The aCORN Backscatter-Suppressed Beta Spectrometer.
/ Authors
M. Hassan, Fred B. Bateman, B. Collett, G. Darius, C. Deangelis, M. Dewey, G. L. Jones, A. Komives, A. Laptev, M. Mendenhall
and 6 more authors
J. Nico, G. Noid, E. Stephenson, I. Stern, C. Trull, F. Wietfeldt
/ Abstract
Backscatter of electrons from a beta spectrometer, with incomplete energy deposition, can lead to undesirable effects in many types of experiments. We present and discuss the design and operation of a backscatter-suppressed beta spectrometer that was developed as part of a program to measure the electronantineutrino correlation coefficient in neutron beta decay (aCORN). An array of backscatter veto detectors surrounds a plastic scintillator beta energy detector. The spectrometer contains an axial magnetic field gradient, so electrons are efficiently admitted but have a low probability for escaping back through the entrance after backscattering. The design, construction, calibration, and performance of the spectrometer are discussed.
Journal: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment