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APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. Lett. » Volume 94 » Issue 14
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 142501 (2005) [4 pages]

Scalar Interaction Limits from the β-ν Correlation of Trapped Radioactive Atoms

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A. Gorelov1, D. Melconian1, W. P. Alford2, D. Ashery3, G. Ball4, J. A. Behr4, P. G. Bricault4, J. M. D’Auria5, J. Deutsch6, J. Dilling4, M. Dombsky4, P. Dubé1, J. Fingler4, U. Giesen4, F. Glück7, S. Gu4, O. Häusser1,*, K. P. Jackson4, B. K. Jennings4, M. R. Pearson4, T. J. Stocki1, T. B. Swanson5, and M. Trinczek5
1Department of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
2University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 3K7
3School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
4TRIUMF, 4004 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 2A3
5Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
6Université Catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
7KFKI RMKI, 1525 Budapest, POB 49, Hungary

Received 10 December 2004; published 14 April 2005

We have set limits on contributions of scalar interactions to nuclear β decay. A magneto-optical trap provides a localized source of atoms suspended in space, so the low-energy recoiling nuclei can freely escape and be detected in coincidence with the β. This allows reconstruction of the neutrino momentum, and the measurement of the β-ν correlation, in a more direct fashion than previously possible. The β-ν correlation parameter of the 0+→0+ pure Fermi decay of 38Km is a˜=0.9981±0.0030+0.0032/-0.0037, consistent with the standard model prediction a˜=1.

© 2005 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.142501
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.142501
PACS:
23.40.Bw, 27.30.+t, 32.80.Pj

*Deceased.

 
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