Supersymmetry parameter analysis: SPA convention and project
High-precision analyses of supersymmetry parameters aim at reconstructing the fundamental supersymmetric theory and its breaking mechanism. A well defined theoretical framework is needed when higher-order corrections are included. We propose such a scheme, Supersymmetry Parameter Analysis SPA, based on a consistent set of conventions and input parameters. A repository for computer programs is provided which connect parameters in different schemes and relate the Lagrangian parameters to physical observables at LHC and high energy e + e- linear collider experiments, i.e., masses, mixings, decay widths and production cross sections for supersymmetric particles. In addition, programs for calculating high-precision low energy observables, the density of cold dark matter (CDM) in the universe as well as the cross sections for CDM search experiments are included. The SPA scheme still requires extended efforts on both the theoretical and experimental side before data can be evaluated in the future at the level of the desired precision. We take here an initial step of testing the SPA scheme by applying the techniques involved to a specific supersymmetry reference point.

title: Conditions for vacuum stability in an S3 extension of the Standard Model
abstract: In this work we study the Higgs sector in the minimal S3 extension of the Standard Model. The S3 extended Standard Model, which has three Higgs doublets fields that belong to the three-dimensional reducible representation of the permutation group S3, has naturally new phenomena: there are several Higgs bosons, charged, neutral and pseuodscalar ones, and more than one potential minimum. We analyzed the stability of the minimal S3 invariant extension of the Higgs potential and show that at tree-level, the potential minimum preserving electric charge and CP symmetries, when it exists, is the global one.

title: Top quark mass predictions from gauge Yukawa unification
abstract: Gauge-Yukawa Unification (GYU) is a renormalization group invariant functional relation among gauge and Yukawa couplings which holds beyond the unification point in Grand Unified Theories (GUTs). Here, GYU is obtained by requiring finiteness and reduction of couplings to all orders in perturbation theory. We examine the consequences of GYU in various supersymmetric GUTs and in particular the predictions for the top quark mass. These predictions are such that they distinguish already GYU from ordinary GUTs. Moreover, when more accurate measurements of the top quark mass are available, it is expected that it will be possible to discriminate among the various GYUs.

title: Finite unification at all-loops

title: Finite GUTs within conventional N=1 gauge theories
abstract: Finite Unified Theories (FUTs) are conventional N=1 supersymmetric Grand Unified Theories, which can be made all-loop finite, both in the dimensionless (gauge and Yukawa couplings) and dimensionful (soft supersymmetry breaking terms) sectors. This remarkable property leads to a drastic reduction in the number of free parameters, which in turn leads to an accurate prediction of the top quark mass in the dimensionless sector, and predictions for the Higgs boson mass and the s-spectrum in the dimensionful sector. Among the characteristics of the latter ones are: 1) The lightest Higgs boson mass is predicted to be in the window 120–130 GeV, in case the LSP is neutralino, while in case the LSP is the τ (which can be consistently accommodated in presence of bilinear R-parity violating terms) it can be as light as 111 GeV. 2) The s-spectrum starts above several hundreds of GeV.

title: Finite unified theories and the top quark mass
abstract: We present results of a study of two phenomenologically interesting SU (5) supersymmetric Grand Unified models, which are finite to all-loops before spontaneous symmetry breaking. The finiteness conditions provide us with relationships among the Yukawa and gauge couplings at the unification point, which in turn predict a heavy top quark mass (∼ 175 – 190 GeV).

title: CDF Run II Silicon Vertex Detector Annealing Study
abstract: Between Run II commisioning in early 2001 and the end of operations in September 2011, the Tevatron collider delivered 12 fb −1 of p ¯ p collisions at √ s = 1.96 TeV to the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF). During that time, the CDF silicon vertex detector was subject to radiation doses of up to 12 Mrad. After the end of operations, the silicon detector was annealed for 24 days at 18 ◦ C. In this paper, we present a measurement of the change in the bias currents for a subset of sensors during the annealing period. We also introduce a novel method for monitoring the depletion voltage throughout the annealing period. The observed bias current evolution can be characterized by a falling exponential ter m with time constant τI = 17.88 ± 0.36 ± 0.25 days, in good agreement with Hamburg-model predictions. For the depletion voltage, we observe an average decrease of (27 ± 3)% in the depletion voltage, whose evolution can similarly be described by an exponential time constant of τV = 6.21 ± 0.21 days. The depletion voltage results both deviate from the Hamburg-model predictions by roughly one standard deviation.

title: Operational Experience with the CDF Run II Silicon Detector
abstract: The CDF Run II Silicon Detector is the largest operating silicon detector in High Energy Physics. Its 722,000 channels spread over 7 m 2 of silicon micro-strip sensors allow precision tracking and vertexing. The CDF silicon detector played a critical role in the discovery of B s mixing and is used extensively for the current Higgs Boson searches. Over the last 7 years, the detector efficiency has remained stable at 95% after the Run II commissioning period. The infrastructure (cooling, power supplies) problems dealt with are discussed.

title: Operational experience, improvements, and performance of the CDF Run II silicon vertex detector
abstract: The Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) pursues a broad physics program at Fermilab's Tevatron collider. Between Run II commissioning in early 2001 and the end of operations in September 2011, the Tevatron delivered 12 fb-1 of integrated luminosity of pp collisions at s=1.96TeV. The physics at CDF includes precise measurements of the masses of the top quark and W boson, measurement of CP violation and Bs mixing, and searches for Higgs bosons and new physics signatures, all of which require heavy flavor tagging with large charged particle tracking acceptance. To realize these goals, in 2001 CDF installed eight layers of silicon microstrip detectors around its interaction region. These detectors were designed for 2-5 years of operation, radiation doses up to 2 Mrad (0.02 Gy), and were expected to be replaced in 2004. The sensors were not replaced, and the Tevatron run was extended for several years beyond its design, exposing the sensors and electronics to much higher radiation doses than anticipated. In this paper we describe the operational challenges encountered over the past 10 years of running the CDF silicon detectors, the preventive measures undertaken, and the improvements made along the way to ensure their optimal performance for collecting high quality physics data. In addition, we describe the quantities and methods used to monitor radiation damage in the sensors for optimal performance and summarize the detector performance quantities important to CDF's physics program, including vertex resolution, heavy flavor tagging, and silicon vertex trigger performance.