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1. Magneto-optical trap of titanium atoms

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.023025  

   Eustice, Scott; Schrott, Jackson; Stöltzel, Anke; Wolf, Julian; Novoa, Diego; Cassella, Kayleigh; Stamper-Kurn, Dan M (April 2025, Physical Review Research)

   We realize a magneto-optical trap (MOT) of titanium (Ti) atoms, performing laser cooling on the 498 nm transition between the long-lived $3{\mathrm{d}}^3\left({}^4\mathrm{F}\right)4\mathrm{s}{\mathrm{a}}^5{\mathrm{F}}_5$metastable state and the $3{\mathrm{d}}^3\left({}^4\mathrm{F}\right)4\mathrm{p}{\mathrm{y}}^5{\mathrm{G}}_6^{\mathrm{o}}$excited state. Without the addition of any repumping light, we observe MOTs of the three stable, $I=0$bosonic isotopes, ${}^{46}\mathrm{Ti}, {}^{48}\mathrm{Ti}$, and ${}^{50}\mathrm{Ti}$. Up to $8.30\left(26\right)\times {10}^5{}^{48}\mathrm{Ti}$atoms are trapped at a maximum density of $1.3\left(4\right)\times {10}^{11}{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$and at a temperature of $90\left(15\right)\mu \mathrm{K}$. By measuring the decay of the MOT, we constrain the leakage branching ratio of the cooling transition ( $\le 2.5\times {10}^{-6}$) and the two-body loss coefficient ( $\le 2\times {10}^{-10}{\mathrm{cm}}^3{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$). Our approach to laser cooling Ti can be applied to other transition metals, enabling a significant expansion of the elements that can be laser cooled. Published by the American Physical Society2025 

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2. Strength measurements of the $E_{\mathrm{R}}^{\mathrm{lab}}=647$ and 1842 keV resonances in the ${}^{40}\mathrm{Ca}(p,\gamma ){}^{41}\mathrm{Sc}$ reaction and their relevance in novae nucleosynthesis

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.111.025804  

   Sidhu, R S; deBoer, R J; Görres, J; Wiescher, M; Koros, J; Manukyan, K; Matney, M; McDonaugh, J; Picciotto, V; Sanchez, A T; et al (February 2025, Physical Review C)

   Here we report on the direct measurement of the resonance strengths of the $E_{\mathrm{R}}^{\mathrm{lab}}=647\mathrm{keV}$and 1842 keV resonances in the ${}^{40}\mathrm{Ca}(p,\gamma ){}^{41}\mathrm{Sc}$reaction. At novae temperatures, $0.2<T_9<0.7$, the ${}^{40}\mathrm{Ca}(p,\gamma ){}^{41}\mathrm{Sc}$reaction is governed by the low energy resonance at $E_{\mathrm{R}}^{\mathrm{lab}}=647\mathrm{keV}$, whereas the $E_{\mathrm{R}}^{\mathrm{lab}}=1842\mathrm{keV}$resonance serves as a normalization standard for nuclear reaction experiments within the astrophysically relevant energy range. For the $E_{\mathrm{R}}^{\mathrm{lab}}=647\mathrm{keV}$resonance, we obtain a resonance strength $\omega \gamma =(2.51\pm 0.{09}_{\mathrm{stat}}\pm 0.{22}_{\mathrm{syst}})\mathrm{meV}$, with an uncertainty a factor of 2.5 smaller than the previous direct measurement value. For the $E_{\mathrm{R}}^{\mathrm{lab}}=1842\mathrm{keV}$resonance, we obtain a resonance strength $\omega \gamma =(0.148\pm 0.{006}_{\mathrm{stat}}\pm 0.{013}_{\mathrm{syst}})\mathrm{eV}$, which is consistent with previous studies but deviates by $2\sigma$from the most recent measurement. Our results suggest ${}^{40}\mathrm{Ca}$to be a strong waiting point in the nucleosynthesis path of oxygen-neon (ONe) novae. Published by the American Physical Society2025 

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3. Deformation and Collectivity in Doubly Magic ${}^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.062502  

   Henderson, J; Heery, J; Rocchini, M; Siciliano, M; Sensharma, N; Ayangeakaa, A D; Janssens, R_V F; Kowalewski, T M; Abhishek; Stevenson, P D; et al (February 2025, Physical Review Letters)

   Lead-208 is the heaviest known doubly magic nucleus and its structure is therefore of special interest. Despite this magicity, which acts to provide a strong restorative force toward sphericity, it is known to exhibit both strong octupole correlations and some of the strongest quadrupole collectivity observed in doubly magic systems. In this Letter, we employ state-of-the-art experimental equipment to conclusively demonstrate, through four Coulomb-excitation measurements, the presence of a large, negative, spectroscopic quadrupole moment for both the vibrational octupole $3_1^{-}$and quadrupole $2_1^{+}$state, indicative of a preference for prolate deformation of the states. The observed quadrupole moment is discussed in the context of the expected splitting of the $3^{-}\otimes 3^{-}$two-phonon states, due to the coupling of the quadrupole and octupole motion. These results are compared with theoretical values from three different methods, which are unable to reproduce both the sign and magnitude of this deformation. Thus, in spite of its well-studied nature, ${}^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$remains a puzzle for our understanding of nuclear structure. Published by the American Physical Society2025 

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4. Properties of Cosmic Deuterons Measured by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.261001  

   Aguilar, M; Alpat, B; Ambrosi, G; Anderson, H; Arruda, L; Attig, N; Bagwell, C; Barao, F; Barbanera, M; Barrin, L; et al (June 2024, Physical Review Letters)

   Precision measurements by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) on the International Space Station of the deuteron ( $D$) flux are presented. The measurements are based on $21\times {10}^6$ $D$nuclei in the rigidity range from 1.9 to 21 GV collected from May 2011 to April 2021. We observe that over the entire rigidity range the $D$flux exhibits nearly identical time variations with the $p$, ${}^3\mathrm{He}$, and ${}^4\mathrm{He}$fluxes. Above 4.5 GV, the $D/{}^4\mathrm{He}$flux ratio is time independent and its rigidity dependence is well described by a single power law $\propto R^{\mathrm{\Delta }}$with ${\mathrm{\Delta }}_{D/{}^4\mathrm{He}}=-0.108\pm 0.005$. This is in contrast with the ${}^3\mathrm{He}/{}^4\mathrm{He}$flux ratio for which we find ${\mathrm{\Delta }}_{{}^3\mathrm{He}/{}^4\mathrm{He}}=-0.289\pm 0.003$. Above $\sim 13\mathrm{GV}$we find a nearly identical rigidity dependence of the $D$and $p$fluxes with a $D/p$flux ratio of $0.027\pm 0.001$. These unexpected observations indicate that cosmic deuterons have a sizable primarylike component. With a method independent of cosmic ray propagation, we obtain the primary component of the $D$flux equal to $9.4\pm 0.5\%$of the ${}^4\mathrm{He}$flux and the secondary component of the $D$flux equal to $58\pm 5\%$of the ${}^3\mathrm{He}$flux. Published by the American Physical Society2024 

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5. Increased atom-cavity coupling through cooling-induced atomic reorganization

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.L032049  

   Shu, Chi; Colombo, Simone; Li, Zeyang; Adiyatullin, Albert; Mendez, Enrique; Pedrozo-Peñafiel, Edwin; Vuletić, Vladan (September 2024, Physical Review Research)

   The strong coupling of atoms to optical cavities can improve optical lattice clocks as the cavity enables metrologically useful collective atomic entanglement and high-fidelity measurement. To this end, it is necessary to cool the ensemble to suppress motional broadening, and advantageous to maximize and homogenize the atom-cavity coupling. We demonstrate resolved Raman sideband cooling via the cavity as a method that can simultaneously achieve both goals. In 200 ms of Raman sideband cooling, we cool ${}^{171}\mathrm{Yb}$atoms to an average vibration number $\langle n_x\rangle =0.23\left(7\right)$in the tightly binding direction, resulting in $93\%$optical $\pi$-pulse fidelity on the clock transition ${}^{1}S_0\to {}^{3}P_0$. During cooling, the atoms self-organize into locations with maximal atom-cavity coupling, which will improve quantum metrology applications. Published by the American Physical Society2024 

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