Updated:
02.02.2010
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A powerful source for ultra-cold neutrons constructed at the
(PSI) in Switzerland is in the commissioning phase. While the currently best ultra-cold neutron (UCN) source at the Institute Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble achieves about
10 UCN/cm3 in a typical experiment - and up to 100 UCN/cm3 close to the UCN producing turbine - the new spallation UCN-source at PSI will deliver UCN densities close to 1000 UCN/cm3 in a typical experiment.
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A new measurement of the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM), using the Ramsey method of separated oscillatory fields, is being designed at the PSI UCN source. Already the current upper limit on nEDM (<2.9x10-26 e.cm) constrains some extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics. The new experiment aims at a two orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity to find an eventual nEDM. This will be achieved by better control of systematic effects and the higher UCN flux provided by the new PSI source.
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