Physics Commons^™

Probing The Electroweak Phase Transition With Exotic Higgs Decays, Marcela Carena, Jonathan Kozaczuk, Zhen Liu, Tong Ou, Michael J. Ramsey-Musolf, Jessie Shelton, Yikun Wang, Ke-Pan Xie

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

An essential goal of the Higgs physics program at the LHC and beyond is to explore the nature of the Higgs potential and shed light on the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking. An important class of models alter the thermal history of electroweak symmetry breaking from the predictions of the Standard Model (SM). This paper reviews the existence of a region of parameter space where a strong first-order electroweak phase transition is compatible with exotic decays of the SM-like Higgs boson. A dedicated search for exotic Higgs decays can actively explore this framework at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), while …

Interaction Of ΒL- And Γ-Crystallin With Phospholipid Membrane Using Atomic Force Microscopy, Nawal K. Khadka, Preston Hazen, Dieter Haemmerle, Laxman Mainali

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Highly concentrated lens proteins, mostly β- and γ-crystallin, are responsible for maintaining the structure and refractivity of the eye lens. However, with aging and cataract formation, β- and γ-crystallin are associated with the lens membrane or other lens proteins forming high-molecular-weight proteins, which further associate with the lens membrane, leading to light scattering and cataract development. The mechanism by which β- and γ-crystallin are associated with the lens membrane is unknown. This work aims to study the interaction of β- and γ-crystallin with the phospholipid membrane with and without cholesterol (Chol) with the overall goal of understanding the role of …

Hydroxyapatite-Based Coatings On Silicon Wafers And Printed Zirconia, Antoine Chauvin

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Dental surgery needs a naturally attract implant design that can ensure both osseointegration and soft tissue integration. Hydroxyapatite (HAp), the main mineral constituent of dentine and tooth enamel, is commonly used as a coating component, notably for overlaying titanium– or ceramics–based implants. This thesis aims to investigate the behavior of a HAp-based coating, specifically designed to be compatible with a porous substrate. Coating layers are made by sol–gel dip coating by immersion of porous substrates made by additive manufacturing into solutions of HAp, having been mixed with polyethyleneimine (PEI), to improve the adhesion of HAp on the substrate. First, the …

Impact Of Silicon Ion Irradiation On Aluminum Nitride-Transduced Microelectromechanical Resonators, David D. Lynes, Joshua Young, Eric Lang, Hengky Chandrahalim

Faculty Publications

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators use is widespread, from electronic filters and oscillators to physical sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes. These devices' ubiquity, small size, and low power consumption make them ideal for use in systems such as CubeSats, micro aerial vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, and micro-robots operating in radiation environments. Radiation's interaction with materials manifests as atomic displacement and ionization, resulting in mechanical and electronic property changes, photocurrents, and charge buildup. This study examines silicon (Si) ion irradiation's interaction with piezoelectrically transduced MEMS resonators. Furthermore, the effect of adding a dielectric silicon oxide (SiO₂) thin film is …

Broadband Quantum Enhancement Of The Ligo Detectors With Frequency-Dependent Squeezing, D. Ganapathy, W. Jia, M. Nakano, V. Xu, N. Aritomi, T. Cullen, N. Kijbunchoo, S. E. Dwyer, Francisco Llamas, Volker Quetschke

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Quantum noise imposes a fundamental limitation on the sensitivity of interferometric gravitational-wave detectors like LIGO, manifesting as shot noise and quantum radiation pressure noise. Here, we present the first realization of frequency-dependent squeezing in full-scale gravitational-wave detectors, resulting in the reduction of both shot noise and quantum radiation pressure noise, with broadband detector enhancement from tens of hertz to several kilohertz. In the LIGO Hanford detector, squeezing reduced the detector noise amplitude by a factor of 1.6 (4.0 dB) near 1 kHz; in the Livingston detector, the noise reduction was a factor of 1.9 (5.8 dB). These improvements directly impact …

A Simple, Isotropic Depolarized Light Source, Keith Foreman, T. J. Gay

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

Unpolarized light can be an important tool in optical experiments. Producing it, however, can prove to be a challenge. Natural sources of light that are commonly thought of as unpolarized are, in fact, either weakly polarized or not practical sources of light in a laboratory setting. Standard, commercially available light depolarizers produce unpolarized light only after the polarization state of the light across the diameter of the output beam has been averaged. Locally, such beams are highly polarized. In this work, we report a simple, low cost light depolarizer capable of producing light with a total polarization of less than …

Breakdown Of The Drift-Diffusion Model For Transverse Spin Transport In A Disordered Pt Film, Kirill D. Belashchenko, Giovanni G. Baez Flores, Wuzhang Fang, Alexey Kovalev, Mark Van Schilfgaarde, Paul M. Haney, Mark D. Stiles

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

Spin-accumulation and spin-current profiles are calculated for a disordered Pt film subjected to an in-plane electric current within the nonequilibrium Green's function approach. In the bulklike region of the sample, this approach captures the intrinsic spin Hall effect found in other calculations. Near the surfaces, the results reveal qualitative differences with the results of the widely used spin-diffusion model, even when the boundary conditions are modified to try to account for them. One difference is that the effective spin-diffusion length for transverse spin transport is significantly different from its longitudinal counterpart and is instead similar to the mean-free path. This …

Majorana Bound States In A D-Wave Superconductor Planar Josephson Junction, Hamed Vakili, Moaz Ali, Mohamed Elekhtiar, Alexey Kovalev

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

We study phase-controlled planar Josephson junctions comprising a two-dimensional electron gas with strong spin-orbit coupling and d-wave superconductors, which have an advantage of a high critical temperature. We show that a region between the two superconductors can be tuned into a topological state by the in-plane Zeeman field, and can host Majorana bound states. The phase diagram as a function of the Zeeman field, chemical potential, and the phase difference between superconductors exhibits the appearance of Majorana bound states for a wide range of parameters. We further investigate the behavior of the topological gap and its dependence on the …

The High Pressure Dependence Of X-Ray Induced Decomposition Of Cadmium Oxalate, Adrian F. Lua Sanchez, Petrika Cifligu, Marc Graff, Michael Pravica, Pradip K. Bhowmik, Changyong Park, Egor Evlyukhin

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research

The high proclivity of x rays to destabilize and distort molecular structures has been previously utilized in the synthesis of novel compounds. Here, we show that x-ray induced decomposition of cadmium oxalate induces chemical and structural transformations only at 0.5 and 1 GPa. Using x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, the synthesized product is identified as cadmium carbonate with cadmium oxalate remnants, which is stable under ambient conditions. At ambient and >1 GPa pressures, only degradation of the electronic density distribution is observed. The transformation kinetics are examined in terms of Avrami’s model, which demonstrates that despite the necessity of high …

A Framework To Validate Fluorescently Labeled Dna-Binding Proteins For Single-Molecule Experiments, Miranda L. Molina, Lindsey E. Way, Zhongqing Ren, Qin Liao, Bianca Guerra, Brandon Shields, Xindan Wang, Hyeongjun Kim

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Due to the enhanced labeling capability of maleimide-based fluorescent probes, lysine-cysteine-lysine (KCK) tags are frequently added to proteins for visualization. In this study, we employed an in vitro single-molecule DNA flow-stretching assay as a sensitive way to assess the impact of the KCK tag on the property of DNA-binding proteins. Using Bacillus subtilis ParB as an example, we show that, although no noticeable changes were detected by in vivo fluorescence imaging and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, the KCK tag substantially altered ParB's DNA compaction rates and its response to nucleotide binding and to the presence of the specific sequence (parS) …

Using Dna Flow-Stretching Assay As A Tool To Validate The Tagging Of Dna-Binding Proteins For Single-Molecule Experiments, Miranda Molina, Lindsey E. Way, Zhongqing Ren, Qin Liao, Bianca Guerra, Brandon Shields, Xindan Wang, Hyeongjun Kim

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Highlights

• KCK tag can alter protein properties both quantitatively and qualitatively

• Electrostatic interactions between the KCK tag and DNA contribute to the artifacts

• Adding a short peptide tag to ParB protein does not lead to its in vivo changes

• Single-molecule DNA flow-stretching assay can detect protein property changes

Motivation

Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy has been extensively used in modern biology to define the molecular action of proteins. Appending short peptide tags is a common strategy to enhance fluorescence labeling. Here, we evaluate the impact of a commonly used tag, the lysine-cysteine-lysine (KCK) tag, on protein behavior in single-molecule DNA flow-stretching assay, …

Active-Illumination Extension To The Priest And Meier Pbrdf, Mark F. Spencer, Milo W. Hyde Iv, Santasri R. Bose-Pillai, Michael A. Marciniak

Faculty Publications

This paper develops a 3D vector solution for the scattering of partially coherent laser-beam illumination from statistically rough surfaces. Such a solution enables a rigorous comparison to the well-known Priest and Meier polarimetric bidirectional reflectance distribution function (pBRDF) [Opt Eng 41(5),988 (2002).]. Overall, the comparison shows excellent agreement for the normalized spectral density and the degree of polarization. Based on this agreement, the 3D vector solution also enables an extension to the Priest and Meier pBRDF that accounts for the effects of active illumination. In particular, the 3D vector solution enables the development of a closed-form expression for the spectral …

Biosynthesis Of Mgo Nanoparticles And Their Impact On The Properties Of The Pva/Gelatin Nanocomposites For Smart Food Packaging Applications, Mohamed Morsy

Nanotechnology Research Centre

No abstract provided.

Fast-Askap Synergy: Quantifying Coexistent Tidal And Ram Pressure Strippings In The Ngc 4636 Group, Xuchen Lin, Jing Wang, Virginia Kilborn, Eric W. Peng, Luca Cortese, Alessandro Boselli, Ze-Zhong Liang, Bumhyun Lee, Dong Yang, Juan P. Madrid

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Combining new H I data from a synergetic survey of Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) Widefield ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind surveY and Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope with the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA data, we study the effect of ram pressure and tidal interactions in the NGC 4636 group. We develop two parameters to quantify and disentangle these two effects on gas stripping in H I-bearing galaxies: the strength of external forces at the optical-disk edge, and the outside-in extents of H I-disk stripping. We find that gas stripping is widespread in this group, affecting 80% of H …

Homonuclear Ultracold Elastic S-Wave Collisions Of Alkali-Metal Atoms Via Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory, Alyson T. Laskowski, Nirav P. Mehta

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Research

Multichannel quantum-defect theory (MQDT) provides a powerful toolkit for describing and understanding collisions of cold alkali-metal atoms. Various MQDT approximations differ primarily in how they characterize the so-called short-ranged K matrix K_sr, which encapsulates the short-ranged physics into a handful of low-energy parameters that exhibit simple and smooth dependence on energy and field. Here, we compare three different methods for computing K_sr for homonuclear collisions of alkali-metal atoms, from lithium to cesium. The MQDT calculations are benchmarked against numerically converged coupled-channels calculations that use a log-derivative propagator out to the asymptotic region. We study how well these …

Whittle, Charles Edward, Jr., 1931-2012 (Sc 3698), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3698. Well-illustrated biographical volume on the life, career and family of Charles E. Whittle, Jr., a Brownsville, Kentucky native who served as a physics professor at Western Kentucky University and at Centre College, and as a senior scientist at Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Enhancement Of Er Luminescence From Bridge-Type Photonic Crystal Nanocavities With Er, O-Co-Doped Gaas, Zhidong Fang, Jun Tatebayashi, Ryohei Homi, Masayuki Ogawa, Hirotake Kajii, Masahiko Kondow, Kyoko Kitamura, Brandon Mitchell, Shuhei Ichikawa, Yasufumi Fujiwara

Physics & Engineering Faculty Publications

A bridge-type photonic crystal (PhC) nanocavity based on Er,O-codoped GaAs is employed to realize enhancement of Er luminescence. By adjusting the structural design and measurement temperature, the cavity mode's wavelength can be coupled to Er luminescence. The peak emission intensity from an Er-2O defect center was enhanced 7.3 times at 40 nW pump power and 77 K. The experimental Q-factor is estimated to be over 1.2 x 104, and the luminescence intensity shows superlinearity with excitation power, suggesting Er luminescence amplification. This result would pave the way towards the realization of highly efficient single-photon emitters based on rare-earth elements.

Observation Of Τ Lepton Pair Production In Ultraperipheral Pb-Pb Collisions At √SNn=5.02 Tev, A. Tumasyan

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

We present an observation of photon-photon production of τ lepton pairs in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions. The measurement is based on a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 404 μb⁻¹ collected by the CMS experiment at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of √s_NN = 5.02 TeV. The γγ → τ⁺τ⁻ process is observed for τ⁺τ⁻ events with a muon and three charged hadrons in the final state. The measured fiducial cross section is σ(γγ → τ⁺τ^-) = 4.8 ± 0.6(stat) ± 0.5(syst) μb, where the second …

Scaling Isolated-Attosecond-Pulse Duration By Controlling A Trajectory Parameter, Dian Peng, Jean Marcel Ngoko Djiokap

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

Reaching an ever shorter duration of isolated attosecond pulses (IAPs) is an ongoing mission in attosecond science. Wide usage of long-wavelength driving lasers has greatly broadened bandwidths for generating IAPs. We propose a strategy to further exploit the ability of a long-wavelength laser in producing short IAPs. We introduce a scaling relationship between IAP duration and a trajectory parameter that is associated with the classical cutoff trajectory of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) in gases. This trajectory parameter can facilitate in shortening IAP duration by shaping laser waveform. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our methods with calculations of HHG from Ne …

The Accumulation And Growth Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa On Surfaces Is Modulated By Surface Mechanics Via Cyclic-Di-Gmp Signaling, Liyun Wang, Yu-Chern Wong, Joshua M. Correira, Megan Wancura, Chris J. Geiger, Shanice S. Webster, Ahmed Touhami, Benjamin J. Butler, George A. O’Toole, Richard M. Langford

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Attachment of bacteria onto a surface, consequent signaling, and accumulation and growth of the surface-bound bacterial population are key initial steps in the formation of pathogenic biofilms. While recent reports have hinted that surface mechanics may affect the accumulation of bacteria on that surface, the processes that underlie bacterial perception of surface mechanics and modulation of accumulation in response to surface mechanics remain largely unknown. We use thin and thick hydrogels coated on glass to create composite materials with different mechanics (higher elasticity for thin composites; lower elasticity for thick composites) but with the same surface adhesivity and chemistry. The …

An Introduction To The Veritas Observatory, Alexander Biddle, Ian Kuhl, Jingze (Justin) Zhou, Avery Archer

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Located at the base of Mount Hopkins, Arizona, at an elevation of approximately 4200 feet, the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) is a ground-based gamma ray observatory containing four Cherenkov telescopes designed to detect very high energy gamma rays with energies ranging from 100GeV to 10TeV using the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Technique. In April 2007, VERITAS began successful operations with all four telescopes. As of today, over 15 years of data has been taken by the VERITAS array, stored in an archive of data, and used for a wide variety of research, publications, PhD theses, and conventions …

Analysis Of The Crab Nebula And Pulsar, Alexander Biddle, Ian Kuhl, Jingze (Justin) Zhou, Avery Archer

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Although the Crab Nebula is well understood, the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) still regularly observes the Crab's highest energy emissions. These emissions are used to calibrate the telescopes, further, document the system, and investigate the validity of physical models. Our research this summer is geared to analyze data from 2018-2022 to add to an ongoing research project investigating the long term variability of the Crab Nebula’s emission.

Fast And Slow Microphysics Regimes In A Minimalist Model Of Cloudy Rayleigh-Bénard Convection, Raymond A. Shaw, Subin Thomas, Prasanth Prabhakaran, Will Cantrell, Mikhail Ovchinnikov, Fan Yang

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 2

A minimalist model of microphysical properties in cloudy Rayleigh-Bénard convection is developed based on mass and number balances for cloud droplets growing by vapor condensation. The model is relevant to a turbulent mixed-layer in which a steady forcing of supersaturation can be defined, e.g., a model of the cloudy boundary layer or a convection-cloud chamber. The model assumes steady injection of aerosol particles that are activated to form cloud droplets, and the removal of cloud droplets through sedimentation. Simplifying assumptions include the consideration of mean properties in steady state, neglect of coalescence growth, and no detailed representation of the droplet …

Fermion Pair Radiation From Accelerating Classical Systems, Margarita Gavrilova, Mitrajyoti Ghosh, Yuval Grossman, Walter Tangarife, Tien-Hsueh Tsai

Physics: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Accelerating classical systems that couple to a fermion-antifermion pair at the microscopic level can radiate pairs of fermions and lose energy in the process. In this work, we derive the generalization of the Larmor formula for fermion pair radiation. We focus on the case of a point-like classical source in an elliptical orbit that emits fermions through vector and scalar mediators. Ultra-light fermion emission from such systems becomes relevant when the mass of the mediator is larger than the frequency of the periodic motion. This enables us to probe regions of the parameter space that are inaccessible in on-shell bosonic …

Electrode Effect On Ferroelectricity In Free-Standing Membranes Of Pbzr0.2Ti0.8O3, Qiuchen Wu, Kun Wang, Alyssa Simpson, Yifei Hao, Jia Wang, Dawei Li, Xia Hong

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

We report the effects of screening capacity, surface roughness, and interfacial epitaxy of the bottom electrodes on the polarization switching, domain wall (DW) roughness, and ferroelectric Curie temperature (T_C) of PbZr_0.2Ti_0.8O₃ (PZT)- based free-standing membranes. Singe crystalline 10−50 nm (001) PZT and PZT/La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ (LSMO) membranes are prepared on Au, correlated oxide LSMO, and two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor MoS₂ base layers. Switching the polarization of PZT yields nonvolatile current modulation in the MoS₂ channel at room temperature, with an on/off ratio of up to 2 × 10^{5 …}

Signatures Of Feedback In The Spectacular Extended Emission Region Of Ngc 5972, Thomas Harvey, W. Peter Maksym, William Keel, Michael Koss, Vardha N. Bennert, S. Drew Chojnowski, Ezequiel Treister, Carolina Finlez, Chris J. Lintott, Alexei Moiseev, Brooke D. Simmons, Lia F. Sartori, Megan Urry

Physics

We present Chandra X-ray Observatory observations and Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph spectra of NGC 5972, one of the 19 ‘Voorwerpjes’ galaxies. This galaxy contains an extended emission-line region (EELR) and an arcsecond scale nuclear bubble. NGC 5972 is a faded active galactic nucleus (AGN), with EELR luminosity suggesting a 2.1 dex decrease in L_bol in the last ∼5 ×10⁴ yr. We investigate the role of AGN feedback in exciting the EELR and bubble given the long-term variability and potential accretion state changes. We detect broad-band (0.3–8 keV) X-ray emission in the near-nuclear regions, coincident with the [O III …

A Review On Antibacterial Activity Of Nanoparticles, Badr-Edine Sadoq, Mohammed Reda Britel, Adel Bouajaj, Ramzi Maâlej, Ahmed Touhami, Marwa Abid, Hanen Douiri, Fakhita Touhami, Amal Maurady

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

The increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotic agents is a main global public health problem. The use of nanoparticles is one of the promising ways to overcome microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents. Metal nanoparticles are increasingly used to target bacterial strains. Advances in nanotechnology, in particular the ability to synthesize nanoparticles of specific size and shape, are likely to lead to the development of new antibacterial agents. The antibacterial activities of nanoparticles are largely influenced by their sizes and large surface area/mass ratio. The antibacterial mechanisms of nanoparticles are poorly understood, but the currently accepted mechanisms include oxidative stress induction, …

Augerprime Surface Detector Electronics, A. Abdul Halim, P. Abreu, M. Aglietta, P. Allison, I. Allekotte, K. Almeida Cheminant, B. Fick, K. Nguyen, D. Nitz, A. Puyleart, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 2

Operating since 2004, the Pierre Auger Observatory has led to major advances in our understanding of the ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. The latest findings have revealed new insights that led to the upgrade of the Observatory, with the primary goal of obtaining information on the primary mass of the most energetic cosmic rays on a shower-by-shower basis. In the framework of the upgrade, called AugerPrime, the 1660 water-Cherenkov detectors of the surface array are equipped with plastic scintillators and radio antennas, allowing us to enhance the composition sensitivity. To accommodate new detectors and to increase experimental capabilities, the electronics is also …

Interferometry Of Efimov States In Thermal Gases By Modulated Magnetic Fields, G. Bougas, Simeon I. Mistakidis, P. Schmelcher, C. H. Greene, P. Giannakeas

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We Demonstrate That An Interferometer Based On Modulated Magnetic Field Pulses Enables Precise Characterization Of The Energies And Lifetimes Of Efimov Trimers Irrespective Of The Magnitude And Sign Of The Interactions In Rb85 Thermal Gases. Despite Thermal Effects, Interference Fringes Develop When The Dark Time Between The Pulses Is Varied. This Enables The Selective Excitation Of Coherent Superpositions Of Trimer, Dimer, And Free-Atom States. The Interference Patterns Possess Two Distinct Damping Timescales At Short And Long Dark Times That Are Either Equal To Or Twice As Long As The Lifetime Of Efimov Trimers, Respectively. Specifically, This Behavior At Long Dark …

Search For Subsolar-Mass Black Hole Binaries In The Second Part Of Advanced Ligo’S And Advanced Virgo’S Third Observing Run, R. Abbott, H. Abe, F. Acernese, Teviet Creighton, Mario C. Diaz, Francisco Llamas, Soma Mukherjee, Gaukhar Nurbek, Volker Quetschke, Wenhui Wang

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

We describe a search for gravitational waves from compact binaries with at least one component with mass 0.2 –1.0M⊙ and mass ratio q ≥ 0.1 in Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Advanced Virgo data collected between 2019 November 1, 15:00 UTC and 2020 March 27, 17:00 UTC. No signals were detected. The most significant candidate has a false alarm rate of 0.2yr−1 ⁠. We estimate the sensitivity of our search over the entirety of Advanced LIGO’s and Advanced Virgo’s third observing run, and present the most stringent limits to date on the merger rate of binary black holes …