# Presentation: 578355

## NNbar Experiments using UCN

- A.R.Young
- NCState University

## nnbar transition probability (for given ) for free neutrons

- nnbar transition probability (for given ) for free neutrons

- = “discovery potential”

## Experiment with free neutrons

- Best reactor measurement at ILL/Grenoble reactor in 89-91
- by Heidelberg-ILL-Padova-Pavia Collaboration

- 2

- discovery potential: 1.4x109

## Phys. Rev. D 66 (2002) 032004 > 7.21031 years 

- _Bound n_: J. Chung et al., (Soudan II)
- Phys. Rev. D 66 (2002) 032004 > 7.21031 years 

**PDG 2004:**
- Limits for both
- _free_ reactor neutrons and
- neutrons _bound_ inside nucleus

- _Free n_: M. Baldo-Ceolin et al.,  
- (ILL/Grenoble) *Z. Phys* **C63** (1994) 409
- with P = (t/*free*)2

*R* is “nuclear suppression factor”
- Uncertainty of *R* from nuclear
-  models is ~ factor of 2

- Search with free neutrons is far
- more efficient than with bound neutrons

## What are Ultracold Neutrons? 

- UCN : K.E. < VFermi ≤ 340 neV
-     reflect, for any angle of incidence, from some material surfaces→can be stored for times comparable to the β-decay lifetime in material bottles!
- Materials with high VFermi :
- Diamond like carbon →  VF ≤ 300 neV
-                                           58Ni  →VF ≤ 340 neV

## NNbar with UCN: pros and cons

- Advantages:
- No beamline required: more compact
- Sources soon available: less expensive
- Same ability to turn “on” and “off” effect w/magnetic field
- Disadvantages:
- Limits less stringent than those obtained with CN beam geometry

- Box filled with UCN gas...many samples/neutron...longer average flight times (~1/3 sec)...large neutron current required

- n amplitude sampled when UCN hits surface

- hadron tracking and calorimeter

- magnetic shielding

- outer detector and muon veto

- vacuum vessel

## Possible sources (large UCN currents) 

- ILL (world’s strongest source at present) 3x106 UCN/s at present with 8cm x 16cm guide – single purpose mode
**Potentially competitive SD****2**** sources**:
- PULSTAR w/ 3.5 MW upgrade: 4x107 UCN/s (in SD2); begin test operation at 1 MW in 2008
- PSI (pulsed):  5x109 in close-coupled storage volume, every 4 to 8 minutes; begin test operation in Oct., 2008
- FRM II: (?)  huge CN flux; begin operation roughly 2012 (project funded 2007)
**LHe superthermal sources** (see talk of Masuda)

- Extraction efficiency from SD2 and limiting UCN population in experiment?

## The Collaboration

- NCState Physics Department:
- R. Golub, P. Huffman, A. R. Young and graduate students, C. Cottrell, G. R. Palmquist, Y.-P. Xu
- NCState Nuclear Engineering Department:
- B. W. Wehring, A. Hawari, E. Korobkina
- PULSTAR technical staff
-       A. Cook, K. Kincaid, G. Wicks

-  H. Gao
-  T. Clegg (weak interactions res.)

- Local research groups with overlapping interests:

## Key UCNA Prototype Results

- PhD Thesis: Chen-Yu Liu

- A. Saunders *et al*., Phys. Lett. B **593**, 55 (2004)

- confirmed: F. Atchison et al., Phys. Rev. C. **71**, 054601 (2005)

- UCN → 145 ± 7 UCN/cm3

- para = 1.2 ± .14 (stat) ± .20 (syst) ms

- Diamondlike Carbon Films

- 300 neV >Vfermi> 270 neV, specularity > 99%, lpb < 10-4

- PhD Thesis: Mark Makela

## NCSU PULSTAR Reactor

- Sintered UO2 pellets
- 4% enriched
- 1-MW power
- Light water moderated and cooled
- Just 1997 issued a new license for about 2017 years of operation

- Source located in thermal column (outside reactor proper)

- 28 ft

- Core

## Licensing and operation

- University-owned reactors licensed by NRC
- NRC Policy – The 1954 Atomic Energy Act paragraph 104 for non power reactors states "the utilization facilities for research and development should be regulated to the minimum extent consistent with protecting the health and safety of the public and promoting the common defense and security.” – this policy working for us!
- Licensing ammendments made by PULSTAR staff: 2-3 person team, reviewed by 2 internal NCSU committees and the NRC – we run safely, but with minimum paperwork...
- Students and staff trained to operate reactor

- Straightforward and reasonable in scope!

- Not a “power reactor”!

## Desirable Attributes

- Properties
- Heavy loading of U-235 -- 12.5 kg
- Low ratio of H to U-235 atoms
- High ratio of fast to thermal flux in the core
- Benefits
- Long core lifetime
- High fast-flux leakage
- High sensitivity to reflector material

## Source Schematic

- Floodable Helium Nose Port
- Heavy Water Thermal Moderator
- 58Ni-coated guides

## Expected Results at 1 MW

- 5x1011 n/cm2/s CN Flux in D2 volume
- 0.8x104 – 1.5x104 n/cm3/s UCN Production
- ~250-400 UCN/cm3 Limiting Density (τSD2>25 ms)
- >30 UCN/cm3 Useful Density (~20 at UCN/cm3 ILL)

- (LANL recent results

- For the future:
-  **Power upgrade consistent with facility and cryogenics to 3-4 MW**
-  Explore other converters (LHe, SO2, ?) and other CN moderators

## The geometry:

- How do we model transport?

## The Monte Carlo

- Runge-Kutta numerical integration
- Gravity, magnetic fields (if needed), and wall reflections
- Non-specular reflections via various models (Gaussian, isotropic and Lambertian—(from Golub, Richardson, Lamoreaux)
- Assume n annihilated on each collision
- ~300 neV Fermi potential in box (measured for DLC at SPEAR)
- No vacuum isolation foil between SD2 and experiment

- (Kerbikov, n-n workshop, 2002)

## Preliminary results for base case(annhilation det eff = 1, 1 year running):

- NCState geometry, 4 cm thick SD2, 18 cm guides,.050s SD2 lifetime, model storable UCN
-  Primary flux: 4.0 x 107   (below 305 neV)  -- 3.5 MW
-                      Box loading efficiency: 30%
-                      325s avg. residency in experiment
-                      Best case: diffuse walls, specular floor
-      discovery potential = 2.3x109 Ns
-                                 τnn > 1.1x108 s

## “straightforward gains”
4 years of running
increase source thickness: x1.5
    τnn> 2.7x108 s
“speculative gains”
5 liter solid O2 source, in principle x5 or more
     even larger gains possible, but current challenge is to grow large transparent crystals useful for UCN sources, research program of C.-Y. Liu
Multiple reflections (x1-4) Serebrov and Fomin & coherent n amplitude enhancement x2(?)  Golub and Yoshiki

- “straightforward gains”
- 4 years of running
- increase source thickness: x1.5
-     τnn> 2.7x108 s
- “speculative gains”
- 5 liter solid O2 source, in principle x5 or more
-      even larger gains possible, but **current challenge is to grow large transparent crystals** useful for UCN sources, research program of C.-Y. Liu
- Multiple reflections (x1-4) Serebrov and Fomin & coherent n amplitude enhancement x2(?)  Golub and Yoshiki

- Ultimate Reach with PULSTAR

## Mode of operation: beam pulsed w/ valve open, then valve closed and UCN stored in system (can, in principle, accumulate)

- Systematic studies of the PSI UCN source optimized for NNbar by A. Serebrov and V. Fomin

## Slide 20

## Slide 21

## Comparison (4y expt)

- PULSTAR (1.0 MW): τnn> 1.3x108 s
- PULSTAR (3.5 MW), optimized:  τnn> 2.7x108 s      (no “speculative” gains)
- SuperK: τnn> 2.7x108 s
- PSI (accumulation mode): τnn> 6.1x108 s
- FRM II: ?
- Vertical CN beam: τnn> 5x109 s

- }

- p/o ratio ?

## Annular core TRIGA reactor (GA) for N-Nbar search experiment 

- Annular core TRIGA reactor (GA) for N-Nbar search experiment

- _Economic solution for n-nbar:_
- annular core TRIGA reactor 3.4 MW
- with convective cooling, vertical channel,
- and large cold LD2 moderator (T*n *~ 35K).
- Unperturbed thermal flux in the vertical
- channel ~ 21013 n/cm2/s

- Courtesy of W. Whittemore
- (General Atomics)

- ~ 1 ft

- •  GA built ~ 70 TRIGA reactors 0.0114 MW (th)
- •  19 TRIGA reactors are presently operating in US
-     (last commissioned in 1992)
- •  25 TRIGA reactors operating abroad
-     (last commissioned in 2005)
- •  some have annular core and vertical channel
- •  most steady, some can be pulsed up to 22 GW
- •  safe ~ 20% LEU uranium-zirconium hydride fuel
-                  safe with respect to proliferation issues
-               U-ZrH fuel safe from nuclear excursions

## Licensing and Operation of University-Owned TRIGA Reactors

- University campus already planned for SUSEL site
- Many TRIGA reactors already operated by universities
- Reactor owned by university can be licensed and operated in same fashion as PULSTAR reactor!  A modest staff and reasonable effort is required to prepare licensing documents and operate such a reactor

## Slide prepared by K. Ganezer

**Reactor antineutrino spectrum **
**in the main DUSEL lab 2.23 km **
**away from the  surface 3.5 MW **
**TRIGA reactor (           )**

-  **Reactor **
**antineutrinos**

## Modest improvements (at least) in the free n-n oscillation time possible with an optimized university reactor-based SD2 source
Stronger planned sources could be utilized for significant improvements in sensitivity to n-n oscillations
The vertical CN source geometry appears to be the most sensitive approach – but still permits experiments to exploit advantages of university-owned reactors!

- Stronger planned sources could be utilized for significant improvements in sensitivity to n-n oscillations
- The vertical CN source geometry appears to be the most sensitive approach – but still permits experiments to exploit advantages of university-owned reactors!

- Conclusions