Generation and Detection of a Directed Monoenergetic Neutrino Beam with Hydrogen-Like Ions

Abstract

We consider two possible schemes for generation and detection of a monoenergetic directed beam of neutrinos which may have application to neutrino communication. First, we consider generation of a directed neutrino beam using electron capture beta decay in hydrogen-like ions. Next, we suggest detection of a directed neutrino beam using resonant absorption of a neutrino by a bare nucleus with the generation of a bound electron. This reaction is inverse to electron capture beta decay, and we call it "Bound State Inverse Beta Decay (BSIBD)". We show that the recoil effect can be eliminated by an appropriate choice of velocities for the ions and bare nuclei. Finally, we consider a combination of a solid state source of a directed mono-energetic neutrino beam and its detection using BSIBD.

Neutrino recoil force in electron-capture decay of polarized nuclei: Measurement prospects and potential applications

“…The curve is drawn for the value Ji = 7/2. is determined by the following bispinors: (10) where ϕ e , ϕ ν are two-component spinors, ψ x (0) is the radial wave function of the captured electron in the x-state at the origin (on the point-like nucleus). The phases of nuclear wave functions are chosen so that the matrix elements in Eq.…”

“…Recent study [8] (see also [9,10]), initiated by proposals [1][2][3] on collimated neutrino beams, is devoted to another aspect of EC. It concerns a recoil force resulted from the asymmetry of neutrino emission in EC involving polarized nuclei.…”

Electron capture beta decay of partially polarized nuclei

“…Electron capture beta decay of nuclei polarized by a strong hyperfine field in a ferromagnetic substance can be used as a compact source of directed mono-energetic neutrino radiation [1]. Such a device could be exploited in future neutrino communication [2,3],forthe measurement of the neutrino rest mass [4],and for testing of Lorentz invariance in beta decay [5]. Probably, the most appropriate nuclei for these objectives are 119 Sb with the nuclear spin I = 5/2, nuclear magnetic moment μ = 1.74x10 -26 J/T and half-life 1/2 T = 38.2 h[6-8].…”