Measurement of the $^1$S$_0$ Neutron-Neutron Scattering Length in $nd$ Breakup Using a Coincidence Geometry at 19 MeV

ORAL

Abstract

Measurements of the $^1$S$_0$ neutron-neutron scattering length, $a_{nn}$, in neutron-deuteron ($nd$) breakup were made at Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) at an incident neutron energy of 19.0 MeV. A coincidence geometry was utilized so that the momenta of the two neutrons in the final-state-interaction pair were measured along with the energy of the proton. A second detector pair was used to measure the well-established neutron-proton scattering length, $a_{np}$, as a check of our techniques. The scattering lengths were extracted from the experimental cross sections by comparison to rigorous three-nucleon calculations using the CD Bonn nucleon-nucleon potential for various values of $a_{np}$ and $a_{nn}$. Experimental details and our preliminary results will be presented.

*This work was supported in part by USDOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97-ER41033

Authors

  • A.S. Crowell

    • Duke University Physics Department and TUNL
  • J. Deng

  • J.H. Esterline

  • C.R. Howell

    • Duke University and TUNL
  • M.R. Kiser

  • R.A. Macri

  • S. Tajima

  • W. Tornow

    • Duke U. and TUNL
    • Duke University and TUNL
    • Duke Univ. and TUNL
  • B.J. Crowe III

    • North Carolina Central University
    • North Carolina Central Univ.
  • R.S. Pedroni

    • North Carolina A{\&}T State University
    • North Carolina A\&T State Univ.
  • W. von Witsch

    • University of Bonn
  • H. Witala

    • Jagellonian University