Recent Progress Towards a Cost-Effective Neutrino Factory Design

Abstract

A Neutrino Factory, sending $>10^{20}$ decay neutrinos per year from a high-energy stored muon beam towards remote detectors, has been suggested as the ultimate tool for precision measurement of the neutrino mixing matrix. Following two rounds of design studies that focused primarily on feasibility, the latest such study has begun the process of cost optimization. New ideas include muon `phase rotation' using high-frequency rf cavities and rapid muon acceleration in non-scaling FFAG rings. The world-wide Neutrino Factory R&D effort is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of the required techniques by the end of this decade. If this effort is successful and the next round of neutrino experiments confirms the need for a Neutrino Factory, a timely decision to proceed to Neutrino Factory construction will then be possible.