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1. The metastable Q 3 Δ 2 state of ThO: a new resource for the ACME electron EDM search

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/ab6a3a  

   Wu, X. ; Han, Z. ; Chow, J. ; Ang, D. G. ; Meisenhelder, C. ; Panda, C. D. ; West, E. P. ; Gabrielse, G. ; Doyle, J. M. ; DeMille, D. ( February 2020 , New Journal of Physics)

   The best upper limit for the electron electric dipole moment was recently set by the ACME collaboration. This experiment measures an electron spin-precession in a cold beam of ThO molecules in their metastable$H{(}^3{\mathrm{\Delta }}_1)$state. Improvement in the statistical and systematic uncertainties is possible with more efficient use of molecules from the source and better magnetometry in the experiment, respectively. Here, we report measurements of several relevant properties of the long-lived$Q{(}^3{\mathrm{\Delta }}_2)$state of ThO, and show that this state is a very useful resource for both these purposes. TheQstate lifetime is long enough that its decay during the time of flight in the ACME beam experiment is negligible. The large electric dipole moment measured for theQstate, giving rise to a large linear Stark shift, is ideal for an electrostatic lens that increases the fraction of molecules detected downstream. The measured magnetic moment of theQstate is also large enough to be used as a sensitive co-magnetometer in ACME. Finally, we show that theQstate has a large transition dipole moment to the$C{(}^1{\mathrm{\Pi }}_1)$state, which allows for efficient population transfer between the ground state$X{(}^1{\mathrm{\Sigma }}^{+})$and theQstate via$X-C-Q$Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage (STIRAP). We demonstrate 90 % STIRAP transfer efficiency. In the course of these measurements, we also determine the magnetic moment ofCstate, the$X\to C$transition dipole moment, and branching ratios of decays from theCstate.

    

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2. Measurement of the H3∆₁ Radiative Lifetime in ThO

   Ang, D.G. ; Meisenhelder, C. ; Panda, C.D. ; Wu, X ; DeMille, D. ; Doyle, J.M. ; Gabrielse, G. ( April 2022 , ArXivorg)

   The best limit on the electron electric dipole moment (eEDM) comes from the ACME II experiment [Nature \textbf{562} (2018), 355-360] which probes physics beyond the Standard Model at energy scales well above 1 TeV. ACME II measured the eEDM by monitoring electron spin precession in a cold beam of the metastable H3Δ1 state of thorium monoxide (ThO) molecules, with an observation time τ≈1 ms for each molecule. We report here a new measurement of the lifetime of the ThO (H3Δ1) state, τH=4.2±0.5 ms. Using an apparatus within which τ≈τH will enable a substantial reduction in uncertainty of an eEDM measurement. 

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3. Enhanced Piezoelectric, Ferroelectric, and Electrostrictive Properties of Lead‐Free (1‐ x )BCZT‐( x )BCST Electroceramics with Energy Harvesting Capability

   https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202300549  

   Baraskar, Bharat G. ; Kolekar, Yesappa D. ; Thombare, Balu. R. ; James, Ajit. R. ; Kambale, Rahul C. ; Ramana, C. V. ( May 2023 , Small)

   Next‐generation electronics and energy technologies can now be developed as a result of the design, discovery, and development of novel, environmental friendly lead (Pb)‐free ferroelectric materials with improved characteristics and performance. However, there have only been a few reports of such complex materials’ design with multi‐phase interfacial chemistry, which can facilitate enhanced properties and performance. In this context, herein, novel lead‐free piezoelectric materials (1‐x)Ba_0.95Ca_0.05Ti_0.95Zr_0.05O₃‐(x)Ba_0.95Ca_0.05Ti_0.95Sn_0.05O₃, are reported, which are represented as (1‐x)BCZT‐(x)BCST, with demonstrated excellent properties and energy harvesting performance. The (1‐x)BCZT‐(x)BCST materials are synthesized by high‐temperature solid‐state ceramic reaction method by varyingxin the full range (x= 0.00–1.00). In‐depth exploration research is performed on the structural, dielectric, ferroelectric, and electro‐mechanical properties of (1‐x)BCZT‐(x)BCST ceramics. The formation of perovskite structure for all ceramics without the presence of any impurity phases is confirmed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, which also reveals that the Ca²⁺, Zr⁴⁺, and Sn⁴⁺are well dispersed within the BaTiO₃lattice. For all (1‐x)BCZT‐(x)BCST ceramics, thorough investigation of phase formation and phase‐stability using XRD, Rietveld refinement, Raman spectroscopy, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and temperature‐dependent dielectric measurements provide conclusive evidence for the coexistence of orthorhombic + tetragonal (Amm2+P4mm) phases at room temperature. The steady transition ofAmm2crystal symmetry toP4mmcrystal symmetry with increasingxcontent is also demonstrated by Rietveld refinement data and related analyses. The phase transition temperatures, rhombohedral‐orthorhombic (T_R‐O), orthorhombic‐ tetragonal (T_O‐T), and tetragonal‐cubic (T_C), gradually shift toward lower temperature with increasingxcontent. For (1‐x)BCZT‐(x)BCST ceramics, significantly improved dielectric and ferroelectric properties are observed, including relatively high dielectric constantε_r≈ 1900–3300 (near room temperature),ε_r≈ 8800–12 900 (near Curie temperature), dielectric loss, tanδ≈ 0.01–0.02, remanent polarizationP_r≈ 9.4–14 µC cm⁻², coercive electric fieldE_c≈ 2.5–3.6 kV cm⁻¹. Further, high electric field‐induced strainS≈ 0.12–0.175%, piezoelectric charge coefficientd₃₃≈ 296–360 pC N⁻¹, converse piezoelectric coefficient ≈ 240–340 pm V⁻¹, planar electromechanical coupling coefficientk_p≈ 0.34–0.45, and electrostrictive coefficient (Q₃₃)_avg≈ 0.026–0.038 m⁴C⁻²are attained. Output performance with respect to mechanical energy demonstrates that the (0.6)BCZT‐(0.4)BCST composition (x= 0.4) displays better efficiency for generating electrical energy and, thus, the synthesized lead‐free piezoelectric (1‐x)BCZT‐(x)BCST samples are suitable for energy harvesting applications. The results and analyses point to the outcome that the (1‐x)BCZT‐(x)BCST ceramics as a potentially strong contender within the family of Pb‐free piezoelectric materials for future electronics and energy harvesting device technologies.

    

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4. An ultra-compact x-ray free-electron laser

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/abb16c  

   Rosenzweig, J. B. ; Majernik, N. ; Robles, R. R. ; Andonian, G. ; Camacho, O. ; Fukasawa, A. ; Kogar, A. ; Lawler, G. ; Miao, Jianwei ; Musumeci, P. ; et al ( September 2020 , New Journal of Physics)

   In the field of beam physics, two frontier topics have taken center stage due to their potential to enable new approaches to discovery in a wide swath of science. These areas are: advanced, high gradient acceleration techniques, and x-ray free electron lasers (XFELs). Further, there is intense interest in the marriage of these two fields, with the goal of producing a very compact XFEL. In this context, recent advances in high gradient radio-frequency cryogenic copper structure research have opened the door to the use of surface electric fields between 250 and 500 MV m⁻¹. Such an approach is foreseen to enable a new generation of photoinjectors with six-dimensional beam brightness beyond the current state-of-the-art by well over an order of magnitude. This advance is an essential ingredient enabling an ultra-compact XFEL (UC-XFEL). In addition, one may accelerate these bright beams to GeV scale in less than 10 m. Such an injector, when combined with inverse free electron laser-based bunching techniques can produce multi-kA beams with unprecedented beam quality, quantified by 50 nm-rad normalized emittances. The emittance, we note, is the effective area in transverse phase space (x,p_x/m_ec) or (y,p_y/m_ec) occupied by the beam distribution, and it is relevant to achievable beam sizes as well as setting a limit on FEL wavelength. These beams, when injected into innovative, short-period (1–10 mm) undulators uniquely enable UC-XFELs having footprints consistent with university-scale laboratories. We describe the architecture and predicted performance of this novel light source, which promises photon production per pulse of a few percent of existing XFEL sources. We review implementation issues including collective beam effects, compact x-ray optics systems, and other relevant technical challenges. To illustrate the potential of such a light source to fundamentally change the current paradigm of XFELs with their limited access, we examine possible applications in biology, chemistry, materials, atomic physics, industry, and medicine—including the imaging of virus particles—which may profit from this new model of performing XFEL science.

    

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5. Bridging High-density Electron Beam Coronal Transport and Deep Chromospheric Heating in Stellar Flares

   https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acb144  

   Kowalski, Adam F. ( February 2023 , The Astrophysical Journal Letters)

   The optical and near-ultraviolet (NUV) continuum radiation in M-dwarf flares is thought to be the impulsive response of the lower stellar atmosphere to magnetic energy release and electron acceleration at coronal altitudes. This radiation is sometimes interpreted as evidence of a thermal photospheric spectrum withT≈ 10⁴K. However, calculations show that standard solar flare coronal electron beams lose their energy in a thick target of gas in the upper and middle chromosphere (log₁₀column mass/[g cm⁻²] ≲ −3). At larger beam injection fluxes, electric fields and instabilities are expected to further inhibit propagation to low altitudes. We show that recent numerical solutions of the time-dependent equations governing the power-law electrons and background coronal plasma (Langmuir and ion-acoustic) waves from Kontar et al. produce order-of-magnitude larger heating rates than those that occur in the deep chromosphere through standard solar flare electron beam power-law distributions. We demonstrate that the redistribution of beam energy aboveE≳ 100 keV in this theory results in a local heating maximum that is similar to a radiative-hydrodynamic model with a large, low-energy cutoff and a hard power-law index. We use this semiempirical forward-modeling approach to produce opaque NUV and optical continua at gas temperaturesT≳ 12,000 K over the deep chromosphere with log₁₀column mass/[g cm⁻²] of −1.2 to −2.3. These models explain the color temperatures and Balmer jump strengths in high-cadence M-dwarf flare observations, and they clarify the relation among atmospheric, radiation, and optical color temperatures in stellar flares.

    

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