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R. Golub

Publications and source records attributed to R. Golub.

45 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Measurement of the 3He mass diffusion coefficient in superfluid 4He over the 0.45-0.95 K temperature range

We have measured the mass diffusion coefficient D of 3He in superfluid 4He at temperatures lower than were previously possible. The experimental technique utilizes scintillation light produced when neutron react with 3He nuclei, and allows measurement of the 3He density integrated along the trajectory of a well-defined neutron beam. By measuring the change in 3He density near a heater as a function of applied heat current, we are able to infer values of D with 20% accuracy. At temperatures below 0.7 K and for concentrations of order 10^{-4} we find D=(2.0+2.4-1.2)T^-(6.5 -/+ 1.2) cm^2/s, in agreement with a theoretical approximation.

cond-mat↗

Magnetically Stabilized Luminescent Excitations in Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Magnetically stabilized luminescence is observed in hexagonal boron nitride. The luminescence is induced by absorption of cold neutrons and is in the visible region. In the absence of a magnetic field, the photon emission level is observed to decay over several hundred seconds. A fraction of this luminescence can be suppressed if the temperature is T <~ 0.6 K and the magnetic field is B >~ 1.0 T. Subsequent to irradiation and suppression, luminescence can be induced by an increase in T or lowering of B. Possible explanations include stabilization of triplet states or the localization and stabilization of excitons.

cond-mat↗

Magnetic trapping of ultracold neutrons

Three-dimensional magnetic confinement of neutrons is reported. Neutrons are loaded into an Ioffe-type superconducting magnetic trap through inelastic scattering of cold neutrons with 4He. Scattered neutrons with sufficiently low energy and in the appropriate spin state are confined by the magnetic field until they decay. The electron resulting from neutron decay produces scintillations in the liquid helium bath that results in a pulse of extreme ultraviolet light. This light is frequency downconverted to the visible and detected. Results are presented in which 500 +/- 155 neutrons are magnetically trapped in each loading cycle, consistent with theoretical predictions. The lifetime of the observed signal, 660 s +290/-170 s, is consistent with the neutron beta-decay lifetime.

nucl-ex↗

Comment on "Giant absorption cross section of ultracold neutrons in Gadolinium"

Rauch et al (PRL 83, 4955, 1999) have compared their measurements of the Gd cross section for Ultra-cold neutrons with an exptrapolation of the cross section for thermal neutrons and interpreted the discrepancy in terms of coherence properties of the neutron. We show the extrapolation used is based on a misunderstanding and that coherence properties play no role in absorption.

quant-ph↗

Magnetic Trapping of Neutrons

Accurate measurement of the lifetime of the neutron (which is unstable to beta decay) is important for understanding the weak nuclear force and the creation of matter during the Big Bang. Previous measurements of the neutron lifetime have mainly been limited by certain systematic errors; however, these could in principle be avoided by performing measurements on neutrons stored in a magnetic trap. Neutral and charged particle traps are widely used tool for studying both composite and elementary particles, because they allow long interaction times and isolation from perturbing environments. Here we report the magnetic trapping of neutrons. The trapping region is filled with superfluid 4-He, which is used to load neutrons into the trap and as a scintillator to detect their decay. Neutrons have a lifetime in the trap of 750 +330/-200 seconds, mainly limited by their beta decay rather than trap losses. Our experiment verifies theoretical predictions regarding the loading process and magnetic trapping of neutrons. Further refinement of this method should lead to improved precision in the neutron lifetime measurement.

nucl-ex↗

Comment on "New Experimental Limit for the Electric Dipole Moment of the Neutron"

A new limit for the neutron electric dipole moment has been recently reported. This new limit is obtained by combining the result from a previous experiment with the result from a more recent experiment that has much worse statistical accuracy. We show that the old result has a systematic error possibly four times greater than the new limit, and under the circumstances, averaging of the old and new results is statistically invalid. The conclusion is that it would be more appropriate to quote two independent but mutually supportive limits as obtained from each experiment separately.

hep-ph↗

Comment on "A proposed method for measuring the electric dipole moment of the neutron using acceleration in an electric field gradient and ultracold neutron interferometry"

We discuss the proposal of Freedman, Ringo, and Dombeck to search for the neutron electric dipole moment use of the acceleration of neutrons in an inhomogeneous electric field followed by amplification of the resulting displacement by several methods involving spin independent interactions (gravity) or reflection from curved (spin independent) mirrors. We show that the proposed technique is inferior to the usual methods based on magnetic resonance.

nucl-ex↗

Space-Time Approach to Scattering from Many Body Systems

We present scattering from many body systems in a new light. In place of the usual van Hove treatment, (applicable to a wide range of scattering processes using both photons and massive particles) based on plane waves, we calculate the scattering amplitude as a space-time integral over the scattering sample for an incident wave characterized by its correlation function which results from the shaping of the wave field by the apparatus. Instrument resolution effects - seen as due to the loss of correlation caused by the path differences in the different arms of the instrument are automatically included and analytic forms of the resolution function for different instruments are obtained. The intersection of the moving correlation volumes (those regions where the correlation functions are significant) associated with the different elements of the apparatus determines the maximum correlation lengths (times) that can be observed in a sample, and hence, the momentum (energy) resolution of the measurement. This geometrical picture of moving correlation volumes derived by our technique shows how the interaction of the scatterer with the wave field shaped by the apparatus proceeds in space and time. Matching of the correlation volumes so as to maximize the intersection region yields a transparent, graphical method of instrument design. PACS: 03.65.Nk, 3.80 +r, 03.75, 61.12.B

physics.optics↗