Characterization of electroless nickel-phosphorus plating for ultracold-neutron storage

H. Akatsuka; T. Andalib; B. Bell; J. Berean-Dutcher; N. Bernier; C. P. Bidinosti; C. Cude-Woods; S. A. Currie; C. A. Davis; B. Franke; R. Gaur; P. Giampa; S. Hansen-Romu; M. T. Hassan; K. Hatanaka; T. Higuchi; C. Gibson; G. Ichikawa; I. Ide; S. Imajo; T. M. Ito; B. Jamieson; S. Kawasaki; M. Kitaguchi; W. Klassen; E. Korkmaz; F. Kuchler; M. Lang; M. Lavvaf; T. Lindner; M. Makela; J. Mammei; R. Mammei; J. W. Martin; R. Matsumiya; E. Miller; K. Mishima; T. Momose; S. Morawetz; C. L. Morris; H. J. Ong; C. M. O'Shaughnessy; M. Pereira-Wilson; R. Picker; F. Piermaier; E. Pierre; W. Schreyer; S. Sidhu; D. Stang; V. Tiepo; S. Vanbergen; R. Wang; D. Wong; N. Yamamoto

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2023.168106

Characterization of electroless nickel-phosphorus plating for ultracold-neutron storage

H. Akatsuka, T. Andalib, B. Bell, J. Berean-Dutcher, N. Bernier, C. P. Bidinosti, C. Cude-Woods, S. A. Currie, C. A. Davis, B. Franke, R. Gaur, P. Giampa, S. Hansen-Romu, M. T. Hassan, K. Hatanaka, T. Higuchi, C. Gibson, G. Ichikawa, I. Ide, S. ImajoT. M. Ito, B. Jamieson, S. Kawasaki, M. Kitaguchi, W. Klassen, E. Korkmaz, F. Kuchler, M. Lang, M. Lavvaf, T. Lindner, M. Makela, J. Mammei, R. Mammei, J. W. Martin, R. Matsumiya, E. Miller, K. Mishima, T. Momose, S. Morawetz, C. L. Morris, H. J. Ong, C. M. O'Shaughnessy, M. Pereira-Wilson, R. Picker, F. Piermaier, E. Pierre, W. Schreyer, S. Sidhu, D. Stang, V. Tiepo, S. Vanbergen, R. Wang, D. Wong, N. Yamamoto

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2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Electroless nickel plating is an established industrial process that provides a robust and relatively low-cost coating suitable for transporting and storing ultracold neutrons (UCN). Using roughness measurements and UCN-storage experiments we characterized UCN guides made from polished aluminum or stainless-steel tubes plated by several vendors. All electroless nickel platings were similarly suited for UCN storage with an average loss probability per wall bounce of 2.8 ⋅ 10^-4 to 4.1 ⋅ 10^-4 for energies between 90neV and 190neV, or a ratio of imaginary to real Fermi potential η of 1.7 ⋅ 10^-4 to 3.3 ⋅ 10^-4. Measurements at different elevations indicate that the energy dependence of UCN losses is well described by the imaginary Fermi potential. Some special considerations are required to avoid an increase in surface roughness during the plating process and hence a reduction in UCN transmission. Increased roughness had only a minor impact on storage properties. Based on these findings we chose a vendor to plate the UCN-production vessel that will contain the superfluid-helium converter for the new TRIUMF UltraCold Advanced Neutron (TUCAN) source, achieving acceptable UCN-storage properties with η=3.5(5)⋅10^-4.

Original language	English
Article number	168106
Journal	Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Volume	1049
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2023.168106
State	Published - Apr 2023
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This research was supported by CFI, Canada project 36322, NSERC grant SAPPJ-201-00031 , and JSPS, Japan KAKENHI grants 18H05230 and 20KK0069 . The measurement at LANL was supported by Los Alamos National Laboratory LDRD Program, United States (Project No. 20190041DR ). The neutron experiment at the J-PARC Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility was performed under KEK S-type proposal 2019S03.

Keywords

Electroless nickel
Storage lifetime
Surface roughness
Ultracold neutrons

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10.1016/j.nima.2023.168106

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Akatsuka, H., Andalib, T., Bell, B., Berean-Dutcher, J., Bernier, N., Bidinosti, C. P., Cude-Woods, C., Currie, S. A., Davis, C. A., Franke, B., Gaur, R., Giampa, P., Hansen-Romu, S., Hassan, M. T., Hatanaka, K., Higuchi, T., Gibson, C., Ichikawa, G., Ide, I., ... Yamamoto, N. (2023). Characterization of electroless nickel-phosphorus plating for ultracold-neutron storage. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 1049, Article 168106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2023.168106

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title = "Characterization of electroless nickel-phosphorus plating for ultracold-neutron storage",

abstract = "Electroless nickel plating is an established industrial process that provides a robust and relatively low-cost coating suitable for transporting and storing ultracold neutrons (UCN). Using roughness measurements and UCN-storage experiments we characterized UCN guides made from polished aluminum or stainless-steel tubes plated by several vendors. All electroless nickel platings were similarly suited for UCN storage with an average loss probability per wall bounce of 2.8 ⋅ 10-4 to 4.1 ⋅ 10-4 for energies between 90neV and 190neV, or a ratio of imaginary to real Fermi potential η of 1.7 ⋅ 10-4 to 3.3 ⋅ 10-4. Measurements at different elevations indicate that the energy dependence of UCN losses is well described by the imaginary Fermi potential. Some special considerations are required to avoid an increase in surface roughness during the plating process and hence a reduction in UCN transmission. Increased roughness had only a minor impact on storage properties. Based on these findings we chose a vendor to plate the UCN-production vessel that will contain the superfluid-helium converter for the new TRIUMF UltraCold Advanced Neutron (TUCAN) source, achieving acceptable UCN-storage properties with η=3.5(5)⋅10-4.",

keywords = "Electroless nickel, Storage lifetime, Surface roughness, Ultracold neutrons",

author = "H. Akatsuka and T. Andalib and B. Bell and J. Berean-Dutcher and N. Bernier and Bidinosti, {C. P.} and C. Cude-Woods and Currie, {S. A.} and Davis, {C. A.} and B. Franke and R. Gaur and P. Giampa and S. Hansen-Romu and Hassan, {M. T.} and K. Hatanaka and T. Higuchi and C. Gibson and G. Ichikawa and I. Ide and S. Imajo and Ito, {T. M.} and B. Jamieson and S. Kawasaki and M. Kitaguchi and W. Klassen and E. Korkmaz and F. Kuchler and M. Lang and M. Lavvaf and T. Lindner and M. Makela and J. Mammei and R. Mammei and Martin, {J. W.} and R. Matsumiya and E. Miller and K. Mishima and T. Momose and S. Morawetz and Morris, {C. L.} and Ong, {H. J.} and O'Shaughnessy, {C. M.} and M. Pereira-Wilson and R. Picker and F. Piermaier and E. Pierre and W. Schreyer and S. Sidhu and D. Stang and V. Tiepo and S. Vanbergen and R. Wang and D. Wong and N. Yamamoto",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2023",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.nima.2023.168106",

language = "English",

volume = "1049",

journal = "Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment",

issn = "0168-9002",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

Akatsuka, H, Andalib, T, Bell, B, Berean-Dutcher, J, Bernier, N, Bidinosti, CP, Cude-Woods, C, Currie, SA, Davis, CA, Franke, B, Gaur, R, Giampa, P, Hansen-Romu, S, Hassan, MT, Hatanaka, K, Higuchi, T, Gibson, C, Ichikawa, G, Ide, I, Imajo, S, Ito, TM, Jamieson, B, Kawasaki, S, Kitaguchi, M, Klassen, W, Korkmaz, E, Kuchler, F, Lang, M, Lavvaf, M, Lindner, T, Makela, M, Mammei, J, Mammei, R, Martin, JW, Matsumiya, R, Miller, E, Mishima, K, Momose, T, Morawetz, S, Morris, CL, Ong, HJ, O'Shaughnessy, CM, Pereira-Wilson, M, Picker, R, Piermaier, F, Pierre, E, Schreyer, W, Sidhu, S, Stang, D, Tiepo, V, Vanbergen, S, Wang, R, Wong, D & Yamamoto, N 2023, 'Characterization of electroless nickel-phosphorus plating for ultracold-neutron storage', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, vol. 1049, 168106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2023.168106

TY - JOUR

T1 - Characterization of electroless nickel-phosphorus plating for ultracold-neutron storage

AU - Akatsuka, H.

AU - Andalib, T.

AU - Bell, B.

AU - Berean-Dutcher, J.

AU - Bernier, N.

AU - Bidinosti, C. P.

AU - Cude-Woods, C.

AU - Currie, S. A.

AU - Davis, C. A.

AU - Franke, B.

AU - Gaur, R.

AU - Giampa, P.

AU - Hansen-Romu, S.

AU - Hassan, M. T.

AU - Hatanaka, K.

AU - Higuchi, T.

AU - Gibson, C.

AU - Ichikawa, G.

AU - Ide, I.

AU - Imajo, S.

AU - Ito, T. M.

AU - Jamieson, B.

AU - Kawasaki, S.

AU - Kitaguchi, M.

AU - Klassen, W.

AU - Korkmaz, E.

AU - Kuchler, F.

AU - Lang, M.

AU - Lavvaf, M.

AU - Lindner, T.

AU - Makela, M.

AU - Mammei, J.

AU - Mammei, R.

AU - Martin, J. W.

AU - Matsumiya, R.

AU - Miller, E.

AU - Mishima, K.

AU - Momose, T.

AU - Morawetz, S.

AU - Morris, C. L.

AU - Ong, H. J.

AU - O'Shaughnessy, C. M.

AU - Pereira-Wilson, M.

AU - Picker, R.

AU - Piermaier, F.

AU - Pierre, E.

AU - Schreyer, W.

AU - Sidhu, S.

AU - Stang, D.

AU - Tiepo, V.

AU - Vanbergen, S.

AU - Wang, R.

AU - Wong, D.

AU - Yamamoto, N.

PY - 2023/4

Y1 - 2023/4

N2 - Electroless nickel plating is an established industrial process that provides a robust and relatively low-cost coating suitable for transporting and storing ultracold neutrons (UCN). Using roughness measurements and UCN-storage experiments we characterized UCN guides made from polished aluminum or stainless-steel tubes plated by several vendors. All electroless nickel platings were similarly suited for UCN storage with an average loss probability per wall bounce of 2.8 ⋅ 10-4 to 4.1 ⋅ 10-4 for energies between 90neV and 190neV, or a ratio of imaginary to real Fermi potential η of 1.7 ⋅ 10-4 to 3.3 ⋅ 10-4. Measurements at different elevations indicate that the energy dependence of UCN losses is well described by the imaginary Fermi potential. Some special considerations are required to avoid an increase in surface roughness during the plating process and hence a reduction in UCN transmission. Increased roughness had only a minor impact on storage properties. Based on these findings we chose a vendor to plate the UCN-production vessel that will contain the superfluid-helium converter for the new TRIUMF UltraCold Advanced Neutron (TUCAN) source, achieving acceptable UCN-storage properties with η=3.5(5)⋅10-4.

AB - Electroless nickel plating is an established industrial process that provides a robust and relatively low-cost coating suitable for transporting and storing ultracold neutrons (UCN). Using roughness measurements and UCN-storage experiments we characterized UCN guides made from polished aluminum or stainless-steel tubes plated by several vendors. All electroless nickel platings were similarly suited for UCN storage with an average loss probability per wall bounce of 2.8 ⋅ 10-4 to 4.1 ⋅ 10-4 for energies between 90neV and 190neV, or a ratio of imaginary to real Fermi potential η of 1.7 ⋅ 10-4 to 3.3 ⋅ 10-4. Measurements at different elevations indicate that the energy dependence of UCN losses is well described by the imaginary Fermi potential. Some special considerations are required to avoid an increase in surface roughness during the plating process and hence a reduction in UCN transmission. Increased roughness had only a minor impact on storage properties. Based on these findings we chose a vendor to plate the UCN-production vessel that will contain the superfluid-helium converter for the new TRIUMF UltraCold Advanced Neutron (TUCAN) source, achieving acceptable UCN-storage properties with η=3.5(5)⋅10-4.

KW - Electroless nickel

KW - Storage lifetime

KW - Surface roughness

KW - Ultracold neutrons

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85147604147&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.nima.2023.168106

DO - 10.1016/j.nima.2023.168106

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85147604147

SN - 0168-9002

VL - 1049

JO - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

JF - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

M1 - 168106

ER -

Characterization of electroless nickel-phosphorus plating for ultracold-neutron storage

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Keywords

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