Invited article: development of high-field superconducting Ioffe magnetic traps

We describe the design, construction, and performance of three generations of superconducting Ioffe magnetic traps. The first two are low current traps, built from four racetrack shaped quadrupole coils and two solenoid assemblies. Coils are wet wound with multifilament NbTi superconducting wires embedded in epoxy matrices. The magnet bore diameters are 51 and 105 mm with identical trap depths of 1.0 T at their operating currents and at 4.2 K. A third trap uses a high current accelerator-type quadrupole magnet and two low current solenoids. This trap has a bore diameter of 140 mm and tested trap depth of 2.8 T. Both low current traps show signs of excessive training. The high current hybrid trap, on the other hand, exhibits good training behavior and is amenable to quench protection.

Determination of the Neutron Lifetime Using Magnetically Trapped Neutrons

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.

Chaotic Scattering and Escape Times of Marginally Trapped Ultracold Neutrons

We compute classical trajectories of Ultracold neutrons (UCNs) in a superconducting Ioffe-type magnetic trap using a symplectic integration method. We find that the computed escape time for a particular set of initial conditions (momentum and position) does not generally stabilize as the time step parameter is reduced unless the escape time is short (less than approximately 10 s). For energy intervals where more than half of the escape times computed for UCN realizations are numerically well determined, we predict the median escape time as a function of the midpoint of the interval.

The Fundamental Neutron Physics Facilities at NIST

The program in fundamental neutron physics at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) began nearly two decades ago. The Neutron Interactions and Dosimetry Group currently maintains four neutron beam lines dedicated to studies of fundamental neutron interactions. The neutrons are provided by the NIST Center for Neutron Research, a national user facility for studies that include condensed matter physics, materials science, nuclear chemistry, and biological science. The beam lines for fundamental physics experiments include a high-intensity polychromatic beam, a 0.496 nm monochromatic beam, a 0.89 nm monochromatic beam, and a neutron interferometer and optics facility. This paper discusses some of the parameters of the beam lines along with brief presentations of some of the experiments performed at the facilities.

Beamline Performance Simulations for the Fundamental Neutron Physics Beamline at the Spallation Neutron Source

Monte Carlo simulations are being performed to design and characterize the neutron optics components for the two fundamental neutron physics beamlines at the Spallation Neutron Source. Optimization of the cold beamline includes characterization of the guides and benders, the neutron transmission through the 0.89 nm monochromator, and the expected performance of the four time-of-flight choppers. The locations and opening angles of the choppers have been studied using a simple spreadsheet-based analysis that was developed for other SNS chopper instruments. The spreadsheet parameters are then optimized using Monte Carlo techniques to obtain the results presented in this paper. Optimization of the 0.89 nm beamline includes characterizing the double crystal monochromator and the downstream guides. The simulations continue to be refined as components are ordered and their exact size and performance specifications are determined.

Measurement of the Parity-Violating Neutron Spin Rotation in (4) He

In the meson exchange model of weak nucleon-nucleon (NN) interactions, the exchange of virtual mesons between the nucleons is parameterized by a set of weak meson exchange amplitudes. The strengths of these amplitudes from theoretical calculations are not well known, and experimental measurements of parity-violating (PV) observables in different nuclear systems have not constrained their values. Transversely polarized cold neutrons traveling through liquid helium experience a PV spin rotation due to the weak interaction with an angle proportional to a linear combination of these weak meson exchange amplitudes. A measurement of the PV neutron spin rotation in helium (φ PV ( n ,α)) would provide information about the relative strengths of the weak meson exchange amplitudes, and with the longitudinal analyzing power measurement in the p + α system, allow the first comparison between isospin mirror systems in weak NN interaction. An earlier experiment performed at NIST obtained a result consistent with zero: φ PV ( n ,α) = (8.0 ±14(stat) ±2.2(syst)) ×10(-7) rad / m[1]. We describe a modified apparatus using a superfluid helium target to increase statistics and reduce systematic effects in an effort to reach a sensitivity goal of 10(-7) rad/m.

Search for a Neutron Electric Dipole Moment

The possible existence of a nonzero electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron is of great fundamental interest in itself and directly impacts our understanding of the nature of electro-weak and strong interactions. The experimental search for this moment has the potential to reveal new sources of T and CP violation and to challenge calculations that propose extensions to the Standard Model. The goal of the current experiment is to significantly improve the measurement sensitivity to the neutron EDM over what is reported in the literature. The experiment has the potential to either measure the magnitude of the neutron EDM or to lower the current experimental limit by two orders of magnitude. Achieving these objectives will have a major impact on our understanding of the physics of both weak and strong interactions.

Precision neutron interferometric measurement of the nd coherent neutron scattering length and consequences for models of three-nucleon forces

We have performed the first high precision measurement of the coherent neutron scattering length of deuterium in a pure sample using neutron interferometry. We find b(nd)=(6.665+/-0.004) fm in agreement with the world average of previous measurements using different techniques, b(nd)=(6.6730+/-0.0045) fm. We compare the new world average for the nd coherent scattering length b(nd)=(6.669+/-0.003) fm to calculations of the doublet and quartet scattering lengths from several modern nucleon-nucleon potential models with three-nucleon force (3NF) additions and show that almost all theories are in serious disagreement with experiment. This comparison is a more stringent test of the models than past comparisons with the less precisely determined doublet scattering length of (2)a(nd)=(0.65+/-0.04) fm.