NEW MEASUREMENT OF THE CHARGE RADIUS OF THE NEUTRON

The neutron transmission through a thorogenic liquid 208Pb sample 2 in. thick has been measured in the neutron energy range between 0.1 and 360 eV at the ORNL neutron source ORELA. Analyzing the shape of the transmission spectra as a function of neutron energy, agreement was found with the predictions by the atomic form factor. With a sensitivity for the mean squared charge radius of the neutron rn2 as high as 3%, a very reliable and also accurate result of rn2=-0.113±0.003±0.004 fm2 was extracted. For the neutron-electron scattering length we obtained bne=(-1.31±0.03±0.04)×10-3fm. © 1995 The American Physical Society.