CP violation and the electric dipole moment of the neutron: the new PSI experiment

by Reinhold Henneck (Paul-Scherrer-Institut Villigen)

Monday 3 Jun 2002, 16:30 → 17:30 Europe/Zurich

500/1-001 - Main Auditorium (CERN)

At PSI we are presently setting up a new source for ultracold neutrons (UCN) which will deliver UCN densities in excess of 1000 UCN/cm³ . This improvement will open new prospects for studies of fundamental properties of the neutron and its decay. As a first experiment we intend to improve the sensitivity in the measurement of the neutron electric dipole moment (EDM) to about 5 x 10^-28 e cm, i.e. about a factor of 100 improvement over presently published limits. A finite value at this level - as predicted by Supersymmetry - would be unambiguous evidence for CP violation beyond the Standard Model. The EDM spectrometer employs the conventional Ramsey method, but makes use of a system of 8 HV chambers and 5 chambers without HV, which will reduce the influence of systematic effects due to magnetic problems and leakage currents considerably. We shall discuss the principle of the experiment, the expected statistical uncertainty, systematic effects as well as details of the most important parts.

Organiser(s): Ariane Frey / EP Division

Note: More info via reinhold.henneck@psi.ch Tea & coffee will be served at 16.00 hrs.

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