A Backscatter Suppressed Electron Detector for the Measurement of “a”

A new method of measuring the electron-antineutrino angular correlation coefficient, little "a", from neutron decay-to be performed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology-will require an electron spectrometer that strongly suppresses backscattered electrons. A prototype consisting of six trapezoidal veto detectors arranged around a plastic scintillator has been tested with an electron beam produced by a Van de Graaff accelerator. The results of this test and its implications for the little "a" measurement are discussed.