Search

We study a strategy to reduce veto-time in the search for neutrino-less double-beta decay (0υββ) with CANDLES-III system. We develop a new likelihood analysis and apply it to our new Run010 data. We show that we can increase the un-vetoed live-time by 11.8%. Thanks to this improvements, We expect to increase a limit on the life-time of 0υββ by a factor of three by analyzing both Run009 and Run010 data.

Direct search for dark matter is one of the most important problems in astrophysics. Significant signal for dark matter will be a hint to clarify the origin of the universe. Only DAMA/LIBRA experiment with NaI(Tl) detector has ever suggested the presence of dark matter signal. Verifying the DAMA/LIBRA result by a NaI(Tl) detector is urgent and important task. We have tried to purify NaI(Tl) crystal to search for dark matter. In this presentation, the present status of purification will be discussed. The concentration of potassium is successfully reduced to desired sensitivity. The 210Pb, which is difficult to reduce, has been reduced effectively. Present status of low background measurement in Kamioka observatory will be shown.

The PICOLON project is developing a high purity NaI(Tl) crystal by optimizing the purification methods. The reduction method for 40K was established and we got sufficiently pure NaI(Tl) crystal for 40K. On the other hand, the concentration of 210Pb is still higher than our goal. The investigation is now in progress to fix the origin of the contamination. The construction of the second phase detector system of PICOLON detector will be started in 2020 spring. The total mass of the second phase is about 54 kg. The background level by the test measurement using a single module is reported.

We have studied the neutrino-less double beta decay(0νββ) of 48Ca by using CaF2(pure) scintillators. Analysis for rejection of backgrounds(212Bi→ 212Po events and 208Tl events) was effective to reduce backgrounds in Qββ-value region. No events are observed in the Qββ-value region for the data of 131 days × 86 kg. It gives a lower limit (90% confidence level) of (math) > 6.2 × 1022 year (preliminary) for the half-life of 0νββ of 48Ca.

Recent data from the DAMA/LIBRA phase-2 confirmed detection of a signal with independent Dark Matter (DM) annual modulation signature at a 12.9 σ CL. Our attempts to verify the DAMA/LIBRA DM observation claim led to construction of underground clean rooms at the KamLAND site and specialized laboratory for production of NaI(Tl) detectors. Current status of these facilities, methods used to grow ultra-low background NaI(Tl) crystals, and radio-purity of the latest NaI(Tl) DM detector prototype are discussed.

The concentration of 7Be in surface air and rainwater at Daito, Osaka (34.71 N, 135.64 E) has been measured during the period from January 8 to October 29, 2018 and April 1 to October 31, 2018, respectively. The weekly concentration of 7Be in surface air in the range of 8.92 ± 0.08 to 1.03 ± 0.02 mBq/m3 showing seasonal trend with maxima in spring and autumn and minima in summer, which can be ascribed to the transport of air masses from low latitudes carrying low 7Be concentration into the middle latitude region. The factors influences on the concentration of 7Be were examined. It was shown that the positive and negative correlation was found in PM2.5 (cc = 0.62) and relative humidity (cc = –0.57), respectively. The weak positive correlation was found in cosmic ray intensity (cc = 0.23), the weak negative correlation was found in precipitation (cc = –0.14) and sunspot number (cc = –0.05). The deposition rate was analyzed by using the rainwater samples. It shown negative correlation between deposition rate and precipitation (cc = –0.53). High volumes of precipitation can reduce the 7Be concentration of air by wash-out.

A thin plate of NaI(Tl) with the dimension of 5cm×5cm×0.05cm has been developed for WIMPs search. The thin NaI(Tl) showed the good performance for energy resolution and low energy threshold. The advantages for WIMPs search, especially, inelastic excitation of nuclei by spin-dependent interaction between WIMPs and 127I is discussed.

The PICO-LON project aims at search for cold dark matter by means of highly radio-pure and large volume NaI(Tl) scintillator. The NaI powder was purifed by chemical processing to remove lead isotopes and selecting a high purity graphite crucible. The concentrations of radioactive impurities of $^{226}$Ra and $^{228}$Th were effectively reduced to 58$\pm$4 $\mu$Bq/kg and 1.5$\pm$1.9 $\mu$Bq/kg, respectively. It should be remarked that the concentration of $^{210}$Pb, which is crucial for the sensitivity to dark matter, was reduced to 24$\pm$2 $\mu$Bq/kg. The total background rate at 10 keVee was as low as 8 keV$^{-1}$kg$^{-1}$day$^{-1}$, which was sufficiently low to search for dark matter. Further purification of NaI(Tl) ingot and future prospect of PICO-LON project is discussed., Comment: Submitted to Proceedings of TAUP 2015

The observation of neutrino-less double beta decay (0νββ) would be the most practical way to prove the Majorana nature of the neutrino and lepton number violation. CANDLES studies 48Ca double beta decay using CaF2 scintillator. The main advantage of 48Ca is that it has the highest Q-value (4.27 MeV) among all the isotope candidates for 0νββ. The CANDLES III detector is currently operating with 300kg CaF2 crystals in the Kamioka underground observatory, Japan. In 2014, a detector cooling system and a magnetic cancellation coil was installed with the aim to increase light emission of CaF2 scintillator and photo-electron collection efficiency of the photo-multipliers. After this upgrade, light yield was increased to 1000 p.e./MeV which is 1.6 times larger than before. According to data analysis and simulation, main background source in CANDLES is turned out to be high energy external gamma-ray originating neutron capture on the surrounding materials, so called (n,γ). Upgrading the detector by installing neutron and gamma-ray shield can reduce the remaining main backgrounds by two order magnitude. In this report, we discuss the detail of (n,γ) and background reduction by additional shielding.

The Majorana Demonstrator will search for the neutrinoless double–beta decay (0vββ) of the 76Ge isotope with a mixed array of enriched and natural germanium detectors. The observation of this rare decay would indicate the neutrino is its own anti–particle, demonstrate that lepton number is not conserved, and provide information on the absolute mass–scale of the neutrino. The Demonstrator is being assembled at the 4850 foot level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. The array will be contained in a low–background environment and surrounded by passive and active shielding. The goals for the Demonstrator are: demonstrating a background rate less than 3 t−1 y−1 in the 4 keV region of interest (ROI) surrounding the 2039 keV 76Ge endpoint energy; establishing the technology required to build a tonne–scale germanium based double–beta decay experiment; testing the recent claim of observation of 0vββ [1]; and performing a direct search for light WIMPs (3-10 GeV/c2).

It is an important task to find an annual modulation of WIMPs signal for identifying dark matter signal. To search for annual modulation signal by means of inorganic scintillators, a large mass and a highly radiopure detector is needed. PICO-LON (Planar Inorganic Crystal Observatory for LOw background Neutr(al)inos) is a dark matter search project with multi-array NaI(Tl) scintillators. The test module of PICO-LON whose dimension is 15cm×15cm×0.1cm gives enough performance, energy resolution and low energy threshold, for dark matter search. The highly radiopure NaI(Tl) crystal is indispensable to start a large mass experiment. We have developed highly radiopure NaI(Tl) scintillator. The U and Th chain impurities were precisely measured by meand of pulse shape analysis for NaI(Tl) scintillators. The future plan of KamLAND-PICO dark matter search project is proposed.

The observation of neutrinoless double-beta decay would resolve the Majorana nature of the neutrino and could provide information on the absolute scale of the neutrino mass. The initial phase of the Majorana experiment, known as the Demonstrator, will house 40 kg of Ge in an ultra-low background shielded environment at the 4850' level of the Sanford Underground Laboratory in Lead, SD. The objective of the Demonstrator is to determine whether a future 1-tonne experiment can achieve a background goal of one count per tonne-year in a narrow region of interest around the 76Ge neutrinoless double-beta decay peak., Comment: Presentation for the Rutherford Centennial Conference on Nuclear Physics

The Majorana Demonstrator is an array of natural and enriched high purity germanium detectors that will search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay of Germanium-76 and perform a search for weakly interacting massive particles with masses below 10 GeV. To reach the background rate goal in the neutrinoless double-beta decay region of interest of 4 counts/keV/t/y, the DEMONSTRATOR will utilize a number of background reduction strategies, including a time-correlated event cut for 68Ge that requires a sub-keV energy threshold. This low energy threshold allows the DEMONSTRATOR to extend its physics reach to include a search for light WIMPs. We will discuss the detector systems and data analysis techniques required to achieve sub-keV thresholds as well as present the projected dark matter sensitivities of the Majorana Demonstrator.

CANDLES is a project to search for neutrinoless double beta decay of 48Ca using CaF2 scintillators. The observation of neutrinoless double beta decay would confirm the existence of massive Majorana neutrinos. Herein the expected performances and current status of the CANDLES system are described.

Thin and wide area inorganic crystal was applied to search for WIMPs dark matter. A multilayer NaI(Tl) detector has great advantages for WIMPs dark matter search. The performance of the thin (5mm thickness) and wide area (18cm×18cm) was developed. The performance tests were performed and the results were good for dark matter search.

Thin and wide area inorganic crystal was tested for double beta decay experiment. The thin NaI(Tl) whose dimension of 18cm×18cm×0.5cm was developed. The energy resolution at Q-value of 100Mo was obtained less than 3% in full-width-half-maximum. Although the backscattering of electrons suffers the detection efficiency, the NaI(Tl) has the advantage for double beta decay experiment.

This is a brief report on Majorana neutrino(v) mass to be studied by neutrino-less double beta decays (0vββ). The v-mass depends on the nuclear structure of the ββ isotope, the effective detector volume and the background rate. Subjects discussed include 1 0vββ and v-mass, 2 0vββ nuclear matrix elements, and 3 0vββ experiments and v-mass sensitivities.

The performance of the MOON detector for a next-generation neutrino-less double-beta decay experiment was evaluated by means of the Monte Carlo method. The MOON detector was found to be a feasible solution for the future experiment to search for the Majorana neutrino mass in the range of 100-30 meV.

A CaF2 scintillator complex system (ELEGANT VI) is developed to search for the axial-vector coupled dark matter (WIMPs) and study the neutrino-less double beta decay of 48 Ca. Active light guides of pure CaF2 crystals which are on both sides of the central CaF2(Eu) crystal act as a 4π active shield, combined with surrounding CsI(T1) scintillators. The whole system is at the underground laboratory (Oto Cosmo Observatory) located in Nara. In this article our current status of the investigation are described, especially putting emphasis on the development of flash scaler to do a single photon counting.

We report the new limit on the half-life of neutrino-less double beta decay(0νββ) of 48Ca. In order to achieve the background free measurement, measurement of pulse shape was essential. We have observed no event in the Qββ-value region. We set the new limit on 0νββ half-life as T0νββ1/2 > 40 × 1022 year.