G L. Greene

Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime by Counting Trapped Protons in a Cold Neutron Beam

A measurement of the neutron lifetime

Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime Using a Proton Trap

{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{n}

Determination of short lifetimes with ultra high resolution (n, γ) spectroscopy

performed by the absolute counting of in-beam neutrons and their decay protons has been completed. Protons confined in a quasi-Penning trap were accelerated onto a silicon detector held at a high potential and counted with nearly unit efficiency. The neutrons were counted by a device with an efficiency inversely proportional to neutron velocity, which cancels the dwell time of the neutron beam in the trap. The result is

Fundamental physics using ultrahigh resolution gamma spectroscopy

{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{n}=(886.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.2[\mathrm{stat}]\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3.2[\mathrm{sys}])\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}s

Study of low energetic atomic collisions in solids using high-resolution (n, γ) spectroscopy

, which is the most precise measurement of the lifetime using an in-beam method. The systematic uncertainty is dominated by neutron counting, in particular, the mass of the deposit and the

Remeasurement of a Silicon lattice period

^{6}\mathrm{Li}

Multistage position-stabilized vibration isolation system for neutron interferometry

(n,t)

A method for the accurate determination of the polarization of a neutron beam using a polarized 3He spin filter

cross section. The measurement technique and apparatus, data analysis, and investigation of systematic uncertainties are discussed in detail.

Determination of the neutron lifetime by counting trapped protons

We report a new measurement of the neutron decay lifetime by the absolute counting of in-beam neutrons and their decay protons. Protons were confined in a quasi-Penning trap and counted with a silicon detector. The neutron beam fluence was measured by capture in a thin 6LiF foil detector with known absolute efficiency. The combination of these simultaneous measurements gives the neutron lifetime: tau(n)=(886.8+/-1.2[stat]+/-3.2[syst]) s. The systematic uncertainty is dominated by uncertainties in the mass of the 6LiF deposit and the 6Li(n,t) cross section. This is the most precise measurement of the neutron lifetime to date using an in-beam method.