The neutron decay retardation spectrometer aSPECT: Electromagnetic design and systematic effects

The apparatus described here, aSPECT, will be used for a measurement of the neutrino-electron angular correlation coefficient a in the decay of free neutrons. The idea of the aSPECT spectrometer is to measure the integrated proton energy spectrum very accurately using an energy filter by electrostatic retardation and magnetic adiabatic collimation. The main ideas of the spectrometer are presented, followed by an explanation of the adiabatic transmission function. Details of the superconducting coil and of the electrode system are given, as well as a discussion of the most important systematic effects: magnetic field and electrostatic potential inhomogeneities, deviation from adiabatic motion, scattering in the residual gas, background, Doppler effect, edge effect, and detector efficiency. Using this spectrometer, the parameter a is planned to be measured with an absolute experimental uncertainty of a 3 ^. 10^-4, from which the axial vector to vector coupling constant ratio can be determined with an accuracy of 0.001.     

Half-life measurement of 133mCe with $ \gamma$ -spectrometry

In this paper we describe our experiment determining the half-life of ^133mCe . An activation-based nuclear-reaction cross-section measurement has been carried out for the ¹³⁰Ba(a \alpha, n)^133mCe reaction, in order to improve our knowledge of the astrophysical p-process. For the analysis of such a measurement, the precise knowledge of the decay half-life of the reaction product is desired. In the case of ^133mCe the literature half-life value has only been known with a high relative uncertainty. A measurement utilizing g \gamma -spectrometry has been carried out to refine the half-life of ^133mCe . As a result, the new recommended half-life is t _1/2 = (5.326±0.011) h. This value has been found to be consistent with the previous literature value, while its uncertainty has been reduced by more than a factor of 30.     

On kaonic hydrogen. Phenomenological quantum field theoretic model revisited

We argue that due to isospin and U-spin invariance of strong low-energy interactions the S-wave scattering lengths a ⁰ ₀ and a ¹ ₀ of ˉN scattering with isospin I = 0 and I = 1 satisfy the low-energy theorem a ⁰ ₀ +3a ¹ ₀ = 0 valid to leading order in chiral expansion. In the model of strong low-energy ˉN interactions at threshold (Eur. Phys. J. A 21, 11 (2004)) we revisit the contribution of the Σ(1750) resonance, which does not saturate the low-energy theorem a ⁰ ₀ +3a ¹ ₀ = 0, and replace it by the baryon background with properties of an SU(3) octet. We calculate the S-wave scattering amplitudes of K^-N and K^-d scattering at threshold. We calculate the energy level displacements of the ground states of kaonic hydrogen and deuterium. The result obtained for kaonic hydrogen agrees well with recent experimental data by the DEAR Collaboration. We analyse the cross-sections for elastic and inelastic K^-p scattering for laboratory momenta 70MeV/c < p _K < 150MeV/c of the incident K^--meson. The theoretical results agree with the available experimental data within two standard deviations.     

Production of a0 +-mesons in the reaction pp↦da0 +

We investigate the reaction pp↦da ₀ ⁺ at COSY and SIS energies together with accompanying background reactions and inclusive particle yields. The a ₀ ⁺ is considered as a usual u quark model state with two decay channels a ₀ ⁺↦K ⁺ and a ₀ ⁺↦π⁺η. Calculated cross-sections for a ₀ ⁺ production as well as for the corresponding non-resonant channels pp↦dK ⁺ and pp↦dπ⁺η are compared. Especially, in case of the final channel dπ⁺η, high statistics measurements are necessary to extract the a ₀ ⁺ signal from the high non-resonant background. Received: 20 December 2000 / Accepted: 7 May 2001     

Fission and gamma-ray decay of the238U shape isomer

The decay of the²³⁸U superdeformed shape isomer has been reinvestigated by detecting for the first time simultaneously the fission and the gamma-back decay. An electrostatic deflection system has been used to transport the^238mU recoils, produced in a²³⁸U(d, pn) reaction with a pulsed beam of 18 MeV deuterons, in front of a detector set-up consisting of three ion-implanted solidstate detectors and a Ge(Li) gamma-detector. The gamma-back decay has been measured in coincidence with conversion electrons of the 2⁺ 0⁺ transition deexciting the first rotational state in²³⁸U. Two gamma-transitions of 2.513 MeV and 1.878 MeV have been observed with half-lives consistent with the result obtained for the decay by delayed fissionT _1/2=(298±18) ns.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. P. Kienle on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

The E158 experiment

We have carried out a precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry A _PV in the scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons off electrons in a liquid-hydrogen target. The measurement was performed with the 50GeV beam line at SLAC. The final result with the full data set collected in three production runs is A _PV = - 131±14 (stat) ±10 (syst) parts per billion. The result leads to new limits on possible contact interactions at the TeV scale. We discuss future prospects for more precise measurements.     

An atom faucet

We present a simple and efficient source of slow atoms. From a background vapour loaded magneto-optical trap (MOT), a thin laser beam extracts a continuous jet of cold rubidium atoms. The jet that is typical to leaking MOT systems is created without any optical parts placed inside the vacuum chamber. We also present a simple three dimensional numerical simulation of the atomic motion in the presence of these multiple saturating laser fields combined with the inhomogeneous magnetic field of the MOT. At a pressure of P _Rb87 = 10^-8 mbar and with a moderate laser power of 10 mW per beam, we generate a flux Φ = 1.3×10⁸ atoms/s with a mean velocity of 14 m/s and a divergence of 10 mrad. Received 13 January 2001     

Precision measurement of the coherent neutron scattering length of 3He through neutron interferometry

Improved knowledge of the real part of the neutron scattering length of ³He is important for further development of nuclear few-body theory, as well as for a thorough understanding of neutron scattering off quantum liquids. The real part of the bound incoherent neutron scattering length b_i' has recently been measured directly with an experimental uncertainty of better than 1% by means of spin echo spectrometry. The uncertainty of the more fundamental bound multiplet scattering lengths b_±' is thus limited by today's 1.2% uncertainty of the spin-independent coherent part b_c'. Employing the skew-symmetric perfect crystal Si-interferometer at the S18 experimental site at ILL, Grenoble, we have re-measured the real part of the bound coherent neutron scattering length b_c' of ³He. Our result b_c' = 6.010(21)fm exhibits a significant deviation compared to the latest accepted value b_c' = 5.74(7)fm (H. Kaiser, H. Rauch, G. Badurek, W. Bauspiess, U. Bonse, Z. Phys. A 291, 231 (1979)). Including the known value of the incoherent neutron scattering length, we obtain new values for the real parts of the free singlet and triplet scattering lengths, a_-' = 7.573(30)fm and a₊' = 3.480(18)fm. Our result contravenes by more than 7 standard deviations the measurement of the same physical quantity that has recently been performed by a group at NIST in a very similar experiment (P.R. Huffman, D.L. Jacobson, K. Schoen, M. Arif, T.C. Black, W.M. Snow, S.A. Werner, Phys. Rev. C 70, 014004 (2004)) which yielded b_c' = 5.853(7)fm.     

Two-pion production in proton-proton collisions with a polarized beam

The two-pion production reaction pp → ppπ⁺π⁻ was measured with a polarized proton beam at T _p ≈ 750 and 800MeV using the short version of the COSY-TOF spectrometer. The implementation of a delayed-pulse technique for Quirl and central calorimeter provided positive π⁺ identification in addition to the standard particle identification, energy determination as well as time-of-flight and angle measurements. Thus all four-momenta of the emerging particles could be determined with 1–4 overconstraints. Total and differential cross-sections as well as angular distributions of the vector analyzing power have been obtained. They are compared to previous data and theoretical calculations. In contrast to predictions we find significant analyzing-power values up to A _y = 0.3. The data taken in the energy region of the excitation of the Roper resonance confirm that its dominant ππ decay channel is N ^* → Nσ.     

The LPCTrap experiment: measurement of the ��-��?angular?correlation in 6He+ decay using a transparent Paul trap

The LPCTrap experiment is devoted to the precise measurement of the ??-?? angular correlation parameter, a _?|? , in the pure Gamow-Teller decay of ⁶He⁺. This experiment is motivated by the search of the presence of tensor type contributions in the weak interaction. The radioactive source is confined in a transparent Paul trap installed at LIRAT, the low energy beam line of the SPIRAL facility. The ??-?? correlation is studied by measuring the time of flight of the recoil ions detected in coincidence with the ?? particles. During the last experiment, a total of 4 × 10⁶ coincidence events have been recorded which would enable to determine the coefficient with a statistical uncertainty of 0.5%. The status of the analysis is presented in this contribution.     

A precise measurement of the spin-dependent neutron scattering length of 3He

The poor knowledge of the spin-dependent neutron scattering length of ³He has until now handicapped nuclear four body theory and the interpretation of excitations in the quantum liquid. We have measured, for the first time directly, the real part of the bound incoherent neutron scattering length, b_i′ of ³He. A neutron spin echo spectrometer was used to detect pseudomagnetic precession of polarised neutrons passing through polarised ³He gas. Any absolute calibrations of sample and beam parameters were avoided using simple transmission measurements with non-polarised neutrons. The only a priory information required was the spin-dependent neutron absorption cross section of ³He. The result is b_i′ = -2.365(20) fm, which reduces the prior uncertainty by a factor 30. The corresponding new value of the bound incoherent scattering cross section is σ_i = 1.532(12) barn. Including the known value of the coherent neutron scattering length, we obtain new values for the real parts of the free triplet and singlet neutron scattering lengths, a_-′ = 7.370(58) fm and a₊′ = 3.278(53) fm.     

Measurement of the beam asymmetry in η photoproduction off the proton

The beam asymmetry, Σ , was measured at ELSA in the reaction p → ηp using linearly polarised tagged photon beams, produced by coherent bremsstrahlung off a diamond. The crystal was oriented to provide polarised photons in the energy range E _γ = 800 to 1400MeV with the maximum polarisation of P _γ = 49 % obtained at 1305MeV. Both dominant decay modes of the η into two photons and 3π⁰ were used to extract the beam asymmetry from the azimuthal modulation of the cross-section. The measurements cover the angular range Θ_cm ≃ 50 -150 degrees. Large asymmetries up to 80% are observed, in agreement with a previous measurement. The eta-MAID model and the Bonn-Gatchina partial wave analysis describe the measurements, but the required partial waves differ significantly.     

Exact propagator of the Fokker-Planck equation with a space-dependent diffusion coefficient and a time-dependent mean-reverting force

We have investigated the algebraic structure of the Fokker-Planck equation with a variable diffusion coefficient and a time-dependent mean-reverting force. Such a model could be useful to study the general problem of a Brownian walker with a space-dependent diffusion coefficient. We also show that this model is related to the Fokker-Planck equation with a constant diffusion coefficient and a time-dependent anharmonic potential of the form V(x, t) = ?a(t)x ² + b ln x, which has been widely applied to model different physical and biological phenomena, e.g. the study of neuron models and stochastic resonance in monostable nonlinear oscillators. Using the Lie algebraic approach we have derived the exact diffusion propagators for the Fokker-Planck equations associated with different boundary conditions, namely (i) the case of a single absorbing barrier, and (ii) the case of two absorbing barriers. These exact diffusion propagators enable us to study the time evolution of the corresponding stochastic systems. Received 23 October 2001 and Received in final form 24 December 2001     

The β-decay of 22Al

In an experiment performed at the LISE3 facility of GANIL, we studied the decay of ²²Al produced by the fragmentation of a ³⁶Ar primary beam. A β-decay half-life of T_1/2 = 91.1±0.5ms was measured. The β-delayed one- and two-proton emission as well as β-α and β-delayed γ-decays were measured and allowed us to establish a partial decay scheme for this nucleus. New levels were determined in the daughter nucleus ²²Mg. The comparison with model calculations strongly favours a spin-parity of I^π = 4⁺ for the ground state of ²²Al.     

Evidence for an isomeric 3/2- state in 53Co

The fragmentation of a 550MeV/u primary beam of ⁵⁸Ni on a ⁹Be target has been used to measure time- and energy-correlated γ decays following the implantation of event-by-event discriminated secondary fragments into a ⁹Be stopper plate. A new isomeric γ decay with T _1/2 = 14( ) ns and E _γ = 646.2(2) keV is observed and attributed to the decay of the yrast 3/2^- state in ⁵³ ₂₇Co₂₆ . This short-lived isomeric state has been populated by means of nuclear reactions during the stopping process of the secondary fragments. The experimental findings are discussed in the framework of large-scale spherical shell model calculations in conjunction with isospin symmetry-breaking residual interactions for the A = 53 , T _z = ±1/2 mirror nuclei ⁵³Co and ⁵³Fe .     

Molecular many-body dissociation: Data reduction strategies in translational spectroscopy

Advanced time- and position-sensitive multi-hit detectors allow to study molecular breakup processes into two, three, and more massive fragments by translational spectroscopy. We discuss the feasibility to perform kinematically complete final state analysis of complex molecular dissociation processes using such detectors. We have developed new algorithms to determine - for an arbitrary number of fragments - the fragment momentum vectors in the center-of-mass frame from the measured positions and arrival time differences. These algorithms can easily be implemented to perform online data reduction in coincidence experiments. We have tested the new data reduction strategies in an experimental study and in Monte-Carlo simulations of realistic experimental conditions. We show that the new algorithms can discriminate between two-, three-, and four-body decay of a four-atomic molecule and can uniquely determine the momentum vectors of all fragments. For two-body decay, we find that the accuracy of the new algorithm is superior to the frequently used approximate formula introduced by DeBruijn and Los. We demonstrate this improvement in the evaluation of experimental data for the decay of laser-excited triatomic hydrogen H₃ 3s (N=1,K=0) into H + H₂(v,J) fragment pairs. Received 12 April 2000     

Analysis of the Karmarkar-Karp differencing algorithm

The Karmarkar-Karp differencing algorithm is the best known polynomial time heuristic for the number partitioning problem, fundamental in both theoretical computer science and statistical physics. We analyze the performance of the differencing algorithm on random instances by mapping it to a nonlinear rate equation. Our analysis reveals strong finite size effects that explain why the precise asymptotics of the differencing solution is hard to establish by simulations. The asymptotic series emerging from the rate equation satisfies all known bounds on the Karmarkar-Karp algorithm and projects a scaling n ^{−c ln n} , where c = 1/(2 ln 2) = 0.7213 .... Our calculations reveal subtle relations between the algorithm and Fibonacci-like sequences, and we establish an explicit identity to that effect.     

Classical spin liquid properties of the infinite-component spin vector model on a fully frustrated two dimensional lattice

Thermodynamic quantities and correlation functions (CFs) of the classical antiferromagnet on the checkerboard lattice are studied for the exactly solvable infinite-component spin-vector model, D↦∞. In contrast to conventional two-dimensional magnets with continuous symmetry showing extended short-range order at distances smaller than the correlation length, r ξ _c∝ exp(T ^*/T), correlations in the checkerboard-lattice model decay already at the scale of the lattice spacing due to the strong degeneracy of the ground state characterized by a macroscopic number of strongly fluctuating local degrees of freedom. At low temperatures, spin CFs decay as < >∝ 1/r ² in the range a ₀≪r≪ξ _c∝T ^-1/2, where a₀ is the lattice spacing. Analytical results for the principal thermodynamic quantities in our model are very similar with MC simulations, exact and analytical results for the classical Heisenberg model (D = 3) on the pyrochlore lattice. This shows that the ground state of the infinite-component spin vector model on the checkerboard lattice is a classical spin liquid. Received 16 November 2001 and Received in final form 12 February 2002     

Practical optical frequency measurement system around 1.5 μm based on an acetylene-stabilized laser-locked optical frequency comb

We have developed a practical and precise frequency measurement system at 1.5 μm telecommunication band. An electro-optic-modulator based optical frequency comb is phase-locked to a dither-free acetylene-stabilized laser to realize an optical frequency comb with frequency uncertainty of 10 kHz (5 × 10⁻¹¹) and the linewidth of 15 kHz. The present frequency comb can be also used as an optical frequency reference grid defined by ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union, Telecommunication Standardization Sector). Using the present frequency measurement system, we have demonstrated the first optical frequency measurement of ¹²C¹⁶O overtone absorption lines around 1.56 μm with the uncertainty of lower than 900 kHz.