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Ultracold neutron energy spectrum and storage properties from magnetically induced spin depolarization
Authors:
N. J. Ayres,
G. Ban,
G. Bison,
K. Bodek,
V. Bondar,
T. Bouillaud,
D. Bowles,
G. L. Caratsch,
E. Chanel,
W. Chen,
P. -J. Chiu,
C. B. Crawford,
V. Czamler,
M. Daum,
C. B. Doorenbos,
M. Ferry,
M. Fertl,
A. Fratangelo,
D. Galbinski,
W. C. Griffith,
Z. D. Grujic,
K. Kirch,
V. Kletzl,
B. Lauss,
T. Lefort
, et al. (31 additional authors not shown)
Abstract:
We present a novel method for extracting the energy spectrum of ultracold neutrons from magnetically induced spin depolarization measurements using the n2EDM apparatus. This method is also sensitive to the storage properties of the materials used to trap ultracold neutrons, specifically, whether collisions are specular or diffuse. We highlight the sensitivity of this new technique by comparing the…
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We present a novel method for extracting the energy spectrum of ultracold neutrons from magnetically induced spin depolarization measurements using the n2EDM apparatus. This method is also sensitive to the storage properties of the materials used to trap ultracold neutrons, specifically, whether collisions are specular or diffuse. We highlight the sensitivity of this new technique by comparing the two different storage chambers of the n2EDM experiment. We validate the extraction by comparing to an independent measurement for how this energy spectrum is polarized through a magnetic-filter, and finally, we calculate the neutron center-of-mass offset, an important systematic effect for measurements of the neutron electric dipole moment.
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Submitted 10 November, 2025;
originally announced November 2025.
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Achieving ultra-low and -uniform residual magnetic fields in a very large magnetically shielded room for fundamental physics experiments
Authors:
N. J. Ayres,
G. Ban,
G. Bison,
K. Bodek,
V. Bondar,
T. Bouillaud,
D. Bowles,
E. Chanel,
W. Chen,
P. -J. Chiu,
C. B. Crawford,
O. Naviliat-Cuncic,
C. B. Doorenbos,
S. Emmenegger,
M. Fertl,
A. Fratangelo,
W. C. Griffith,
Z. D. Grujic,
P. G. Harris,
K. Kirch,
V. Kletzl,
J. Krempel,
B. Lauss,
T. Lefort,
A. Lejuez
, et al. (25 additional authors not shown)
Abstract:
High-precision searches for an electric dipole moment of the neutron (nEDM) require stable and uniform magnetic field environments. We present the recent achievements of degaussing and equilibrating the magnetically shielded room (MSR) for the n2EDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute. We present the final degaussing configuration that will be used for n2EDM after numerous studies. The optim…
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High-precision searches for an electric dipole moment of the neutron (nEDM) require stable and uniform magnetic field environments. We present the recent achievements of degaussing and equilibrating the magnetically shielded room (MSR) for the n2EDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute. We present the final degaussing configuration that will be used for n2EDM after numerous studies. The optimized procedure results in a residual magnetic field that has been reduced by a factor of two. The ultra-low field is achieved with the full magnetic-field-coil system, and a large vacuum vessel installed, both in the MSR. In the inner volume of ~1.4 m^3, the field is now more uniform and below 300 pT. In addition, the procedure is faster and dissipates less heat into the magnetic environment, which in turn, reduces its thermal relaxation time from 12 h down to ~1.5 h.
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Submitted 28 September, 2023;
originally announced September 2023.
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A large 'Active Magnetic Shield' for a high-precision experiment
Authors:
C. Abel,
N. J. Ayres,
G. Ban,
G. Bison,
K. Bodek,
V. Bondar,
T. Bouillaud,
E. Chanel,
J. Chen,
W. Chen,
P. -J. Chiu,
C. B. Crawford,
M. Daum,
C. B. Doorenbos,
S. Emmenegger,
L. Ferraris-Bouchez,
M. Fertl,
A. Fratangelo,
W. C. Griffith,
Z. D. Grujic,
P. Harris,
K. Kirch,
V. Kletzl,
P. A. Koss,
J. Krempel
, et al. (26 additional authors not shown)
Abstract:
We present a novel Active Magnetic Shield (AMS), designed and implemented for the n2EDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute. The experiment will perform a high-sensitivity search for the electric dipole moment of the neutron. Magnetic-field stability and control is of key importance for n2EDM. A large, cubic, 5m side length, magnetically shielded room (MSR) provides a passive, quasi-static s…
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We present a novel Active Magnetic Shield (AMS), designed and implemented for the n2EDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute. The experiment will perform a high-sensitivity search for the electric dipole moment of the neutron. Magnetic-field stability and control is of key importance for n2EDM. A large, cubic, 5m side length, magnetically shielded room (MSR) provides a passive, quasi-static shielding-factor of about 10^5 for its inner sensitive volume. The AMS consists of a system of eight complex, feedback-controlled compensation coils constructed on an irregular grid spanned on a volume of less than 1000m^3 around the MSR. The AMS is designed to provide a stable and uniform magnetic-field environment around the MSR, while being reasonably compact. The system can compensate static and variable magnetic fields up to +-50muT (homogeneous components) and +-5muT (first-order gradients), suppressing them to a few muT in the sub-Hertz frequency range. The presented design concept and implementation of the AMS fulfills the requirements of the n2EDM experiment and can be useful for other applications, where magnetically silent environments are important and spatial constraints inhibit simpler geometrical solutions.
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Submitted 14 July, 2023;
originally announced July 2023.
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Improved search for neutron to mirror-neutron oscillations in the presence of mirror magnetic fields with a dedicated apparatus at the PSI UCN source
Authors:
N. J. Ayres,
Z. Berezhiani,
R. Biondi,
G. Bison,
K. Bodek,
V. Bondar,
P. -J. Chiu,
M. Daum,
R. T. Dinani,
C. B. Doorenbos,
S. Emmenegger,
K. Kirch,
V. Kletzl,
J. Krempel,
B. Lauss,
D. Pais,
I. Rienaecker,
D. Ries,
N. Rossi,
D. Rozpedzik,
P. Schmidt-Wellenburg,
K. S. Tanaka,
J. Zejma,
N. Ziehl,
G. Zsigmond
Abstract:
While the international nEDM collaboration at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) took data in 2017 that covered a considerable fraction of the parameter space of claimed potential signals of hypothetical neutron ($n$) to mirror-neutron ($n'$) transitions, it could not test all claimed signal regions at various mirror magnetic fields. Therefore, a new study of $n-n'$ oscillations using stored ultraco…
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While the international nEDM collaboration at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) took data in 2017 that covered a considerable fraction of the parameter space of claimed potential signals of hypothetical neutron ($n$) to mirror-neutron ($n'$) transitions, it could not test all claimed signal regions at various mirror magnetic fields. Therefore, a new study of $n-n'$ oscillations using stored ultracold neutrons (UCNs)is underway at PSI, considerably expanding the reach in parameter space of mirror magnetic fields ($B'$) and oscillation time constants ($τ_{nn'}$). The new apparatus is designed to test for the anomalous loss of stored ultracold neutrons as a function of an applied magnetic field. The experiment is distinguished from its predecessors by its very large storage vessel (1.47\,m$^3$), enhancing its statistical sensitivity. In a test experiment in 2020 we have demonstrated the capabilities of our apparatus. However, the full analysis of our recent data is still pending. Based on already demonstrated performance, we will reach a sensitivity to oscillation times $τ_{nn'}/\sqrt{\cos(β)}$ well above hundred seconds, with $β$ being the angle between $B'$ and the applied magnetic field $B$. The scan of $B$ will allow the finding or the comprehensive exclusion of potential signals reported in the analysis of previous experiments and suggested to be consistent with neutron to mirror-neutron oscillations.
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Submitted 31 October, 2021;
originally announced November 2021.