Measurement of the neutron lifetime using a gravitational trap and a low-temperature Fomblin coating

• Published in: Physics letters. B Vol. 605; no. 1-2; pp. 72 - 78
• Main Authors: Serebrov, A., Varlamov, V., Kharitonov, A., Fomin, A., Pokotilovski, Yu, Geltenbort, P., Butterworth, J., Krasnoschekova, I., Lasakov, M., Tal'daev, R., Vassiljev, A., Zherebtsov, O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 06-01-2005
• Subjects: Neutron lifetime; Ultracold neutrons; 13.30.-a; Ultracold neutrons; Neutron lifetime
• ISSN: 0370-2693; 1873-2445
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physletb.2004.11.013

We present a new value for the neutron lifetime of 878.5±0.7stat±0.3syst. This result differs from the world average value (885.7±0.8 s) by 6.5 standard deviations and by 5.6 standard deviations from the previous most precise result [Phys. Lett. B 483 (2000) 15]. However, this new value for the neutron lifetime together with a β-asymmetry in neutron decay, A0, of −0.1189(7) [Phys. Rev. Lett. 88 (2002) 211801] is in a good agreement with the Standard Model.