An experimental search for an electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron has been carried out at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble. Spurious signals from magnetic-field fluctuations were reduced to insignificance by the use of a cohabiting atomic-mercury magnetometer. Systematic uncertainties, including geometric-phase-induced false EDMs, have been carefully studied. The results may be interpreted as an upper limit on the neutron EDM of |d(n)|< 2.9 x 10(-26)e cm (90% C.L.).

We present for the first time a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the experimental results that set the current world sensitivity limit on the magnitude of the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron. We have extended and enhanced our earlier analysis to include recent developments in the understanding of the effects of gravity in depolarizing ultracold neutrons; an improved calculation of the spectrum of the neutrons; and conservative estimates of other possible systematic errors, which are also shown to be consistent with more recent measurements undertaken with the apparatus. We obtain a net result of d n ¼ −0.21 AE 1.82 × 10 −26 e cm, which may be interpreted as a slightly revised upper limit on the magnitude of the EDM of 3.0 × 10 −26 e cm (90% C.L.) or 3.6 × 10 −26 e cm (95% C.L.).

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Ultra-cold neutrons (UCN), i.e. neutrons with energy low enough that they undergo total reflection from a given surface at any angle of incidence, can be stored in magnetic and material bottles for periods ranging up to the neutron p-decay lifetime ( N 103 s).Starting with a discussion of the theoretical and historical background we review the development of the field from the first experimental observations to the present time with emphasis on the most recent developments and the remaining unsolved problems. We discuss the production and transport of UCN as well as their applications, and show the direction that future developments are likely to take.

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