Polarized neutron β-decay: Proton asymmetry and recoil-order currents

Abstract

We present an analytic, recoil-order calculation of the proton asymmetry from polarized neutron \ensuremath{\beta}-decay. The differential decay rate in terms of electron energy and proton direction follows, parametrized in terms of the most general Lorentz-invariant hadron current coupled to a left-handed lepton current. Implications for experimental efforts to measure recoil-order currents are discussed.