The aCORN backscatter-suppressed beta spectrometer

Hassan, M. T.; Bateman, F.; Collett, B.; Darius, G.; DeAngelis, C.; Dewey, M. S.; Jones, G. L.; Komives, A.; Laptev, A.; Mendenhall, M. P.; Nico, J. S.; Noid, G.; Stephenson, E. J.; Stern, I.; Trull, C.; Wietfeldt, F. E.

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2017.05.029

The aCORN backscatter-suppressed beta spectrometer

Journal Article · Fri Jun 16 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2017.05.029· OSTI ID:1417809

Hassan, M. T. ^[1]; Bateman, F. ^[2]; Collett, B. ^[3]; Darius, G. ^[1]; DeAngelis, C. ^[1]; Dewey, M. S. ^[2]; Jones, G. L. ^[3]; Komives, A. ^[4]; Laptev, A. ^[1]; Mendenhall, M. P. ^[2]; Nico, J. S. ^[2]; Noid, G. ^[5]; Stephenson, E. J. ^[5]; Stern, I. ^[1]; Trull, C. ^[1]; Wietfeldt, F. E. ^[1]

Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (United States). Dept. of Physics and Engineering Physics
National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States)
Hamilton College, Clinton, NY (United States). Physics Dept.
DePauw Univ., Greencastle, IN (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States). Center for Exploration of Energy and Matter (CEEM)

Backscatter of electrons from a beta detector, with incomplete energy deposition, can lead to undesirable effects in many types of experiments. We present and discuss the design and operation of a backscatter-suppressed beta spectrometer that was developed as part of a program to measure the electron–antineutrino correlation coefficient in neutron beta decay (aCORN). An array of backscatter veto detectors surrounds a plastic scintillator beta energy detector. The spectrometer contains an axial magnetic field gradient, so electrons are efficiently admitted but have a low probability for escaping back through the entrance after backscattering. Lastly, the design, construction, calibration, and performance of the spectrometer are discussed.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-06NA25396; AI02-93ER40784; SC0005925; SC0014148

OSTI ID:: 1417809

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1550194
OSTI ID: 22741332

Report Number(s):: LA-UR--16-29380

Journal Information:: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Journal Name: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment Journal Issue: C Vol. 867; ISSN 0168-9002

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited By (1)

Measurement of the Electron-Antineutrino Angular Correlation in Neutron β Decay Darius, G.; Byron, W. A.; DeAngelis, C. R. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 119, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.119.042502	journal	July 2017

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References (18)

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