High-density ultracold neutron sources for the WWR-M and PIK reactors

Journal Article · Fri Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Crystallography Reports

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063774516010211· OSTI ID:22471910

Fomin, A. K.; Kharitonov, A. G.; Lyamkin, V. A.; Prudnikov, D. V.; Ivanov, S. A.; Erykalov, A. N.; Onegin, M. S. ^[1]; Gridnev, K. A. ^[2]

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1. National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (Russian Federation)
2. St. Petersburg State University (Russian Federation)

It is proposed to equip the PIK and WWR-M research reactors at the Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI) with high-density ultracold neutron (UCN) sources, where UCNs will be obtained based on the effect of their accumulation in superfluid helium (due to the specific features of this quantum fluid). The maximum UCN storage time in superfluid helium is obtained at temperatures on the order of 1 K. These sources are expected to yield UCN densities of 10{sup 3}–10{sup 4} cm{sup –3}, i.e., approximately three orders of magnitude higher than the density from existing UCN sources throughout the world. The development of highest intensity UCN sources will make PNPI an international center of fundamental UCN research.

• OSTI ID: 22471910
• Journal Information: Crystallography Reports, Vol. 61, Issue 1; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2016 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-7745
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES
BUILDUP
EFFICIENCY
HELIUM
NEUTRON DENSITY
NEUTRON SOURCES
QUANTUM FLUIDS
SUPERFLUIDITY
ULTRACOLD NEUTRONS