Aller au contenu principal
  • Paul Scherrer Institut PSI
  • PSI Research, Labs & User Services

Digital User Office

  • Digital User Office
  • DE
  • EN
  • FR
Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)
Rechercher
Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)

Hauptnavigation

  • Research at PSIOuvrir ce point de menu principal
    • Research Initiatives
    • Ethics and Research integrity
    • Scientific Highlights
    • Scientific Events
    • Scientific Career
    • PSI-FELLOW
    • PSI Data Policy
  • Research Divisions and LabsOuvrir ce point de menu principal
    • Overview
    • Research with Neutrons and Muons
    • Photon Science
    • Energy and Environment
    • Nuclear Energy and Safety
    • Biology and Chemistry
    • Scientific Computing, Theory and Data
    • Large Research Facilities
  • Facilities and InstrumentsOuvrir ce point de menu principal
    • Overview
    • Large Research Facilities
    • Facilities
    • PSI Facility Newsletter
  • PSI User ServicesOuvrir ce point de menu principal
    • User Office
    • Methods at the PSI User Facilities
    • Proposals for beam time
    • Proposal Deadlines
    • Data Analysis Service (PSD)
    • EU support programmes
  • New ProjectsOuvrir ce point de menu principal
    • SLS 2.0
    • IMPACT
  • DE
  • EN
  • FR

Digital User Office (mobile)

  • Digital User Office

Vous êtes ici:

  1. PSI Home
  2. Labs & User Services
  3. NUM
  4. LTP
  5. UCN Physics
  6. About UCN Physics Group

Navigation secondaire

UCN Physics Group

  • About UCN Physics Group
  • Scientific Highlights and News
  • People
    • Alumni
  • nEDM Search
  • High-Precision Magnetometry
  • Dark Matter Search
  • UCN Production
  • MCUCN Code
  • Events and Conferences
  • Publications
    • PhD Theses
    • Master Theses
    • Bachelor/Semester Theses
    • Posters

Info message

Ce contenu n'est pas disponible en français.

UCN Physics

UCN-guide-before-mounting.jpg
A UCN guide during construction

The UCN-Physics group performs experiments with ultracold neutrons (UCN). It is strongly involved in the characterization, optimization and exploitation of the high intensity UCN source at PSI. The facility serves two experimental areas with three beam ports. Experiments are performed based on high profile research proposals. Within the international nEDM collaboration the UCN-Physics group pursues a measurement of the electric dipole moment of the neutron which is considered one of the most important experiments in low energy, precision particle physics today.

UCN in Fundamental Physics

The possibility to store UCNs for relatively long observation times makes them unique and highly sensitive probes, testing our understanding of fundamental physics. Most of these experiments today are statistically limited and further advancements strongly depend on new high-intensity sources for UCNs. A key experiment is the search for a permanent electric dipole moment of the neutron (nEDM). A finite nEDM violates time-reversal invariance and, therefore, might help to understand the matter–antimatter asymmetry in our universe. It is tightly linked to some of the open problems in modern physics, the so-called “strong CP-problem” and the “SUSY CP-problem.” Its observation would be a clear indication for physics beyond the electro-weak Standard Model of particle physics. Other important studies with UCNs include the determination of the neutron lifetime and decay parameters, strongly influencing our understanding of weak interactions and big bang nucleosynthesis. UCNs are also being used to study fundamental quantum mechanics, search for exotic interactions and dark matter particles, test baryon number conservation, and measure properties of the neutron itself, such as the search for a tiny but finite charge of the neutron.

Learn more ...

The PSI UCN Source

A user facility providing ultracold neutrons (UCN) for fundamental physics research, based on accelerator driven spallation neutron production and a superthermal converter, is routinely operating (live status) at the Paul Scherrer Institut. More on the UCN Source...

nEDM Collaboration

A new measurement of the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) at the PSI UCN source, using the Ramsey method of separated oscillatory fields, finished its data taking phase and published an improved limit in Physical Review Letters. This current upper limit on nEDM (<1.8x10-26 e.cm, 90% C.L.) constrains some extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics. Our future experiment, n2EDM aims at a sensitivity better than 10-27 e.cm to find an eventual nEDM. More on the n2EDM Project

Members of the UCN Physics Group

UCN physics group 2022

Former Members...

Sidebar

Contact

Dr. Bernhard Lauss

Telephone:
+41 56 310 46 47
E-mail:
bernhard.lauss@psi.ch


Secretary
Anita Van Loon

Telephone:
+41 56 310 32 54
E-mail:
anita.vanloon@psi.ch

UCN Source

User Facility Ultra Cold Neutrons

n2EDM Project

International Collaboration


Laboratory

  • Laboratory for Particle Physics (LTP)

Groups

  • LTP Theory Group
  • Crivellin Group
  • High Energy Physics Group
  • Muon Physics Group
  • UCN Physics Group
  • Electronics for Measuring Systems Group
  • Detectors, Irradiation and Applied Particle Physics Group
  • Vocational Training Homepage (in German)

Facilities

  • Proton Irraditation Facility (PIF)
  • Ultra Cold Neutrons Source (UCN)
  • Secondary Beamlines (SBL)

Open Positions

Job Opportunities at Research Division NUM.

Particle Physics Events

Overview Scientific Events at LTP.
top

Pied de page

Paul Scherrer Institut

Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Suisse

Téléphone: +41 56 310 21 11
Téléfax: +41 56 310 21 99

Comment nous trouver 
Contact

Centre de visiteurs psi forum
Laboratoire élèves iLab (en allemand)
Centre de protonthérapie
Centre de Formation du PSI
PSI Guest House (en anglais)
PSI Gastronomie (en allemand)
psi forum shop

Service & Support

  • Annuaire
  • User Office
  • Accelerator Status
  • Publications du PSI
  • Fournisseurs
  • E-facture
  • Computing (en anglais)
  • Sicherheit (en allemand)

Carrière

  • Travailler au PSI
  • Offres d'emploi
  • Formation initiale et formation continue
  • Career Center
  • Formation professionnelle (en allemand)
  • Centre de Formation du PSI

Pour les médias

  • Le PSI en bref
  • Chiffres et faits
  • Le coin médias
  • Communiqués de presse
  • Réseaux sociaux

Suivez le PSI: Twitter (in English) LinkedIn Youtube Facebook Instagram Issuu RSS

Footer legal

  • Impressum
  • Conditions d'utilisation
  • Login éditeurs