About measuring neutron lifetime

Abstract

Particle accelerators are scientific instruments used to accelerate subatomic particles to extremely high speeds and energies, obtaining important perspectives into the fundamental properties of matter and the universe, exploring the fundamental forces of nature, and developing new materials and technologies. Neutrons are subatomic particles found in the nucleus of atoms. One important use of particle accelerators is the generation of free neutron for neutron lifetime measurements. Neutron properties are challenging to research because they are neutral particles that do not easily interact with matter. However, scientists are able to analyze their behavior using techniques such as neutron lifetime measurements, neutron scattering and neutron diffraction. For research utilizing neutrons, the decay rate of neutrons, which is unaffected by their energy level, is typically not a factor.This thesis provides background information on neutrons and reviews research on the measurement of neutron lifetime using the beam technique and the bottle technique, which are commonly used today. In addition, it describes the particle accelerator facilities currently available and in development for such research, such as the Gaerttner Linear Accelerator (LINAC) Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and the Turkish Accelerator and Radiation Laboratory (TARLA) in Turkey. These facilities and their capabilities for neutron generation utilizing the Bremsstrahlung technique are discussed.