Axion search with BabyIAXO in view of IAXO

Axions are a natural consequence of the Peccei-Quinn mechanism, the most compelling solution to the strong-CP problem. Similar axion-like particles (ALPs) also appear in a number of possible extensions of the Standard Model, notably in string theories. Both axions and ALPs are very well motivated candidates for Dark Matter, and in addition, they would be copiously produced at the sun's core. A relevant effort during the last decade has been the CAST experiment at CERN, the most sensitive axion helioscope to-date. The International Axion Observatory (IAXO) is a large-scale 4th generation helioscope. As its primary physics goal, IAXO will look for solar axions or ALPs with a signal to backgro…

GEANT4 simulation of the neutron background of the C6D6 set-up for capture studies at n_TOF

The neutron sensitivity of the C6D6 detector setup used at n_TOF facility for capture measurements has been studied by means of detailed GEANT4 simulations. A realistic software replica of the entire n_TOF experimental hall, including the neutron beam line, sample, detector supports and the walls of the experimental area has beeni mplemented in the simulations. The simulations have been analyzed in the same manner as experimental data, in particular by applying the Pulse Height Weighting Technique. The simulations have been validated against a measurement of the neutron background performed with anatC sample, showing an excellent agreement above 1 keV. At lower energies, an additional compo…

Nanoelectron spectroscopy for chemical analysis: a novel energy filter for imaging x-ray photoemission spectroscopy

An ovel instrument for imaging ESCA is described. It is based on a tandem arrangement of two hemispherical energy analysers used as an imaging energy filter. The main spherical aberration (α 2 -term) of the analyser is corrected by the antisymmetry of the tandem configuration. The kinetic energy range useable for imaging extends up to 1.6 keV; this is compatible with Mg and Al Kα laboratory x-ray sources. First experiments on the chemical surface composition of a Cu0.98Bi0.02 polycrystal, a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure and Ag crystallites on Si(111) have been performed using synchrotron radiation. The results reveal an energy resolutio no f190 meV and a lateral resolution (edge resolution) o…

Neutron capture cross section measurement ofU238at the CERN n_TOF facility in the energy region from 1 eV to 700 keV

The aim of this work is to provide a precise and accurate measurement of the U238(n,γ) reaction cross section in the energy region from 1 eV to 700 keV. This reaction is of fundamental importance for the design calculations of nuclear reactors, governing the behavior of the reactor core. In particular, fast reactors, which are experiencing a growing interest for their ability to burn radioactive waste, operate in the high energy region of the neutron spectrum. In this energy region most recent evaluations disagree due to inconsistencies in the existing measurements of up to 15%. In addition, the assessment of nuclear data uncertainty performed for innovative reactor systems shows that the u…

The thermal neutron capture cross section of the radioactive isotope $^{60}$Fe

50% of the heavy element abundances are produced via slow neutron capture reactions in different stellar scenarios. The underlying nucleosynthesis models need the input of neutron capture cross sections. One of the fundamental signatures for active nucleosynthesis in our galaxy is the observation of long-lived radioactive isotopes, such as $^{60}$Fe with a half-life of $2.60\times10^6$ yr. To reproduce this $\gamma$-activity in the universe, the nucleosynthesis of $^{60}$Fe has to be understood reliably. A $^{60}$Fe sample produced at the Paul-Scherrer-Institut was activated with thermal and epithermal neutrons at the research reactor at the Johannes Gutenberg-Universit\"at Mainz. The therm…

NanoESCA: imaging UPS and XPS with high energy resolution

Abstract A novel imaging electron spectrometer has been used for laterally resolved ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) in the soft X-ray range. The instrument is based on a high-resolution emission microscope optics using a cathode lens and an imaging dispersive analyser. The analyser is corrected for the leading aberration term ( α 2 -term) by means of two hemispherical analysers in antisymmetric configuration with an appropriate transfer lens. Small-area spectra as well as energy-filtered images have been taken in the soft X-ray range for a meteorite sample and in the range of the d-band of a Cu polycrystal. An energy resolution of 106 …

Quantitative microscopy of magnetic domains in Fe(100) by core-level x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

We present an experimental technique for imaging of magnetic domain patterns based on element-specific core-level photoemission using polarized soft-x-ray radiation. It is applied to the measurement of domain patterns at the Fe(100) surface and at the surface of polycrystalline Fe. Different from well established imaging techniques that use a photoemission electron microscope to measure the secondary electron intensity at the Fe absorption threshold, we have investigated the photoemission intensity contrast on the the Fe $2{p}_{3∕2}$ core level using circularly polarized x-ray light. The linear and circular dichroism characteristics of the identical domain pattern are extracted by linear co…

Serum levels of substance P are decreased in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Morphological and immunohistochemical studies in diabetic subjects have shown a depletion of the neuropeptide substance P (SP) in the central and peripheral nervous system. This is the first study investigating serum levels of substance P in type 1 diabetes patients (n=50) and controls (n=75) by means of an enzyme immunoassay. The serum level of SP was significantly decreased in the diabetic group compared to the control group (10.12+/-0.29 vs. 12.25+/-0.38 pg/ml; p<0.0001). In diabetic patients, there was no correlation of substance P levels with age, serum creatinine, albuminuria, total cholesterol, HDL- or LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, HbA1c, type or duration of diabetes and gender. Fu…

Experimental neutron capture data of 58Ni from the CERN n_TOF facility

The $^{58}$Ni $(n,\gamma)$ cross section has been measured at the neutron time of flight facility n_TOF at CERN, in the energy range from 27 meV up to 400 keV. In total, 51 resonances have been analyzed up to 122 keV. Maxwellian averaged cross sections (MACS) have been calculated for stellar temperatures of kT$=$5-100 keV with uncertainties of less than 6%, showing fair agreement with recent experimental and evaluated data up to kT = 50 keV. The MACS extracted in the present work at 30 keV is 34.2$\pm$0.6$_\mathrm{stat}\pm$1.8$_\mathrm{sys}$ mb, in agreement with latest results and evaluations, but 12% lower relative to the recent KADoNIS compilation of astrophysical cross sections. When in…

Next Generation Search for Axion and ALP Dark Matter with the International Axion Observatory

International audience; More than 80 years after the postulation of dark matter, its nature remains one of the fundamental questions in cosmology. Axions are currently one of the leading candidates for the hypothetical, non-baryonic dark matter that is expected to account for about 25% of the energy density of the Universe. Especially in the light of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN slowly closing in on Weakly-Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) searches, axions and axion-like particles (ALPs) provide a viable alternative approach to solving the dark matter problem. The fact that makes them particularly appealing is that they were initially introduced to solve a long-standing problem in qu…

First results of the CAST-RADES haloscope search for axions at 34.67 $��$eV

We present results of the Relic Axion Dark-Matter Exploratory Setup (RADES), a detector which is part of the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST), searching for axion dark matter in the 34.67$��$eV mass range. A radio frequency cavity consisting of 5 sub-cavities coupled by inductive irises took physics data inside the CAST dipole magnet for the first time using this filter-like haloscope geometry. An exclusion limit with a 95% credibility level on the axion-photon coupling constant of g$_{a��}\gtrsim 4\times10^{-13} \text{GeV}^{-1}$ over a mass range of 34.6738 $��$eV &lt; $m_a$ &lt; 34.6771 $��$eV is set. This constitutes a significant improvement over the current strongest limit set by CAST…

Measurement of the Spectral Shape of the β -Decay of Xe137 to the Ground State of Cs137 in EXO-200 and Comparison with Theory

We report on a comparison between the theoretically predicted and experimentally measured spectra of the first-forbidden nonunique β-decay transition ^{137}Xe(7/2^{-})→^{137}Cs(7/2^{+}). The experimental data were acquired by the EXO-200 experiment during a deployment of an AmBe neutron source. The ultralow background environment of EXO-200, together with dedicated source deployment and analysis procedures, allowed for collection of a pure sample of the decays, with an estimated signal to background ratio of more than 99 to 1 in the energy range from 1075 to 4175 keV. In addition to providing a rare and accurate measurement of the first-forbidden nonunique β-decay shape, this work constitut…

Resonance ionization of holmium for ion implantation in microcalorimeters

Abstract The determination of the electron neutrino mass by calorimetric measurement of the 163 Ho electron capture spectrum requires ultra-pure samples. Several collaborations, like ECHo or HOLMES, intend to employ microcalorimeters into which 163 Ho is implanted as an ion beam. This makes a selective and additionally very efficient ion source for holmium mandatory. For this purpose, laser resonance ionization of stable holmium 165 Ho was studied, using a three step excitation scheme driven by pulsed Ti:sapphire lasers. Five measurements with sample sizes of 10 14 and 10 15 atoms were performed for the efficiency investigation. In average, an excellent ionization efficiency of 32(5) % coul…

Search for Gravitational Waves Associated with Gamma-Ray Bursts Detected by Fermi and Swift during the LIGO-Virgo Run O3a

Abbott, R., et al. (LIGO and VIRGO Collaboration)

Scientific Proceedings Second International Symposium on Cytostatic Drug Resistance

Measurement of the Spectral Shape of the beta-decay of 137Xe to the Ground State of 137Cs in EXO-200 and Comparison with Theory

We report on a comparison between the theoretically predicted and experimentally measured spectra of the first-forbidden non-unique $\beta$-decay transition $^{137}\textrm{Xe}(7/2^-)\to\,^{137}\textrm{Cs}(7/2^+)$. The experimental data were acquired by the EXO-200 experiment during a deployment of an AmBe neutron source. The ultra-low background environment of EXO-200, together with dedicated source deployment and analysis procedures, allowed for collection of a pure sample of the decays, with an estimated signal-to-background ratio of more than 99-to-1 in the energy range from 1075 to 4175 keV. In addition to providing a rare and accurate measurement of the first-forbidden non-unique $\bet…