Darmstadt 2016 – scientific programme
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HK: Fachverband Physik der Hadronen und Kerne
HK 26: Fundamental Symmetries
HK 26.6: Talk
Tuesday, March 15, 2016, 18:00–18:15, S1/01 A02
Characterisation of work function fluctuations for high-precision experiments — •Jan Kahlenberg1, Martin Babutzka2, Marcus Beck1,3, Edward Bickmann1, Werner Heil1, Ernst W. Otten1, Christian Schmidt1, Kerstin Schoenung2, and Alexander Wunderle1 — 1Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz — 2Karlsruher Institut für Technologie — 3Helmholtz-Institut Mainz
For a wide range of high-precision experiments in physics, well-defined electric potentials for achieving high measurement accuracies are required. An accurate determination of the electric potential is crucial for the measurement of the neutrino mass (KATRIN) as well as the measurement of the e−−νe correlation coefficient a in free neutron decay (aSPECT). Work function fluctuations on the electrodes lead to uncertainties in the distribution of the electric potential.
For aSPECT, the electric potential has to be known at an accuracy of 10 mV. However, due to the patch effect of gold, work function fluctuations of several 100 meV can occur. Therefore, the work function distributions of the gold-plated electrodes have been measured using a Kelvin probe. Furthermore, the change of work function distributions over time as well as the influence of relative humidity on the work function measurement have been investigated.