Measurement of the parity-violating neutron spin rotation in4He

Abstract

In the meson exchange model of weak nucleon-nucleon (NN) interactions, the exchange of virtual mesons between the nucleons is parameterized by a set of weak meson exchange amplitudes. The strengths of these amplitudes from theoretical calculations are not well known, and experimental measurements of parity-violating (PV) observables in different nuclear systems have not constrained their values. Transversely polarized cold neutrons traveling through liquid helium experience a PV spin rotation due to the weak interaction with an angle proportional to a linear combination of these weak meson exchange amplitudes. A measurement of the PV neutron spin rotation in helium (φPV(n,α)) would provide information about the relative strengths of the weak meson exchange amplitudes, and with the longitudinal analyzing power measurement in the p + α system, allow the first comparison between isospin mirror systems in weak NN interaction. An earlier experiment performed at NIST obtained a result consistent with zero: φPV (n, α) = (8.0 ± 14(stat) ± 2.2(syst)) × 10-7 rad/m[1]. We describe a modified apparatus using a superfluid helium target to increase statistics and reduce systematic effects in an effort to reach a sensitivity goal of 10-7 rad/m.