Constraining interactions mediated by axion-like particles with ultracold neutrons

Afach, S.; Ban, Gert; Bison, Georg; Bodek, K.; Burghoff, M.; Daum, M.; Fertl, M.; Franke, B.; Grujić, Zoran D.; Hélaine, V.; Kasprzak, Malgorzata; Kermaïdic, Y.; Kirch, K.; Knowles, Paul E.; Koch, Hans-Christian; Komposch, S.; Kozela, A.; Krempel, J.; Lauss, B.; Lefort, T.; Lemière, Y.; Mtchedlishvili, A.; Naviliat-Cuncic, O.; Piegsa, F. M.; Pignol, G.; Prashanth, P. N.; Quéméner, G.; Rebreyend, D.; Ries, D.; Roccia, S.; Schmidt-Wellenburg, P.; Schnabel, A.; Severijns, N.; Voigt, J.; Weis, Antoine; Wyszynski, G.; Zejma, J.; Zenner, J.; Zsigmond, G.

doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2015.04.024

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Journal article

Constraining interactions mediated by axion-like particles with ultracold neutrons

Afach, S. ETH Zürich, Institute for Particle Physics, Zürich, Switzerland - Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland - Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
Ban, Gert LP C Caen, ENSICAEN, Université de Caen, France
Bison, Georg Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Bodek, K. Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Poland
Burghoff, M. Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt, Berlin, Germany
Daum, M. Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Fertl, M. ETH Zürich, Institute for Particle Physics, Zürich, Switzerland - Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Franke, B. ETH Zürich, Institute for Particle Physics, Zürich, Switzerland - Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Grujić, Zoran D. Physics Department, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Hélaine, V. Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland - LP C Caen, ENSICAEN, Université de Caen, France
Kasprzak, Malgorzata Physics Department, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Kermaïdic, Y. LPSC, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
Kirch, K. ETH Zürich, Institute for Particle Physics, Zürich, Switzerland - Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Knowles, Paul E. Physics Department, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Koch, Hans-Christian Physics Department, University of Fribourg, Switzerland - I nstitut für Physik, Johannes–Gutenberg–Universität, Mainz, Germany
Komposch, S. ETH Zürich, Institute for Particle Physics, Zürich, Switzerland - Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Kozela, A. Henryk Niedwodniczański Institute for Nuclear Physics, Cracow, Poland
Krempel, J. ETH Zürich, Institute for Particle Physics, Zürich, Switzerland
Lauss, B. Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Lefort, T. LP C Caen, ENSICAEN, Université de Caen, France
Lemière, Y. LP C Caen, ENSICAEN, Université de Caen, France
Mtchedlishvili, A. Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Naviliat-Cuncic, O. LP C Caen, ENSICAEN, Université de Caen, France
Piegsa, F. M. ETH Zürich, Institute for Particle Physics, Zürich, Switzerland
Pignol, G. LPSC, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
Prashanth, P. N. Instituut voor Kern–en Stralingsfysica, University of Leuven, Belgium
Quéméner, G. LP C Caen, ENSICAEN, Université de Caen, France
Rebreyend, D. LPSC, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
Ries, D. ETH Zürich, Institute for Particle Physics, Zürich, Switzerland - Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Roccia, S. CSNSM, Université Paris Sud, Orsay Campus, France
Schmidt-Wellenburg, P. Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Schnabel, A. Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt, Berlin, Germany
Severijns, N. Instituut voor Kern–en Stralingsfysica, University of Leuven, Belgium
Voigt, J. Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt, Berlin, Germany
Weis, Antoine Physics Department, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Wyszynski, G. ETH Zürich, Institute for Particle Physics, Zürich, Switzerland - Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Poland
Zejma, J. Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Poland
Zenner, J. ETH Zürich, Institute for Particle Physics, Zürich, Switzerland
Zsigmond, G. Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen-PSI, Switzerland

18.05.2015

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Physics Letters B. - 2015, vol. 745, p. 58–63

Short range spin dependent interaction

Neutron electric dipole moment

English We report a new limit on a possible short range spin-dependent interaction from the precise measurement of the ratio of Larmor precession frequencies of stored ultracold neutrons and Hg199 atoms confined in the same volume. The measurement was performed in a ∼1μT vertical magnetic holding field with the apparatus searching for a permanent electric dipole moment of the neutron at the Paul Scherrer Institute. A possible coupling between freely precessing polarized neutron spins and unpolarized nucleons of the wall material can be investigated by searching for a tiny change of the precession frequencies of neutron and mercury spins. Such a frequency change can be interpreted as a consequence of a short range spin-dependent interaction that could possibly be mediated by axions or axion-like particles. The interaction strength is proportional to the CP violating product of scalar and pseudoscalar coupling constants gSgP. Our result confirms limits from complementary experiments with spin-polarized nuclei in a model-independent way. Limits from other neutron experiments are improved by up to two orders of magnitude in the interaction range of 10−6<λ<10−4m.

Faculty

Faculté des sciences et de médecine

Department

Département de Physique

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