The radiative beta-decay mode of the free neutron

This report is dedicated to theoretical investigation of the rare, radiative neutron decay mode, which, unlike that of other elementary particles, has never been investigated experimentally. This new kind of neutron experiment allows us to directly test part of the radiative corrections, whose contribution is presently estimated at 1.5% of the total neutron beta-decay probability. A comparison between the description of neutron radiative decay and nuclear radiative beta-decay is given. Results of theoretical evaluations of radiative corrections, given in literature, are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.