München 2009 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 41: CP-Verletzung und Mischungswinkel

T 41.1: Group Report

Friday, March 13, 2009, 14:00–14:20, A119

Towards a new Measurement of the Neutron EDM - The nEDM experiment at PSI/TUM — •Peter Fierlinger — TU München / Excellence-Cluster 'Universe', Garching, Germany

Since the 1950's people search for electric dipole moments (EDM) of fundamental systems, an unambiguous manifestation of parity (P) and time reversal symmetry (T) - and therefore CP - violation. Whereas EDMs predicted by the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics are very small, most SM extensions (e.g. Supersymmetry) require large EDMs. These models are already strongly limited by experiments, and a further improvement of the sensitivity of these measurements can provide a unique opportunity to search for new physics. Speaking for the n-EDM collaboration based at PSI and TUM, I will present an approach to measure the EDM of the neutron with an accuracy of 5.10^28 e.cm or better, corresponding to an increase in sensitivity of nearly two orders of magnitude over the current limits. To achieve this goal, (i) new strong sources of ultra-cold neutrons are being built, as well as (ii) improved control of magnetic fields and (iii) means to control systematic effects is investigated. The final sensitivity goal will be reached in phases, (i) optimizing the existing room temperature apparatus of the former RAL/Sussex/ILL collaboration and gradually implementing new components (2008), (ii) improving the current limits by a factor of 4 by operating the improved apparatus at the strong UCN source at PSI (2009-2010) and (iii) operating a large scale spectrometer to reach the sensitivity goal (2011+).