Neutron lifetime measurements using gravitationally trapped ultracold neutrons

Journal Article · Mon Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVC.78.035505· OSTI ID:21192246

Serebrov, A P; Varlamov, V E; Kharitonov, A G; Fomin, A K; Krasnoschekova, I A; Lasakov, M S; Taldaev, R R; Vassiljev, A V; Zherebtsov, O M ^[1]; Pokotilovski, Yu N ^[2]; Geltenbort, P ^[3]

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1. Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, RU-188300 Gatchina, Leningrad District (Russian Federation)
2. Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, RU-141980 Dubna, Moscow Region (Russian Federation)
3. Institut Max von Laue Paul Langevin, Boite Postal 156, F-38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)

Our experiment using gravitationally trapped ultracold neutrons (UCN) to measure the neutron lifetime is reviewed. Ultracold neutrons were trapped in a material bottle covered with perfluoropolyether. The neutron lifetime was deduced from comparison of UCN losses in the traps with different surface-to-volume ratios. The precise value of the neutron lifetime is of fundamental importance to particle physics and cosmology. In this experiment, the UCN storage time is brought closer to the neutron lifetime than in any experiments before: the probability of UCN losses from the trap was only 1% of that for neutron {beta} decay. The neutron lifetime obtained, 878.5{+-}0.7{sub stat}{+-}0.3{sub sys} s, is the most accurate experimental measurement to date.

• OSTI ID: 21192246
• Journal Information: Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 78; ISSN 0556-2813; ISSN PRVCAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BETA DECAY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COSMOLOGY
LIFETIME
PARTICLES
PROBABILITY
SURFACES
TRAPPING
TRAPS
ULTRACOLD NEUTRONS