Speaker
Mr
Christian Schmidt
(Institute of Physics, University of Mainz)
Description
Low energy, high precision experiments have become an important branch for the investigation and the search for physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. Two examples of such experiments are aSPECT, which is designed to determine the electron antineutrino angular correlation coefficient a in free neutron beta-decay, and KATRIN, which will determine or set a significantly improved upper limit for the neutrino mass by investigating the endpoint energy of the beta energy spectrum in tritium beta-decay.
Both experiments utilize a electrostatic filter of MAC-E type. To reach the final sensitivities the retardation potential of the spectrometers have to be known with an accuracy of < 10 mV for aSPECT and < 20 mV for KATRIN. But, however, the potentials are directly influenced by the work function of the electrodes, which can show fluctuations of several 100 meV.
Therefore we commissioned and studied a scanning Kelvin probe system to investigate the work function fluctuations of different gold surfaces on different substrates. The work functions of the surfaces were also tested for their stability in time and under a standard vacuum cleaning procedure and a bake out. This poster will present the results of the measurements.
Primary author
Mr
Christian Schmidt
(Institute of Physics, University of Mainz)
Co-authors
Mr
Alexander Wunderle
(Institute of Physics, University Mainz)
Prof.
Benjamin Monreal
(Department of Physics, Santa Barbara, California)
Prof.
Ernst-Wilhelm Otten
(Institute of Physics, University Mainz)
Ms
Gertrud Konrad
(Institute of Atomic and Subatomic Physics, University of Technology Vienna)
Ms
Kerstin Schönung
(Institute of Technology(KIT), Karlsruhe)
Dr
Marcus Beck
(Helmholtz-Institut Mainz and Institute of Physics University Mainz)
Mr
Martin Babutzka
(Institute of Technology(KIT), Karlsruhe)
Mr
Matthew Bahr
(Department of Physics, Santa Barbara, California)
Prof.
Werner Heil
(Institute of Physics, University Mainz)
