Studies of parity and time reversal symmetries in neutron scattering from165Ho

We describe searches for parity and time reversal violations in the scattering of polarized neutrons from polarized and aligned¹⁶⁵Ho targets. We have completed a search with 7.1 and 11.0 MeV neutrons for P_oddT_odd terms in the elastic scattering forward amplitude of the form s. (I×K), wheres is the neutron spin,I is the target spin andk is the neutron momentum vector. The target was a single crystal of holmium, polarized horizontally along itsb axis by a 1 Tesla magnetic field. The neutrons were polarized vertically. Differences in the neutron transmission were measured for neutrons with spins parallel (antiparallel) toI×k. The P,T violating analyzing powers were found to be consistent with zero at the few 10⁻³ level: ρ_P,T(7.1 MeV)=−0.88 (±2.02) x 10⁻³, ρ_P,T(11.0 MeV)=−0.4 (±2.88) x 10⁻³. We have also attempted to find enhancements with MeV neutrons in P-violation due to the term s\k. We are preparing an aligned target cryostat for investigations of P_evenT_odd terms {bd(I\k)(I×k)\s} in neutron scattering. The target will be a single crystal cylinder of¹⁶⁵Ho cooled to 100 mK in a bath of liquid helium and rotated by a shaft from a room temperature stepping motor. The cylinder will be oriented vertically and the alignment (c) axis oriented horizontally. Warming or rotation of the sample allows one to separate effects that mimic the sought-after time reversal violating term.     

Test of time reversal invariance in 2-MeV neutron scattering from aligned165Ho

We describe a search for the time reversal non-invariant five-fold correlation (s·Ixk)(I·k) in the scattering of 2 MeV polarized neutrons from an aligned¹⁶⁵Ho target. Here s is the neutron spin,I is the target spin, andk is the neutron momentum vector. Differences in transmission were sought when s was reversed. The target was a single crystal of holmium, cryogenically aligned with a specially built dilution refrigerator. Rotating the target axis of alignment while cold permits the parity-even, five-fold correlation to be identified among other spin-dependent correlations in the forward elastic scattering amplitude. An analyzing power was found to be (1±6)×10⁻⁴, consistent with time reversal invariance.We obtain a bound of 5×10⁻³ for α_T, the ratio of T-odd to T-even couplings in the effective nucleon-nucleon interaction.     

A Ketene Intermediate in 3-Cyclopentenone Photolysis : Matrix-Isolation and Gas Phase Experiments

Abstract

Photolysis experiments are performed at λ  230 nm on argon matrix-isolated and on gas phase 3-cyclopentenone ( 1 ); in both cases, a ketene intermediate (KE) is detected (FT-IR spectra : 2121–2126 cm^?1 in argon matrix; 2066–2210 cm^?1 in gas phase). 1,3-butadiene ( 2 ) and carbon monoxide are the reaction products. Two first-order consecutive photochemical processes occur 1 ^k1 > KE ^k2 > 2 + CO with k₁ = 1.7 10–2 s^?1 and k₂ = 2.4 10–2 s^?1.     

Angular correlations in ternary fission induced by polarized neutrons

Ternary fission induced by cold polarized neutrons was studied for the two isotopes ²³³U and ²³⁵U at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France. In particular two types of angular correlations between the spin of the incoming neutrons and the emission directions of both, the fission fragments (FF) and the ternary particles (TP), were investigated. For FF and TP detectors facing the target at right angles to the neutron beam, first, for longitudinally polarized neutrons a triple correlation between spin and the emission of outgoing particles was explored and, second, for transversally polarized neutrons parity violating asymmetries in the emission of FFs and TPs were analyzed. Nonzero expectation values for the triple correlation were oberserved in the present experiments for the first time.     

Intermediate electronic relaxation betweenS=3/2 andS=1/2 states in Fe(J-mph)NO with a jäger-type ligand J-mph

The incomplete spin transition between the low-spin (LS) (S=1/2) and the intermediate-spin (IS) (S=3/2) states in the iron (III) complex Fe(J-mph)NO (mph=4-methyl-o-phenylene), centered atT _c≈212 K, has been studied with⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements between 80 K and 320 K. The lineshape of the Mössbauer spectra is well reproduced by a two state stochastic relaxation model resulting in values of about 2·10⁶ s^?1 to 7·10⁶ s^?1 for the IS→LS transition rate constantk _IL. The kinetics of this spin transition can be described by an Arrhenius equation yielding activation energiesE _IL=1.1 (2) kJ/mol andE _LI=6.1 (2) kJ/mol for the IS→LS and LS→IS conversion, respectively.     

The brute-force polarization of 23Na and the 23Na(n, γ)24Na reaction

A Na target has been polarized by brute force to 22% and the γ-radiation produced by polarized thermal neutron capture has been investigated. The J^π = 2⁺ channel spin contribution has been determined model-independently and unambiguously for 22 primary transitions. The average J^π = 2⁺ channel contribution is 5.8(5)%. The data resulted in one spin assignment and two spin restrictions. The energies and lifetimes of positive-parity levels as well as branching ratios and the magnetic moment of the ground state are in agreement with a shell-model calculation in the complete sd shell.     

Low-lying excitations in the odd-odd nucleus154Eu

The analysis of experiments on parity mixing in compound nuclear resonances is described, with the nuclear spectroscopic aspects of the parity violation experiments emphasized. Expressions are derived for polarized neutron scattering and polarized neutron capture on unpolarized targets, and the resonance interference is treated explicitly. Examples are presented to illustrate the effects of entrance channel mixing for the case of target spin 1/2 and resonance spin 1. Results are also presented for targets with spins 0 and 3/2.     

In-situ SEOP polarizer and initial tests on a high flux neutron beam

Polarized ³He has shown its unique characteristics in many areas of polarized neutron scattering, its ability to polarize neutrons at short wavelengths, accept wide-angle and divergent beams and low backgrounds enable new classes of experiments. While polarized ³He is not a steady state solution as commonly applied, the benefits have been shown to offset the drawbacks of polarizing and refreshing the polarization in the neutron spin filter cells. As an extension of this work, in-situ polarization using the spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) method was explored as a means to construct a system which could be used to polarize ³He in the state used for an effective neutron spin filter to constant polarization while on the neutron beam. An in-situ SEOP polarizer was constructed. This device utilized many devices and principles developed for neutron spin filters which are polarized off the beam line using either SEOP or metastability exchange optical pumping (MEOP) under the same research program. As a collimation of this work effects of extremely high neutron capture flux density incident on the in-situ polarizer were explored.     

Ground state energy of spin polarized hard core neutron matter

The expansion of the ground state energy of spin polarized hard core neutron matter in powers of x =k_Fc (k_F = Fermi momentum, c = hardcoreradius) is calculated up to terms ≈x⁸.     

T-violation neutron experiment and polarized3He

An experimental scheme of the spin detailed balance in polarized neutron transmission through a polarized nuclear target is discussed for the T-violation test. The value of the spin detailed balance is estimated by using the data of the scattering amplitudes. The nuclear polarizations of proton,³He and¹³⁹La are discussed for the T-violation experiment.     

Magnetic dynamics of dilute iron nano-clusters in silver films from Mössbauer spectroscopy and muon spin rotation

A silver film containing nanometer size clusters of iron (nominal conc. 1 at%) has been studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy and Low-Energy Muon Spin Rotation. Below about 20 K spin glass freezing due to interparticle interactions is found from both methods. Whereas Mössbauer spectra are insensitive to the fast fluctuations of cluster moments above spin glass freezing temperature, muon spin rotation in magnetic fields applied perpendicular to the polarized muon spins allows tracing the fluctuations of superparamagnetic moments. The temperature dependence of the damping of the muon spin rotation signal shows Arrhenius behavior between 10 to 100 K. Depending on the assumed shape of damping the activation energy of superparamagnetic fluctuations of cluster moments ranges between about 20 K ·k _B and 40 K ·k _B . Above about 120 K muon spin depolarization indicates diffusion and trapping of muons.     

Optimised adiabatic fast passage spin flipping for He neutron spin filters

We describe here a method of performing adiabatic fast passage (AFP) spin flipping of polarized ³He used as a neutron spin filter (NSF) to polarize neutron beams. By reversing the spin states of the ³He nuclei the polarization of a neutron beam can be efficiently reversed allowing for the transmission of a neutron beam polarized in either spin state. Using an amplitude modulated frequency sweep lasting 500 ms we can spin flip a polarized ³He neutron spin filter with only 1.8×10⁻⁵ loss in ³He polarization. The small magnetic fields (10-15 G) used to house neutron spin filters mean the ³He resonant frequencies are low enough to be generated using a computer with a digital I/O card. The versatility of this systems allows AFP to be performed on any beamline or in any laboratory using ³He neutron spin filters and polarization losses can be minimised by adjusting sweep parameters.     

Biquadratic exchange interaction between Ru5+ ions in (Ru2O9) clusters

The energy levels of a Ru₂O₉ cluster have been calculated, including a higher order spin interaction. The Ru⁵⁺-Ru⁵⁺ coupling is described by the Hamiltonian ?= -2JS₁· S₂ ?j(S₁·S₂)². The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility is used to determine the values of the bilinear J and biquadratic j exchange integrals: J/k = -161K and j/k = 6.6K. The second term in the Hamiltonian corresponds to a fourth order perturbation involving low spin states.     

Spin excitations in granular structures with ferromagnetic nanoparticles

Spin excitations and relaxation in a granular structure which contains metallic ferromagnetic nanoparticles in an insulating amorphous matrix are studied in the framework of the s-d exchange model. As the d system, we consider the granule spins, and the s system is represented by localized electrons in the amorphous matrix. In the one-loop approximation with respect to the s-d exchange interaction for a diagram expansion of the spin Green’s function, the spin excitation spectrum is found, which consists of spin-wave excitations in the granules and of polarized spin excitations. In polarized spin excitations, a change in the granule spin direction is accompanied by an electron transition with a spin flip between two sublevels of a split localized state in the matrix. We considered polarized spin relaxation (relaxation of the granule spins occurring by means of polarized spin excitations) determined by localized deep energy states in the matrix and the thermally activated electronic cloud of the granule. It is found that polarized spin relaxation is efficient over a wide frequency range. Estimates made for structures with cobalt granules showed that this relaxation could be observed in centimetric, millimetric, and submillimetric wavelength ranges.     

On the Measurement of the Stiffness of Spin Waves in the Fe<Subscript>0.75</Subscript>Co<Subscript>0.25</Subscript>Si Helimagnet by the Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Method

The stiffness of spin waves in the Fe_0.75Co_0.25Si helimagnet with the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction in a state fully magnetized by an external field has been measured by the small-angle neutron scattering method. It has been shown that the dispersion of magnons in this state is anisotropic because the neutron scattering pattern consists of two circles for neutrons with obtaining and losing the magnon energy, respectively. The centers of the circles are shifted by the momentum transfer oriented along the applied magnetic field H and equal to the wave vector of the spiral ±k_s measured in inverse nanometers. The radius of the circles is directly related to the stiffness of spin waves and depends on the magnitude of the magnetic field. It has been shown that the stiffness of spin waves A for the helimagnet is equal to 46.0 meV Ų at T = 0 K and decreases weakly (by 20%) with increasing temperature up to the critical value T_c = 38 K.     

Measurement of spin-dependent total cross-section differenceΔσ T in neutron-proton scattering at 16 MeV

A new measurement ofΔσ _T for polarized neutrons transmitted through a polarized proton target at 16.2 MeV has been made. A polarized neutron beam was produced with the³H(d, n)⁴ He reaction; proton polarization over 90% was achieved in a frozen spin target of 20 cm³ volume. The measurement yields the valueΔσ _T=(?126±21±14) mb. The result of a simple phase shift analysis for the³ S ₁?³ D ₁ mixing parameter ε₁ is presented and compared with the theoretical potential model predictions.     

Neutron polarization for P- and T-violation experiments

The polarization of neutron spin, target nucleus spin and He nuclear spin was developed at KEK for measuring the T-odd term in polarized neutron transmission through a polarized nuclear target. A method to measure the neutron spin rotation was developed for the T-violation experiment. This apparatus has been found to be quite useful for the P-violating neutron spin rotation experiment. The angular distribution of neutron-capture -rays was measured for the study of the enhancement mechanism of the P-violation. The results are also discussed.On leave from Tohoku University.     

Resonance absorption and fluorescence in argon

Absorption cross sections of argon for argon resonance radiation have been measured by several techniques. The apparent cross sections are small (0·1 to 1·6 × 10^-18 cm²) for resonance absorption and the values depend on the technique used for measurement. These observations are interpreted in terms of extensive reversal and broadening in the source. The excitation and quenching of resonance fluorescence was studied to provide information about the rates of the processes

The rate constants were estimated relative to k _r, the rate constant for radiation. Radiation imprisonment leads to a reduction of k _r from its natural value and observations of the decay of resonance fluorescence suggest that k _r ～ 1·5 × 10⁵ s^-1 in our system at [Ar] = 2 × 10¹⁷ atom cm^-3. Combining this value with the relative values for the quenching rate constants gives k ₁ < 1·5 × 10^-13, k ₁′(M = N₂) ～ 6 × 10^-12, k ₁′(M = NO) ～ 4 × 10^-10, in units of cm³ s^-1 molecule^-1.