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The total sputtering yield of 6 nm thick polycrystalline tantalum films resulting from H2+ ion bombardment, at normal incidence, has been determined. For this purpose, we study the evolution of the...

We report a measurement of the π − photoproduction beam asymmetry for the reaction → γ p → π − Δ + + using data from the GlueX experiment in the photon beam energy range 8.2–8.8 GeV. The asymmetry Σ is measured as a function of four-momentum transfer t to the Δ + + and compared to phenomenological models. We find that Σ varies as a function of t : negative at smaller values and positive at higher values of | t | . The reaction can be described theoretically by t -channel particle exchange requiring pseudoscalar, vector, and tensor intermediaries. In particular, this reaction requires charge exchange, allowing us to probe pion exchange and the significance of higher-order corrections to one-pion exchange at low momentum transfer. Constraining production mechanisms of conventional mesons may aid in the search for and study of unconventional mesons. This is the first measurement of the process at this energy.

The GlueX experiment at Jefferson Lab has been designed to study photoproduction reactions with a 9-GeV linearly polarized photon beam. The energy and arrival time of beam photons are tagged using a scintillator hodoscope and a scintillating fiber array. The photon flux is determined using a pair spectrometer, while the linear polarization of the photon beam is determined using a polarimeter based on triplet photoproduction. Charged-particle tracks from interactions in the central target are analyzed in a solenoidal field using a central straw-tube drift chamber and six packages of planar chambers with cathode strips and drift wires. Electromagnetic showers are reconstructed in a cylindrical scintillating fiber calorimeter inside the magnet and a lead-glass array downstream. Charged particle identification is achieved by measuring energy loss in the wire chambers and using the flight time of particles between the target and detectors outside the magnet. The signals from all detectors are recorded with flash ADCs and/or pipeline TDCs into memories allowing trigger decisions with a latency of 3.3 $\mu$s. The detector operates routinely at trigger rates of 40 kHz and data rates of 600 megabytes per second. We describe the photon beam, the GlueX detector components, electronics, data-acquisition and monitoring systems, and the performance of the experiment during the first three years of operation., Comment: Accepted by Nuclear Instruments and Methods A, 78 pages, 54 figures

We report measurements of the photon beam asymmetry Σ for the reaction γp→K+Σ0 (1193) using the GlueX spectrometer in Hall D at Jefferson Lab. Data were collected by using a linearly polarized photon beam in the energy range of 8.2–8.8 GeV incident on a liquid hydrogen target. The beam asymmetry Σ was measured as a function of the Mandelstam variable t , and a single value of Σ was extracted for events produced in the u channel. These are the first exclusive measurements of the photon beam asymmetry Σ for the reaction in this energy range. For the t channel, the measured beam asymmetry is close to unity over the t range studied, − t = ( 0.1 – 1.4 ) ( GeV / c ) 2 , with an average value of Σ = 1.00 ± 0.05 . This agrees with theoretical models that describe the reaction via the natural-parity exchange of the K ∗ (892) Regge trajectory. A value of Σ = 0.41 ± 0.09 is obtained for the u channel integrated up to − u = 2.0 ( GeV / c ) 2 .

Tailoring magnetic properties in nanocluster assembled cobalt (Co) thin films was achieved by admitting a small percentage of H2 gas (∼2%) into the Co gas phase cluster formation chamber prior to deposition. The oxygen content in the films is considerably reduced by the presence of hydrogen during the cluster formation, leading to enhanced magnetic interactions between clusters. Two sets of Co samples were fabricated, one without hydrogen gas and one with hydrogen gas. Magnetic properties of the non-hydrogenated and the hydrogen-treated Co nanocluster assembled films are comparatively studied using magnetic force microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry. When comparing the two sets of samples the considerably larger coercive field of the H2-treated Co nanocluster film and the extended micrometer-sized magnetic domain structure confirm the enhancement of magnetic interactions between clusters. The thickness of the antiferromagnetic CoO layer is controlled with this procedure and modifies the exchange bias effect in these films. The exchange bias shift is lower for the H2-treated Co nanocluster film, which indicates that a thinner antiferromagnetic CoO reduces the coupling with the ferromagnetic Co. The hydrogen-treatment method can be used to tailor the oxidation levels thus controlling the magnetic properties of ferromagnetic cluster-assembled films.

We report on the measurement of the beam asymmetry Σ for the reactions → γ p → p η and → γ p → p η ′ from the GlueX experiment using an 8.2–8.8-GeV linearly polarized tagged photon beam incident on a liquid hydrogen target in Hall D at Jefferson Laboratory. These measurements are made as a function of momentum transfer − t with significantly higher statistical precision than our earlier η measurements and are the first measurements of η ′ in this energy range. We compare the results to theoretical predictions based on t -channel quasiparticle exchange. We also compare the ratio of Σ η to Σ η ′ to these models as this ratio is predicted to be sensitive to the amount of s ¯ s exchange in the production. We find that photoproduction of both η and η ′ is dominated by natural parity exchange with little dependence on − t .

In this work, we propose the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) as a useful design tool for the construction and improvement of a vertical 4 He evaporation refrigerator. This approach provides a cost-effective solution for improving the performance of such systems designed through the use of traditional heat transfer and fluid mechanics-based relations. To this effect, we applied COMSOL Multiphysics to model an existing refrigerator, which had been built and extensively tested at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). This allowed us to firstly validate our methodology through contrast with reliable empirical data and subsequently to evaluate which modifications can contribute to improved performance. Our CFD based model accurately predicts the cooling power of the UNH design and provides insight into its operation. Moreover, the CFD case study we present here allowed us to propose and evaluate design modifications aimed at minimizing the heat load on the refrigerator.

The barrel calorimeter is part of the new spectrometer installed in Hall D at Jefferson Lab for the GlueX experiment. The calorimeter was installed in 2013, commissioned in 2014 and has been operating routinely since early 2015. The detector configuration, associated Monte Carlo simulations, calibration and operational performance are described herein. The calorimeter records the time and energy deposited by charged and neutral particles created by a multi-GeV photon beam. It is constructed as a lead and scintillating-fiber calorimeter and read out with 3840 large-area silicon photomultiplier arrays. Particles impinge on the detector over a wide range of angles, from normal incidence at 90 degrees down to 11.5 degrees, which defines a geometry that is fairly unique among calorimeters. The response of the calorimeter has been measured during a running experiment and performs as expected for electromagnetic showers below 2.5 GeV. We characterize the performance of the BCAL using the energy resolution integrated over typical angular distributions for $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ production of $\sigma_E/E$=5.2\%/$\sqrt{E(\rm{GeV})} \oplus$ 3.6\% and a timing resolution of $\sigma$\,=\,150\,ps at 1\,GeV., Comment: 46 pages, 33 figures

Starting from the gas phase, small clusters can be produced and deposited with huge flexibility with regard to composition, materials choice and cluster size. Despite many advances in experimental characterization, a detailed morphology of such clusters is still lacking. Here we present an atomic scale observation as well as the dynamical behaviour of ultrasmall germanium clusters. Using quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy in combination with ab initio calculations, we are able to characterize the transition between different equilibrium geometries of a germanium cluster consisting of less than 25 atoms. Seven-membered rings, trigonal prisms and some smaller subunits are identified as possible building blocks that stabilize the structure., Ultrasmall clusters of atoms form the building blocks of many nanoscale materials. Using a combination of aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy and numerical simulations, this study uncovers the geometry of these clusters in three dimensions.