3He Spin Filter for Neutrons |
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Authors: | M Batz S Bae?ler W Heil E W Otten D Rudersdorf J Schmiedeskamp Y Sobolev M Wolf |
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Affiliation: | Institut für Physik der Universität Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany |
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Abstract: | The strongly spin-dependent absorption of neutrons in nuclear spin-polarized 3He opens up the possibility of polarizing neutrons from reactors and spallation sources over the full kinematical range of cold, thermal and hot neutrons. This paper gives a report on the neutron spin filter (NSF) development program at Mainz. The polarization technique is based on direct optical pumping of metastable 3He atoms combined with a polarization preserving mechanical compression of the gas up to a pressure of several bar, necessary to run a NSF. The concept of a remote type of operation using detachable NSF cells is presented which requires long nuclear spin relaxation times of order 100 hours. A short survey of their use under experimental conditions, e.g. large solid-angle polarization analysis, is given. In neutron particle physics NSFs are used in precision measurements to test fundamental symmetry concepts. |
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Keywords: | 3He polarizer and compressor neutron spin filter optical pumping relaxation parity violation polarized neutrons polarization analysis |
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