47 research outputs found
A Photodiode/CsI Phoswich Detector
This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478
Slotted Rotatable Target Assembley and Systematic Error Analysis for a Search for Long Range Spin Dependent Interactions from Exotic Vector Boson Exchange Using Neutron Spin Rotation
We discuss the design and construction of a novel target array of nonmagnetic test masses used in a neutron polarimetry measurement made in search for new possible exotic spin dependent neutron–atominteractions of Nature at sub-mm length scales. This target was designed to accept and efficiently transmit a transversely polarized slow neutron beam through a series of long open parallel slots bounded by flat rectangular plates. These openings possessed equal atom density gradients normal to the slots from the flat test masses with dimensions optimized to achieve maximum sensitivity to an exotic spin-dependent interaction from vector boson exchanges with ranges in the mm - μm regime. The parallel slots were oriented differently in four quadrants that can be rotated about the neutron beam axis in discrete 90°increments using a Geneva drive. The spin rotation signals from the 4 quadrants were measured using a segmented neutron ion chamber to suppress possible systematic errors from stray magnetic fields in the target region. We discuss the per-neutron sensitivity of the target to the exotic interaction, the design constraints, the potential sources of systematic errors which could be present in this design, and our estimate of the achievable sensitivity using this method
Temperature Sensitivity of Surface Channels on High-Purity Germanium Detectors
This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478
Radiation Damage Effects on High-Purity Germanium Detectors
This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478
ISiS: A 4pi Detector System for Complex Fragments
This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478
Measurement of the neutron lifetime using an asymmetric magneto- gravitational trap and in situ detection
The precise value of the mean neutron lifetime, , plays an important
role in nuclear and particle physics and cosmology. It is a key input for
predicting the ratio of protons to helium atoms in the primordial universe and
is used to search for new physics beyond the Standard Model of particle
physics. There is a 3.9 standard deviation discrepancy between
measured by counting the decay rate of free neutrons in a beam (887.7 2.2
s) and by counting surviving ultracold neutrons stored for different storage
times in a material trap (878.50.8 s). The experiment described here
eliminates loss mechanisms present in previous trap experiments by levitating
polarized ultracold neutrons above the surface of an asymmetric storage trap
using a repulsive magnetic field gradient so that the stored neutrons do not
interact with material trap walls and neutrons in quasi-stable orbits rapidly
exit the trap. As a result of this approach and the use of a new in situ
neutron detector, the lifetime reported here (877.7 0.7 (stat) +0.4/-0.2
(sys) s) is the first modern measurement of that does not require
corrections larger than the quoted uncertainties.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 2 table
Cooler Experiment Preparation
This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY 87-1440
Status of the UCNτ experiment
The neutron is the simplest nuclear system that can be used to probe the structure of the weak interaction and search for physics beyond the standard model. Measurements of neutron lifetime and β-decay correlation coefficients with precisions of 0.02% and 0.1%, respectively, would allow for stringent constraints on new physics. The UCNτ experiment uses an asymmetric magneto-gravitational UCN trap with in situ counting of surviving neutrons to measure the neutron lifetime, τ_n = 877.7s (0.7s)_(stat) (+0.4/−0.2s)_(sys). We discuss the recent result from UCNτ, the status of ongoing data collection and analysis, and the path toward a 0.25 s measurement of the neutron lifetime with UCNτ
First Measurement of Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering on Argon
We report the first measurement of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus
scattering (\cevns) on argon using a liquid argon detector at the Oak Ridge
National Laboratory Spallation Neutron Source. Two independent analyses prefer
\cevns over the background-only null hypothesis with greater than
significance. The measured cross section, averaged over the incident neutrino
flux, is (2.2 0.7) 10 cm -- consistent with the
standard model prediction. The neutron-number dependence of this result,
together with that from our previous measurement on CsI, confirms the existence
of the \cevns process and provides improved constraints on non-standard
neutrino interactions.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures with 2 pages, 6 figures supplementary material V3:
fixes to figs 3,4 V4: fix typo in table 1, V5: replaced missing appendix, V6:
fix Eq 1, new fig 3, V7 final version, updated with final revision