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New Measurement of the {sup 1}S {sub 0} Neutron-Neutron Scattering Length Using the Neutron-Proton Scattering Length as a Standard

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
; ; ; ; ; ; ;  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]; ;  [5];  [6]
  1. Duke University and Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina 27708 (United States)
  2. Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, D-44780 Bochum (Germany)
  3. Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, D-38116 Braunschweig (Germany)
  4. Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb (Croatia)
  5. Chinese Institute for Atomic Energy, Beijing, People`s Republic of (China)
  6. Institute of Physics, Jagellonian University, PL-30059 Cracow (Poland)

This paper reports high-accuracy cross-section data taken for identical kinematic conditions of the neutron-proton (np) and neutron-neutron (nn) final-state interactions in the {sup 2}H( n,thinspnnp) reaction at an incident mean neutron energy of 13.0thinspthinspMeV. These data were analyzed with rigorous three-nucleon calculations to determine the {sup 1}S{sub 0} np and nn scattering lengths, a{sub np} and a{sub nn} . Our results are a{sub nn}={minus}18.7{plus_minus}0.6 fm and a{sub np}={minus}23.5{plus_minus}0.8 fm . The value obtained for a{sub nn} in the present work is in agreement with that from {pi}{sup {minus}}d measurements but disagrees with values obtained from earlier neutron-deuteron breakup studies. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}

OSTI ID:
690752
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 19 Vol. 83; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English