A NEW METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE ELECTRON-ANTINEUTRINO ANGULAR-CORRELATION COEFFICIENT-A IN NEUTRON BETA-DECAY FROM THE SPECTRUM OF RECOIL PROTONS STORED IN A CHARGED-PARTICLE TRAP

The electron-antineutrino angular correlation coefficient a in unpolarized neutron decay can be determined from the spectrum of recoil protons with energy limits 0-751 eV, hence providing a value for Absolute value of lambda = \G(A)/G(V)\. The technique involves measuring both the one-dimensional and the quasi three-dimensional spectra of decay protons stored in an axially symmetric electromagnetic trap of known potential depth. Protons with longitudinal energy less than the electrostatic barrier height are recorded for barriers varying over the full spectral range.