arXiv subjects

S. I. Penttila

Publications and source records attributed to S. I. Penttila.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

High-Efficiency Resonant RF Spin Rotator with Broad Phase Space Acceptance for Pulsed Polarized Cold Neutron Beams

We have developed a radio-frequency resonant spin rotator to reverse the neutron polarization in a 9.5 cm x 9.5 cm pulsed cold neutron beam with high efficiency over a broad cold neutron energy range. The effect of the spin reversal by the rotator on the neutron beam phase space is compared qualitatively to RF neutron spin flippers based on adiabatic fast passage. The spin rotator does not change the kinetic energy of the neutrons and leaves the neutron beam phase space unchanged to high precision. We discuss the design of the spin rotator and describe two types of transmission-based neutron spin-flip efficiency measurements where the neutron beam was both polarized and analyzed by optically-polarized 3He neutron spin filters. The efficiency of the spin rotator was measured to be 98.0+/-0.8% on resonance for neutron energies from 3.3 to 18.4 meV over the full phase space of the beam. As an example of the application of this device to an experiment we describe the integration of the RF spin rotator into an apparatus to search for the small parity-violating asymmetry A_gamma in polarized cold neutron capture on para-hydrogen by the NPDGamma collaboration at LANSCE.

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arXiv2006

Upper Bounds on Parity Violating Gamma-Ray Asymmetries in Compound Nuclei from Polarized Cold Neutron Capture

Parity-odd asymmetries in the electromagnetic decays of compound nuclei can sometimes be amplified above values expected from simple dimensional estimates by the complexity of compound nuclear states. In this work we use a statistical approach to estimate the root mean square (RMS) of the distribution of expected parity-odd correlations $\vec{s_{n}} \cdot \vec{k_γ}$, where $\vec {s_{n}}$ is the neutron spin and $\vec{k_γ}$ is the momentum of the gamma, in the integrated gamma spectrum from the capture of cold polarized neutrons on Al, Cu, and In and we present measurements of the asymmetries in these and other nuclei. Based on our calculations, large enhancements of asymmetries were not predicted for the studied nuclei and the statistical estimates are consistent with our measured upper bounds on the asymmetries.

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arXiv2006

High Voltage Test Apparatus for a Neutron EDM Experiment and Lower Limit on the Dielectric Strength of Liquid Helium at Large Volumes

A new search for a permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron is underway using ultracold neutrons produced and held in a bath of superfluid helium. Attaining the target sensitivity requires maintaining an electric field of several tens of kilovolts per centimeter across the experimental cell, which is nominally 7.5 cm wide and will contain about 4 liters of superfluid. The electrical properties of liquid helium are expected to be sufficient to meet the design goals, but little is known about these properties for volumes and electrode spacings appropriate to the EDM experiment. Furthermore, direct application of the necessary voltages from an external source to the experimental test cell is impractical. An apparatus to amplify voltages in the liquid helium environment and to test the electrical properties of the liquid for large volumes and electrode spacings has been constructed. The device consists of a large-area parallel plate capacitor immersed in a 200 liter liquid helium dewar. Preliminary results show the breakdown strength of normal state liquid helium is at least 90 kV/cm at these volumes, at the helium vapor pressure corresponding to 4.38 K. These fields hold for more than 11 hours with leakage currents less than 170 pA (about 20% of the maximum tolerable in the EDM experiment). The system is also found to be robust against anticipated radiation backgrounds. Preliminary results for superfluid show that fields of at least 30 kV/cm can be sustained at the volumes required for the EDM experiment, about 60% of the design goal. These results are likely limited by the low pressure that must be maintained above the superfluid bath.

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arXiv2004

A measurement of parity-violating gamma-ray asymmetries in polarized cold neutron capture on 35Cl, 113Cd, and 139La

An apparatus for measuring parity-violating asymmetries in gamma-ray emission following polarized cold neutron capture was constructed as a 1/10th scale test of the design for the forthcoming n+p->d+gamma experiment at LANSCE. The elements of the polarized neutron beam, including a polarized 3He neutron spin filter and a radio frequency neutron spin rotator, are described. Using CsI(Tl) detectors and photodiode current mode readout, measurements were made of asymmetries in gamma-ray emission following neutron capture on 35Cl, 113Cd, and 139La targets. Upper limits on the parity-allowed asymmetry $s_n \cdot (k_γ \times k_n)$ were set at the level of 7 x 10^-6 for all three targets. Parity-violating asymmetries $s_n \cdot k_γ$ were observed in 35Cl, A_gamma = (-29.1 +- 6.7) x 10^-6, and 139La, A_gamma = (-15.5 +- 7.1) x 10^-6, values consistent with previous measurements.

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arXiv1999

A measurement of the absolute neutron beam polarization produced by an optically-pumped 3He spin filter

The capability of performing accurate measurements of neutron beam polarization opens a number of exciting opportunities in fundamental neutron physics and in neutron scattering. At the LANSCE pulsed neutron source we have measured the neutron beam polarization with absolute accuracy of 0.3% in the neutron energy range from 40 meV to 10 eV using an optically-pumped polarized 3He spin filter and a relative transmission measurement technique. 3He was polarized using the Rb spin-exchange method. We describe the measurement technique, present our results, and discuss some of the systematic effects associated with the method.

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arXiv1998

Progress toward a new measurement of the parity violating asymmetry in n+p-->d+gamma

We outline the motivation and conceptual design for a new experiment aimed at a 10-fold improvement in the accuracy of the parity-violating asymmetry A_gamma in the angular distribution of 2.2 MeV gamma rays from the n+p-->d+gamma reaction. This observable is primarily sensitive to the weak pion-nucleon coupling H_pi^1. A proof-of-principle experiment using unpolarized low-energy neutron capture on polyethylene and an array of 12 CsI detectors operated in current mode has been performed. Results of this test experiment including the current mode signal, electronic noise and detector sensitivity to magnetic fields are reported.

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