University of Sussex
Browse
PhysRevLett 115 162502 (002).pdf (2.52 MB)

Observation of gravitationally induced vertical striation of polarized ultracold neutrons by spin-echo spectroscopy

Download (2.52 MB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 01:19 authored by S Afach, N J Ayres, G Ban, G Bison, K Bodek, Z Chowdhuri, M Daum, M Fertl, B Franke, Clark GriffithClark Griffith, Z D Grujic, Philip Harris, W Heil, V Hélaine, M Kasprzak, Y Kermaidic, K Kirch, P Knowles, H -C Koch, S Komposch, A Kozela, J Krempel, B Lauss, T Lefort, Y Lemière, A Mtchedlishvili, M Musgrave, O Naviliat-Cuncic, J M Pendlebury, F M Piegsa, G Pignol, C Plonka-Spehr, P N Prashanth, G Quéméner, M Rawlik, D Rebreyend, D Ries, S Roccia, D Rozpedzik, P Schmidt-Wellenburg, N Severijns, J A Thorne, A Weis, E Wursten, G Wyszynski, J Zejma, J Zenner, G Zsigmond
We describe a spin-echo method for ultracold neutrons (UCNs) confined in a precession chamber and exposed to a |B 0 |=1??µT magnetic field. We have demonstrated that the analysis of UCN spin-echo resonance signals in combination with knowledge of the ambient magnetic field provides an excellent method by which to reconstruct the energy spectrum of a confined ensemble of neutrons. The method takes advantage of the relative dephasing of spins arising from a gravitationally induced striation of stored UCNs of different energies, and also permits an improved determination of the vertical magnetic-field gradient with an exceptional accuracy of 1.1??pT/cm . This novel combination of a well-known nuclear resonance method and gravitationally induced vertical striation is unique in the realm of nuclear and particle physics and should prove to be invaluable for the assessment of systematic effects in precision experiments such as searches for an electric dipole moment of the neutron or the measurement of the neutron lifetime.

Funding

Neutron EDM; G1558; STFC-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL; ST/M003426/1

Consolidated Grant; G0927; STFC-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL; ST/K001329/1

Magnetic Field Uniformity and Ultracold Neutron Storage Optimization for CryoEDM; G1288; STFC-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL; ST/L006472/1

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Physical Review Letters

ISSN

0031-9007

Publisher

American Physical Society

Issue

16

Volume

115

Page range

1-6

Article number

a162502

Department affiliated with

  • Physics and Astronomy Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2016-05-20

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2016-09-29

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-05-19

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC