Novel techniques to search for neutron radioactivity

TL;DR

This paper introduces two innovative in-flight techniques, Decay in Target and Decay in a Magnetic Field, for detecting neutron radioactivity across different half-life ranges, enhancing experimental capabilities.

Contribution

The paper presents two novel methods, DiT and DiMF, for observing neutron radioactivity, expanding detection sensitivity for various half-life durations.

Findings

DiT method sensitive to ~1-100 ps half-lives

DiMF method sensitive to 10 ps - 1 ns half-lives

Both methods rely on in-flight production and decay measurements

Abstract

Two new methods to observe neutron radioactivity are presented. Both methods rely on the production and decay of the parent nucleus in flight. The relative velocity measured between the neutron and the fragment is sensitive to half-lives between ~1 and ~100 ps for the Decay in Target (DiT) method. The transverse position measurement of the neutron in the Decay in a Magnetic Field (DiMF) method is sensitive to half-lives between 10 ps and 1 ns.