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Register a new userMeasurement of spin-flip probabilities for ultracold neutrons interacting with nickel phosphorus coated surfaces
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We report a measurement of the spin-flip probabilities for ultracold neutrons interacting with surfaces coated with nickel phosphorus. For 50~$mu$m thick nickel phosphorus coated on stainless steel, the spin-flip probability per bounce was found to be $beta_{rm NiP;on;SS} = (3.3^{+1.8}_{-5.6}) times 10^{-6}$. For 50~$mu$m thick nickel phosphorus coated on aluminum, the spin-flip probability per bounce was found to be $beta_{rm NiP;on;Al} = (3.6^{+2.1}_{-5.9}) times 10^{-6}$. For the copper guide used as reference, the spin flip probability per bounce was found to be $beta_{rm Cu} = (6.7^{+5.0}_{-2.5}) times 10^{-6}$. The results on the nickel phosphorus-coated surfaces may be interpreted as upper limits, yielding $beta_{rm NiP;on;SS} < 6.2 times 10^{-6}$ (90% C.L.) and $beta_{rm NiP;on;Al} < 7.0 times 10^{-6}$ (90% C.L.) for 50~$mu$m thick nickel phosphorus coated on stainless steel and 50~$mu$m thick nickel phosphorus coated on aluminum, respectively. Nickel phosphorus coated stainless steel or aluminum provides a solution when low-cost, mechanically robust, and non-depolarizing UCN guides with a high-Fermi-potential are needed.
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Neutron lifetime is one of the most important physical constants which determines parameters of the weak interaction and predictions of primordial nucleosynthesis theory. There remains the unsolved problem of a 3.9{sigma} discrepancy between measurements of this lifetime using neutrons in beams and those with stored neutrons (UCN). In our experiment we measure the lifetime of neutrons trapped by Earths gravity in an open-topped vessel. Two configurations of the trap geometry are used to change the mean frequency of UCN collisions with the surfaces - this is achieved by plunging an additional surface into the trap without breaking the vacuum. The trap walls are coated with a hydrogen-less fluorine-containing polymer to reduce losses of UCN. The stability of this coating to multiple thermal cycles between 80 K and 300 K was tested. At 80 K, the probability of UCN loss due to collisions with the trap walls is just 1.5% of the probability of beta-decay. The free neutron lifetime is determined by extrapolation to an infinitely large trap with zero collision frequency. The result of these measurements is 881.5 +/- 0.7_stat +/- 0.6_syst s which is consistent with the conventional value of 880.2 +/- 1.0 s presented by the Particle Data Group. Future prospects for this experiment are in further cooling to 10 K which will lead to an improved accuracy of measurement. In conclusion we present an analysis of currently-available data on various measurements of the neutron lifetime.
Ultracold neutrons provide a unique tool for the study of neutron properties. An overview is given of the ultracold neutron (UCN) source at PSI, which produces the highest UCN intensities to fundamental physics experiments by exploiting the high intensity proton beam in combination with the high UCN yield in solid deuterium at a temperature of 5K. We briefly list important fundamental physics results based on measurements with neutrons at PSI.
We report the first measurement of angular correlation parameters in neutron $beta$-decay using polarized ultracold neutrons (UCN). We utilize UCN with energies below about 200 neV, which we guide and store for $sim 30$ s in a Cu decay volume. The $vec{mu}_n cdot vec{B}$ potential of a static 7 T field external to the decay volume provides a 420 neV potential energy barrier to the spin state parallel to the field, polarizing the UCN before they pass through an adiabatic fast passage (AFP) spin-flipper and enter a decay volume, situated within a 1 T, $2 times 2pi$ superconducting solenoidal spectrometer. We determine a value for the $beta$-asymmetry parameter $A_0$, proportional to the angular correlation between the neutron polarization and the electron momentum, of $A_0 = -0.1138 pm 0.0051$.
A clock comparison experiment, analyzing the ratio of spin precession frequencies of stored ultracold neutrons and $^{199}$Hg atoms is reported. %57 No daily variation of this ratio could be found, from which is set an upper limit on the Lorentz invariance violating cosmic anisotropy field $b_{bot} < 2 times 10^{-20} {rm eV}$ (95% C.L.). This is the first limit for the free neutron. This result is also interpreted as a direct limit on the gravitational dipole moment of the neutron $|g_n| < 0.3 $eV/$c^2$ m from a spin-dependent interaction with the Sun. Analyzing the gravitational interaction with the Earth, based on previous data, yields a more stringent limit $|g_n| < 3 times 10^{-4} $eV/$c^2 $m.
We present a detailed report of a measurement of the neutron $beta$-asymmetry parameter $A_0$, the parity-violating angular correlation between the neutron spin and the decay electron momentum, performed with polarized ultracold neutrons (UCN). UCN were extracted from a pulsed spallation solid deuterium source and polarized via transport through a 7-T magnetic field. The polarized UCN were then transported through an adiabatic-fast-passage spin-flipper field region, prior to storage in a cylindrical decay volume situated within a 1-T $2 times 2pi$ solenoidal spectrometer. The asymmetry was extracted from measurements of the decay electrons in multiwire proportional chamber and plastic scintillator detector packages located on both ends of the spectrometer. From an analysis of data acquired during runs in 2008 and 2009, we report $A_0 = -0.11966 pm 0.00089_{-0.00140} ^{+0.00123}$, from which we extract a value for the ratio of the weak axial-vector and vector coupling constants of the nucleon, $lambda = g_A/g_V = -1.27590 pm 0.00239_{-0.00377}^{+0.00331}$. Complete details of the analysis are presented.
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