Köln 2004 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

HK: Physik der Hadronen und Kerne

HK 42: Nuclear and Particle Astrophysics III

HK 42.5: Talk

Thursday, March 11, 2004, 15:00–15:15, F

A New Experiment to Measure The Depolarization and Loss Probability of UCN on Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) — •Axel Pichlmaier¹, T. Brys¹, M. Daum¹, P. Fierlinger¹, P. Geltenbort², M. Gupta¹, R. Henneck¹, K. Kirch¹, M. Makela³, A. Serebrov^1,4, U. Straumann⁵, R. Vogelaar⁶, and A. Young⁷ — ¹Paul Scherrer Institut — ²Institut Laue Langevin — ³Los Alamos National Laboratory — ⁴Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institut — ⁵Universitaet Zuerich — ⁶Virginia Tech — ⁷North Carolina State University

We are building an experiment to measure the properties of DLC for the storage of ultra-cold neutrons (UCN). DLC is already widely used in industry and does not exhibit the limitations of the materials currently used for UCN storage and guide vessels (e.g. ⁵⁸Ni, Be, solid O₂ and low temperature Fomblin oil). First experience with DLC in UCN applications already exists: the depolarization has been measured by an international collaboration (ILL, LANL, PNPI, VT) at the ILL, the critical velocity was independently determined at LANL and PSI and found to be around 7 m/s, similar to Be. Gravity and a magnetic field will be used to trap the UCN in the sample volume, no material surfaces other than DLC or Be will be seen by the UCN. A Be coated sample will be used for comparison. The setup is built following UHV procedures. It will be possible to cool it down to 40 K and bake it at up to 400 K. We will be able to extract the numbers for the loss and the depolarization coefficient simultaneously. A detailed overview of the experimental setup and of the expected results will be given.