Conformal finite size scaling of twelve fermion flavors
Extended simulation results and their analysis are reported in a strongly coupled gauge theory with twelve fermion flavors in the fundamental SU(3) color representation. The conformality of the model is probed using mass deformed conformal finite size scaling (FSS) theory driven by the fermion mass anomalous dimension. Two independent conformal FSS fitting procedures are used in the analysis. The first one deploys physics motivated scaling functions, complemented by a second fitting procedure with spline based general B-forms for the scaling functions. The results at fixed gauge coupling show unresolved problems with the conformal hypothesis.

title: Probing technicolor theories with staggered fermions
abstract: One exciting possibility of new physics beyond the Standard Model is that the fundamental Higgs sector is replaced by a strongly-interacting gauge theory, known as technicolor. A viable theory must break chiral symmetry dynamically, like in QCD, to generate Goldstone bosons which become the longitudinal components of the W ± and Z. By measuring the eigenvalues of the Dirac operator, one can determine if chiral symmetry is in fact spontaneously broken. We simulate SU(3) gauge theory with ns = 2 and 3 staggered flavors in the fundamental representation, corresponding to Nf = 8 and 12 flavors in the continuum limit. Although our first findi ngs show that both theories are consistent with dynamically broken chiral symmetry and QCD-like behavior, flavor breaking effects in the spectrum may require further c larifications before final conclusions can be drawn. We also compare various improved staggered actions, to suppress this potentially large flavor breaking.

title: Topology and higher dimensional representations
abstract: SU(3) gauge theory in the 2-index symmetric (sextet) and fundamental representations is considered in symmetric and periodic boxes. Using the overlap formulation in the quenched approximation it is shown that the topological charge obtained from the sextet index theorem always leads to an integer value and agrees with the charge obtained from the fundamental index theorem in the continuum. At larger lattice spacing configurations exist with fractional topological charge if the sextet index is used but these are lattice artifacts and the probability of finding such a configuration rapidly approaches zero. By considering the decomposition of the sextet representation with respect to an SU(2) subgroup it is shown that the SU(2) adjoint index theorem leads to integer charge as well. We conclude that the non-zero value of the bilinear gaugino condensate in = 1 super-Yang-Mills theory cannot be attributed to configurations with fractional topological charge once periodic boundary conditions are imposed.

title: Lattice simulations with eight flavors of domain wall fermions in SU(3) gauge theory
abstract: We study an SU(3) gauge theory with Nf=8 degenerate flavors of light fermions in the fundamental representation. Using the domain wall fermion formulation, we investigate the light hadron spectrum, chiral condensate and electroweak S parameter. We consider a range of light fermion masses on two lattice volumes at a single gauge coupling chosen so that IR scales approximately match those from our previous studies of the two- and six-flavor systems. Our results for the Nf=8 spectrum suggest spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking, though fits to the fermion mass dependence of spectral quantities do not strongly disfavor the hypothesis of mass-deformed infrared conformality. Compared to Nf=2 we observe a significant enhancement of the chiral condensate relative to the symmetry breaking scale F, similar to the situation for Nf=6. The reduction of the S parameter, related to parity doubling in the vector and axial-vector channels, is also comparable to our six-flavor results.

title: Neutron-antineutron oscillations on the lattice
abstract: One possible low energy process due to beyond the Standard Model (BSM) physics is the neutron-antineutron transition, where baryon number changes by two units. In addition to providing a source of baryon number violation in the early universe, interactions of this kind are natural in grand unified theories (GUTs) with Majorana neutrinos that violate lepton number. Bounds on these oscillations can greatly restrict a variety of GUTs, while a non-zero signal would be a "smoking gun" for new physics; however, to make a reliable prediction, the six-quark nucleon-antinucleon matrix elements must first be calculated non-perturbatively via lattice QCD. We review the current understanding of this quantity, describe the lattice formalism, and present preliminary results from $32^3\times256$ clover-Wilson lattices with a pion mass of 390 MeV.

title: Chiral symmetry breaking in fundamental and sextet fermion representations of SU(3) color
abstract: We report new results for lattice gauge theories with twelve fermion flavors in the fundamental representation and two fermion flavors in the two-index symmetric (sextet) representation of the SU(3) color gauge group. Both models are important in searching for a viable composite Higgs mechanism in the Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) paradigm. We subject both models to opposite hypotheses inside and outside of the conformal window. In the first hypothesis we test chiral symmetry breaking ($\chi{\rm SB}$) with its Goldstone spectrum, $F_\pi$, the $\chi{\rm SB}$ condensate, and several composite hadron states as the fermion mass is varied in a limited range with our best effort to control finite volume effects. Supporting results for $\chi{\rm SB}$ from the running coupling based on the force between static sources is also presented. In the second test for the alternate hypothesis we probe conformal behavior driven by a single anomalous mass dimension under the assumption of unbroken chiral symmetry. Our results show very low level of confidence in the conformal scenario.

title: Recent progress at LBNL on characterization of laser wakefield accelerated electron bunches using coherent transition radiation
abstract: At LBNL, laser wakefield accelerators (LWFA) can now produce ultra-short electron bunches with energies up to 1 GeV . As femtosecond electron bunches exit the plasma they radiate an intense burst in the terahertz range [2,3] via coherent transition radiation (CTR). Measuring the CTR properties allows non-invasive bunch- length diagnostics , a key to continuing rapid advance in LWFA technology. Experimental bunch length characterization for two different energy regimes through bolometric analysis and electro-optic (EO) sampling are presented. Measurements demonstrate both shot-to-shot stability of bunch parameters, and femtosecond synchronization between the bunch, the THz pulse, and the laser beam. In addition, this method of CTR generation provides THz pulses of very high peak power suitable for applications. Recent results reveal LWFA to be a promising intense ultra- fast THz source.

title: Electron-beam conditioning by thomson scattering.
abstract: A method is proposed for conditioning electron beams via Thomson scattering. The conditioning provides a quadratic correlation between the electron energy deviation and the betatron amplitude of the electrons, which results in enhanced gain in free-electron lasers. Quantum effects imply conditioning must occur at high laser fluence and moderate electron energy. Conditioning of x-ray free-electron lasers should be achievable with present laser technology, leading to significant size and cost reductions of these large-scale facilities.

title: Generation of ultrashort electron bunches by colliding laser pulses.
abstract: A proposed laser-plasma-based relativistic electron source [E. Esarey et al.,  (1997)] using laser-triggered injection of electrons is investigated. The source generates ultrashort electron bunches by dephasing and trapping background plasma electrons undergoing fluid oscillations in an excited plasma wake. The plasma electrons are dephased by colliding two counterpropagating laser pulses which generate a slow phase velocity beat wave. Laser pulse intensity thresholds for trapping and the optimal wake phase for injection are calculated. Numerical simulations of test particles, with prescribed plasma and laser fields, are used to verify analytic predictions and to study the longitudinal and transverse dynamics of the trapped plasma electrons. Simulations indicate that the colliding laser pulse injection scheme has the capability to produce relativistic femtosecond electron bunches with fractional energy spread of order a few percent and normalized transverse emittance less than 1 mm mrad using 1 TW injection laser pulses.

title: Physics considerations for laser-plasma linear colliders
abstract: Physics considerations for a next-generation linear collider based on laser-plasma accelerators are discussed. The ultrahigh accelerating gradient of a laser-plasma accelerator and short laser coupling distance between accelerator stages allows for a compact linac. Two regimes of laser-plasma acceleration are discussed. The highly nonlinear regime has the advantages of higher accelerating fields and uniform focusing forces, whereas the quasilinear regime has the advantage of symmetric accelerating properties for electrons and positrons. Scaling of various accelerator and collider parameters with respect to plasma density and laser wavelength are derived. Reduction of beamstrahlung effects implies the use of ultrashort bunches of moderate charge. The total linac length scales inversely with the square root of the plasma density, whereas the total power scales proportional to the square root of the density. A 1 TeV center-ofmass collider based on stages using a plasma density of 10 17 cm � 3 requires tens of J of laser energy per stage (using 1 � m wavelength lasers) with tens of kHz repetition rate. Coulomb scattering and synchrotron radiation are examined and found not to significantly degrade beam quality. A photon collider based on laser-plasma accelerated beams is also considered. The requirements for the scattering laser energy are comparable to those of a single laser-plasma accelerator stage.

title: Undulator radiation from laser-plasma-accelerated electron beams
abstract: Recent experiments coupled electron beams from the LOASIS TREX laser plasma accelerator (LPA) [1, 2, 3] to the Tapered Hybrid Undulator (THUNDER). Using the 1.5m, 66 period undulator, followed by an XUV spectrometer, spontaneous radiation was observed at photon energies extending to 100 eV. Previous experiments have reported visible  and soft-x-ray  radiation. The purpose of our experiments is to do highly precise, single shot diagnostics of the energy spread and emittance for each electron beam. We present recent results including measurements of electron beam transport through the undulator with and without the use of permanent magnetic quadrapoles, and measurements of XUV spectra up to 100 eV from LPA produced e-beams.