neutron electric dipole moment; ultracold neutrons; polarization analysis; Monte Carlo simulations
Bodek K, Chowdhuri Z, Daum M, Fertl M, Franke B, Gutsmiedl E, Henneck R, Horras M, Kasprzak M, Kirch K, Kistryn S, Kozela A, Krempel J, Lauss B, Mtchedlishvili A, Piegsa F, Pignol G, Rebreyend D, Roccia S, Schmidt-Wellenburg P, Zejma J, Zenner J, Zsigmond G (2011), MC calculations for the nEDM experiment systematics, in
2nd International Workshop on the Physics of fundamental Symmetries and Interactions - PSI2010, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Altarev I, Ban G, Bison G, Bodek K, Daum M, Fertl M, Fierlinger P, Franke B, Gutsmiedl E, Heil W, Henneck R, Horras M, Khomutov N, Kirch K, Kistryn S, Kraft A, Knecht A, Knowles P, Kozela A, Lauer T, Lauss B, Lefort T, Lemiere Y, Mtchedlishvili A, Naviliat-Cuncic O (2011), Testing isotropy of the universe using the Ramsey resonance technique on ultracold neutron spins, in
Proceedings of the 8th International Workshop on Polarised Neutrons for Condensed Matter Investigati, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Baker CA, Ban G, Bodek K, Burghoff M, Chowdhuri Z, Daum M, Fertl M, Franke B, Geltenbort P, Green K, van der Grinten MGD, Gutsmiedl E, Harris PG, Henneck R, Iaydjiev P, Ivanov SN, Khomutov N, Kasprzak M, Kirch K, Kistryn S, Knappe-Gruneberg S, Knecht A, Knowles P, Kozela A, Lauss B (2011), The search for the neutron electric dipole moment at the Paul Scherrer Institute, in
2nd International Workshop on the Physics of fundamental Symmetries and Interactions - PSI2010, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Altarev I, Ban G, Bison G, Bodek K, Burghoff M, Chowdhuri Z, Daum M, Dusing C, Fertl M, Fierlinger P, Franke B, Grab C, Gutsmiedl E, Hampel G, Heil W, Henneck R, Horras M, Khomutov N, Kirch K, Kistryn S, Knappe-Gruneberg S, Knecht A, Knowles P, Kozela A, Kraft A (2010), An improved measurement of the electric dipole moment of the neutron, in
Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Symmetries in Subatomic Physics, TaipeiElsevier, Taipei.
Altarev I, Baker CA, Ban G, Bodek K, Daum M, Fertl M, Franke B, Fierlinger P, Geltenbort P, Green K, van der Grinten MGD, Harris PG, Henneck R, Horras M, Iaydjiev P, Ivanov SN, Khomutov N, Kirch K, Kistryn S, Knecht A, Kozela A, Kuchler F, Lauss B, Lefort T, Lemiere Y (2010), New constraints on Lorentz invariance violation from the neutron electric dipole moment, in
EPL, 92(5), 51001-p1-51001-p5.
Measurements of the neutron Electric Dipole Moment (nEDM) with sensitivities better than 10^-26 e.cm are considered to be of top priority by the particle physics community, since they may provide information on new sources of CP violation and give clues as to the presence of physics beyond the Standard Model. An improved nEDM measurement is timely and will complement results expected from other projects, e.g. concerning supersymmetry signatures, such as experiments at the Large Hadron Collider or searches for forbidden lepton-flavour changing processes such as the MEG experiment at PSI. An improved nEDM experiment will need better statistics, a prerequisite which will be fulfilled at the new ultracold neutron (UCN) source at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI). It will also need improved control of systematic effects, mainly related to magnetic field issues, which will be addressed at PSI with improved magnetometry. As a first step in the PSI nEDM program, an international collaboration aims at a measurement with a factor of five improved sensitivity over the present best limit 2.9 x 10^-26 e.cm (90% C.L.). This will be possible with (i) an upgraded and improved nEDM spectrometer, which was originally used for the measurement of the present best limit and is transferred from ILL to PSI in Spring 2009, (ii) the large gain in UCN density expected for the new PSI UCN source (gain factor 50) and (iii) improved control of systematics.Goal of this proposal is, after installation of the improved nEDM apparatus at the PSI UCN source, to make an analysis of the first data aiming at a factor five improvement in precision over the present best result. Additionally, we want to develop a fast detector (fit for rates up to 10^7 UCN/s) and a double arm counting system. These improvements add important ingredients to increase the statistical and systematic sensitivity necessary for a nEDM search.In the present proposal we ask for funding of a PhD position for three years and for a postdoc position for two years. Both will play a very important role in the timely realization of the nEDM project. The postdoc is expected to bring additional experience in high-precision particle physics analysis. The academic supervisor for the PhD student will be Prof. Dr. G. Dissertori, ETH Zürich.