The PSI ultra-cold neutron source

• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2009.07.077
• Publication Date: 2009-08-11T07:06:52Z
• Authors: A. Anghel; F. Atchison; B. Blau; B. van den Brandt; M. Daum; R. Doelling; M. Dubs; P.-A. Duperrex; A. Fuchs; D. George; L. Gültl; P. Hautle; G. Heidenreich; F. Heinrich; R. Henneck; S. Heule; Th. Hofmann; St. Joray; M. Kasprzak; K. Kirch; A. Knecht; J.A. Konter; T. Korhonen; M. Kuzniak; B. Lauss; A. Mezger; A. Mtchedlishvili; G. Petzoldt; A. Pichlmaier; D. Reggiani; R. Reiser; U. Rohrer; M. Seidel; H. Spitzer; K. Thomsen; W. Wagner; M. Wohlmuther; G. Zsigmond; J. Zuellig; K. Bodek; S. Kistryn; J. Zejma; P. Geltenbort; C. Plonka; S. Grigoriev
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; 7. Clean energy

Abstract A new type of ultra-cold neutron (UCN) source based on the spallation process is under construction at PSI. The essential elements are a pulsed proton beam with highest intensity ( I p ≥ 2 mA ) and a low duty cycle (1%), a lead spallation target, a large D 2 O moderator and a solid deuterium ( sD 2 ) converter system. Spallation neutrons are thermalized in the D 2 O , further cooled and partially downscattered into the ultra-cold neutron range in the sD 2 . The expected UCN density is higher than 1000 UCN / cm 3 in typical experiments, an increase of almost two orders of magnitude over the best source currently available (at ILL). The new UCN source is expected to come into operation in 2009.