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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Guillaume Pignol

Technische Universität
München

Gravitational quantum states of neutrons and search for short range forces

Abstract: As predicted by quantum mechanics, a particle bouncing in the gravity field above a perfect mirror has discrete energy states. This effect has been discovered using ultracold neutrons at the high-flux reactor in Grenoble, France. A new spectrometer GRANIT is being built in order to perform precise measurements of the lowest energy levels. I will present the principle of the experiment on resonant transitions between gravitationally bound quantum states of ultracold neutrons, which will be used in the GRANIT spectrometer.

In general, experiments with slow neutrons could be sensitive to new short range forces. Gravitational quantum states of ultracold neutrons could set interesting constraints in the micrometer range. For shorter ranges, I will mention new constraints obtained from a reanalysis of neutron scattering experiments.

Bio: Guillaume Pignol is a postdoctoral scholar at Technische Universität in München, Germany. He is working with ultracold neutrons (neutron EDM, gravity with neutrons, search for short range forces).

Time: 4:00pm – 5:30pm

Location: Physics and Astrophysics Conference Room 102/103

Light refreshments available 4:00pm; Presentation begins 4:15pm.

Open to All