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arXiv · 1011.3993

Commissioning of the new high-intensity ultracold neutron source at the Paul Scherrer Institut

Bernhard Lauss
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Abstract

Commissioning of the new high-intensity ultracold neutron (UCN) source at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) has started in 2009. The design goal of this new generation high intensity UCN source is to surpass by a factor of ~100 the current ultracold neutron densities available for fundamental physics research, with the greatest thrust coming from the search for a neutron electric dipole moment. The PSI UCN source is based on neutron production via proton induced lead spallation, followed by neutron thermalization in heavy water and neutron cooling in a solid deuterium crystal to cold and ultracold energies. A successful beam test with up to 2 mA proton beam on the spallation target was conducted recently. Most source components are installed, others being finally mounted. The installation is on the track for the first cool-down and UCN production in 2010.

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Bernhard Lauss. 2010-11-17. Commissioning of the new high-intensity ultracold neutron source at the Paul Scherrer Institut. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596%2F312%2F5%2F052005

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