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Measurement of the transverse polarization of electrons emitted in neutron decay – nTRV experiment

by K. Bodek, A. Kozela

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Abstract

This paper recalls the main achievements of the nTRV experiment which measured two components of the transverse polarization ($\sigma_{T_{1}}$, $\sigma_{T_{2}}$) of electrons emitted in the $\beta$-decay of polarized, free neutrons and deduced two correlation coefficients, $R$ and $N$, that are sensitive to physics beyond the Standard Model. The value of time-reversal odd coefficient $R$, 0.004$\pm$0.012$\pm$0.005, significantly improved limits on the relative strength of imaginary scalar coupling constant in the weak interaction. The value obtained for the time-reversal even correlation coefficient $N$, 0.067$\pm$0.011$\pm$0.004, agrees with the Standard Model expectation, providing an important sensitivity test of the electron polarimeter. One of the conclusions of this pioneering experiment was that the transverse electron polarization in the neutron $\beta$-decay is worth more systematic exploring by measurements of yet experimentally not attempted correlation coefficients such as $H$, $L$, $S$, $U$ and $V$. This article presents a brief outlook on that questions.

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