Hep-Ex explores the fascinating intersection where particle physics meets experimental reality. This field investigates how scientists build massive detectors and accelerate particles to test the fundamental laws of nature, turning abstract theories into measurable data. It is the rigorous process of searching for new particles or forces that could reshape our understanding of the universe, often requiring years of collaboration and engineering.

At Gist.Science, we ensure these discoveries become accessible to everyone. We process every new preprint in this category directly from arXiv, generating both plain-language explanations for curious readers and detailed technical summaries for specialists. Our goal is to bridge the gap between complex experimental results and public understanding without losing scientific nuance.

Below are the latest papers in Hep-Ex, freshly summarized and ready for you to explore.

⚛️ high-energy experiments

Axion Signal Search Using Hybrid Nuclear-Electronic Spin Systems

This paper proposes a hybrid nuclear-electronic spin sensor utilizing hyperfine interactions in silicon 209Bi^{209}\text{Bi} donors to overcome the low-frequency sensitivity limits of conventional nuclear magnetic resonance, thereby enabling compact solid-state detection of galactic axions with projected sensitivity exceeding direct nuclear methods by an order of magnitude.

Xiangjun Tan, Zhanning Wang2026-03-24
⚛️ high-energy experiments

Design and characterization of the POKERINO prototype for the POKER/NA64 experiment at CERN

This paper presents the design and experimental characterization of the POKERINO prototype, a PbWO4_4-based electromagnetic calorimeter utilizing SiPM sensors, to validate its performance and energy resolution capabilities for the NA64 experiment's search for light dark matter.

Andrei Antonov, Pietro Bisio, Mariangela Bondì, Andrea Celentano, Anna Marini, Luca Marsicano2026-03-24
⚛️ phenomenology

Probing the Higgs Self-Coupling with an XFEL Compton γγ\gamma\gamma Collider at s=380\sqrt{s} = 380 GeV

This study demonstrates that an X-ray free-electron laser Compton γγ\gamma\gamma collider operating at s=380\sqrt{s} = 380 GeV could probe the Higgs self-coupling with a precision of 7% to 12% in the bbbbbb\overline{bb} channel by employing boosted decision trees and genetic algorithm optimization, establishing it as a powerful complementary tool to future e+ee^+e^- and hadron colliders for investigating electroweak symmetry breaking.

Santiago Ampudia Castelazo, Umar Sohail Qureshi, Tim Barklow, Ariel Schwartzman2026-03-24
⚛️ high-energy experiments

Missing-mass search in forward-proton-tagged dilepton events with the ATLAS detector

Using 13 TeV proton-proton collision data from 2017, the ATLAS collaboration conducted a model-independent search for invisible particles produced in photon-photon interactions by reconstructing the missing mass via forward proton tagging, finding no significant excess over Standard Model predictions and setting upper limits on fiducial cross sections for various signal models.

ATLAS Collaboration2026-03-24
🔬 materials science

High Entropy Alloy under Shock Compression: Optical-Pump X-Ray-Probe

This study reports the first laser-shock experiments on high entropy alloy microfilms probed by an X-ray free electron laser, revealing a transient 5.1% lattice compression under approximately 55 GPa of shock pressure and demonstrating the feasibility of using this technique to determine the equation of state for these emerging materials.

Hsin Hui Huang, Meguya Ryu, Shuji Kamegaki, Dominyka Stonyte, Tadas Malinauskas, Yoshiaki Nishijima, Rosalie Hocking, Ng (…)2026-03-24
⚛️ high-energy experiments

Construction of the Global χ2\chi^2 Function for the Simultaneous Fitting of Correlated Energy-Dependent Cross Sections

This paper constructs a global χ2\chi^2 function designed for the simultaneous fitting of correlated energy-dependent cross sections by incorporating correlations between different processes and energy points, as well as uncertainties from integrated luminosity and center-of-mass energy measurements.

Linquan Shao, Haoyu Yan, Yingjun Chen, Jiaxin Pi, Xingyu Zhou2026-03-24
⚛️ nuclear theory

Production correlation of light (hyper-)nuclei in Au-Au collisions from the RHIC Beam Energy Scan

This paper employs a quark combination model within a hadronic coalescence framework to systematically analyze the production of light nuclei and hypernuclei in Au-Au collisions across the RHIC Beam Energy Scan, successfully explaining existing experimental data for species like deuterons and hypertritons while predicting yields for various Ω\Omega-hypernuclei and exploring their production correlations as a function of collision energy.

Jiang-He Qiao, Jian-Yu Liu, Yan-Ting Feng, Feng-Lan Shao, Rui-Qin Wang2026-03-24
⚛️ high-energy experiments

Record accumulation of antiprotons in a Penning-Malmberg Trap and their preparation for improved production of antihydrogen beams

This paper reports the commissioning of a new Penning-Malmberg trap at CERN's GBAR experiment that achieves a record accumulation of over 6.4×1076.4 \times 10^7 antiprotons in under 35 minutes and delivers 6.4×1066.4 \times 10^6 antiprotons per shot with reduced emittance, significantly enhancing the production rate of antihydrogen beams for gravitational studies.

B. Lee, B. Kim, P. Adrich, I. Belosevic, M. Chung, P. Comini, P. Crivelli, P. Debu, S. Geffroy, P. Guichard, P. A. Hervi (…)2026-03-24