Angular momentum effects in neutron decay

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Pavlov, I., Chaikovskaia, A., Karlovets, D.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2024
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author Pavlov, I.
Chaikovskaia, A.
Karlovets, D.
author_facet Pavlov, I.
Chaikovskaia, A.
Karlovets, D.
contents We investigate the intriguing phenomenon of beta decay of a free neutron in a non-plane-wave(structured) state. Our analysis covers three types of states: unpolarized vortex (Bessel) neutrons that possess nonzero orbital angular momentum (OAM), Laguerre-Gaussian wave packets, and spin-correlated OAM (spin-orbit) states characterized by unique polarization patterns. These states are of particular interest as they have recently been generated in neutron optics experiments and have promising applications in studies of quantum magnetic materials. The spectral-angular distributions (SAD) of the emitted electrons and protons are examined. We show that the high sensitivity of the protons SAD to the structure of the neutron wave packet can be used as a tool to extract the distinctive features of the non-plane-wave neutron states. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the angular distribution of the emitted particles serves as a reflection of the spatial symmetries inherent to the neutron wave packet.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_16231
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Angular momentum effects in neutron decay
Pavlov, I.
Chaikovskaia, A.
Karlovets, D.
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Quantum Physics
We investigate the intriguing phenomenon of beta decay of a free neutron in a non-plane-wave(structured) state. Our analysis covers three types of states: unpolarized vortex (Bessel) neutrons that possess nonzero orbital angular momentum (OAM), Laguerre-Gaussian wave packets, and spin-correlated OAM (spin-orbit) states characterized by unique polarization patterns. These states are of particular interest as they have recently been generated in neutron optics experiments and have promising applications in studies of quantum magnetic materials. The spectral-angular distributions (SAD) of the emitted electrons and protons are examined. We show that the high sensitivity of the protons SAD to the structure of the neutron wave packet can be used as a tool to extract the distinctive features of the non-plane-wave neutron states. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the angular distribution of the emitted particles serves as a reflection of the spatial symmetries inherent to the neutron wave packet.
title Angular momentum effects in neutron decay
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.16231