Precisison neutron interferometric measurement of the nd coherent scattering length
Abstract
We have performed a high-precision neutron interferometric measurement of the coherent neutron-deuteron scattering length at the Center for Neutron Research at NIST, using a monochromatic cold neutron beam (En = 11.1 MeV, λ = 0.271 nm, Δλ /λ ≤ 0.5%) in a perfect single crystal silcon interferometer. After correcting for systematic effects, we obtained a bound coherent nd scattering length of (b_nd = 6.6649 ± 0.0020) fm. Combining our result with previous measurements yields a new world average free coherent scattering length of (a_nd = 4.443 ± 0.002) fm, which is inconsistent with most published theoretical calculations of the free coherent scattering length. The precision obtained in this measurement has the potential to distinguish between different nuclear force models even when 3N forces have been adjusted to replicate the triton binding energy.
- Publication:
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APS Southeastern Section Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- November 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003APS..SES.HB001S