Unconventional trapping of ultracold neutrons

✍ Scribed by S.S Malik; D Sarkisov; A Steyerl; Th Brenner; J Butterworth; P Geltenbort; M Hino; K Okumura; M Utsuro

• Book ID: 104337695
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 177 KB
• Volume: 260
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0375-9601
• DOI: 10.1016/s0375-9601(99)00525-3

✦ Synopsis

In unconventional storage experiments we filled ultracold neutrons UCN into a Fomblin-grease coated trap and then immediately removed the UCN from the storage volume by an absorber, until their residual density in the trap was measured to be negligible. When subsequently the absorber was withdrawn a significant number of UCN of higher energies emerged from the trap. Their appearance cannot be attributed to heating or cooling of residual UCN. Further experiments were performed to investigate the origin of these UCN which we call 'late UCN'. We noticed that application of a magnetic field gradient at the trap wall as well as a replacement of Fomblin grease on the surface by Fomblin oil gave rise to small but measurable alterations of storage behavior. These phenomena are consistent with the hypothesis of temporary adhesion of a few UCN to a rough wall.