Neutron–anti-neutron oscillation: theory and phenomenology

The discovery of neutrino masses has provided strong hints in favor of the possibility that B-L symmetry is an intimate feature of physics beyond the standard model. I discuss how important information about this symmetry as well as other scenarios for TeV scale new physics can be obtained from the baryon number violating process, n − ¯n oscillation. This article presents an overview of different aspects of neutron-antineutron oscillation and is divided into the following parts: (i) the phenomenon; (ii) the physics, (iii) plausible models and (iv) applications to cosmology. In particular, it is argued how the discovery of n − ¯n oscillation can significantly affect our thinking about simple grand unified theory paradigms for physics beyond the standard model, elucidate the nature of forces behind neutrino mass and provide a new microphysical Particle oscillations are familiar phenomena in both classical and quantum mechanics and have provided a wealth of information about the nature of matter and forces acting on them. The most elementary example of a pendulum oscillation is caused by the force of gravity