Probing dark matter at the LHC using vector boson fusion processes.

Vector boson fusion processes at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) provide a unique opportunity to search for new physics with electroweak couplings. A feasibility study for the search of supersymmetric dark matter in the final state of two vector boson fusion jets and large missing transverse energy is presented at 14 TeV. Prospects for determining the dark matter relic density are studied for the cases of wino and bino-Higgsino dark matter.

Ultra-smooth nanostructured diamond films deposited from He/H2/CH4/N2 microwave plasmas.

Addition of He to a high CH4 content (10.7 vol%) H2/CH4/N2 feedgas mixture for microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition produced hard (58-72 GPa), ultra-smooth nanostructured diamond films on Ti-6AI-4V alloy substrates. Upon increase in He content up to 71 vol%, root mean squared (RMS) surface roughness of the film decreased to 9-10 nm and average diamond grain size to 5-6 nm.