A backscatter-suppressed beta spectrometer for neutron decay studies

A Backscatter-Suppressed Beta Spectrometer for Neutron Decay Studies

We describe a beta electron spectrometer for use in an upcoming experiment that will measure the beta-antineutrino correlation coefficient (a coefficient) in neutron beta decay. Electron energy is measured by a thick plastic scintillator detector. A conical array of plastic scintillator veto detectors is used to suppress events where the electron backscattered. A Monte Carlo simulation of this ...

Precision Neutron Polarimetry for Neutron Beta Decay

The abBA collaboration is developing a new type of field-expansion spectrometer for a measurement of the three correlation coefficients a, A, and B and the shape parameter b. The measurement of A and B requires precision neutron polarimetry. We will polarize a pulsed cold neutron beam from the SNS using a (3)He neutron spin filter. The well-known polarizing cross section for n-(3)He has a 1/v d...

High Precision Neutron Beta-Decay Measurements

Non-Relativistic Limit of Neutron Beta-Decay Cross-Section in the Presence of Strong Magnetic Field

One of the most important reactions of the URCA that lead to the cooling of a neutron star, is neutron beta-decay ( ). In this research, the energy spectra and wave functions of massive fermions taking into account the Anomalous Magnetic Moment (AMM) in the presence of a strong changed magnetic field are calculated. For this purpose, the Dirac-Pauli equation for charged and neutral fermions is ...

A Backscatter Suppressed Electron Detector for the Measurement of “a”

A new method of measuring the electron-antineutrino angular correlation coefficient, little "a", from neutron decay-to be performed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology-will require an electron spectrometer that strongly suppresses backscattered electrons. A prototype consisting of six trapezoidal veto detectors arranged around a plastic scintillator has been tested with an ele...