Polarization of neutrons from (p, n) reactions on 2D, 6Li and 7Li nuclei using incident polarized protons of 30 and 50 MeV energy

Abstract The polarization transfer coefficient, α t , has been measured for (p, n) reactions on 2 H, 6 Li and 7 Li using transversely polarized protons incident at energies of 30 and 50 MeV. The transverse polarization of neutrons emitted at 0° was determined by measuring the asymmetry of scattering from a liquid helium scintillator associated with plastic scintillators in a time-of-flight system. Values of α t obtained for the three targets for the highest energy neutrons were −0.13± 0.03, −0.16 ±0.05 and +0.15 ±0.05 for 30 MeV and −0.23±0.07, −0.21±0.05 and −0.021 ±0.04 for 50 MeV incident energy with a further uncertainty of 8 % due to the polarimeter analysing power. Calculations assuming the impulse approximation and using recent n-p scattering phase shifts give reasonable agreement with the data.