22 Search Results

The energy-momentum tensor (EMT) of the proton encodes fundamental information about its mass, pressure, and shear distributions. Using recent lattice QCD data for the gravitational form factors, we show that the Breit-frame Wigner EMT may be of Hawking-Ellis type IV in the proton’s core. Such EMT violates all pointwise energy conditions and lacks a causal rest frame so that the usual mechanical picture fails at short distances. We define the —a new hadronic observable—marking the scale where the EMT becomes ordinary (type I) and the classical interpretation is restored. We also derive from the averaged null energy condition nonperturbative, model-independentmore » quantum field theory constraints on gravitational form factors.« less

Single-crystal high-nickel oxide with an integral structure can prevent intergranular cracks and the associated detrimental reactions. Yet, its low surface-to-volume ratio makes surficial degradation a more critical factor in electrochemical performance. Herein, artificial proton-rich (ammonium bicarbonate) shell is successfully introduced on the nickel-rich LiNi_0.92Co_0.06Mn_0.02O₂ single crystals for in situ electrochemically conversing into inorganic maskant to enhance stability of cathode. The process is that the surficial enriched proton, once released from the ammonium bicarbonate shell (proton reservoir) during 1st charge, is immediately captured by LiPF₆, in situ electrochemically conversing to LiF and Li₃PO₄ sub-nano particle dense maskant (sub-nano F-&P-maskant). The inmore » situ formed compact nano F-&P-maskant significantly resists the cathode against electrolyte attack and improves the surface stability of particles during long-term cycling. Consequently, this surface modification enables 95% capacity retention after 100 cycles at a high voltage of 4.5 V in the half cell and 83% capacity retention after 800 cycles in the full cell. In conclusion, this work demonstrates a strategy for reconstructing the protective layer using the rational design of surficial enriched proton shells for advanced lithium batteries.« less

Electromagnetic polarizabilities are fundamental properties of the proton that characterize its response to an external electromagnetic (EM) field. The generalization of the EM polarizabilities to non-zero four-momentum transfer opens up a powerful path to study the internal structure of the proton. They map out the spatial distribution of the polarization densities in the proton, provide access to key dynamical mechanisms that contribute to the electric and magnetic polarizability effects, and allow for the determination of fundamental characteristics of the system, such as the electric and magnetic polarizability radii. This article reviews our knowledge about proton EM generalized polarizabilities (GPs). Anmore » introduction is given to the basic concepts and the theoretical framework, which is then followed by a discussion that emphasizes the recent developments and findings of the virtual Compton scattering (VCS) experiments and future perspectives on the topic.« less

Here, the effects of gamma and proton irradiation, and of forward bias minority carrier injection, on photo-response were investigated for InAsSb/AlAsSb pBn mid-wave infrared (MWIR) detectors with an engineered majority-carrier barrier. Room-temperature gamma irradiation had an insignificant effect on 77 K photo-response. Gamma irradiation at 77 K detector temperature, however, decreased in situ photo-response by 19% after a cumulative dose of ~ 500 krad(Si). Subsequent forward bias minority carrier injection had no effect on photo-response. The 77 K detectors irradiated with 30 MeV protons up to 2 Mrad(Si) had photo-response degraded by up to 70%, but here forward bias minoritymore » carrier (hole) injection caused up to 12% recovery that persisted more than 30 min. These results suggest a mitigation strategy for maintaining the photo-response of similar detectors in radiation environments that cause displacement damage defects.« less

Electron-hadron colliders are the ultimate tool for high-precision quantum chromodynamics studies and provide the ultimate microscope for probing the internal structure of hadrons. The electron is an ideal probe of the proton structure because it provides the unmatched precision of the electromagnetic interaction, as the virtual photon or vector bosons probe the proton structure in a clean environment, the kinematics of which is uniquely determined by the electron beam and the scattered lepton, or the hadronic final state accounting appropriately for radiation. The Hadron Electron Ring Accelerator HERA (DESY, Hamburg, Germany) was the only electron-hadron collider ever operated (1991–2007) andmore » advanced the knowledge of quantum chromodynamics and the proton structure, with implications for the physics studied in RHIC (BNL, Upton, NY) and the LHC (CERN, Geneva, Switzerland). Recent technological advances in the field of particle accelerators pave the way to realize next-generation electron-hadron colliders that deliver higher luminosity and enable collisions in a much broader range of energies and beam types than HERA. Electron-hadron colliders combine challenges from both electron and hadron machines besides facing their own distinct challenges derived from their intrinsic asymmetry. This review paper will discuss the major features and milestones of HERA and will examine the electron-hadron collider designs of the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) currently under construction at BNL, the CERN’s Large Hadron electron Collider (LHeC), at an advanced stage of design and awaiting approval, and the Future Circular lepton-hadron Collider (FCC-eh).« less

In inertial confinement fusion, electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) can be produced during high-power laser interacting with solid targets, which are intimately related to laser intensity and laser energy. In this study, EMPs generated by hybrid laser pulses coupling with targets are recorded and analyzed. The results indicate that a single picosecond laser gives birth to the most intense EMPs, but they are remarkably suppressed when a nanosecond laser-shooting target is triggered before the picosecond and femtosecond laser. One possible hypothesis is proposed based on x-rays inducing pre-ablation that generates pre-plasma at the surfaces of the picosecond target and femtosecond target, leadingmore » to a sharp drop both in the energy and number of the emitting hot electrons and protons. Here, the findings will deepen our understanding of the mechanism of EMPs' generation and will also open a new avenue to regulate EMPs by hybrid laser pulses.« less

The use of fused filament fabrication (FFF) acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and other thermoplastics in radiation environments is beginning to be studied as possible replacements for traditionally manufactured parts and tools. Interlayer adhesion within the mesostructure has been shown in published literature to be an integral component in the strength of FFF ABS. Research of irradiated 3D printed polymers has primarily focused on the influence of gamma irradiation on the mechanical properties of FFF ABS samples, without evaluating its impact on the mesostructure of the samples. The purpose of this paper is to understand the mechanical damage caused by protonmore » radiation on FFF ABS samples through the evaluation of the mesostructure of the ABS samples. To achieve this objective, proton radiation at 40 MeV was applied to FFF ABS samples at radiation doses up to 1.0 MGy at a dose rate of 1 MGy/hr. Following the irradiation, tensile testing was performed on the samples. Here, the fractured surfaces of the tested samples were subsequently observed using a scanning electron microscope. The mechanical test results show an increase in the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and a decrease in the ductility of the irradiated samples. Statistical analysis on the results shows that there is a statistically significant difference in the UTS and the ductility of unirradiated and 1.0 MGy irradiated samples and between irradiated samples and 1.0 MGy samples. In addition, the percentage elongation at break has statistically significant differences in the means between irradiated samples and 1.0 MGy samples. The UTS has statistically significant differences in the means between 0.1 MGy and 1.0 MGy. The difference in the means between the unirradiated and the 1.0 MGy samples is the most significant for both the UTS and elongation at break. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicated that interlayer adhesion improved as a function of radiation dose corresponding to the increase in tensile strength. The SEM results also showed that crazing and plastic deformation were reduced; aligning with the loss in ductility observed in the tensile tests results. The proton radiation is causing these mechanical and physical changes through two mechanisms: (1) dose rate effects on ionizing radiation-induced oxidative degradation; and (2) radiation heating effects of high energy (>1 MeV) charged particles.« less

In this report we have determined the proton and the neutron charge radii from a global analysis of the proton and the neutron elastic form factors, after first performing a flavor decomposition of these form factors under charge symmetry in the light cone frame formulation. We then extracted the transverse mean-square radii of the flavor dependent quark distributions. In turn, these are related in a model-independent way to the proton and neutron charge radii but allow us to take into account motion effects of the recoiling nucleon for data at finite but high momentum transfer. In the proton case wemore » find $$\langle r_p \rangle$$ = 0.852±0.002_(stat.) ± 0.009_(syst.) (fm), consistent with the proton charge radius obtained from muonic hydrogen spectroscopy. The current method improves on the precision of the $$\langle r_p \rangle$$; extraction based on the form factor measurements. Furthermore, we find no discrepancy in the $$\langle r_p \rangle$$ determination among the different electron scattering measurements, all of which, utilizing the current method of extraction, result in a value that is consistent with the smallest $$\langle r_p \rangle$$ extraction from the electron scattering measurements. Concerning the neutron case, past results relied solely on the neutron-electron scattering length measurements, which suffer from an underestimation of underlying systematic uncertainties inherent to the extraction technique. Utilizing the present method we have performed the first extraction of the neutron charge radius based on nucleon form factor data, and we find $$\langle r^2_n \rangle$$ = -0.122±0.004_(stat.) ± 0.010_(syst.) (fm²).« less

Lithium-sulfur batteries are attractive for automobile and grid applications due to their high theoretical energy density and the abundance of sulfur. Despite the significant progress in cathode development, lithium metal degradation and the polysulfide shuttle remain two critical challenges in the practical application of Li-S batteries. Development of advanced electrolytes has become a promising strategy to simultaneously suppress lithium dendrite formation and prevent polysulfide dissolution. Here, a new class of concentrated siloxane-based electrolytes, demonstrating significantly improved performance over the widely investigated ether-based electrolytes are reported in terms of stabilizing the sulfur cathode and Li metal anode as well as minimizingmore » flammability. Through a combination of experimental and computational investigation, it is found that siloxane solvents can effectively regulate a hidden solvation-ion-exchange process in the concentrated electrolytes that results from the interactions between cations/anions and solvents. As a result, it could invoke a quasi-solid-solid lithiation and enable reversible Li plating/stripping and robust solid-electrolyte interphase chemistries. The solvation-ion-exchange process in the concentrated electrolytes is a key factor in understanding and designing electrolytes for other high-energy lithium metal batteries.« less

We obtain the light-front wavefunctions for the nucleon in the valence quark Fock space from an effective Hamiltonian, which includes the transverse and longitudinal confinement and the one gluon exchange interaction with fixed coupling. The wavefunctions are generated by solving the eigenvalue equation in a basis light front quantization. Fitting the model parameters, the wavefunctions lead to good simultaneous description of electromagnetic form factors, radii, and parton distribution functions for the proton.