Neutron-Anti-Neutron Oscillation: Theory and Phenomenology

TL;DR

This paper explores neutron-anti-neutron oscillation as a probe for B-L symmetry and new physics beyond the standard model, highlighting its implications for grand unified theories, neutrino mass, and cosmology.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of neutron-anti-neutron oscillation, connecting it to B-L symmetry, TeV scale physics, and cosmological matter origins, with implications for grand unified theories.

Findings

Neutron-anti-neutron oscillation can reveal B-L symmetry properties.

Discovery of n-anti-n oscillation impacts grand unified theories.

Oscillation provides insights into neutrino mass mechanisms and matter-antimatter asymmetry.

Abstract

The discovery of neutrino masses has provided strong hints in favor of the possibility that B-L symmetry is an intimate feature of physics beyond the standard model. I discuss how important information about this symmetry as well as other scenarios for TeV scale new physics can be obtained from the baryon number violating process, neutron-anti-neutron oscillation. This article presents an overview of different aspects of neutron-anti-neutron oscillation and is divided into the following parts : (i) the phenomenon; (ii) the physics, (iii) plausible models and (iv) applications to cosmology. In particular, it is argued how the discovery of $n-\bar{n}$ oscillation can significantly affect our thinking about simple grand unified theory paradigms for physics beyond the standard model, elucidate the nature of forces behind neutrino mass and provide a new microphysical view of the origin of matter in the universe.