Using Nab to determine correlations in unpolarized neutron decay
The Nab experiment will measure the ratio of the weak axial-vector and vector coupling constants λ = gA/gV with precision δλ/λ ~3 × 10 -4 and search for a Fierz term b F at a level Δb F < 10 -3 . The Nab detection system uses thick, large area, segmented silicon detectors to very precisely determine the decay proton’s time of flight and the decay electron’s energy in coincidence and reconstruct the correlation between the antineutrino and electron momenta. Excellent understanding of systematic effects affecting timing and energy reconstruction using this detection system are required. Here, to explore these effects, a series of ex situ studies have been undertaken, including a search for a Fierz term at a less sensitive level of Δb F < 10 -2 in the beta decay of 45 Ca using the UCNA spectrometer.