Bonn 2020 – scientific programme
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HK: Fachverband Physik der Hadronen und Kerne
HK 8: Fundamental Symmetries I
HK 8.3: Talk
Monday, March 30, 2020, 17:15–17:30, J-HS B
Status of the neutron lifetime experiment τSPECT — •Kim Ulrike Ross1, Peter Blümler2, Martin Fertl2, Werner Heil2, Jan Kahlenberg2, Simon Kaufmann1, Dieter Ries1, and Christian Schmidt2 — 1Institute of Nuclear Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany — 2Institute of Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany
The τSPECT experiment aims to measure the neutron lifetime τn using a 3D magnetic storage technique. Due to the neutron’s magnetic moment, very low-energetic neutrons (ultracold neutrons, UCN) with a maximum energy of ≈ 50 neV can be stored in the magnetic trap with a volume of ≈ 8 litres. τSPECT is designed to determine τn using two independent measurement methods. In phase I, surviving UCN in the storage volume after varying storage times are counted. Phase II involves the in-situ detection of decay protons. A proof-of-principle measurement using the magnetic field of the former aSPECT spectrometer (double hump structure) for longitudinal confinement and a fused silica tube for radial storage has been performed in July 2015. Since then, besides the successful upgrade of the UCN D source at the pulsed research reactor Mainz, the 3D magnetic trap using a magnetic octupole for the radial confinement has been installed and commissioned. Other relevant components are a movable neutron guide system with an adiabatic fast passage (AFP) spin flipper as well as a custom-designed UCN detector (boron-coated ZnS:Ag scintillator). We will present the current status of the experiment and the progress of the initial commissioning runs.