Fachbereich Physik und Astronomie

Kolloquium

Half Spin, Full Power, Slow Motion

Datum 31.05.2017
Zeit16:15 Uhr
OrtExWi, B6
Referent Klaus Kirch (ETH Zürich / PSI)
Abstract The High Intensity Proton Accelerator complex HIPA at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland provides the world’s most powerful proton beam of 1.4 MW to targets. It is used to produce the largest numbers of low momentum pions, muons and neutrons. These are the lightest unstable particles of their kind and can be used in high-precision experiments at the boundary of particle, nuclear and atomic physics. The talk’s focus is on muons (heavy brothers of the electrons) and neutrons (freed from nuclei). They permit precision measurements of parameters of the theory and tests of fundamental concepts and symmetries. Some measurements at low energies are sensitive to mass scales of hypothetical, heavy particles exceeding the reach of the highest energy colliders. Some can be used to search for yet unknown forces and hypothetical, light particles with unprecedented sensitivity. Slow particles offer considerable advantages and new techniques are being developed to increase their yield.