Neutron-antineutron Oscillations in the Trapping Box

We have reexamined the problem of $n-\bar n$ oscillations for ultra-cold neutrons (UCN) confined within a trap. We have shown that the growth of the $\bar n$ component with time is to a decent accuracy given by $P(\bar n)= \epsilon^2_{n\bar n} t_Lt,$ where $\epsilon_{n\bar n}$ is the mixing parameter, $t_L\sim 1$ sec in the neutron propagation time between subsequent collisions with the trap walls. Possible corrections to this law and open questions are discussed.Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX2

Behaviour in Magnetic Fields of Fast Conventional and Fine-Mesh Photomultipliers

The performance of both conventional and fine-mesh Hamamatsu photomultipliers has been measured inside moderate magnetic fields. This has allowed the test of effective shielding solutions for photomultipliers, to be used in time-of-flight detectors based on scintillation counters. Both signal amplitude reduction or deterioration of the timing properties inside magnetic fields have been investigated

Free electron lifetime achievements in Liquid Argon Imaging TPC

A key feature for the success of the liquid Argon imaging TPC (LAr-TPC) technology is the industrial purification against electro-negative impurities, especially Oxygen and Nitrogen remnants, which have to be continuously kept at an exceptionally low level by filtering and recirculating liquid Argon. Improved purification techniques have been applied to a 120 liters LAr-TPC test facility in the INFN-LNL laboratory. Through-going muon tracks have been used to determine the free electron lifetime in liquid Argon against electro-negative impurities. The short path length here observed (30 cm) is compensated by the high accuracy in the observation of the specific ionization of cosmic ray muons at sea level as a function of the drift distance. A free electron lifetime of (21.4+7.3-4.3) ms, namely > 15.8 ms at 90 % C.L. has been observed over several weeks under stable conditions, corresponding to a residual Oxygen equivalent of about 15 ppt (part per trillion). At 500 V/cm, the free electron speed is 1.5 m/ms. In a LAr-TPC a free electron lifetime in excess of 15 ms corresponds for instance to an attenuation of less than 15 % after a drift path of 5 m, opening the way to the operation of the LAr-TPC with exceptionally long drift distances.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures; Accepted for publication in JINS

Neutron-Mirror-Neutron Oscillations in a Trap

We calculate the rate of neutron-mirror-neutron oscillations for ultracold neutrons trapped in a storage vessel. Recent experimental bounds on the oscillation time are discussed.Comment: v4: typos correcte

The design and commissioning of the MICE upstream time-of-flight system

In the MICE experiment at RAL the upstream time-of-flight detectors are used for particle identification in the incoming muon beam, for the experiment trigger and for a precise timing (sigma_t ~ 50 ps) with respect to the accelerating RF cavities working at 201 MHz. The construction of the upstream section of the MICE time-of-flight system and the tests done to characterize its individual components are shown. Detector timing resolutions ~50-60 ps were achieved. Test beam performance and preliminary results obtained with beam at RAL are reported.Comment: accepted on Nuclear Instruments and Methods

Neutron-Antineutron Oscillations in Nuclei Revisited

An upper limit on $n-\bar n$ oscillations can be obtained from the stability of matter. This relation has been worked out theoretically and together with data yields $\tau_{n\bar n} > (1 - 2)\times 10^8 sec$. A recent publication claims a different relation and finds a nuclear suppression of the $n\to\bar n$ oscillations which is two orders of magnitude weaker than the previous evaluations. Using the same approach we find, nevertheless, that the earlier estimates are correct and conclude that future experiments with free neutrons from reactors are capable to put a stronger limit on the $n - \bar n$ oscillation time than experiments with large amount of neutrons bound in nuclei.Comment: To be published in proc. of the Workshop on Future Directions in Quark Nuclear Physics, Adelaide, March 9 - 20, 199

Some Implications of Neutron Mirror Neutron Oscillation

We comment on a recently discussed possibility of oscillations between neutrons and degenerate mirror neutrons in the context of mirror models for particles and forces. It has been noted by Bento and Berezhiani that if these oscillations occurred at a rate of $\tau^{-1}_{NN'}\sim sec^{-1}$, it would help explain putative super GKZ cosmic ray events provided the temperature of the mirror radiation is $\sim 0.3-0.4$ times that of familiar cosmic microwave background radiation. We discuss how such oscillation time scales can be realized in mirror models and find that the simplest nonsupersymmetric model for this idea requires the existence of a low mass (30-3000 GeV) color triplet scalar or vector boson. A supersymmetric model, where this constraint can be avoided is severely constrained by the requirement of maintaining a cooler mirror sector. We also find that the reheat temperature after inflation in generic models that give fast $n-n'$ oscillation be less than about 300 GeV in order to maintain the required relative coolness of the mirror sector.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures; minor changes in the text; accepted for publication in Phys. Lett.

CPT violation and particle-antiparticle asymmetry in cosmology

General features of generation of the cosmological charge asymmetry in CPT non-invariant world are discussed. If the effects of CPT violation manifest themselves only in mass differences of particles and antiparticles, the baryon asymmetry of the universe hardly can be explained solely by breaking of CPT invariance. However, CPT non-invariant theories may lead to a new effect of distorting the usual equilibrium distributions. If this takes place, CPT violation may explain the baryon asymmetry of the universe.Comment: 7 pages, no figures. Submitted to a special issue of Yadernaya Fizika (Physics of Atomic Nuclei) dedicated to 80th birthday of L.B. Okun. Three references are adde

A local trigger system for the large LAr-TPC detector

A special dedicated double-rebinning algorithm has been successfully developed in order to extract the physical hit signal from the TPC wires. This solution has been implemented on digital boards, allowing to realize a local trigger able to identify even localized low-energy small events

On the experimental search for neutron -- mirror neutron oscillations

Fast neutron-mirror neutron (n-n') oscillations were proposed recently as the explanation of the GZK puzzle. We discuss possible laboratory experiments to search for such oscillaions and to improve the present very weak constraints on the value of the n-n' oscillation probability.Comment: 11 pages, 0 figures, 1 tabl