Recent results of tau lepton decay studies based on luminosities between 350 fb{sup -1} and 469 fb{sup -1} collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} collider at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory are presented. The analyses reported here are Charged Current Lepton Universality and measurements of |V{sub us}| using {tau}{sup -} {yields} e{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub e}{nu}{sub {tau}}, {mu}{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub {mu}}{nu}{sub {tau}}, {pi}{sup -} {nu}{sub {tau}}, and K{sup -}{nu}{sub {tau}} decays, as well as searches for Second Class Currents in {tau}{sup -} {yields} {omega}{pi}{sup -}{nu}{sub {tau}} decays, studies of Lepton Flavor Violations, and a tau mass measurement and CPT-Test. If not explicitly mentioned, charge conjugate decay modes are also implied. decays, as well as searches for Second Class Currents in {tau}{sup -} {yields} {omega}{pi}{sup -}{nu}{sub {tau}} decays, studies of Lepton Flavor Violations, and a tau mass measurement and CPT-Test. If not explicitly mentioned, charge conjugate decay modes are also implied.

We study the azimuthal asymmetry in the Drell-Yan lepton pair production in hadronic scattering processes at moderate transverse momentum region, taking into account the contributions from the twist-three quark-gluon correlations from the unpolarized hadrons. The contributions are found to dominate the asymmetry, and are not power suppressed by qt/Q at small qt where qt and Q are the transverse momentum and invariant mass of the lepton pair. Accordingly, the Lam-Tung relation will be violated at this momentum region, and its violation depends on the twist-three functions. However, at large transverse momentum qt~;;Q, the Lam-Tung relation still holds because all corrections are power suppressed by Lambda2/qt2 ~;; Lambda2/Q2 where Lambda is the typical nonperturbative scale.

The author presents measurements of radiative B meson decays to the final states K{sub s}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0}{gamma} and K{phi}{gamma} based on data collected at the {Upsilon}(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} collider at SLAC. In a data sample of 467 million B{bar B} pairs, the time-dependent CP asymmetry in B{sup 0} {yields} K{sub s}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0}{gamma} decays is measured in two regions of K{sub s}{sup 0}-{pi}{sup 0} invariant mass. In the K* region, 0.8 < m(K{sub s}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0}) < 1.0 GeV/c{sup 2}, we find S{sub K*{gamma}} = -0.03 {+-} 0.29 {+-} 0.03 and C{sub K*{gamma}} = -0.14 {+-} 0.16 {+-} 0.03; in the range 1.1 < m(K{sub s}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0}) < 1.8 GeV/c{sup 2}, they find S{sub K{sub s}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0}{gamma}} = -0.78 {+-} 0.59 {+-} 0.09 and C{sub K{sub s}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0}{gamma}} = -0.36 {+-} 0.33 {+-} 0.04. With a sample of 228 million B{bar B} pairs they measure the branching fraction {Beta}(B{sup +} {yields} K{sup +}{phi}{gamma}) = (3.5 {+-} 0.6 {+-} 0.4) x 10{sup -6} and set the limit {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} K{sup 0}{phi}{gamma}) < 2.7 x 10{sup -6} at 90% confidence level. The direct CP asymmetry in B{sup +} {yields} …

In this thesis work we have measured the following upper limits at 90% of confidence level, for B meson decays (in units of 10{sup -6}), using a statistics of 465.0 x 10{sup 6} B{bar B} pairs: {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {eta}K{sup 0}) < 1.6 {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {eta}{eta}) < 1.4 {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {eta}{prime}{eta}{prime}) < 2.1 {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {eta}{phi}) < 0.52 {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {eta}{omega}) < 1.6 {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {eta}{prime}{phi}) < 1.2 {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {eta}{prime}{omega}) < 1.7 We have no observation of any decay mode, statistical significance for our measurements is in the range 1.3-3.5 standard deviation. We have a 3.5{sigma} evidence for B {yields} {eta}{omega} and a 3.1 {sigma} evidence for B {yields} {eta}{prime}{omega}. The absence of observation of the B{sup 0} {yields} {eta}K{sup 0} open an issue related to the large difference compared to the charged mode B{sup +} {yields} {eta}K{sup +} branching fraction, which is measured to be 3.7 {+-} 0.4 {+-} 0.1 [118]. Our results represent substantial improvements of the previous ones [109, 110, 111] and are consistent with theoretical predictions. All these results were presented at Flavor Physics and CP Violation (FPCP) 2008 Conference, that took place in Taipei, Taiwan. They will be …

The main result of our efforts is the development and successful application of the theoretical model of laser induced plasma (LIP) that allows a back-calculation of the composition of the plasma (and the condensed phase) based on the observable plasma spectrum. The model has an immediate experimental input in the form of LIP spectra and a few other experimentally determined parameters. The model is also sufficiently simple and, therefore, practical. It is conveniently interfaced in a graphical user-friendly form for using by students and any laboratory personnel with only minimal training. In our view, the model opens up the possibility for absolute analysis, i.e. the analysis which requires no standards and tedious calibration. The other parts of this proposal (including plasma diagnostics) were somewhat subordinate to this main goal. Plasma diagnostics provided the model with the necessary experimental input and led to better understanding of plasma processes. Another fruitful direction we pursued was the use of the correlation analysis for material identification and plasma diagnostics. Through a number of computer simulations we achieved a clear understanding of how, where and why this approach works being applied to emission spectra from a laser plasma. This understanding will certainly improve the quality …

Low energy ultrahigh momentum resolution angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy study on four-layer self-doped high Tc superconductor Ba2Ca3Cu4O8F2 (F0234) revealed fine structure in the band dispersion, identifying the unconventional association of hole and electron doping with the inner and outer CuO2 layers, respectively. For the states originating from two inequivalent CuO2 layers, different energy scales are observed in dispersion kinks associated with the collective mode coupling, with the larger energy scale found in the electron (n-) doped state which also has stronger coupling strength. Given the earlier finding that the superconducting gap is substantially larger along the n-type Fermi surface, our observations connect the mode coupling energy and strength with magnitude of the pairing gap.

The project objective is to demonstrate the viability of HCNG fuel (30 to 50% hydrogen by volume and the remainder natural gas) to reduce emissions from light-duty on-road vehicles with no loss in performance or efficiency. The City of Las Vegas has an interest in alternative fuels and already has an existing hydrogen refueling station. Collier Technologies Inc (CT) supplied the latest design retrofit kits capable of converting nine compressed natural gas (CNG) fueled, light-duty vehicles powered by the Ford 5.4L Triton engine. CT installed the kits on the first two vehicles in Las Vegas, trained personnel at the City of Las Vegas (the City) to perform the additional seven retrofits, and developed materials for allowing other entities to perform these retrofits as well. These vehicles were used in normal service by the City while driver impressions, reliability, fuel efficiency and emissions were documented for a minimum of one year after conversion. This project has shown the efficacy of operating vehicles originally designed to operate on compressed natural gas with HCNG fuel incorporating large quantities of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). There were no safety issues experienced with these vehicles. The only maintenance issue in the project was some rough idling …

Self assembling {pi}-conjugated molecules into ordered structures are of increasing interest in the field of organic electronics. One particular example is charge transfer complexes containing columnar alternative donor-acceptor (ADA) stacks, where neutral and ionic ground states can be readily tuned to modulate electrical, optical, and ferroelectrical properties. Aromatic-aromatic and charge transfer interactions have been the leading driving forces in assisting the self-assembly of ADA stacks. Various folding structures containing ADA stacks were assembled in solution with the aid of solvophobic or ion-binding interactions. Meanwhile, examples of solid ADA stacks, which are more appealing for practical use in devices, were obtained from cocrystalization of binary components or mesophase assembly of liquid crystals in bulk blends. Regardless of these examples, faster and more controllable approaches towards precise supramolecular order in the solid state are still highly desirable.

An analytic and numerical examination of the slow wave Cerenkov free electron maser is presented. We consider the steady state amplifier configuration as well as operation in the selfamplified spontaneous emission (SASE) regime. The linear theory is extended to include electron beams that have a parabolic radial density inhomogeneity. Closed form solutions for the dispersion relation and modal structure of the electromagnetic field are determined in this inhomogeneous case. To determine the steady state response, a macro-particle approach is used to develop a set of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the amplitude and phase of the electromagnetic wave, which are solved in conjunction with the particle dynamical equations to determine the response when the system is driven as an amplifier with a time harmonic source. We then consider the case in which a fast rise time electron beam is injected into a dielectric loaded waveguide. In this case, radiation is generated by SASE, with the instability seeded by the leading edge of the electron beam. A pulse of radiation is produced, slipping behind the leading edge of the beam due to the disparity between the group velocity of the radiation and the beam velocity. Short pulses of microwave radiation …