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Measurement of the neutron lifetime by counting trapped protons

Journal Article · · Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
DOI:https://doi.org/10.6028/jres.110.048· OSTI ID:1628758
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [5];  [5]
  1. Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (United States); DOE/OSTI
  2. National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States)
  3. Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States)
  4. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  5. European Commission, Geel (Belgium). Joint Research Centre. Inst. for Reference Materials and Measurements
+ Show Author Affiliations
We measured the neutron decay lifetime by counting in-beam neutron decay recoil protons trapped in a quasi-Penning trap. The absolute neutron beam fluence was measured by capture in a thin 6LiF foil detector with known efficiency. The combination of these measurements gives the neutron lifetime: τn = (886.8 ± 1.2 ± 3.2) s, where the first (second) uncertainty is statistical (systematic) in nature. This is the most precise neutron lifetime determination to date using an in-beam method.
Research Organization:
National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725; AI02-93ER40784
OSTI ID:
1628758
Journal Information:
Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Journal Name: Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 110; ISSN 1044-677X
Publisher:
National Institute of Standards (NIST)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (2)

Neutron lifetime measured with stored ultracold neutrons journal August 1989
Measurement of the neutron lifetime by counting trapped protons journal July 1990

Cited By (1)

Neutron oscillations for solving neutron lifetime and dark matter puzzles journal October 2019

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Related Subjects

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
Instruments & Instrumentation
Physics
neutron lifetime
trapped protons