Measurement of the neutron decay electron-antineutrino angular correlation by the aCORN experiment

The aCORN experiment measures the neutron-decay electron-antineutrino correlation (a coefficient) using a novel method based on an asymmetry in proton time-of-flight for events where the beta electron and recoil proton are detected in delayed coincidence. We report the data analysis and result from the second run at the NIST Center for Neutron Research, using the high-flux cold neutron beam on the new NG-C neutron guide end position: a = -0.10758 +/- 0.00136(stat) +/- 0.00148(sys). This is consistent within uncertainties with the result from the first aCORN run on the NG-6 cold neutron beam. Combining the two aCORN runs, we obtain a = -0.10782 +/- 0.00124(stat) +/- 0.00133(sys), which has an overall relative standard uncertainty of 1.7%. The corresponding result for the ratio of weak coupling constants lambda = G(A)/G(V) is lambda = -1.2796 +/- 0.0062.

Automated summary

The aCORN experiment measures the neutron-decay electron-antineutrino correlation using a novel method based on proton time-of-flight asymmetry. The results from the second run show consistency with the first run, providing measurements for a coefficient and the weak coupling constants ratio lambda. The overall standard uncertainty for a is 1.7%, while lambda is determined to be -1.2796 +/- 0.0062.