Upper bound on parity-violating neutron spin rotation in He4
Abstract
We report an upper bound on parity-violating neutron spin rotation in He4. This experiment is the most sensitive search for neutron-weak optical activity yet performed and represents a significant advance in precision in comparison to past measurements in heavy nuclei. The experiment was performed at the NG-6 slow-neutron beamline at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research. Our result for the neutron spin rotation angle per unit length in He4 is dϕ/dz=[+1.7±9.1(stat.)±1.4(sys.)]×10-7 rad/m. The statistical uncertainty is smaller than current estimates of the range of possible values of dϕ/dz in n+4He.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review C
- Pub Date:
- February 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevC.83.022501
- Bibcode:
- 2011PhRvC..83b2501S
- Keywords:
-
- 11.30.Er;
- 24.70.+s;
- 13.75.Cs;
- Charge conjugation parity time reversal and other discrete symmetries;
- Polarization phenomena in reactions;
- Nucleon-nucleon interactions