis of 2004/2005 KLOE data, exploring K− absorptions in H, 4He, 9Be and 12C present in setup materials. The status of the various preliminary analyses is presented, together with future perspectives.

The X-ray measurements of kaonic atoms play an important role for understanding the low-energy QCD in the strangeness sector. The SIDDHARTA experiment studied the X-ray transitions of 4 light kaonic atoms (H, D, 3He, and 4He) using the DAFNE electron-positron collider at LNF (Italy). Most precise values of the shift and width of the kaonic hydrogen 1s state were determined, which have been now used as fundamental information for the low-energy K−p interaction in theoretical studies. An upper limit of the X-ray yield of kaonic deuterium was derived, important for future K−d experiments. The shifts and widths of the kaonic 3He and 4He 2p states were obtained, confirming the end of the “kaonic helium puzzle”. In this contribution also the plans for new experiments of kaonic deuterium are being presented.

We have collected the first physics data of an experimental search for the simplest kaonic nuclear bound state, “K− pp”, by the 3He(K− n) reaction at J-PARC. We confirmed that our spectrometer system works as designed and observed clear peak structure composed of the quasi-elastic K−“n” → K−n and the charge-exchange K−“p” → ¯̅K0n reactions in the forward neutron spectrum.

The strong-interaction shifts and widths of kaonic hydrogen, deuterium, 3He, and 4He were measured in the SIDDHARTA experiment. The most precise values of the shift and width of the kaonic hydrogen 1s state were determined to be ϵ1s = −283 ± 36(stat)±6(syst) eV and Γ1s = 541±89(stat)±22(syst) eV. The upper limit of the kaonic deuterium Kα yield was found to be ≤ 0.39%. In addition, the shifts and widths of the kaonic 3He and 4He 2p states were determined to be ϵ2p(3He) = −2 ± 2(stat) ± 4(syst) eV and Γ2p(3He) = 6 ± 6(stat) ± 7(syst) eV; ϵ2p(4He) = +5 ± 3(stat) ± 4(syst) eV and Γ2p(4He) = 14 ± 8(stat) ± 5(syst) eV. These values are important for the constraints of the low-energy K¯N$\bar KN$ interaction in theoretical approaches.

We measured K-series kaonic hydrogen X-rays in the SIDDHARTA experiment performed at the DAΦNE electron-positron collider of Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati. With a gaseous hydrogen target of density 15 ρSTP, preliminary values of the absolute yields, defined as the number of atomic X-rays emitted per kaon stopped inside the target, were determined to be 0.012−0.004+0.003 for Kα transition and 0.045−0.012+0.009 for Ktot, the summation of all the emitted K-series transitions.

The DAΦNE electron-positron collider at the Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati of INFN, Italy has made available a unique quality low-energy negatively charged kaons “beam”, which is used to unveil the secrets of the kaon-nucleon/nuclei interactions at low energies by the SIDDHARTA-2 and AMADEUS experiments. SIDDHARTA has already performed unprecedented precision measurements of kaonic atoms, and is being presently upgraded, as SIDDHARTA-2, to approach new frontiers. The AMADEUS experiment plans to perform in the coming years precision measurements on kaon-nuclei interactions at low-energies, to study the possible formation of kaonic nuclei, of the Λ(1405) and of many other processes involving strangeness.

The strong interaction of charged antikaons (K−) with nucleons and nuclei in the low-energy regime is a fascinating topic. The antikaon plays a peculiar role in hadron physics due to the strong attraction antikaon-nucleon which is a key question for possible kaonic nuclear bound states. A rather direct experimental access to the antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths is provided by precision X-ray spectroscopy of transitions to low-lying states in light kaonic atoms like kaonic hydrogen and deuterium. After the successful completion of precision measurements on kaonic hydrogen and helium isotopes by SIDDHARTA at DAΦNE/LNF, new X-ray studies with the focus on kaonic deuterium are in preparation (SIDDHARTA2). In the future with kaonic deuterium data the antikaon-nucleon isospin-dependent scattering lengths can be extracted for the first time. An overview of the experimental results of SIDDHARTA and an outlook to future perspectives in the SIDDHARTA2 experiments in this frontier research field will be given.

In the J-PARC E15 experiment, a K− pp search was performed via the 3He(K−, n) reaction at 1.0 GeV/c. A forward-going neutron is detected by a neutron counter with 15 m flight length, and decay particles from K− pp are simultaneously measured by a cylindrical detector system that surrounds a liquid 3He target system. In March and May, 2013, we carried out the first physics data-taking with 5×109 incident kaons on the 3He target, and we have obtained a preliminary exclusive analysis result of 3He(K−, Λp)n reaction.

The AMADEUS experiment has the aim to perform studies of the low energy hadronic interactions of negatively charged kaons with nucleons and nuclei, which are fundamental to solve longstanding open questions in the non-perturbative QCD in the strangeness sector. The DAΦNE collider provides a unique source of monochromatic low-momentum kaons, whose nuclear interaction with the materials of the KLOE detector (used as an active target) provide us excellent acceptance and resolution data for K− capture on H, 4He, 9Be and 12C, both at-rest and in-flight. AMADEUS step 0 consisted in the analysis of the 2004-2005 KLOE data. A second step consisted in the implementation in the central region of the KLOE detector of a pure graphite target, providing a high statistic sample of K− 12C nuclear captures at rest. For the future, new setups for various dedicated targets are under preparation. The aim of such investigations is to face the major open questions in hadron nuclear physics in the strangeness sector, such as the nature of the Λ(1405) state and the resonant versus non-resonant yield in nuclear K− capture, the possible existence of kaonic nuclear clusters, strongly related to a quantitative understanding of single versus multi-nucleon K− absorption.

The AMADEUS experiment aims to perform dedicated precision studies in the sector of low-energy kaon-nuclei interaction at the DAΦNE collider at LNF-INFN. In particular, the experiment plans to perform measurements of the debated deeply bound kaonic nuclear states, to deepen our knowledge about the controversial state Λ(1405) and to measure the low energy cross section of K− on light nuclei. AMADEUS will exploit the process of stopped kaons in cryogenic gaseous targets, measuring both charged and neutral particles produced in a 4π geometry, so performing a full study of the various interaction channels. Taking advantage of the fact that the KLOE drift chamber is mainly filled with 4He (90% helium 10% isobutane) according to Monte Carlo simulations about 0.1% of kaons from DAΦNE should stop in the inner volume of the drift chamber; the analysis of the existing KLOE data (run from 2002 to 2005) is presently going on, searching for hadronic interactions of K− in such an active target. The AMADEUS physics program and preliminary results from the analysis of KLOE data will be discussed.

The SIDDHARTA collaboration measured kaonic 3He and 4He 3d → 2p X-rays with gaseous targets at the DAΦNE e+e− collider. The 2p-state strong-interaction shifts and widths were precisely determined by using 144 high-resolution silicon drift detectors. The shift of K−4He is in good agreement with theoretical calculations and consistent with the recent experimental result of KEK-PS E570. The shift of K−3He is also determined for the first time. The newly determined widths are in agreement with optical model calculations.

We will measure the Balmer-series x-rays of kaonic-3He atoms using large-area high-resolution silicon drift x-rays detectors in order to provide the crucial information of K−-nucleus strong interaction at the low energy limit. The strong interaction 2p level shift will be determined with a precision of a few eV. At the present status, the construction of all detectors is in progress. In February, 2009, the first tuning of K1.8BR beamline was performed by the secondary beam generated in J-PARC hadron facility. The data taking will be started soon.

The J-PARC E15 experiment will be performed to search for the simplest kaonic nuclear bound state, K− pp, by the in-flight 3He(K−,n) reaction. The exclusive measurement can be performed by a simultaneous measurement of the missing mass using the primary neutron and the invariant mass via the expected decay, K− pp → Λp → pπ− p. In this report, an overview of the experiment and the preparation status are presented.

The SIDDHARTA experiment aims at a precise measurement of K -series kaonic hydrogen x-rays and the first-ever measurement of the kaonic deuterium x-rays to determine the strong-interaction energy-level shift and width of the lowest lying atomic states. These measurements offer a unique possibility to precisely determine the isospin-dependent $ar{K}$-nucleon scattering lengths.

Exotic atom experiments place transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter arrays in a high-energy charged particle-rich environment. When a high-energy charged particle passes through the silicon substrate of a TES array, a large amount of energy is deposited and small pulses are generated across multiple pixels in the TES array due to thermal crosstalk. We have developed analysis techniques to assess and reduce the effects of charged particle events on exotic atom X-ray measurements. Using this technique, the high-energy and low-energy components of the X-ray peaks due to pileup are eliminated, improving the energy resolution from 6.6 to 5.7 eV at 6.9 keV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel triggering function developed for 240-pixel Transition-Edge Sensors is demonstrated under the high rate of particle background. The function is integrated into the standard data acquisition system in the NIST TES framework. It enables any type of combination of trigger pattern when a pixel is triggered, which is called "group trigger." As a practical implementation, the primary trigger is distributed to the four physically nearest pixels. The group trigger function was utilized throughout the entire one-month J-PARC experiment for the measurement of the Kaonic-atom X-rays. This trigger allowed us to confirm that the increased background and degraded energy resolution we observed when operating the TES array in the presence of an ion beam are the result of thermal crosstalk from charged particles. We show that the maximum of the average of the signals among the neighboring four pixels is useful for event selection. We use cuts based on this parameter to improve the peak-to-background level in a measured x-ray energy spectrum by a factor of ∼ 2, while keeping 95% of measured events. This flexible group triggering technique allows us to improve the signal to noise on the very faint Kaonic Helium x-ray lines we are measuring, better understand our experiment environment, and we believe this technique may prove useful in other ground and space-based TES applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A useful function, called group trigger, is implemented in a data acquisition system of a 240-pixel X-ray transition-edge sensor array to store simultaneous waveforms from any desired set of pixels. It works as a diagnostic tool which can record both primary pulses and associated crosstalk events with enough freedom to optimize the data output. Under a high rate of charged particle background, such as in an accelerator, investigating signals from any combination of trigger patterns for a particular event is of high importance. We utilized this function throughout an entire experiment at J-PARC, measuring kaonic atom X-rays in 2018. This was the first time a group trigger was applied to exotic-atom spectroscopy. In this experiment, the primary trigger was distributed to the four physical nearest neighbor pixels for practical purposes. The function clarified the effect of thermal and electrical cross talk from X-rays and charged particles, resulting in a better understanding of the behavior of the TES array in such a high-background environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We integrated a TES X-ray spectrometer with a charged kaon beam line at J-PARC to perform X-ray spectroscopy of kaonic helium atoms. Limited beam intensity and a broad beam spot size made it crucial to increase the detector acceptance angle as much as possible, requiring significant development. To this end, our TES system shared the same vacuum with a cryogenic system of the liquid helium experimental target. We also specially developed a target cell for liquid helium and a thinned aperture array on top of the TES detector. Additionally, thermal and magnetic shields and infrared filters were optimized in terms of a larger acceptance angle and energy resolution of the detector. The scientific campaign was performed in June, 2018, where the whole system was stably operated for almost one month. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]