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Hartmut Abele

Publications and source records attributed to Hartmut Abele.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2019

Undetected Electron Backscattering in PERKEO III

The beta asymmetry in neutron beta decay is used to determine the ratio of axial-vector coupling to vector coupling most precisely. In electron spectroscopy, backscattering of electrons from detectors can be a major source of systematic error. We present the determination of the correction for undetected backscattering for electron detection with the instrument PERKEO III. For the electron asymmetry, undetected backscattering leads to a fractional correction of $5\times 10^{-4}$, i.e. a change by 40% of the total systematic uncertainty.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2019

Design of the Magnet System of the Neutron Decay Facility PERC

The PERC (Proton and Electron Radiation Channel) facility is currently under construction at the research reactor FRM II, Garching. It will serve as an intense and clean source of electrons and protons from neutron beta decay for precision studies. It aims to contribute to the determination of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark-mixing element $V_{ud}$ from neutron decay data and to search for new physics via new effective couplings. PERC's central component is a 12m long superconducting magnet system. It hosts an 8m long decay region in a uniform field. An additional high-field region selects the phase space of electrons and protons which can reach the detectors and largely improves systematic uncertainties. We discuss the design of the magnet system and the resulting properties of the magnetic field.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2019

Prospects for Searching Thermal Effects, Non-Newtonian Gravity and Axion-Like Particles: Cannex Test of the Quantum Vacuum

We consider the CANNEX (Casimir And Non-Newtonian force EXperiment) test of the quantum vacuum intended for measuring the gradient of the Casimir pressure between two flat parallel plates at large separations and constraining parameters of the chameleon model of dark energy in cosmology. A modification of the measurement scheme is proposed that allows simultaneous measurements of both the Casimir pressure and its gradient in one experiment. It is shown that with several improvements the CANNEX test will be capable to strengthen the constraints on the parameters of the Yukawa-type interaction by up to an order of magnitude over a wide interaction range. The constraints on the coupling constants between nucleons and axion-like particles, which are considered as the most probable constituents of dark matter, could also be strengthened over a region of axion masses from 1 to 100 meV.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2019

Acoustic Rabi oscillations between gravitational quantum states and impact on symmetron dark energy

The standard model of cosmology provides a robust description of the evolution of the universe. Nevertheless, the small magnitude of the vacuum energy is troubling from a theoretical point of view. An appealing resolution to this problem is to introduce additional scalar fields. However, these have so far escaped experimental detection, suggesting some kind of screening mechanism may be at play. Although extensive exclusion regions in parameter space have been established for one screening candidate - chameleon fields - another natural screening mechanism based on spontaneous symmetry breaking has also been proposed, in the form of symmetrons 11. Such fields would change the energy of quantum states of ultra-cold neutrons in the gravitational potential of the earth. Here we demonstrate a spectroscopic approach based on the Rabi resonance method that probes these quantum states with a resolution of E=2 x 10^(-15) eV. This allows us to exclude the symmetron as the origin of Dark Energy for a large volume of the three-dimensional parameter space.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2018

Measurement of the Weak Axial-Vector Coupling Constant in the Decay of Free Neutrons Using a Pulsed Cold Neutron Beam

We present a precision measurement of the axial-vector coupling constant $g_A$ in the decay of polarized free neutrons. For the first time, a pulsed cold neutron beam was used for this purpose. By this method, leading sources of systematic uncertainty are suppressed. From the electron spectra we obtain $λ= g_A/g_V = -1.27641(45)_\mathrm{stat}(33)_\mathrm{sys}$ which confirms recent measurements with improved precision. This corresponds to a value of the parity violating beta asymmetry parameter of $A_0 = -0.11985(17)_\mathrm{stat}(12)_\mathrm{sys}$. We discuss implications on the CKM matrix element $V_{ud}$ and derive a limit on left-handed tensor interaction.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2018

ANNI - A pulsed cold neutron beam facility for particle physics at the ESS

Pulsed beams have tremendous advantages for precision experiments with cold neutrons. In order to minimise and measure systematic effects, they are used at continuous sources in spite of the related substantial decrease in intensity. At the European Spallation Source ESS these experiments will profit from the pulse structure of the source and its 50 times higher peak brightness compared to the most intense reactor facilities, making novel concepts feasible. Therefore, the cold neutron beam facility for particle physics ANNI was proposed as part of the ESS instrument suite. The proposed design has been re-optimised to take into account the present ESS cold moderator layout. We present design considerations, the optimised instrument parameters and performance, and expected gain factors for several reference experiments.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2017

Chirped-Frequency Excitation of Gravitationally Bound Ultracold Neutrons

Ultracold neutrons confined in the Earth's gravitational field display quantized energy levels that have been observed for over a decade. In recent resonance spectroscopy experiments [T. Jenke et al., Nature Phys. 7, 468 (2011)], the transition between two such gravitational quantum states was driven by the mechanical oscillation of the plates that confine the neutrons. Here we show that, by applying a sinusoidal modulation with slowly varying frequency (chirp), the neutrons can be brought to higher excited states by climbing the energy levels one by one. The proposed experiment should make it possible to observe the quantum-classical transition that occurs at high neutron energies. Furthermore, it provides a technique to realize superpositions of gravitational quantum states, to be used for precision tests of gravity at short distances.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2015

Gravity Resonance Spectroscopy and Einstein-Cartan Gravity

The qBounce experiment offers a new way of looking at gravitation based on quantum interference. An ultracold neutron is reflected in well-defined quantum states in the gravity potential of the Earth by a mirror, which allows to apply the concept of gravity resonance spectroscopy (GRS). This experiment with neutrons gives access to all gravity parameters as the dependences on distance, mass, curvature, energy-momentum as well as on torsion. Here, we concentrate on torsion.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2014

Spectroscopy with cold and ultra-cold neutrons

We present two new types of spectroscopy methods for cold and ultra-cold neutrons. The first method, which uses the \RB drift effect to disperse charged particles in a uniformly curved magnetic field, allows to study neutron $β$-decay. We aim for a precision on the 10$^{-4}$ level. The second method that we refer to as gravity resonance spectroscopy (GRS) allows to test Newton's gravity law at short distances. At the level of precision we are able to provide constraints on any possible gravity-like interaction. In particular, limits on dark energy chameleon fields are improved by several orders of magnitude.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2014

Measurement of the Axial-Vector Coupling Constant $g_A$ in Neutron Beta Decay

The matrix element \Vud of the CKM matrix can be determined by two independent measurements in neutron decay: the neutron lifetime $τ_n$ and the ratio of coupling constants $λ=g_A/g_V$, which is most precisely determined by measurements of the beta asymmetry angular correlation coefficient~$A$. We present recent progress on the determination of these coupling constants.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2011

Probing neutron's electric neutrality with Ramsey Spectroscopy of gravitational quantum states of ultra-cold neutrons

We propose to test the electric neutrality of neutrons by a new technique using the spectroscopy of quantum states of ultra-cold neutrons in the gravity potential above a vertical mirror. The new technique is an application of Ramsey's method of separated oscillating fields to neutron's quantum states in the gravity potential of the earth. In the presence of an electric field E parallel or antiparallel to the direction of the acceleration of the earth g, the energy of the quantum states changes due to an additional electrostatic potential if a neutron carries a non-vanishing charge. In the long run our new method has the potential to improve the current limit for the electric charge of the neutron by 2 orders of magnitude.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2007

Analytically derived limits on short-range fifth forces from quantum states of neutrons in the Earth's gravitational field

Recently, quantum states of ultra-cold neutrons in the Earth's gravitational field have been observed for the first time. From the fact that they are consistent with Newtonian gravity on the 10 %-level, analytical limits on alpha and lambda of short-range Yukawa-like additional interactions are derived between lambda = 1 micrometer and 1 mm. We arrive for lambda > 10 micrometer at alpha < 2 \cdot 10^11 at 90 % confidence level. This translates into a limit g_s g_p / (\hbar c) < 2 \cdot 10^{-15} on the pseudo-scalar coupling of axions in the previously experimentally unaccessible astrophysical axion window.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2003

Quark-Mixing, CKM-Unitarity

With these proceedings, we present both a review of the experimental and theoretical information on quark-mixing with focus on the first quark generation. The papers present new findings on these topics in the context of what is known so far. Besides this, about half a dozen new neutron-decay instruments being planned or under construction are presented. Better neutron sources, in particular for high fluxes of cold and high densities of ultra-cold neutrons will boost fundamental studies in these fields. The workshop included invited talks and a panel discussion. The results of the panel discussion are published in "The European Physical Journal".

hep-ph↗
arXiv2003

Is the Unitarity of the Quark-Mixing-CKM-Matrix Violated in Neutron Decay?

Measurements by various international groups of researchers determine the strength of the weak interaction of the neutron, which gives us unique information on the question of the quark mixing. Neutron decay experiments now challenge the Standard Model of elementary particle physics with a deviation, 2.7 times the stated error.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2003

Quantum states of neutrons in the gravitational field and limits for non-Newtonian interaction in the range between 1 micron and 10 microns

Quantum states in the Earth's gravitational field can be observed, when ultra-cold neutrons fall under gravity. In an experiment at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, neutrons are reflected and trapped in a gravitational cavity above a horizontal mirror. The population of the ground state and the lowest states follows, step by step, the quantum mechanical prediction. An efficient neutron absorber removes the higher, unwanted states. The quantum states probe Newtonian gravity on the micrometer scale and we place limits for gravity-like forces in the range between 1 micron and 10 microns.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2002

Neutron beta-decay and the quark-mixing CKM-matrix

Neutrons study a number of hot topics from the field of particle physics and cosmology: Recent measurements of various mixed American-British-French-German-Hungarian-Japan-Russian groups of researchers determine the strength of the weak interaction of the neutron, which gives us unique information on quark-mixing and the question of unitarity. Much to our surprise, with neutron-decay we find a deviation Delta = 0.0083(28) from the unitarity condition, an effect that cannot be explained by the current Standard Model of particle physics.

hep-ex↗