PENeLOPE-on the way towards a new neutron lifetime experiment with magnetic storage of ultra-cold neutrons and proton extraction

PENeLOPE is a new high-precision experiment on the neutron lifetime tau(n) planned at the Physik Department of Technische Universitat Munchen. Contrary to most lifetime experiments with stored neutrons so far, ultra-cold neutrons (UCN) are contained in a magnetic multipole field created by superconducting coils. The UCN are gravitationally bound in vertical direction, which allows extraction of the decay protons onto a detector. Using these techniques a precision of Delta tau(n) <0.1 s is aimed for. An updated experimental setup of PENeLOPE is presented, simulations and expected systematic effects are discussed. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.