Muon Physics Possibilities at a Muon-Neutrino Factory

New intense proton accelerators with above GeV energies and MW beam power, such as they are discussed in connection with neutrino factories, appear to be excellently suited for feeding bright muon sources for low-energy muon science. Muon rates with several orders of magnitude increased flux compared to present facilities will become available. This will allow higher precision in experiments which were statistics limited so far such as searches for rare decays, muonium spectroscopy, muon capture, muon catalyzed fusion, muon decay studies and measurements muon moments and parameters. Novel and most important experiments will become possible. For example a permanent electric dipole moment (edm_μ) of a muon could be searched with by far unprecedented accuracy and with a physics potential well beyond the possibilities of present electron, neutron and nuclear edm searches. Investigations of short lived radioactive nuclei using muonic atom spectroscopy would become feasible. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Muon science in J-PARC

The intensity of proton accelerator has attained to the order to mega-watt, and several MW-class proton accelerators start to operate in the world. J-PARC is a complex of three accelerators, and generates a variety of secondary beams, i.e. muon beam, neutron beam, meson beam and neutrino beam. The muon facility is established in order to provide a pulsed muon beam for various experimental programs. The first muon beam is transported to the experimental area in September 2008. Although the accelerator is still under commissioning, and the beam power doesn’t reach the design value of 1 MW yet, the world strongest pulsed muon beam will be provided shortly. In this paper, we review the muon beam line in J-PARC, and discuss evolved scientific programs.     

High intensity muon/pion beam with time structure at PSI

A new initiative is presented to develop a high intensity muon/pion beam with a time structure optimized to the muon lifetime. Such a facility would provide exciting physics opportunities for dramatically improved fundamental experiments, e.g., in the field of muon capture, muon lifetime and muonium spectroscopy. The high primary beam intensity at PSI allows intense chopped muon beams by installing a fast electrostatic kicker in a secondary channel. Two modes of operation are foreseen: a muon-on-request scheme, which uses active feedback from a beam counter in the experimental area and a periodic pulsed mode with about 5–20% duty factor. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Proposal for muon and white neutron sources at CSNS

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) is a large scientific facility with the main purpose of serving multidisciplinary research on material characterization using neutron scattering techniques. The accelerator system is to provide a proton beam of 120 kW with a repetition rate of 25 Hz initially (CSNSⅠ), progressively upgradeable to 240 kW (CSNS-Ⅱ) and 500 kW (CSNS-Ⅱ'). In addition to serving as a driving source for the spallation target, the proton beam can be exploited for serving additional functions both in fundamental and applied research. The expanded scientific application based on pulsed muons and fast neutrons is especially attractive in the overall consideration of CSNS upgrade options. A second target station that houses a muon-generating target and a fast-neutron-generating target in tandem, intercepting and removing a small part of the proton beam for the spallation target, is proposed. The muon and white neutron sources are operated principally in parasitic mode, leaving the main part of the beam directed to the spallation target. However, it is also possible to deliver the proton beam to the second target station in a dedicated mode for some special applications. Within the dual target configuration, the thin muon target placed upstream of the fast-neutron target will consume only about 5% of the beam traversed; the majority of the beam is used for fast-neutron production. A proton beam with a beam power of about 60 kW, an energy of 1.6 GeV and a repetition rate of 12.5 Hz will make the muon source and the white neutron source very attractive to multidisciplinary researchers.     

Ultra-slow muon facility for surface HFI studies

A concept, a design, a construction and an account of commissioning experiments are given for the recently completed ultra-slow muon facility at the pulsed muon facility of UT-MSL/KEK. The intense (more than 10³/s) slow ⁺ beam with an extremely narrow phase-space volume (0.2 eV×(3 cm)²) to be produced in this facility will open a new muon science including surface physics and chemistry and fundamental atomic physics.Post-doctoral fellow of Swiss National Science Foundation.     

The ISIS pulsed muon facility: Past,present and future

The pulsed muon facility at ISIS of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory has been operational since March 1987. It is now fully scheduled for condensed matter research using polarised surface muons, atomic physics with sub-surface muons, and μCF experiments requiring negative cloud muons. The design and performance of the present beam are briefly discussed and recent improvements to the facility are described. Essential future upgrades have recently received international support and funding, which will lead to a complete facility comparable in extent to those of the continuous meson factories at PSI and TRIUMF, but with the unique advantages of the pulsed nature of the source. Such an upgraded facility will provide unprecedented opportunities for muon science at ISIS, unmatched by any other facility until the end of the decade.     

Hadron Experimental Facility at J-PARC

We introduce the hadron experimental facility at J-PARC. High-intensity secondary beam lines are in operation, where kaons, pions, and antiprotons are delivered for experiments in hadron, nuclear, and particle physics. We present overview of some experimental programs in this facility. A high-momentum beam line is under construction, where a new research project is proposed by RCNP of Osaka University under the MoU on collaborative research among RCNP, IPNS/KEK, and the J-PARC center. A future plan to extend the hadron experimental facility is also described.     

中国散裂中子源反角白光中子束流参数的初步测量

中国散裂中子源(CSNS)已于2018年5月建设完工,随后进行了试运行.其中的反角白光中子束线(Back-n)可用于中子核数据测量、中子物理研究和核技术应用等多方面的实验.本文报道对该中子束的品质参数测量实验过程以及最终实验结果.实验主要采用中子飞行时间法,利用~(235)U,~(238)U裂变室和~6Li-Si探测器测量了中子能谱和中子注量率,又利用闪烁体-互补金属氧化物半导体探测系统测量了中子束斑的剖面,得到了该束线的初步实验测量结果.其中白光中子的全能谱测量范围eV—100 MeV,给出了不确定度分析;给出了中子注量率两个实验厅位置的满功率值;给出了白光中子在直径60 mm情况下的全能区束斑.通过与模拟结果的比较探讨了以上结果的合理性,并提出了改进计划.这些实验结果为以后该束线的核数据测量和探测器标定实验奠定了基础.     

Upgrading the RIKEN-RAL Muon Facility

We report a major upgrading work currently underway at the RIKEN-RAL Muon Facility. A slow muon beam line has been constructed at Port 3 experimental area in order to generate a low-energy, low-emittance positive muon beam, which will open many new possibilities for use of the muon beam. Meanwhile, a new experimental port is under construction to accommodate new experimental programs such as measurement of muonic X-rays from ions implanted to deuterium layer. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ultra slow muon microscopy by laser resonant ionization at J-PARC, MUSE

As one of the principal muon beam line at the J-PARC muon facility (MUSE), we are now constructing a Muon beam line (U-Line), which consists of a large acceptance solenoid made of mineral insulation cables (MIC), a superconducting curved transport solenoid and superconducting axial focusing magnets. There, we can extract 2 × 10⁸/s surface muons towards a hot tungsten target. At the U-Line, we are now establishing a new type of muon microscopy; a new technique with use of the intense ultra-slow muon source generated by resonant ionization of thermal Muonium (designated as Mu; consisting of a μ ^?+? and an e^???) atoms generated from the surface of the tungsten target. In this contribution, the latest status of the Ultra Slow Muon Microscopy project, fully funded, is reported.     

Construction of Riken-ral muon facility at ISIS and advanced μSR

By utilizing the intense pulsed proton beam available at the ISIS facility of RAL, the new muon facility project of an advanced superconducting muon channel funded by the RIKEN is now under construction. The new facility, by adopting the superconducting solenoid system, will produce the strongest backward decay pulsed ⁺ or ^–in the momentum range from 20 MeV/c to 120 MeV/c. Also, by adopting the pulsed magnetic kicker, each one of two muon pulses will be supplied to two extraction channels simultaneously. Various important muon science experiments including advanced pulsed ^–SR andmu ⁺SR experiments will be realized.     

大俘获立体角的内靶超导螺线管表面muon源的设计研究

高通量μ子源是国际上μ子科学研究的重要条件。在中国散裂中子源的高能质子应用区中,运用蒙特卡罗工具Geant4和G4beamline软件设计了使用内靶超导螺线管俘获高通量表面μ子的束线。与传统的分离靶和基于四极磁铁的收集系统相比,大孔径超导螺线管可以将收集效率提高两个量级。通过对不同靶材的粒子产率进行分析得出石墨是最佳靶材,然后比较俘获螺线管与束流的不同偏转角度下收集的表面μ的产率,提出了合理的较高产率的俘获和输运螺线管的设计方案,并与常规磁铁方案比较,最终在衰变螺线管端口的表面μ通量高达108/s。     

Nuclear physics with superconducting cyclotron at Kolkata: Scopes and possibilities

The K500 superconducting cyclotron at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Kolkata, India is getting ready to deliver its first accelerated ion beam for experiment. At the same time, the nuclear physics programme and related experimental facility development activities are taking shape. A general review of the nuclear physics research opportunities with the superconducting cyclotron and the present status of the development of different detector arrays and other experimental facilities will be presented.     

Dai Omega, a Drastic Upgrading of the Surface Muon Channel Using a Large Solid Angle Axial Focusing Superconducting System

An axial focusing surface muon channel, Dai Omega, is under construction. This channel will be installed at KEK-MSL in the summer of 2001. It uses four large aperture superconducting coils for axial focusing to realize a high-intensity positive muon beam by improving the solid angle acceptance. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

上海激光康普顿散射伽马源的发展和展望

激光康普顿散射(Laser Campton Scattering, LCS)光源,是一种基于相对论电子束与激光光子相互作用的新型X-ray或Gamma-ray光源。它具有能量高、波长短、脉冲快和峰值亮度高的特性,已成为国际先进光源技术的重要选项之一。本文介绍了激光康普顿散射光源的产生原理、国内外发展现状以及目前国际上运行和在建的激光康普顿散射光源装置,其中重点介绍了上海光源二期正在建设的上海激光电子伽马源(Shanghai Laser Electron Gamma Source, SLEGS)装置,以及在这一光源装置上可以开展的核物理、核天体物理、核废料处理及核医学应用等研究。随着上海软X射线自由电子激光试验装置(Soft X-ray Free Electron Laser, SXFEL)升级为用户装置,以及未来十三五国家重大科技基础设施-硬X射线自由电子装置(Shanghai HIgh repetition rate XFEL aNd Extreme light facility,SHINE)的建设完成,基于直线电子加速器(LINear ACcelator, LINAC)的康普顿散射光源的伽马能量将会达到GeV量级的高能量。超短脉冲、高极化度、高通量的激光康普顿散射光源将迎来新的发展机遇,基于康普顿伽马光源的核物理、天体物理、粒子物理及应用基础研究也必将迈上一个新台阶。     

Ultra slow muons generated by laser resonant ionization of thermal muonium produced by 500‐MeV protons with hot tungsten

We report recent progress to date on the UT‐MSL/KEK “Ultra Slow Muon” project, in which thermal muonium (Mu) atoms are generated from the surface of a hot tungsten target placed at the primary 500 MeV proton beam line and resonantly ionized by intense u.v. lasers synchronized with the emission of the Mu. The positive muon ionization fragments are collected by electrostatic beam optics to form a beam of slow positive muons. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

PHELIX – Status and First Experiments

The high-energy high-power laser system PHELIX (Petawatt High Energy Laser for heavy Ion eXperiments) [1] is currently under construction at the Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung mbH (GSI) Darmstadt. With PHELIX GSI will offer the unique combination of a high-current, high-energy (GeV/u) heavy-ion beam with an intense laser beam. This will open the door to a variety of fundamental science issues in the field of atomic physics, plasma physics and nuclear physics. The project will gain further interest in the near future by the dramatic increase of the accelerator performance with the starting FAIR project at GSI [2]. This paper reports the current status of the project as well as the laser architecture. The proposed physics program and a first experiment carried out with PHELIX, the realization of a transient collisionally excited x-ray laser [3], will also be reviewed briefly.     

基于北京大学4.5 MV静电加速器的核技术应用

北京大学4.5 MV静电加速器是20世纪80年代我国自主研发的静电加速器。该器端电压在0.7~3.8 MV连续可调,主要加速氢/氦同位素离子,并可通过打靶产生准单能直流/脉冲中子场,具有多条束线及多个实验终端。该器作为开放仪器多年来为国内外从事核技术研究的团队提供了实验平台。近年来,针对我国在能源、航天和国防等领域材料研究的重要需求,该器进行了多次升级改造。一方面通过产生7 MeV以下和14~19 MeV的准单能中子场,应用于(n, a)核反应截面的测量和聚变堆中子谱仪刻度;另一方面,通过温控辐照、核反应分析等实验终端,实现了材料辐照损伤及聚变堆材料元素定量分析等研究方向的功能拓展。此外,设计新增用于半导体材料电学性能测试的原位在线辐照终端和用于研究材料微观尺度元素分布的离子束综合分析实验终端。目前部分新终端已设计组装完成,相关搭建和调试工作正在进行中。     

Recent Result of Muon Catalyzed t–t Fusion at RIKEN-RAL

We have measured X-rays and neutrons associated with the muon catalyzed t–t fusion process at the RIKEN-RAL Muon facility. In the X-ray measurement, we observed K_α and K_β X-rays originating from the muon sticking process in muon catalyzed t–t fusion, and obtained the K_α X-ray yield and the K_β/K_α intensity ratio. An average recoil energy of the (μ⁻α) atoms in a solid T₂ medium was determined from the observed Doppler broadening width of the K_α X-ray line. The obtained t–t fusion neutron has shown an exponential time spectrum with a single component and a continuous energy spectrum with a maximum energy of 9 MeV. We have determined the t–t fusion neutron yield, the t–t fusion cycling rate and the muon sticking probability from the neutron data. The obtained maximum neutron energy is a very peculiar value from the view point of the reaction Q value (11.33 MeV) with the three-particle decay mode at the exit channel: t + t → α + n + n + Q. The obtained neutron energy distribution was analyzed by a simple model with two neutron energy components; reasonable agreement has been obtained, suggesting a strong (n–α) correlation in the exit channel of the t–t muon catalyzed fusion reaction. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.