학술논문

Neutron-antineutron oscillation search using a 0.37 megaton-years exposure of Super-Kamiokande
Document Type
article
Source
Physical Review D. 103(1)
Subject
Nuclear and Plasma Physics
Physical Sciences
hep-ex
Astronomical and Space Sciences
Atomic
Molecular
Nuclear
Particle and Plasma Physics
Quantum Physics
Nuclear & Particles Physics
Mathematical physics
Astronomical sciences
Particle and high energy physics
Language
Abstract
As a baryon number violating process with ΔB=2, neutron-antineutron oscillation (n→n¯) provides a unique test of baryon number conservation. We have performed a search for n→n¯ oscillation with bound neutrons in Super-Kamiokande, with the full dataset from its first four run periods, representing an exposure of 0.37 Mton-years. The search used a multivariate analysis trained on simulated n→n¯ events and atmospheric neutrino backgrounds and resulted in 11 candidate events with an expected background of 9.3 events. In the absence of statistically significant excess, we derived a lower limit on n¯ appearance lifetime in O16 nuclei of 3.6×1032 years and on the neutron-antineutron oscillation time of τn→n¯>4.7×108 s at 90% C.L.