Measurement of the total cross sections of ultracold neutrons with noble gases and search for long-range forces
A. P. Serebrov, P. Geltenbort+, O. M. Zherebtsov, S. V. Sbitnev, V. E. Varlamov, A. V. Vassiljev, M. S. Lasakov, I. A. Krasnoschekova, S. N. Ivanov+
Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", 188300 Gatchina, Russia
+Institute Laue Langevin, BP 156, 38042 Grenoble , France
Abstract
The comparison of results of cross section measurements by the different methods can provide useful information on
existence of long-range interaction. The total neutron cross sections of He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe were measured using
a method of ultracold neutrons. Measurements with ultra cold neutrons confirm the discrepancy between coherent
cross-section of scattering for He measured by a neutron interferometer and scattering cross-section measured by the
transmission method. The discrepancy makes up 5.3 standard deviations.