0000000000003416
AUTHOR
Erwin Gutsmiedl
showing 10 related works from this author
First observation of trapped high-field seeking ultracold neutron spin states
2011
Ultracold neutrons were stored in a volume, using a magnetic dipole field shutter. Radial confinement was provided by material walls. Low-field seeking neutrons were axially confined above the magnetic field. High-field seeking neutrons are trapped inside the magnetic field. They can systematically shift the measured neutron lifetime to lower values in experiments with magnetic confinement. ISSN:0370-2693 ISSN:0031-9163 ISSN:1873-2445
Neutron to mirror-neutron oscillations in the presence of mirror magnetic fields
2009
We performed ultracold neutron (UCN) storage measurements to search for additional losses due to neutron (n) to mirror-neutron (n') oscillations as a function of an applied magnetic field B. In the presence of a mirror magnetic field B', UCN losses would be maximal for B = B'. We did not observe any indication for nn' oscillations and placed a lower limit on the oscillation time of tau_{nn'} > 12.0 s at 95% C.L. for any B' between 0 and 12.5 uT.
Losses and depolarization of ultracold neutrons on neutron guide and storage materials
2017
At Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) and Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), we have measured the losses and depolarization probabilities of ultracold neutrons on various materials: (i) nickel-molybdenum alloys with weight percentages of 82/18, 85/15, 88/12, 91/9, and 94/6 and natural nickel Ni100, (ii) nickel-vanadium NiV93/7, (iii) copper, and (iv) deuterated polystyrene (dPS). For the different samples, storage-time constants up to $\ensuremath{\sim}460\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}$ were obtained at room temperature. The corresponding loss parameters for ultracold neutrons, $\ensuremath{\eta}$, varied between $1.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ and $2.2\ifmmode\t…
MC calculations for the nEDM experiment systematics
2010
International audience; The nEDM experiment hosted at the Paul Scherrer Institute is the flagship project at the new ultracold neutron facility. Estimations of systematic effects for the determination of the neutron electric dipole moment play an important role in this project. Experimental studies are supported by Monte Carlo simulations using the MCUCN code. Here we briefly present first results on the experimental benchmark of the model, and on the evaluation of the storage time dependence of the centre of mass of UCN in the nEDM precession chamber. Such time dependence calculations will serve as consistency tests for future measurements involving field gradient corrections of the Ramsey…
Test of Lorentz invariance with spin precession of ultracold neutrons
2009
A clock comparison experiment, analyzing the ratio of spin precession frequencies of stored ultracold neutrons and $^{199}$Hg atoms is reported. %57 No daily variation of this ratio could be found, from which is set an upper limit on the Lorentz invariance violating cosmic anisotropy field $b_{\bot} < 2 \times 10^{-20} {\rm eV}$ (95% C.L.). This is the first limit for the free neutron. This result is also interpreted as a direct limit on the gravitational dipole moment of the neutron $|g_n| < 0.3 $eV/$c^2$ m from a spin-dependent interaction with the Sun. Analyzing the gravitational interaction with the Earth, based on previous data, yields a more stringent limit $|g_n| < 3 \times …
Direct Experimental Verification of Neutron Acceleration by the Material Optical Potential of SolidH22
2008
We have measured the acceleration of neutrons by the material optical potential of solid $^{2}\mathrm{H}_{2}$. Using a gravitational spectrometer, we find a minimal kinetic energy ${E}_{c}=(99\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}7)\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{neV}$ of neutrons from a superthermal ultracold neutron (UCN) source with solid $^{2}\mathrm{H}_{2}$ as an UCN converter. The result is in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions, ${E}_{c}=106\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{neV}$.
Testing isotropy of the universe using the Ramsey resonance technique on ultracold neutron spins
2010
Physics at the Planck scale could be revealed by looking for tiny violations of fundamental symmetries in low energy experiments. In 2008, a sensitive test of the isotropy of the Universe using has been performed with stored ultracold neutrons (UCN), this is the first clock-comparison experiment performed with free neutrons. During several days we monitored the Larmor frequency of neutron spins in a weak magnetic field using the Ramsey resonance technique. An non-zero cosmic axial field, violating rotational symmetry, would induce a daily variation of the precession frequency. Our null result constitutes one of the most stringent tests of Lorentz invariance to date.
Towards a new measurement of the neutron electric dipole moment
2009
International audience; The effort towards a new measurement of the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) at the Paul Scherrer Institut's (PSI) new high intensity source of ultracold neutrons (UCN) is described. The experimental technique relies on Ramsey's method of separated oscillatory fields, using UCN in vacuum with the apparatus at ambient temperature. In the first phase, R&D towards the upgrade of the RAL/Sussex/ILL apparatus is being performed at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL). In the second phase the apparatus, moved from ILL to PSI, will allow an improvement in experimental sensitivity by a factor of 5. In the third phase, a new spectrometer should gain another order of magnitud…
A low-pass velocity filter for ultracold neutrons
2012
Abstract We have built a device to filter ultracold neutrons with axial velocities v n ≤ 8.0 m / s from faster neutrons. The apparatus has been successfully tested at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble and is used in specific experiments, e.g., the measurement of ultracold neutron transmission through various types of neutron guides.
Additional results from the first dedicated search for neutron–mirror neutron oscillations
2008
International audience; The existence of a mirror world holding a copy of our ordinary particle spectrum could lead to oscillations between the neutron (n) and its mirror partner (n′). Such oscillations could manifest themselves in storage experiments with ultracold neutrons whose storage lifetime would depend on the applied magnetic field. Here, extended details and measurements from the first dedicated experimental search for nn′ oscillations published in [G. Ban, K. Bodek, M. Daum, R. Henneck, S. Heule, M. Kasprzak, N. Khomutov, K. Kirch, S. Kistryn, A. Knecht, P. Knowles, M. Kuźniak, T. Lefort, A. Mtchedlishvili, O. Naviliat-Cuncic, C. Plonka, G. Quéméner, M. Rebetez, D. Rebreyend, S. R…