Storage of ultracold neutrons in the magneto-gravitational trap of the UCNτ experiment

D. J. Salvat; E. R. Adamek; D. Barlow; J. D. Bowman; L. J. Broussard; N. B. Callahan; S. M. Clayton; C. Cude-Woods; S. Currie; E. B. Dees; W. Fox; P. Geltenbort; K. P. Hickerson; A. T. Holley; C. Y. Liu; M. Makela; J. Medina; D. J. Morley; C. L. Morris; S. I. Penttilä; J. Ramsey; A. Saunders; S. J. Seestrom; E. I. Sharapov; S. K.L. Sjue; B. A. Slaughter; J. Vanderwerp; B. Vorndick; P. L. Walstrom; Z. Wang; T. L. Womack; A. R. Young

doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.89.052501

Storage of ultracold neutrons in the magneto-gravitational trap of the UCNτ experiment

D. J. Salvat, E. R. Adamek, D. Barlow, J. D. Bowman, L. J. Broussard, N. B. Callahan, S. M. Clayton, C. Cude-Woods, S. Currie, E. B. Dees, W. Fox, P. Geltenbort, K. P. Hickerson, A. T. Holley, C. Y. Liu, M. Makela, J. Medina, D. J. Morley, C. L. Morris, S. I. PenttiläJ. Ramsey, A. Saunders, S. J. Seestrom, E. I. Sharapov, S. K.L. Sjue, B. A. Slaughter, J. Vanderwerp, B. Vorndick, P. L. Walstrom, Z. Wang, T. L. Womack, A. R. Young

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Abstract

The UCNτ experiment is designed to measure the lifetime τn of the free neutron by trapping ultracold neutrons (UCN) in a magneto-gravitational trap. An asymmetric bowl-shaped NdFeB magnet Halbach array confines low-field-seeking UCN within the apparatus, and a set of electromagnetic coils in a toroidal geometry provides a background "holding" field to eliminate depolarization-induced UCN loss caused by magnetic field nodes. We present a measurement of the storage time τstore of the trap by storing UCN for various times and counting the survivors. The data are consistent with a single exponential decay, and we find τstore=860±19 s, within 1σ of current global averages for τn. The storage time with the holding field deactivated is found to be τstore=470±160 s; this decreased storage time is due to the loss of UCN, which undergo Majorana spin flips while being stored. We discuss plans to increase the statistical sensitivity of the measurement and investigate potential systematic effects.

Original language	English
Article number	052501
Journal	Physical Review C - Nuclear Physics
Volume	89
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.89.052501
State	Published - May 23 2014
Externally published	Yes

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Salvat, D. J., Adamek, E. R., Barlow, D., Bowman, J. D., Broussard, L. J., Callahan, N. B., Clayton, S. M., Cude-Woods, C., Currie, S., Dees, E. B., Fox, W., Geltenbort, P., Hickerson, K. P., Holley, A. T., Liu, C. Y., Makela, M., Medina, J., Morley, D. J., Morris, C. L., ... Young, A. R. (2014). Storage of ultracold neutrons in the magneto-gravitational trap of the UCNτ experiment. Physical Review C - Nuclear Physics, 89(5), Article 052501. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.89.052501

@article{598b049246184169b80a125362c51c5a,

title = "Storage of ultracold neutrons in the magneto-gravitational trap of the UCNτ experiment",

abstract = "The UCNτ experiment is designed to measure the lifetime τn of the free neutron by trapping ultracold neutrons (UCN) in a magneto-gravitational trap. An asymmetric bowl-shaped NdFeB magnet Halbach array confines low-field-seeking UCN within the apparatus, and a set of electromagnetic coils in a toroidal geometry provides a background {"}holding{"} field to eliminate depolarization-induced UCN loss caused by magnetic field nodes. We present a measurement of the storage time τstore of the trap by storing UCN for various times and counting the survivors. The data are consistent with a single exponential decay, and we find τstore=860±19 s, within 1σ of current global averages for τn. The storage time with the holding field deactivated is found to be τstore=470±160 s; this decreased storage time is due to the loss of UCN, which undergo Majorana spin flips while being stored. We discuss plans to increase the statistical sensitivity of the measurement and investigate potential systematic effects.",

author = "Salvat, {D. J.} and Adamek, {E. R.} and D. Barlow and Bowman, {J. D.} and Broussard, {L. J.} and Callahan, {N. B.} and Clayton, {S. M.} and C. Cude-Woods and S. Currie and Dees, {E. B.} and W. Fox and P. Geltenbort and Hickerson, {K. P.} and Holley, {A. T.} and Liu, {C. Y.} and M. Makela and J. Medina and Morley, {D. J.} and Morris, {C. L.} and Penttil{\"a}, {S. I.} and J. Ramsey and A. Saunders and Seestrom, {S. J.} and Sharapov, {E. I.} and Sjue, {S. K.L.} and Slaughter, {B. A.} and J. Vanderwerp and B. Vorndick and Walstrom, {P. L.} and Z. Wang and Womack, {T. L.} and Young, {A. R.}",

year = "2014",

month = may,

day = "23",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevC.89.052501",

language = "English",

volume = "89",

journal = "Physical Review C - Nuclear Physics",

issn = "0556-2813",

number = "5",

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Salvat, DJ, Adamek, ER, Barlow, D, Bowman, JD, Broussard, LJ, Callahan, NB, Clayton, SM, Cude-Woods, C, Currie, S, Dees, EB, Fox, W, Geltenbort, P, Hickerson, KP, Holley, AT, Liu, CY, Makela, M, Medina, J, Morley, DJ, Morris, CL, Penttilä, SI, Ramsey, J , Saunders, A, Seestrom, SJ, Sharapov, EI, Sjue, SKL, Slaughter, BA, Vanderwerp, J, Vorndick, B, Walstrom, PL, Wang, Z, Womack, TL & Young, AR 2014, 'Storage of ultracold neutrons in the magneto-gravitational trap of the UCNτ experiment', Physical Review C - Nuclear Physics, vol. 89, no. 5, 052501. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.89.052501

TY - JOUR

T1 - Storage of ultracold neutrons in the magneto-gravitational trap of the UCNτ experiment

AU - Salvat, D. J.

AU - Adamek, E. R.

AU - Barlow, D.

AU - Bowman, J. D.

AU - Broussard, L. J.

AU - Callahan, N. B.

AU - Clayton, S. M.

AU - Cude-Woods, C.

AU - Currie, S.

AU - Dees, E. B.

AU - Fox, W.

AU - Geltenbort, P.

AU - Hickerson, K. P.

AU - Holley, A. T.

AU - Liu, C. Y.

AU - Makela, M.

AU - Medina, J.

AU - Morley, D. J.

AU - Morris, C. L.

AU - Penttilä, S. I.

AU - Ramsey, J.

AU - Saunders, A.

AU - Seestrom, S. J.

AU - Sharapov, E. I.

AU - Sjue, S. K.L.

AU - Slaughter, B. A.

AU - Vanderwerp, J.

AU - Vorndick, B.

AU - Walstrom, P. L.

AU - Wang, Z.

AU - Womack, T. L.

AU - Young, A. R.

PY - 2014/5/23

Y1 - 2014/5/23

N2 - The UCNτ experiment is designed to measure the lifetime τn of the free neutron by trapping ultracold neutrons (UCN) in a magneto-gravitational trap. An asymmetric bowl-shaped NdFeB magnet Halbach array confines low-field-seeking UCN within the apparatus, and a set of electromagnetic coils in a toroidal geometry provides a background "holding" field to eliminate depolarization-induced UCN loss caused by magnetic field nodes. We present a measurement of the storage time τstore of the trap by storing UCN for various times and counting the survivors. The data are consistent with a single exponential decay, and we find τstore=860±19 s, within 1σ of current global averages for τn. The storage time with the holding field deactivated is found to be τstore=470±160 s; this decreased storage time is due to the loss of UCN, which undergo Majorana spin flips while being stored. We discuss plans to increase the statistical sensitivity of the measurement and investigate potential systematic effects.

AB - The UCNτ experiment is designed to measure the lifetime τn of the free neutron by trapping ultracold neutrons (UCN) in a magneto-gravitational trap. An asymmetric bowl-shaped NdFeB magnet Halbach array confines low-field-seeking UCN within the apparatus, and a set of electromagnetic coils in a toroidal geometry provides a background "holding" field to eliminate depolarization-induced UCN loss caused by magnetic field nodes. We present a measurement of the storage time τstore of the trap by storing UCN for various times and counting the survivors. The data are consistent with a single exponential decay, and we find τstore=860±19 s, within 1σ of current global averages for τn. The storage time with the holding field deactivated is found to be τstore=470±160 s; this decreased storage time is due to the loss of UCN, which undergo Majorana spin flips while being stored. We discuss plans to increase the statistical sensitivity of the measurement and investigate potential systematic effects.

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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevC.89.052501

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevC.89.052501

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84901372542

SN - 0556-2813

VL - 89

JO - Physical Review C - Nuclear Physics

JF - Physical Review C - Nuclear Physics

IS - 5

M1 - 052501

ER -

Storage of ultracold neutrons in the magneto-gravitational trap of the UCNτ experiment

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