aCORN: An experiment to measure the electron-antineutrino correlation in neutron decay

Type of Work

Article

Date

12-1-2009

Journal Title

Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment

Journal ISSN

0168-9002

Journal Volume

611

Journal Issue

2-3

First Page

207

Last Page

210

DOI

10.1016/j.nima.2009.07.064

Abstract

The aCORN experiment is designed to make a precision (<1%) measurement of the electron-antineutrino angular correlation (a-coefficient) in neutron beta decay. It uses a new method proposed in 1996 by Yerozolimsky and Mostovoy. Electrons and recoil protons from neutron decay in a cold beam are detected in coincidence. The momenta of the particles are selected so that the protons form two kinematically distinct time-of-flight groups as a function of electron energy. The count rate asymmetry in these two groups is proportional to the a-coefficient. Precision spectroscopy of the protons is not required. The apparatus is currently under construction. It will be integrated and tested at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF) and then moved to the NIST Center for Neutron Research for the initial physics run. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hamilton Areas of Study

Physics

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