Neutron-Antineutron Oscillations: Theoretical Status and Experimental Prospects

David G. Phillips; William M. Snow; Kaladi Babu; S. Banerjee; David V. Baxter; Zurab Berezhiani; Marc Bergevin; Satyaki Bhattacharya; Gustaaf Brooijmans; Luis Castellanos; Mark C. Chen; C.E. Coppola; Ramanath K. Cowsik; J.A. Crabtree; Pragya Das; Eric Dees; Aleksander D. Dolgov; Phillip D. Ferguson; Matthew Frost; Tony A. Gabriel; A. Gal; Franz X. Gallmeier; Kenneth S. Ganezer; E. Golubeva; Geoffrey L. Greene; B. Hartfiel; Ayman Hawari; Lawrence H. Heilbronn; Colin D. Johnson; Yu A Kamyshkov; Boris O. Kerbikov; Masaaki Kitaguchi; B.Z. Kopeliovich; V.B. Kopeliovich; Vadim A. Kuzmin; ChenYu Liu; P. McGaughey; M. Mocko; Rabindra N. Mohapatra; Nikolai V. Mokhov; Guenter Muhrer; H.P. Pieter Mumm; Lev B. Okun; Robert W. Pattie; C. Quigg; E. Ramberg; A. Ray; A. Roy; A. Ruggles; U. Sarkar; Andy Saunders; A. P. Serebrovv; H. M. Shimizu; R. Shrock; A. K. Sikdara; Sky Sjue; S. Striganov; L. W. Townsend; R. Tschirhart; A. Vainshtein; R Van Kooten; Z. Wang; A. R Young

doi:10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001

Neutron-Antineutron Oscillations: Theoretical Status and Experimental Prospects

David G. Phillips
, William M. Snow
, Kaladi Babu
, S. Banerjee
, David V. Baxter
, Zurab Berezhiani
, Marc Bergevin
, Satyaki Bhattacharya
, Gustaaf Brooijmans
, Luis Castellanos
, Mark C. Chen
, C.E. Coppola
, Ramanath K. Cowsik
, J.A. Crabtree
, Pragya Das
, Eric Dees
, Aleksander D. Dolgov
, Phillip D. Ferguson
, Matthew Frost
, Tony A. Gabriel

A. Gal, Franz X. Gallmeier, Kenneth S. Ganezer, E. Golubeva, Geoffrey L. Greene, B. Hartfiel, Ayman Hawari, Lawrence H. Heilbronn, Colin D. Johnson, Yu A Kamyshkov, Boris O. Kerbikov, Masaaki Kitaguchi, B.Z. Kopeliovich, V.B. Kopeliovich, Vadim A. Kuzmin, ChenYu Liu, P. McGaughey, M. Mocko, Rabindra N. Mohapatra, Nikolai V. Mokhov, Guenter Muhrer, H.P. Pieter Mumm, Lev B. Okun, Robert W. Pattie, C. Quigg, E. Ramberg, A. Ray, A. Roy, A. Ruggles, U. Sarkar, Andy Saunders, A. P. Serebrovv, H. M. Shimizu, R. Shrock, A. K. Sikdara, Sky Sjue, S. Striganov, L. W. Townsend, R. Tschirhart, A. Vainshtein, R Van Kooten, Z. Wang, A. R Young

North Carolina State University
Indiana University
Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics
Istituto Nazionale de Fisica Nucleare
University of California, Davis
Columbia University
California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of California, Irvine
University of Tennessee
University of Washington
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre
Novosibirsk State University
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Russian Academy of Sciences
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
Nagoya University
Valparaiso University
Los Alamos National Laboratory
University of Maryland, College Park
Fermilab
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Alikhanov Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
California State University
Inter University Accelerator Centre
Physical Research Laboratory
St. Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute
Stony Brook University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

 The observation of neutrons turning into antineutrons would constitute a discovery of fundamental importance for particle physics and       cosmology    . Observing the    n–n̄   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 next-generation 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	American English
Journal	Physics Reports
Volume	612
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001
State	Published - Feb 11 2016
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Baryon number violation
Cold neutron source
Neutron–antineutron oscillation
Quasi-free condition
Spallation

Disciplines

Physics
Elementary Particles and Fields and String Theory

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Cite this

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. K., Crabtree, J. A., Das, P., Dees, E., Dolgov, A. D., Ferguson, P. D., Frost, M., ... Young, A. R. (2016). Neutron-Antineutron Oscillations: Theoretical Status and Experimental Prospects. Physics Reports, 612. 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, RK, Crabtree, JA, Das, P, Dees, E, Dolgov, AD, Ferguson, PD, Frost, M, Gabriel, TA, Gal, A, Gallmeier, FX, Ganezer, KS, Golubeva, E, Greene, GL, Hartfiel, B, Hawari, A, Heilbronn, LH, Johnson, CD, Kamyshkov, YA, Kerbikov, BO, Kitaguchi, M, Kopeliovich, BZ, Kopeliovich, VB, Kuzmin, VA, Liu, C, McGaughey, P, Mocko, M, Mohapatra, RN, Mokhov, NV, Muhrer, G, Mumm, HPP, Okun, LB, Pattie, RW, Quigg, C, Ramberg, E, Ray, A, Roy, A, Ruggles, A, Sarkar, U, Saunders, A, Serebrovv, AP, Shimizu, HM, Shrock, R, Sikdara, AK, Sjue, S, Striganov, S, Townsend, LW, Tschirhart, R, Vainshtein, A, Van Kooten, R, Wang, Z & Young, AR 2016, 'Neutron-Antineutron Oscillations: Theoretical Status and Experimental Prospects', Physics Reports, vol. 612. 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 next-generation 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.",

keywords = "Baryon number violation, Cold neutron source, Neutron–antineutron oscillation, Quasi-free condition, Spallation",

author = "Phillips, \{David G.\} and Snow, \{William M.\} and Kaladi Babu and S. Banerjee and Baxter, \{David V.\} and Zurab Berezhiani and Marc Bergevin and Satyaki Bhattacharya and Gustaaf Brooijmans and Luis Castellanos and Chen, \{Mark C.\} and C.E. Coppola and Cowsik, \{Ramanath K.\} and J.A. Crabtree and Pragya Das and Eric Dees and Dolgov, \{Aleksander D.\} and Ferguson, \{Phillip D.\} and Matthew Frost and Gabriel, \{Tony A.\} and A. Gal and Gallmeier, \{Franz X.\} and Ganezer, \{Kenneth S.\} and E. Golubeva and Greene, \{Geoffrey L.\} and B. Hartfiel and Ayman Hawari and Heilbronn, \{Lawrence H.\} and Johnson, \{Colin D.\} and Kamyshkov, \{Yu A\} and Kerbikov, \{Boris O.\} and Masaaki Kitaguchi and B.Z. Kopeliovich and V.B. Kopeliovich and Kuzmin, \{Vadim A.\} and ChenYu Liu and P. McGaughey and M. Mocko and Mohapatra, \{Rabindra N.\} and Mokhov, \{Nikolai V.\} and Guenter Muhrer and Mumm, \{H.P. Pieter\} and Okun, \{Lev B.\} and Pattie, \{Robert W.\} and C. Quigg and E. Ramberg and A. Ray and A. Roy and A. Ruggles and U. Sarkar and Andy Saunders and Serebrovv, \{A. P.\} and Shimizu, \{H. M.\} and R. Shrock and Sikdara, \{A. K.\} and Sky Sjue and S. Striganov and Townsend, \{L. W.\} and R. Tschirhart and A. Vainshtein and \{Van Kooten\}, R and Z. Wang and Young, \{A. R\}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001",

language = "American English",

volume = "612",

journal = "Physics Reports",

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T1 - Neutron-Antineutron Oscillations: Theoretical Status and Experimental Prospects

AU - Phillips, David G.

AU - Snow, William M.

AU - Babu, Kaladi

AU - Banerjee, S.

AU - Baxter, David V.

AU - Berezhiani, Zurab

AU - Bergevin, Marc

AU - Bhattacharya, Satyaki

AU - Brooijmans, Gustaaf

AU - Castellanos, Luis

AU - Chen, Mark C.

AU - Coppola, C.E.

AU - Cowsik, Ramanath K.

AU - Crabtree, J.A.

AU - Das, Pragya

AU - Dees, Eric

AU - Dolgov, Aleksander D.

AU - Ferguson, Phillip D.

AU - Frost, Matthew

AU - Gabriel, Tony A.

AU - Gal, A.

AU - Gallmeier, Franz X.

AU - Ganezer, Kenneth S.

AU - Golubeva, E.

AU - Greene, Geoffrey L.

AU - Hartfiel, B.

AU - Hawari, Ayman

AU - Heilbronn, Lawrence H.

AU - Johnson, Colin D.

AU - Kamyshkov, Yu A

AU - Kerbikov, Boris O.

AU - Kitaguchi, Masaaki

AU - Kopeliovich, B.Z.

AU - Kopeliovich, V.B.

AU - Kuzmin, Vadim A.

AU - Liu, ChenYu

AU - McGaughey, P.

AU - Mocko, M.

AU - Mohapatra, Rabindra N.

AU - Mokhov, Nikolai V.

AU - Muhrer, Guenter

AU - Mumm, H.P. Pieter

AU - Okun, Lev B.

AU - Pattie, Robert W.

AU - Quigg, C.

AU - Ramberg, E.

AU - Ray, A.

AU - Roy, A.

AU - Ruggles, A.

AU - Sarkar, U.

AU - Saunders, Andy

AU - Serebrovv, A. P.

AU - Shimizu, H. M.

AU - Shrock, R.

AU - Sikdara, A. K.

AU - Sjue, Sky

AU - Striganov, S.

AU - Townsend, L. W.

AU - Tschirhart, R.

AU - Vainshtein, A.

AU - Van Kooten, R

AU - Wang, Z.

AU - Young, A. R

PY - 2016/2/11

Y1 - 2016/2/11

N2 - The observation of neutrons turning into antineutrons would constitute a discovery of fundamental importance for particle physics and cosmology . Observing the n–n̄ 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 next-generation 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–n̄ 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 next-generation 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 - Neutron–antineutron oscillation

KW - Quasi-free condition

KW - Spallation

U2 - 10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001

DO - 10.1016/j.physrep.2015.11.001

M3 - Article

VL - 612

JO - Physics Reports

JF - Physics Reports

ER -