12,924 research outputs found
UCN Upscattering rates in a molecular deuterium crystal
A calculation of ultra-cold neutron (UCN) upscattering rates in molecular
deuterium solids has been carried out, taking into account intra-molecular
exictations and phonons. The different moelcular species ortho-D2 (with even
rotational quantum number J) and para-D2 (with odd J) exhibit significantly
different UCN-phonon annihilation cross-sections. Para- to ortho-D2 conversion,
furthermore, couples UCN to an energy bath of excited rotational states without
mediating phonons. This anomalous upscattering mechanism restricts the UCN
lifetime to 4.6 msec in a normal-D2 solid with 33% para content.Comment: 3 pages, one figur
Ultracold Neutron Production in a Pulsed Neutron Beam Line
We present the results of an Ultracold neutron (UCN) production experiment in
a pulsed neutron beam line at the Los Alamos Neutron Scattering Center. The
experimental apparatus allows for a comprehensive set of measurements of UCN
production as a function of target temperature, incident neutron energy, target
volume, and applied magnetic field. However, the low counting statistics of the
UCN signal expected can be overwhelmed by the large background associated with
the scattering of the primary cold neutron flux that is required for UCN
production. We have developed a background subtraction technique that takes
advantage of the very different time-of-flight profiles between the UCN and the
cold neutrons, in the pulsed beam. Using the unique timing structure, we can
reliably extract the UCN signal. Solid ortho-D is used to calibrate UCN
transmission through the apparatus, which is designed primarily for studies of
UCN production in solid O. In addition to setting the overall detection
efficiency in the apparatus, UCN production data using solid D suggest that
the UCN upscattering cross-section is smaller than previous estimates,
indicating the deficiency of the incoherent approximation widely used to
estimate inelastic cross-sections in the thermal and cold regimes
A high-field adiabatic fast passage ultracold neutron spin flipper for the UCNA experiment
The UCNA collaboration is making a precision measurement of the β asymmetry (A) in free neutron decay using polarized ultracold neutrons (UCN). A critical component of this experiment is an adiabatic fast passage neutron spin flipper capable of efficient operation in ambient magnetic fields on the order of 1 T. The requirement that it operate in a high field necessitated the construction of a free neutron spin flipper based, for the first time, on a birdcage resonator. The design, construction, and initial testing of this spin flipper prior to its use in the first measurement of A with UCN during the 2007 run cycle of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center's 800 MeV proton accelerator is detailed. These studies determined the flipping efficiency of the device, averaged over the UCN spectrum present at the location of the spin flipper, to be ϵ(overbar) = 0.9985(4)
A New Solid Deuterium Source of Ultra-Cold Neutrons
In polarized neutron decay, the angular correlation between the neutron spin and the
direction of emission of the electron is characterized by the coefficient A. Measuring
A involves determining the forward-backward asymmetry of the decay beta with
respect to the direction of the neutron polarization. The value of A, when combined
with measurements of the neutron lifetime, determines the values of the vector and
axial vector weak coupling constants, Gv and GA. The value of Gv can also be
determined by measurements of superallowed nuclear beta decay and by requiring
that the Cabibo-Kobayashi-Maskawi (CKM) mixing matrix be unitary along with the
measured value of other elements of the CKM matrix
First direct constraints on Fierz interference in free neutron decay
Precision measurements of free neutron -decay have been used to
precisely constrain our understanding of the weak interaction. However the
neutron Fierz interference term , which is particularly sensitive to
Beyond-Standard-Model tensor currents at the TeV scale, has thus far eluded
measurement. Here we report the first direct constraints on this term, finding
,
consistent with the Standard Model. The uncertainty is dominated by absolute
energy reconstruction and the linearity of the beta spectrometer energy
response
Determination of the Axial-Vector Weak Coupling Constant with Ultracold Neutrons
A precise measurement of the neutron decay -asymmetry has been
carried out using polarized ultracold neutrons (UCN) from the pulsed spallation
UCN source at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). Combining data
obtained in 2008 and 2009, we report , from which we determine the ratio of the
axial-vector to vector weak coupling of the nucleon .Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
- …