Commissioning of the new high-intensity ultracold neutron source at the Paul Scherrer Institut
arXiv:1011.3993 · doi:10.1088/1742-6596/312/5/052005
Abstract
Commissioning of the new high-intensity ultracold neutron (UCN) source at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) has started in 2009. The design goal of this new generation high intensity UCN source is to surpass by a factor of ~100 the current ultracold neutron densities available for fundamental physics research, with the greatest thrust coming from the search for a neutron electric dipole moment. The PSI UCN source is based on neutron production via proton induced lead spallation, followed by neutron thermalization in heavy water and neutron cooling in a solid deuterium crystal to cold and ultracold energies. A successful beam test with up to 2 mA proton beam on the spallation target was conducted recently. Most source components are installed, others being finally mounted. The installation is on the track for the first cool-down and UCN production in 2010.
arXiv commentProceedings of the International Nuclear Physics Conference - INPC-2010, July 4 - 9, 2010, Vancouver, Canada; 6 pages, 7 figures