Flexible polyvinyl chloride neutron guides for transporting ultracold and very cold neutrons

摘要

The transmission of ultracold neutrons (UCNs) through flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes with lengths of up to 3 m and an internal diameter of 6-8 mm has been studied. High UCN transmission is found even for arbitrarily bent tubes (single bend, double bend, triple bend, figure eight, etc.). The transmission can be improved significantly by coating the inner surface of the tube with a thin layer of liquid fluorine polymer. The prospects of these neutron guides in fundamental and applied research are discussed.