Determination of the neutron lifetime using magnetically trapped neutrons
- 1 July 2005
- journal article
- Published by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
- Vol. 110 (4) , 339-43
- https://doi.org/10.6028/jres.110.050
Abstract
We report progress on an experiment to measure the neutron lifetime using magnetically trapped neutrons. Neutrons are loaded into a 1.1 T deep superconducting Ioffe-type trap by scattering 0.89 nm neutrons in isotopically pure superfluid (4)He. Neutron decays are detected in real time using the scintillation light produced in the helium by the beta-decay electrons. The measured trap lifetime at a helium temperature of 300 mK and with no ameliorative magnetic ramping is substantially shorter than the free neutron lifetime. This is attributed to the presence of neutrons with energies higher than the magnetic potential of the trap. Magnetic field ramping is implemented to eliminate these neutrons, resulting in an [Formula: see text] trap lifetime, consistent with the currently accepted value of the free neutron lifetime.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Magnetic trapping of neutronsNature, 2000