Researchers at NIST have successfully measured the neutron magnetic dipole moment using a new technique called Schwinger scattering. This method involves directing a neutron beam through a silicon crystal and measuring the tiny rotation of the neutron’s polarization caused by the interaction between the neutron’s magnetic moment and the crystal’s electric field.
The experiment, which provides a “proof of principle” for measuring the neutron electric dipole moment, offers a different approach compared to traditional methods that use ultracold neutrons in high magnetic fields. The results, published in Physical Review C, demonstrate the feasibility of this new technique and could lead to more accurate measurements of the neutron electric dipole moment in the future.
Keywords: Schwinger, Neutron, Dipole, Magnetic, Silicon
