Ultracold Neutron Depolarization in Magnetic Bottles

Authors

A. Steyerl, University of Rhode IslandFollow
Charles Kaufman, University of Rhode IslandFollow
Gerhard Müller, University of Rhode IslandFollow
S. S. Malik, University of Rhode IslandFollow
A. M. Desai, University of Rhode Island

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

12-7-2012

Abstract

We analyze the depolarization of ultracold neutrons confined in a magnetic field configuration similar to those used in existing or proposed magnetogravitational storage experiments aiming at a precise measurement of the neutron lifetime.We use an extension of the semiclassical Majorana approach as well as an approximate quantum mechanical analysis, both pioneered by Walstrom et al. [Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 599, 82 (2009)]. In contrast with this previous work we do not restrict the analysis to purely vertical modes of neutron motion. The lateral motion is shown to cause the predominant depolarization loss in a magnetic storage trap. The system studied also allowed us to estimate the depolarization loss suffered by ultracold neutrons totally reflected on a nonmagnetic mirror immersed in amagnetic field. This problem is of preeminent importance in polarized neutron decay studies such as the measurement of the asymmetry parameter A using ultracold neutrons, and it may limit the efficiency of ultracold neutron polarizers based on passage through a high magnetic field.

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Steyerl, A., Kaufman, C., Muller, G., Malik, S. S., & Desai, A. M. (2012). Ultracold Neutron Depolarization in Magnetic Bottles. Physical Review C, 86(6), 065501. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevC.86.065501

Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.86.065501

Publisher Statement

© 2012 American Physical Society