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PUBLICATIONS

Measuring the Neutron Lifetime with Magnetically Trapped Ultracold Neutrons

Published

Author(s)

Hans P. Mumm

Abstract

We describe an experiment to measure the neutron lifetime using a technique with a set of systematic uncertainties largely different than those of previous measurements. In this approach, UCN are produced by inelastic scattering of cold (0.89 nm) neutrons in a reservoir of superfluid 4He. These neutrons are then confined using a three-dimensional magnetic trap. As the trapped neutrons beta decay, the energetic electrons produced in the decay generate scintillations in the liquid He; each decay is detectable with nearly 100 % efficiency. The neutron lifetime can be directly determined by measuring the scintillation rate as a function of time.
Proceedings Title
Workshop on Next Generation Experiments to Measure the Neutron
Lifetime
Conference Dates
November 9-10, 2012
Conference Location
Sante Fe, NM
Pub Type
Conferences

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Local Download

Keywords

neutron, lifetime, beta decay
Neutron research, Physics and Nuclear physics

Citation

Mumm, H. (2013), Measuring the Neutron Lifetime with Magnetically Trapped Ultracold Neutrons, Workshop on Next Generation Experiments to Measure the Neutron Lifetime, Sante Fe, NM, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=914531 (Accessed October 13, 2025)

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Created December 16, 2013, Updated February 19, 2017
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