A search for neutron to mirror-neutron oscillations using the nEDM apparatus at PSI
Journal
Physics Letters B
Journal Volume
812
Start Page
135993
ISSN
0370-2693
Date Issued
2021-01
Author(s)
Abstract
It has been proposed that there could be a mirror copy of the standard model particles, restoring the parity symmetry in the weak interaction on the global level. Oscillations between a neutral standard model particle, such as the neutron, and its mirror counterpart could potentially answer various standing issues in physics today. Astrophysical studies and terrestrial experiments led by ultracold neutron storage measurements have investigated neutron to mirror-neutron oscillations and imposed constraints on the theoretical parameters. Recently, further analysis of these ultracold neutron storage experiments has yielded statistically significant anomalous signals that may be interpreted as neutron to mirror-neutron oscillations, assuming nonzero mirror magnetic fields. The neutron electric dipole moment collaboration performed a dedicated search at the Paul Scherrer Institute and found no evidence of neutron to mirror-neutron oscillations. Thereby, the following new lower limits on the oscillation time were obtained: τnn>352 s at B′=0 (95% C.L.), τnn>6s for 0.4μT9s for 5.0μT
Subjects
Dark matter
Mirror matter
Nuclear matter
Particle symmetries
Properties of neutrons
Ultracold neutrons
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Type
journal article