Neutron-antineutron oscillations: Theoretical status and experimental prospects

D. G. Phillips; W. M. Snow; K. Babu; S. Banerjee; D. V. Baxter; Z. Berezhiani; M. Bergevin; S. Bhattacharya; G. Brooijmans; L. Castellanos; M. C. Chen; C. E. Coppola; R. Cowsik; J. A. Crabtree; P. Das; E. B. Dees; A. Dolgov; P. D. Ferguson; M. Frost; T. Gabriel; A. Gal; F. Gallmeier; K. Ganezer; E. Golubeva; G. Greene; B. Hartfiel; A. Hawari; L. Heilbronn; C. Johnson; Y. Kamyshkov; B. Kerbikov; M. Kitaguchi; B. Z. Kopeliovich; V. B. Kopeliovich; V. A. Kuzmin; C. Y. Liu; P. McGaughey; M. Mocko; R. Mohapatra; N. Mokhov; G. Muhrer; H. P. Mumm; L. Okun; R. W. Pattie; C. Quigg; E. Ramberg; A. Ray; A. Roy; A. Ruggles; U. Sarkar

doi:10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001

Neutron-antineutron oscillations: Theoretical status and experimental prospects

D. G. Phillips, W. M. Snow, K. Babu, S. Banerjee, D. V. Baxter, Z. Berezhiani, M. Bergevin, S. Bhattacharya, G. Brooijmans, L. Castellanos, M. C. Chen, C. E. Coppola, R. Cowsik, J. A. Crabtree, P. Das, E. B. Dees, A. Dolgov, P. D. Ferguson, M. Frost, T. GabrielA. Gal, F. Gallmeier, K. Ganezer, E. Golubeva, G. Greene, B. Hartfiel, A. Hawari, L. Heilbronn, C. Johnson, Y. Kamyshkov, B. Kerbikov, M. Kitaguchi, B. Z. Kopeliovich, V. B. Kopeliovich, V. A. Kuzmin, C. Y. Liu, P. McGaughey, M. Mocko, R. Mohapatra, N. Mokhov, G. Muhrer, H. P. Mumm, L. Okun, R. W. Pattie, C. Quigg, E. Ramberg, A. Ray, A. Roy, A. Ruggles, U. Sarkar

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

137 Scopus citations

Abstract

The observation of neutrons turning into antineutrons would constitute a discovery of fundamental importance for particle physics and cosmology. Observing the n-n transition would show that baryon number (B) is violated by two units and that matter containing neutrons is unstable. It would provide a clue to how the matter in our universe might have evolved from the B = 0 early universe. If seen at rates observable in foreseeable nextgeneration experiments, it might well help us understand the observed baryon asymmetry of the universe. A demonstration of the violation of B-L by 2 units would have a profound impact on our understanding of phenomena beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. Slow neutrons have kinetic energies of a few meV. By exploiting new slow neutron sources and optics technology developed for materials research, an optimized search for oscillations using free neutrons from a slow neutron moderator could improve existing limits on the free oscillation probability by at least three orders of magnitude. Such an experiment would deliver a slow neutron beam through a magnetically-shielded vacuum chamber to a thin annihilation target surrounded by a low-background antineutron annihilation detector. Antineutron annihilation in a target downstream of a free neutron beam is such a spectacular experimental signature that an essentially background-free search is possible. An authentic positive signal can be extinguished by a very small change in the ambient magnetic field in such an experiment. It is also possible to improve the sensitivity of neutron oscillation searches in nuclei using large underground detectors built mainly to search for proton decay and detect neutrinos. This paper summarizes the relevant theoretical developments, outlines some ideas to improve experimental searches for free neutron oscillations, and suggests avenues both for theoretical investigation and for future improvement in the experimental sensitivity.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1-45
Number of pages	45
Journal	Physics Reports
Volume	612
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001
State	Published - 2016

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Baryon number violation
Cold neutron source
Quasi-free condition
Spallation

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Phillips, D. G., Snow, W. M., Babu, K., Banerjee, S., Baxter, D. V., Berezhiani, Z., Bergevin, M., Bhattacharya, S., Brooijmans, G., Castellanos, L., Chen, M. C., Coppola, C. E., Cowsik, R., Crabtree, J. A., Das, P., Dees, E. B., Dolgov, A., Ferguson, P. D., Frost, M., ... Sarkar, U. (2016). Neutron-antineutron oscillations: Theoretical status and experimental prospects. Physics Reports, 612, 1-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001

Phillips, DG, Snow, WM, Babu, K, Banerjee, S, Baxter, DV, Berezhiani, Z, Bergevin, M, Bhattacharya, S, Brooijmans, G, Castellanos, L, Chen, MC, Coppola, CE, Cowsik, R, Crabtree, JA, Das, P, Dees, EB, Dolgov, A, Ferguson, PD, Frost, M, Gabriel, T, Gal, A, Gallmeier, F, Ganezer, K, Golubeva, E, Greene, G, Hartfiel, B, Hawari, A, Heilbronn, L, Johnson, C, Kamyshkov, Y, Kerbikov, B, Kitaguchi, M, Kopeliovich, BZ, Kopeliovich, VB, Kuzmin, VA, Liu, CY, McGaughey, P, Mocko, M, Mohapatra, R, Mokhov, N, Muhrer, G, Mumm, HP, Okun, L, Pattie, RW, Quigg, C, Ramberg, E, Ray, A, Roy, A, Ruggles, A & Sarkar, U 2016, 'Neutron-antineutron oscillations: Theoretical status and experimental prospects', Physics Reports, vol. 612, pp. 1-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001

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title = "Neutron-antineutron oscillations: Theoretical status and experimental prospects",

abstract = "The observation of neutrons turning into antineutrons would constitute a discovery of fundamental importance for particle physics and cosmology. Observing the n-n transition would show that baryon number (B) is violated by two units and that matter containing neutrons is unstable. It would provide a clue to how the matter in our universe might have evolved from the B = 0 early universe. If seen at rates observable in foreseeable nextgeneration experiments, it might well help us understand the observed baryon asymmetry of the universe. A demonstration of the violation of B-L by 2 units would have a profound impact on our understanding of phenomena beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. Slow neutrons have kinetic energies of a few meV. By exploiting new slow neutron sources and optics technology developed for materials research, an optimized search for oscillations using free neutrons from a slow neutron moderator could improve existing limits on the free oscillation probability by at least three orders of magnitude. Such an experiment would deliver a slow neutron beam through a magnetically-shielded vacuum chamber to a thin annihilation target surrounded by a low-background antineutron annihilation detector. Antineutron annihilation in a target downstream of a free neutron beam is such a spectacular experimental signature that an essentially background-free search is possible. An authentic positive signal can be extinguished by a very small change in the ambient magnetic field in such an experiment. It is also possible to improve the sensitivity of neutron oscillation searches in nuclei using large underground detectors built mainly to search for proton decay and detect neutrinos. This paper summarizes the relevant theoretical developments, outlines some ideas to improve experimental searches for free neutron oscillations, and suggests avenues both for theoretical investigation and for future improvement in the experimental sensitivity.",

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T2 - Theoretical status and experimental prospects

AU - Phillips, D. G.

AU - Snow, W. M.

AU - Babu, K.

AU - Banerjee, S.

AU - Baxter, D. V.

AU - Berezhiani, Z.

AU - Bergevin, M.

AU - Bhattacharya, S.

AU - Brooijmans, G.

AU - Castellanos, L.

AU - Chen, M. C.

AU - Coppola, C. E.

AU - Cowsik, R.

AU - Crabtree, J. A.

AU - Das, P.

AU - Dees, E. B.

AU - Dolgov, A.

AU - Ferguson, P. D.

AU - Frost, M.

AU - Gabriel, T.

AU - Gal, A.

AU - Gallmeier, F.

AU - Ganezer, K.

AU - Golubeva, E.

AU - Greene, G.

AU - Hartfiel, B.

AU - Hawari, A.

AU - Heilbronn, L.

AU - Johnson, C.

AU - Kamyshkov, Y.

AU - Kerbikov, B.

AU - Kitaguchi, M.

AU - Kopeliovich, B. Z.

AU - Kopeliovich, V. B.

AU - Kuzmin, V. A.

AU - Liu, C. Y.

AU - McGaughey, P.

AU - Mocko, M.

AU - Mohapatra, R.

AU - Mokhov, N.

AU - Muhrer, G.

AU - Mumm, H. P.

AU - Okun, L.

AU - Pattie, R. W.

AU - Quigg, C.

AU - Ramberg, E.

AU - Ray, A.

AU - Roy, A.

AU - Ruggles, A.

AU - Sarkar, U.

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N2 - The observation of neutrons turning into antineutrons would constitute a discovery of fundamental importance for particle physics and cosmology. Observing the n-n transition would show that baryon number (B) is violated by two units and that matter containing neutrons is unstable. It would provide a clue to how the matter in our universe might have evolved from the B = 0 early universe. If seen at rates observable in foreseeable nextgeneration experiments, it might well help us understand the observed baryon asymmetry of the universe. A demonstration of the violation of B-L by 2 units would have a profound impact on our understanding of phenomena beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. Slow neutrons have kinetic energies of a few meV. By exploiting new slow neutron sources and optics technology developed for materials research, an optimized search for oscillations using free neutrons from a slow neutron moderator could improve existing limits on the free oscillation probability by at least three orders of magnitude. Such an experiment would deliver a slow neutron beam through a magnetically-shielded vacuum chamber to a thin annihilation target surrounded by a low-background antineutron annihilation detector. Antineutron annihilation in a target downstream of a free neutron beam is such a spectacular experimental signature that an essentially background-free search is possible. An authentic positive signal can be extinguished by a very small change in the ambient magnetic field in such an experiment. It is also possible to improve the sensitivity of neutron oscillation searches in nuclei using large underground detectors built mainly to search for proton decay and detect neutrinos. This paper summarizes the relevant theoretical developments, outlines some ideas to improve experimental searches for free neutron oscillations, and suggests avenues both for theoretical investigation and for future improvement in the experimental sensitivity.

AB - The observation of neutrons turning into antineutrons would constitute a discovery of fundamental importance for particle physics and cosmology. Observing the n-n transition would show that baryon number (B) is violated by two units and that matter containing neutrons is unstable. It would provide a clue to how the matter in our universe might have evolved from the B = 0 early universe. If seen at rates observable in foreseeable nextgeneration experiments, it might well help us understand the observed baryon asymmetry of the universe. A demonstration of the violation of B-L by 2 units would have a profound impact on our understanding of phenomena beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. Slow neutrons have kinetic energies of a few meV. By exploiting new slow neutron sources and optics technology developed for materials research, an optimized search for oscillations using free neutrons from a slow neutron moderator could improve existing limits on the free oscillation probability by at least three orders of magnitude. Such an experiment would deliver a slow neutron beam through a magnetically-shielded vacuum chamber to a thin annihilation target surrounded by a low-background antineutron annihilation detector. Antineutron annihilation in a target downstream of a free neutron beam is such a spectacular experimental signature that an essentially background-free search is possible. An authentic positive signal can be extinguished by a very small change in the ambient magnetic field in such an experiment. It is also possible to improve the sensitivity of neutron oscillation searches in nuclei using large underground detectors built mainly to search for proton decay and detect neutrinos. This paper summarizes the relevant theoretical developments, outlines some ideas to improve experimental searches for free neutron oscillations, and suggests avenues both for theoretical investigation and for future improvement in the experimental sensitivity.

KW - Baryon number violation

KW - Cold neutron source

KW - Quasi-free condition

KW - Spallation

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84963799177&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001

DO - 10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:84963799177

SN - 0370-1573

VL - 612

SP - 1

EP - 45

JO - Physics Reports

JF - Physics Reports

ER -

Neutron-antineutron oscillations: Theoretical status and experimental prospects

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access

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