Search

We developed a CANDLES-III system to study the neutrino-less double beta (0$\nu\beta\beta$) decay of $^{48}$Ca. The proposed system employs 96 CaF$_{2}$ scintillation crystals (305 kg) with natural Ca ($^{\rm nat.}$Ca) isotope which corresponds 350\,g of $^{48}$Ca. External backgrounds were rejected using a 4$\pi$ active shield of a liquid scintillator surrounding the CaF$_2$ crystals. The internal backgrounds caused by the radioactive impurities within the CaF$_2$ crystals can be reduced effectively through analysis of the signal pulse shape. We analyzed the data obtained in the Kamioka underground for a live-time of 130.4\,days to evaluate the feasibility of the low background measurement with the CANDLES-III detector. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we estimated the background rate from the radioactive impurities in the CaF$_{2}$ crystals and the rate of high energy $\gamma$-rays caused by the (n, $\gamma$) reactions induced by environmental neutrons. The expected background rate was in a good agreement with the measured rate, i.e., approximately 10$^{-3}$ events/keV/yr/(kg of $^{\rm nat.}$Ca), in the 0$\nu\beta\beta$ window. In conclusion, the background candidates were estimated properly by comparing the measured energy spectrum with the background simulations. With this measurement method, we performed the first search for 0$\nu\beta\beta$ decay in a low background condition using a detector with a Ca isotope, in which the Ca present was not enriched, in a scale of hundreds of kg. The $^{48}$Ca isotope has a high potential for use in 0$\nu\beta\beta$ decay search, and is expected to be useful for the development of a next-generation detector for highly sensitive measurements., Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Physical Review D

We present a comprehensive structural study on perovskite-type 6H-Ba3CuSb2O9, which exhibits a spin-orbital short-range ordering on a honeycomb-based lattice. By combining synchrotron x-ray diffraction, electron spin resonance, ultrasound measurement and Raman spectroscopy, we found that the static Jahn-Teller distortion is absent down to the lowest temperature in the present material, indicating orbital ordering is strongly suppressed. We discuss such an unusual state is realized with the help of spin degree of freedom, leading to a spin-orbital entangled liquid state., Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PRL

We have investigated the elastic constant C33 of Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2 with eight different Co concentrations by ultrasonic measurement. We found remarkable elastic anomalies near the quantum critical point. We have studied them by measuring the electrical resistivity, heat capacity, and ultrasonic attenuation in addition to the elastic constant. These results have revealed that the inter-layer three-dimensional properties appearing in C33 to be possibly originated from the magnetic character of these materials. Our data about the elastic constant C33 highlight the importance of controlling the c-axis length in the emergence of superconductivity in iron-based superconductors.

This paper has been withdrawn by the author due to some experimental mistakes. In this paper, we reported that C66, C44 and (C11-C12)/2 show remarkable softening toward the structural transition temperature TS. The data reported in this paper were acquired using the ultrasonic frequency lower than 25 MHz. Recently, we performed high-frequency measurements for the same system. We found that the anomaly of C44 and (C11-C12)/2 tend to disappear rapidly with increasing the frequency. On the other hand, C66 anomaly is still there at high frequencies. Therefore, we concluded that the observed anomalies in C44 and (C11-C12)/2 are not true. They would be ascribed to certain influence by the large softening of C66. So, we have checked our data through careful measurements by using ultrasonic frequency higher than 60 MHz, so far. Then, it has been found that C66 shows still nice softening toward TS, but that its temperature dependence is slightly different from the results of this paper. We have accumulated reliable data now. They will be reported in near future., Comment: This paper has been withdrawn

We present experimental results of the upper critical fields $H_{\rm c2}$ of various MgB$_2$ thin films prepared by the molecular beam epitaxy, multiple-targets sputtering, and co-evaporation deposition apparatus. Experimental data of the $H_{\rm c2}(T)$ are successfully analyzed by applying the Gurevich theory of dirty two-band superconductivity in the case of $D_{\pi}/D_{\sigma}>1$, where $D_{\pi}$ and $D_{\sigma}$ are the intraband electron diffusivities for $\pi$ and $\sigma$ bands, respectively. We find that the parameters obtained from the analysis are strongly correlated to the superconducting transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$ of the films. We also discuss the anormalous narrowing of the transition width at intermediate temperatures confirmed by the magnetoresistance measurements., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. B

The elastic and magnetic properties of a single crystal of 327 bilayer manganese oxide $(La_{1-z} Pr_z)_{1.2} Sr_{1.8} Mn_2 O_7$ with $z$=0.6 have been investigated by ultrasonic and high-field magnetization measurements. A distinct elastic anomaly was observed at low temperatures and in high magnetic fields when crossing the phase boundary. A pronounced elastic softening as a function of magnetic field ($H$) appears across the boundary of the low-temperature magnetic phase below around 40 K, accompanied by a distinct hysteresis. In the high field region, however, these elastic constants exhibit an increase with increasing a magnetic field in the high-field region. The high-field magnetization measurement characterizing the magnetic state clarified a strong connection between elastic strains and magnetic moments. The new metamagnetic transition was found in the high-field region above 40 K, accompanied with no hysteresis. The present results of elastic constants are discussed in terms of a coupling effect between elastic strains associated with sound waves and relevant magnetic moments, and relevant conduction bands. They are explained reasonably in terms of a strong coupling between elastic strains and magnetic susceptibility $chi$$_{m}$=$partial$$M$/$partial$$H$., Comment: 9 pages, 14 figures, regular paper

Superconducting thin films of magnesium diboride (MgB$_2$) were prepared on MgO (001) substrate by a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method with the co-evaporation conditions of low deposition rate in ultra-high vacuum. The structural and physical properties of the films were studied by RHEED, XRD, XPS, resistivity and magnetization measurements.All films demonstrated superconductivity without use of any post-annealing process.The highest {\it T}$_{c,onset}$ determined by resistivity measurement was about 33K in the present samples.Anisotropic superconducting properties were evaluated by the resistivity and magnetic measurements.We will discuss the anisotropy of superconductivity for as-grown MgB$_2$ thin films., Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, 1 table, submitted to Journal of Applied Physics

As-grown superconducting MgB_2 thin films have been grown on SrTiO_3(001), MgO(001), and Al_2O_3(0001) substrates by a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method with novel co-evaporation conditions of low deposition rate in ultra-high vacuum. The structural and physical properties of the films were studied by RHEED, XRD, electrical resistivity measurements, and SQUID magnetometer. The RHEED patterns indicate three-dimensional growth for MgB_2. The highest T_c determined by resistivity measurement was about 36K in these samples. And a clear Meissner effect below T_c was observed using magnetic susceptibility measurement. We will discuss the influence of B buffer layer on the structural and physical properties., Comment: 9 pages with 4 figures, ISS2003 proceeding

One hundred and forty six long-period red variable stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) from the three year MOA project database were analysed. A careful periodic analysis was performed on these stars and a catalogue of their magnitudes, colours, periods and amplitudes is presented. We convert our blue and red magnitudes to $K$ band values using 19 oxygen-rich stars. A group of red short-period stars separated from the Mira sequence has been found on a (log P, K) diagram. They are located at the short period side of the Mira sequence consistent with the work of Wood and Sebo (1996). There are two interpretations for such stars; a difference in pulsation mode or a difference in chemical composition. We investigated the properties of these stars together with their colour, amplitude and periodicity. We conclude that they have small amplitudes and less regular variability. They are likely to be higher mode pulsators. A large scatter has been also found on the long period side of the (log P, K) diagram. This is possibly a systematic spread given that the blue band of our photometric system covers both standard B and V bands and affects carbon-rich stars., Comment: 19 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

A review of the MOA (Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics) project is presented. MOA is a collaboration of approximately 30 astronomers from New Zealand and Japan established with the aim of finding and detecting microlensing events towards the Magellanic Clouds and the Galactic bulge, which may be indicative of either dark matter or of planetary companions. The observing program commenced in 1995, using very wide band blue and red filters and a nine-chip mosaic CCD camera. As a by-product of these observations a large database of CCD photometry for 1.4 million stars towards both LMC and SMC has been established. In one preliminary analysis 576 bright variable stars were confirmed, nearly half of them being Cepheids. Another analysis has identified large numbers of blue variables, and 205 eclipsing binaries are included in this sample. In addition 351 red variables (AGB stars) have been found. Light curves have been obtained for all these stars. The observations are carried out on a 61-cm f/6.25 telescope at Mt John University Observatory where a new larger CCD camera was installed in 1998 July. From this latitude (44 S) the Magellanic Clouds can be monitored throughout the year., Comment: 7 Pages, 3 figures

We present observations of microlensing event MACHO-98-BLG-35 which reached a peak magnification factor of almost 80. These observations by the Microlensing Planet Search (MPS) and the MOA Collaborations place strong constraints on the possible planetary system of the lens star and show intriguing evidence for a low mass planet with a mass fraction $4\times 10^{-5} \leq \epsilon \leq 2\times 10^{-4}$. A giant planet with $\epsilon = 10^{-3}$ is excluded from 95% of the region between 0.4 and 2.5 $R_E$ from the lens star, where $R_E$ is the Einstein ring radius of the lens. This exclusion region is more extensive than the generic "lensing zone" which is $0.6 - 1.6 R_E$. For smaller mass planets, we can exclude 57% of the "lensing zone" for $\epsilon = 10^{-4}$ and 14% of the lensing zone for $\epsilon = 10^{-5}$. The mass fraction $\epsilon = 10^{-5}$ corresponds to an Earth mass planet for a lensing star of mass $\sim 0.3 \msun$. A number of similar events will provide statistically significant constraints on the prevalence of Earth mass planets. In order to put our limits in more familiar terms, we have compared our results to those expected for a Solar System clone averaging over possible lens system distances and orientations. We find that such a system is ruled out at the 90% confidence level. A copy of the Solar System with Jupiter replaced by a second Saturn mass planet can be ruled out at 70% confidence. Our low mass planetary signal (few Earth masses to Neptune mass) is significant at the $4.5\sigma$ confidence level. If this planetary interpretation is correct, the MACHO-98-BLG-35 lens system constitutes the first detection of a low mass planet orbiting an ordinary star without gas giant planets., Comment: ApJ, April 1, 2000; 27 pages including 8 color postscript figures

We present analysis of MACHO Alert 95-30, a dramatic gravitational microlensing event towards the Galactic bulge whose peak magnification departs significantly from the standard point-source microlensing model. Alert 95-30 was observed in real-time by the Global Microlensing Alert Network (GMAN), which obtained densely sampled photometric and spectroscopic data throughout the event. We interpret the light-curve ``fine structure'' as indicating transit of the lens across the extended face of the source star. This signifies resolution of a star several kpc distant. We find a lens angular impact parameter theta_{min}/theta_{source} = 0.715 +/- 0.003. This information, along with the radius and distance of the source, provides an additional constraint on the lensing system. Spectroscopic and photometric data indicate the source is an M4 III star of radius 61 +/- 12 Rsun, located on the far side of the bulge at 9 kpc. We derive a lens angular velocity, relative to the source, of 21.5 +/- 4.9 km/s/kpc, where the error is dominated by uncertainty in the source radius. Likelihood analysis yields a median lens mass of 0.67{+2.53}{-0.46} Msun, located with 80% probability in the Galactic bulge at a distance of 6.93{+1.56}{-2.25} kpc. If the lens is a main-sequence star, we can include constraints on the lens luminosity. This modifies our estimates to M_lens = 0.53{+0.52}{-0.35} Msun and D_lens = 6.57{+0.99}{-2.25} kpc. Spectra taken during the event show that the absorption line equivalent widths of H alpha and the TiO bands near 6700 A vary, as predicted for microlensing of an extended source. This is most likely due to center-to-limb variation in the stellar spectral lines. These data demonstrate the feasibility of using microlensing limb crossings as a tool to probe stellar atmospheres directly., Comment: 32 pages including 6 tables, and 15 figures; Uses AASTeX 4.0; submitted to The Astrophysical Journal