Physics & Astronomy Colloquium

3:30 PM, Friday, February 3, 2006

Room 155, Chem-Phys Building

Dr. Fred Wietfeldt

Department of Physics, Tulane University
Ionizing Radiation Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology

``Precision Neutron Decay Measurements at NIST''

The decay of the free neutron is the simplest nuclear beta decay and the prototype charged-current semileptonic weak interaction. The parameters that describe neutron decay, such as its lifetime and angular correlations, are directly related to the fundamental weak coupling constants, and can be used to test the validity and self-consistency of the Electroweak Standard Model. This includes searches for right-handed currents, scalar and tensor forces, tests of the unitarity of the CKM matrix, and tests of time-reversal symmetry violation. The neutron lifetime is also an important input for Big Bang nucleosynthesis. I will describe several recent and upcoming neutron decay experiments at the NIST Center for Neutron Research.

Refreshments will be served in CP 155 at 3:15 PM