RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
The PPE group research highlights are part of large internationally competitive projects.
Our work is currently focused on LHC exploitation and upgrades, as well as kaon physics, neutrino physics and the linear collider. The group has had impact on collider physics, detector and Grid development.
We continue to innovate as we explore ever more deeply into the fundamental constituents of matter.
Read more about our current research here.
Find out about the heritage of particle physics at the University of Glasgow here.
Visit our Research Videos area to listen to the team discuss our latest research.
2021-2023
Highlights from this period include: 
• First observation of quantum entanglement in quarks [Nature (submitted) (2023)]
• Measurements of ttH in the H → bb decay channel especially at high Higgs pT [JHEP 06 (2022) 097]
• Measurements of VH in the H → bb decay channel at high Higgs pT [PLB 816 (2021) 136204]
• Differential measurements of tt & ttZ; limits on new physics [JHEP 06 (2022) 063, JHEP (submitted) (2023)]
• Most precise measurement of the top-quark mass to date [PRL (submitted) (2024)]
• Successful ATLAS Upgrade Pixel Module Final Design Review, led by Glasgow
• Discovery of CP violation in B0s → K+K− at LHCb [JHEP 03 (2021) 075]
• Measurement of CKM angle γ and ∆ms with B0s → D−s hπ−π+ decays [JHEP 03 (2021) 137]
• First simultaneous determination of the CKM angle γ & charm mixing parameters [JHEP 12 (2021) 141]
• First lepton universality test using Λ0b → Λclν decays [PRL 128 (2022) 191803]
• Search for new double-charm baryons: Ξ+cc → Ξ+c π−π+ [JHEP 12 (2021) 107]
• Completion and commissioning of the LHCb Run-3 (Upgrade I) detector [LHCb-DP-2022-002 (2023)]
• Measurement of the very rare K+ → π+νν process from NA62 [JHEP 06 (2021) 093]
• Updated measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters from T2K [EPJC 83 (2023) 782]
• First joint analysis of T2K+NOvA data [KEK IPNS/J-PARC and Fermilab joint seminars (2024)]
• The new pre-supernova alert system for Super-Kamiokande [Ap. J. 935 (2022) 40]
• Solar neutrino measurements using the full data period of Super-Kamiokande-IV [2312.12907 (2023)]
• Transverse emittance reduction in muon beams by ionization cooling [Nature Physics (accepted) (2023)]
• The International Linear Collider: Report to Snowmass [2203.07622 (2022)]
2018 - 2020
Highlights for this period include: 
- Discovery of VH, ttH and the H→bb decay [PLB 784 (2018) 173, PLB 786 (2018) 59-86]
- First measurements of VH(bb) and ttH(bb) production at high Higgs pT [arXiv:2008.02508, ATLAS-CONF-2020-058]
- Measurements of highly boosted top-quarks for m(tt) > 2 TeV [PRD 98 012003 (2018)]
- First differential measurements of ttZ production [ATLAS-CONF-2020-028]
- Discovery of CP violation in
at LHCb [arXiv:2012.05319] - Evidence of time-dependent CP violation in
and world-best measurement of the oscillation frequency 
decays [arXiv:2011.12041] - Confirmation of double-charm baryons in
[PRL 121 (2018) 162002] - First evidence of leptonic CP violation from T2K [Nature 580 (2020) 339–344 ]
- First evidence of the
rare process from NA62 [JHEP 11 (2020) 042] - Demonstration of ionization cooling by the MICE collaboration [Nature 578 (2020) 53-59]
- Demonstration of Low Gain Avalanche Diode as a detector [IEEE NSS/MIC 2018 Proc]
- Improved imaging of magnetic materials using Medipix [Ultramicroscopy 165, 42–50 (2016)]
- Electric field maps of ITk strip sensors using micro-focussed X-rays [NIMA 980 (2020) 164509]
- Improved charge collection in irradiated low-fill factor CMOS sensors [JINST 15 P02005]
- Expanded CLIC physics case and Yellow Reports [CERN-2018-005-M] [CERN-2018-009-M]
2015 - 2017
Highlights for this period include:
- ATLAS’ first semi-leptonic ttH analyses from Run 1 [Phys.J. C75 (2015) 349] and Run 2 [arXiv:1712.08895, submitted to Phys. Rev. D.];
- First measurement of the ttH all-hadronic decay from Run 1 [JHEP 1605 (2016) 160];
- Searches for resonances in ttbar at 8 TeV [Phys.J. C76 (2016) 442, JHEP 1508 (2015) 148] and 13 TeV [ATLAS-CONF-2016-014];
- First evidence for the decay H→bb [JHEP 1712 (2017) 024];
- First measurement of highly-boosted top production at 13 TeV [JHEP 11 (2017) 191];
- Searches for exotic resonances decaying to VH [PLB 765 (2017) 32];
- Completion of the ATLAS ITk Strip TDR [CERN-LHCC-2017-005];
- LHCb’s discovery of the
[ Rev. Lett. 119 (2017) 112001]; - First observation of the decay
[ Rev. Lett. 119 (2017) 232001]; - World-best measurement of the asymmetry
decays [PRL 118 (2017) 261803]; - Measurements of
decay and determination of 
[JHEP 12 (2016) 087]; - Discovery of five new narrow excited states of
[PRL 118 (2017) 182001]; - Precise measurements of the
states [JHEP 04 (2015) 024]; - Optimisation of the NA62 detector [JINST 12 (2017) no.05, P0502, Lett. B 778 137];
- Completion of MICE data taking and first physics papers [ Rev. Accel. Beams 20 (2017) no.6, 063501, JINST 11, no. 03, P03001 (2016)];
- Construction of Baby MIND for the WAGASCI detector at J-PARC [JINST 12 (2017), C07028, PoS (EPS-HEP2017) 508 (2017)];
- Completion of the comprehensive CLIC Higgs paper [Phys.J C77 (2017) 475];
- Demonstration of radiation-hard MAPs pixel sensors [JINST_12_P06008];
- Development of high-speed electrical links up to data rates of 10 Gbps [JINST_12_C02002].
2012 - 2014
Highlights for this period include: 
- Publication of the search for [Phys. Rev. D86 (2012) 032003], discovery of [Science 338, 1576--1582, (2013), Phys. Lett. B716 (2012) 1-29] and first properties of [Phys.Lett. B726 (2013) 88-119, Phys.Lett. B726 (2013) 120-144] the Higgs Boson.
- Publication of first ATLAS measurement on VH,H→bb [JHEP 1501 (2015) 069].
- First results on ATLAS search for ttH,H→bb [ATLAS-CONF-2014-011].
- Publication of world best limits in searches for ttbar resonances at 7 TeV [Phys. Rev. D 88, 012004 (2013)].
- Assembly and characterisation of quad module for ATLAS upgrade [doi:10.1016/j.nima.2014.06.086 (2014)].
- World’s best measurement of the Bs → K+K- effective lifetime that constrains the CP violating phase in BS mixing [Phys. Lett. B707, 349 (2012), Phys. Lett. B 736, 446 (2014)].
- Precision measurements of the D0 mixing parameters Ar and yCP [JHEP 1204, 129 (2012), Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 041801 (2014)].
- Measurement of properties of orbitally excited states of Bs mesons [Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, no. 15, 151803 (2013), JHEP].
- Successful operation and determination of performance of the ATLAS SCT, LHCb RICH and VELO detectors and the ATLAS and LHCb triggers during the LHC Run 1 [2014 JINST 9 P08009 doi:10.1088/1748-0221/9/08/P08009, JINST Vol 8, P02006(2013) ISSN 17480221 (doi:10.1088/1748-0221/8/02/P02006), JINST 9, P09007 (2014), Eur. Phys. J. C73, 2431 (2013), JINST 8, P04022 (2013)].
- Determination that a neutrino factory offers best possibility for discovery of neutrino CP violation [Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 16, 081002 (2013), e-Print: arXiv:1306.5327 [physics.ins-det], Phys. Rev. D86 (2012) 093015, e-Print: arXiv:1208.2735 [hep-ex]].
- Building and characterisation of the muon beam for MICE [Eur. Phys. J. C73 (2013) 2582. e-Print: arXiv:1306.1509 [physics.acc-ph], JINST 7 (2012) P05009, e-Print: arXiv:1203.4089 [physics.acc-ph]].
2009 - 2011
Highlights of this period include:
- publication of the first ATLAS measurement on minimum bias events [Phys Lett B 688, 2010, Issue 1, 21-42].
- Higgs combined analyses leading to the world’s strongest limits on SM Higgs production [EPJC 71 (2011) 1728, ATLAS-CONF-2011-112, ATLAS-CONF-2011-135, ATLAS-CONF-2011-157, ATLAS-CONF-2011-163].
- publication of the top cross section and first results on top+jets with extensions to exotic channels [ Phys. J. C71 (2011) 1577, ATLAS-CONF-2011-16, ATLAS-CONF-2011-070, ATLAS-CONF-2011-087, ATLAS-CONF-2011-123].
- first results on Standard Model ZZ, and on Higgs in WH and ttH decay modes [ Rev. Lett. 108 (2012) 041804, ATLAS-CONF-2011-143, ATLAS-CONF-2011-10, ATLAS-CONF-2011-018].
- world’s best measurement of the Bs → K+K- effective lifetime that constrains the CP violating phase in BS mixing [ Lett B 707:349-356 (2012) (e-print arXiv:1111.0521v1 [hep-ex], LHCb-PAPER-2011-014, CERN-PH-EP-2011-167)].
- precision measurements of the D0 mixing parameters Ar and yCP [JHEP, (e-print arXiv:1112.4698 [hep-ex], LHCb-PAPER-2011-032, CERN-PH-EP-2011-206)].
- successful completion of enlarged hardware responsibilities in ATLAS and LHCb.
- expansion of our knowledge exchange activities based upon our detector development expertise, including retinal imaging and production and testing of semi-industrial 3D sensors [Nature 467 (2010) 673-U54 doi:10.1038/nature09424, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 57 (2010) 387-394, IEEE Trans. on Nucl. Sci. 58 (2011) 3370-3383, doi: 10.1109/TNS.2011.2168541, JINST 6 (2011) P05002 doi:10.1088/1748-0221/6/05/P05002, Inst. Meth. A 659 (2011) 272-281 doi:10.1016/j.nima.2011.08.041, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 58 (2011) 1308-1314 doi:10.1109/TNS.2011.2126598, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 57 (2010) 2987-2994, doi:10.1109/TNS.2010.2058863, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 56 (2009) 3834-3839, doi:10.1109/TNS.2009.2030727].
- renewal and expansion of the Glasgow-led GridPP project; Trans. R. Soc. A June 28, 2009 367:2447-2457; doi:10.1098/rsta.2009.0036; (http://iopscience.iop.org/1742-6596/219/6/062066); Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Volume 219, Issue 5, pp. 052014 (2010); J. Phys.: Conf. Ser CHEP2010 DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/331/5/052019; Royal Society A (to be submitted, requested); (7th HealthGrid Conference, Berlin, Germany, July 2009); (International Conference on e-Social Science, Cologne, Germany,May 2009); IEEE Sixth International Conference on e-Science, 7-10 Dec 2010, Brisbane, Australia; Royal Society of London Philosophical Transactions A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 368 (1925). pp. 3845-3858. ISSN 1364-503X; European Statistics - New Technologies and Techniques in Statistics Biennial conference, Brussels, 22-24 February 2011
2006 - 2008
Highlights of this period include :
- World’s strongest limits on SM Higgs production through our analysis of H→W+W- within CDF [ Rev. Lett. 102 (2009) 021802]
- First measurement of the Bc meson mass [ Rev. Lett. 96, 082002 (2006)] confirming the Glasgow theory group prediction
- First detailed study of event shapes [Nuclear Physics B 767 (2007) 1-28], azimuthal distributions [European Physical Journal C51 (2007) 289] and multiplicities in DIS [European Physical Journal C 50 (2007) 299-314]
- Completion of ATLAS [ J. Phys. C50 (2007) 435-466 ;CERN-OPEN-2008-020; DOI: 10.22323/1.055.0013; https://slideplayer.com/slide/15124428/; https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjc/s10052-017-5031-2 ; https://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:48010250 ; http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/107294/ ; ATL-PHYS-PUB-2007-007 ; ATL-COM-PHYS-2008-024 and LHCb [CERN-LHCb-2009-029; CERN-LHCb-2009-006; CERN-LHCb-2009-004; Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A596 (2008) 157-163; Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A596 (2008) 164-171 physics preparation studies.
- Successful completion of enlarged hardware responsibilities in ATLAS [G.Aad et al, 437pp,; 2008 JINST 3 S08003; Inst. and Meth. A578 (2007) 98-118; Nucl. Inst. and Meth. A575; (2007) 353-389; 2008 JINST 3 P05002; 2008 JINST 3 P07003; JINST 2 P09003 doi:10.1088/1748-0221/2/09/P09003; Nucl. Inst. and Meth. A568 (2006) 642-671; 2008 JINST 3 P08003; 2008 JINST 3 P02007; 2008 JINST 3 P10006] and LHCb [2008 JINST 3 S08005].
- First reconstruction of beam-induced tracks at the LHC in the LHCb VELO [CERN-LHCb-2009-029]
- Expansion of our knowledge exchange activities based upon our detector development expertise, including retinal imaging and production and testing of semi-industrial 3D sensors
- Renewal and expansion of the Glasgow-led GridPP project [GridPP Collaboration J.Phys.G32:N1-N20,2006, GridPP Collaboration, accepted for publication in Trans. R. Soc. A]