On the possibility of forming electric-field-controlled fluxes of cold neutrons in crystals

It has been shown previously that the giant electron energy loss in cold cathodes is due to the localization of electrons in polaron states and their emission of a coherent flux of phonons (which is similar to the Cherenkov radiation) during motion in strong electric fields. The scattering of cold neutrons from a coherent-phonon flux is investigated.     

The production of very cold neutrons

We present a method of calculating the current of very cold neutrons emerging from a cold moderator applicable to any moderator whose spectral density is known. Results are shown for a hydrogenous moderator with a Debye spectrum.     

Storage of very cold neutrons in a trap with nano-structured walls

We report on storage of Very Cold Neutrons (VCN) in a trap with walls containing powder of diamond nanoparticles. The efficient VCN reflection is provided by multiple diffusive elastic scattering of VCN at single nanoparticles in powder. The VCN storage times are sufficiently long for accumulating large density of neutrons with complete VCN energy range of up to a few times ¹⁰⁻⁴ eV${10}^{-4}\text{eV}$. Methods for further improvements of VCN storage times are discussed.     

Experimental studies of very cold neutrons passing through solid deuterium

The studies of spectral dependences for neutrons passing through solid deuterium were carried out using a vertical beam of very cold neutrons with the wavelength λ～40–150 Å. The results show the dependence of the observed neutron scattering cross sections on the method of preparation of a solid deuterium sample and on the ortho-para composition of deuterium.     

Highly polarized very cold neutrons through a permanent magnet quadrupole

We obtained highly polarized very cold neutrons through a quadrupole magnet with a large aperture. When neutrons go through a quadrupole magnet, parallel-spin neutrons are attracted to the magnet axis and anti-parallel-spin neutrons are repelled off the axis. Therefore, the neutrons through a sufficiently long quadrupole magnet have completely parallel-spin. At the downstream of the quadrupole magnet, we placed another quadrupole magnet to divide neutrons into two regions depending on their spin directions. We obtained the neutron polarization from the integrated count of the two regions and found it was 99.88±0.09 (stat.)±0.05 (syst.)%.     

A compact TOF-SANS using focusing lens and very cold neutrons

We are developing a high-resolution small angle neutron scattering instrument for very cold neutrons (VCN). Our concept includes a magnetic lens for focusing of the beam at the detector plane. The lens consists of one permanent-magnet sextupole array rotating outside another stationary sextupole array, to focus a pulsed white beam of neutrons. Thus the instrument operates in time of flight mode. The prototype magnetic lens has a bore of 15 mm diameter and length of 66 mm, producing a magnetic field gradient oscillating from 1.5×10⁴ to 5.9×10⁴ T/m², with frequency ≤25 Hz. A torque-canceling magnet around the lens suppresses the torque of rotation from the outer array to 1/3.We have demonstrated the performance of the lens, over wavelength range from 30 to 48 Å, on the PF2-VCN beam line at the Institut Laue-Langevin, France. The focused beam image was the same size as the source, without chromatic aberration, with focal length of 1.14 m. We also studied the performance of this configuration for high-resolution SANS, in a compact geometry (just 5 m long). The measurable q range of this system was 0.009 Å⁻¹≤q≤0.3 Å⁻¹ or 0.004 Å⁻¹≤q≤0.08 Å⁻¹ for sample to detector distances of 100 and 465 mm, respectively. Here, we present the results of our lens characterization study along with the SANS results on a tri-block copolymer (F127 Pluronic) and on a stretched polymer blend (with the Shish-Kebab structure).     

On the experimental determination of hydrogen momentum distributions at sources providing high energy neutrons

With the increased usable flux at high neutron energies of pulsed sources the measurement of momentum distributions enters a new range of feasibility and accuracy. It is shown that for the case of hydrogen which has many applications an additional gain is to be expected due to the insensitivity to monochromization. The optimization of the analyzer is discussed and a test experiment is proposed.     

Development of modulating permanent magnet sextupole lens for focusing of pulsed cold neutrons

Modulating permanent magnet sextupole lens (PMSx) for focusing pulsed cold neutrons is under development. The synchronized modulation of its field gradient suppresses the chromatic aberration which arises from the Time Of Flight method. The strength of the magnetic field, the torque, and the rise of temperature during its operation are studied on a fabricated prototype. Experiments on focusing pulsed very cold neutrons (VCN) at ILL (Institute of Laue Langevin, France) were carried out and VCN with around λ=40 Å were focused by the PMSx at a focal length of about 0.5 m. The experimental results are presented in conjunction with the principle of the neutron focusing and the modulating method of the focal strength of permanent magnet lens with the double ring structure.     

On the possibility of using magnesium oxide for selective detection of fast neutrons

The work is a kind of summary of the articles published in the last decade. They deal with the investigation of the dosimetric properties of crystalline and ceramic magnesium oxide with the aim of its use as thermoluminescent detectors.     

Precision experiments with cold and ultra-cold neutrons

We present selected results from the first round of the Priority Programme SPP 1491. This programme gets funding from the German DFG and the Austrian FWF funding agencies. The aim of this programme is to address basic open questions in particle and astrophysics using a specific tool: the neutron, which allows the search for new physics becoming manifest itself as small deviations from expectations.     

A small angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiment using very cold neutrons (VCN)

This paper describes the results of SANS measurements of small samples using the very cold neutron (VCN) beam of the PF2 instrument at the Institut Laue Langevin (ILL), France. In addition to a classical SANS pinhole collimation, the experiment used a polarizing supermirror as a monochromator and a magnetic sextupole lens to focus the neutron beam in order to gain intensity and avoid any material in the neutron beam besides the sample.     

On the possibility of measuring the thickness of very thin films using electron probe microanalyzer

The measurement of the thickness of thin aluminum and silver films using an electron probe microanalyzer is described. The method of measurement was studied in order to investigate very thin discontinuous aluminum layers, originated from inorganic residues of photoresists removed from the surface of silicon and other materials by plasma oxidation. The calibration curves, i.e. the dependences of the intensity of the characteristic X-ray emission on the thickness of thin standard films evaporated on the same substrate, were determined for the evaluation of the measurements. These dependences were measured till the smallest thickness 15 nm of the standard film. Then the curves were extrapolated to the origin of coordinates and the film thickness was calculated using the value of the slope of tangent to the calibration curve in the origin. In order to estimate the accuracy of this procedure, the calibration curves were expressed analytically using the mathematical representation of the electron excitation function. It follows from the results that the shape of the calibration curves may be influenced mainly due to electrons scattered from the substrate back into the film and due to fluorescence excitation of X-ray emission. The last effect was markedly observed in Al/Si system.     

On the mobility of very pure semiconductors at very low temperatures

The mobility μ of a very pure semiconductor at very low temperatures is investigated in terms of a model where electrons are scattered by charged impurities distributed uniformly in space, and the electron-electron interaction is taken into account by the Debye-Hueckel screening in the interaction potential. The equation for the current relaxation rate Γ, derived previously by the proper connected diagram expansion, incorporates the quasi-particle effect in a self-consistent manner. The solution of this equation at high carrier concentrations n yields the so-called Brooks-Herring formula. At lower concentrations, the solution deviates significantly from the latter. The solution is in general smaller than the standard expression for the rate based on the Boltzmann equation; and this is consistent with the existing conductivity data available. At the very low concentrations e.g. n = n₃ = 10¹³cm^?3 or lower for Ge, the mobility calculated is inversely proportional to the square-root of the impurity concentration n_s, and has a $\text{T}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>4</mtext>}}$-dependence (T: temperature).

$\text{μ = 0.3597\&z.xl;h}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{k(k}{}_{\mathrm{B}}\text{T)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>4</mtext>}}\text{(ze)}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{n}{}_{\mathrm{s}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{m}{}^1{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?3</mtext><mtext>4</mtext>}}$

, where k is the dielectric constant. The conductivity data directly comparable with this formula are not available at present. However, the quasi-particle effect which led to this peculiar concentration-dependence should also show itself in the cyclotron resonance width; there, experiment and theory both show the ${}_{\mathrm{n}}{}_{\mathrm{s}}$-dependence for very pure semiconductors.     

Low energy frontier: Physics with polarized cold neutrons

Recent developments in investigations of beta decay of the free neutron are discussed. Measurements of the neutron lifetime τ _n and the electron emission asymmetry A _n are a classic source of determination of the Standard Model parameters G _v , G _A and λ _n . Combined with the results of the muon decay experiments, the nuclear superallowed 0→0 transitions and decays of particles containing heavy quarks, they provide tests of the SM assumptions: the unitarity of the CKM matrix, the number of the neutrino families, or the CVC hypothesis. In contrast, more complex correlations between the spins and the momenta of the emitted particles, (e.g. B _n , D _n , R _n or G _n ), are uniquely sensitive to the so called “Physics beyond the Standard Model”. Thus the question of the right handed bosons, the admixture of the scalar or tensor interaction, with or without time reversal violating terms, may be addressed separately in a dedicated, single experiment. Further development of powerful beams of polarized cold neutrons and sources of ultracold neutrons is imperative for progress in these studies.     

On the limit of neutron fluxes in the fission-based pulsed neutron sources

The upper limit of the density of the thermal neutron flux from pulsed sources based on the fission reaction is established. Three types of sources for research on ejected beams are considered: a multiplying target of the proton accelerator (a booster), a booster with the reactivity modulation (a superbooster), and a pulsing reactor. Comparison with other high-flux sources is carried out. The investigation has been performed at the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics of JINR.     

On the delayed neutrons at the final stage of the r-process

The gross theory of beta decay is applied to the r-process calculation. In particular, it is explicitly shown that the delayed-neutron emissions at the final stage of the r-process smooth out the abundance curve significantly.     

Basic results of investigations of scission neutrons in nuclear fission at low excitation energies

To estimate the main characteristics of neutrons emitted shortly before the scission of a fissioning nucleus, various experiments sensitive to the presence of these scission neutrons in thermal-neutron-induced fission of ²³⁵U and spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf were performed. The results of the experiments were analyzed within theoretical calculations allowing for various possible neutron-emission mechanisms, including the possibility of the emergence of neutrons from the scission of a nucleus.     

Focusing of pulsed neutrons by traveling magnetic potentials

The possibility of focusing neutrons from a pulsed source into a narrow velocity interval is investigated. In particular the development of a polarized neutron pulse in a traveling fixed width and in an expanding magnetic oscillator potential is described. Expressions are derived for obtainable intensity gain and monochromaticity. In a comparison the feasibility of both systems as active monochromators with up to several orders of magnitude intensity gain over a wide wavelength regime is pointed out. Some further applications of traveling magnetic potentials in neutron optics for beam freezing and focusing in space are discussed too. Finally a quantum mechanical treatment is given showing the general validity of the results.Supported by Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (project S42/02)     

On the possibility of the search for top-antitop resonances at LHC

The possibility of discovering top-antitop resonances with masses of 700, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 3000 GeV/c ² at proton-proton collision energy of 14 TeV in the center of a mass system is considered. The minimum cross sections for the resonance production necessary for their detection in a lepton + jets channel of $ t\mathop t\limits^ - The possibility of discovering top-antitop resonances with masses of 700, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 3000 GeV/c ² at proton-proton collision energy of 14 TeV in the center of a mass system is considered. The minimum cross sections for the resonance production necessary for their detection in a lepton + jets channel of pair decay with a 5σ confidence level is estimated. The analysis is performed both with and without taking into account the possibility of hadronic jets reconstruction from b quarks (b-tagging). Original Russian Text ? E.V. Khramov, A.N. Tonoyan, V.A. Bednyakov, N.A. Rusakovich, 2008, published in Pis’ma v Zhurnal Fizika Elementarnykh Chastits i Atomnogo Yadra, 2008, No. 6 (148), pp. 865–873.