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1. Measurement of Energy Resolution with the NEXT-White Silicon Photomultipliers

Author: Contreras, T., Palmeiro, B., Almazán, H., Para, A., Martínez-Lema, G., Guenette, R., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Auria-Luna, F., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., del Barrio-Torregrosa, M., Bayo, A., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Brodolin, A., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Castillo, A., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Cid, L., Conde, C. A. N., Cossío, F. P., Dey, E., Díaz, G., Dickel, T., Echevarria, C., Elorza, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F. W., Freixa, Z., García-Barrena, J., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., Grocott, J. W. R., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Carrete, C. Hervés, Ifergan, Y., Jones, B. J. P., Kellerer, F., Larizgoitia, L., Larumbe, A., Lebrun, P., Lopez, F., López-March, N., Madigan, R., Mano, R. D. P., Marques, A. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Vara, M., Miller, R. L., Mistry, K., Molina-Canteras, J., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Navarro, K. E., Novella, P., Nuñez, A., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Palacio, J., Parmaksiz, I., Pazos, A., Pelegrin, J., Maneiro, M. Pérez, Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Rivilla, I., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Seemann, M., Shomroni, I., Silva, P. A. O. C., Simón, A., Soleti, S. R., Sorel, M., Soto-Oton, J., Teixeira, J. M. R., Teruel-Pardo, S., Toledo, J. F., Tonnelé, C., Torrent, J., Trettin, A., Usón, A., Valle, P. R. G., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Waiton, J., and Yubero-Navarro, A.
Subjects: High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: The NEXT-White detector, a high-pressure gaseous xenon time projection chamber, demonstrated the excellence of this technology for future neutrinoless double beta decay searches using photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) to measure energy and silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) to extract topology information. This analysis uses $^{83m}\text{Kr}$ data from the NEXT-White detector to measure and understand the energy resolution that can be obtained with the SiPMs, rather than with PMTs. The energy resolution obtained of (10.9 $\pm$ 0.6) $\%$, full-width half-maximum, is slightly larger than predicted based on the photon statistics resulting from very low light detection coverage of the SiPM plane in the NEXT-White detector. The difference in the predicted and measured resolution is attributed to poor corrections, which are expected to be improved with larger statistics. Furthermore, the noise of the SiPMs is shown to not be a dominant factor in the energy resolution and may be negligible when noise subtraction is applied appropriately, for high-energy events or larger SiPM coverage detectors. These results, which are extrapolated to estimate the response of large coverage SiPM planes, are promising for the development of future, SiPM-only, readout planes that can offer imaging and achieve similar energy resolution to that previously demonstrated with PMTs.
Published: 2024

2. Fluorescence Imaging of Individual Ions and Molecules in Pressurized Noble Gases for Barium Tagging in $^{136}$Xe

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Byrnes, N., Dey, E., Foss, F. W., Jones, B. J. P., Madigan, R., McDonald, A., Miller, R. L., Navarro, K. E., Norman, L. R., Nygren, D. R., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Auria-Luna, F., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Barcelon, J. E., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., del Barrio-Torregrosa, M., Bayo, A., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Brodolin, A., Cárcel, S., Castillo, A., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Cid, L., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Díaz, G., Dickel, T., Echevarria, C., Elorza, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freixa, Z., García-Barrena, J., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., Grocott, J. W. R., Guenette, R., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Carrete, C. Hervés, Ho, P., Ifergan, Y., Kellerer, F., Larizgoitia, L., Larumbe, A., Lebrun, P., Lopez, F., López-March, N., Mano, R. D. P., Marques, A. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., Mistry, K., Molina-Canteras, J., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Novella, P., Nuñez, A., Oblak, E., Palacio, J., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Parmaksiz, I., Pazos, A., Pelegrin, J., Maneiro, M. Pérez, Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Rivilla, I., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Seemann, M., Shomroni, I., Silva, P. A. O. C., Simón, A., Soleti, S. R., Sorel, M., Soto-Oton, J., Teixeira, J. M. R., Teruel-Pardo, S., Toledo, J. F., Tonnelé, C., Torrent, J., Trettin, A., Usón, A., Valle, P. R. G., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Waiton, J., and Yubero-Navarro, A.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: The imaging of individual Ba$^{2+}$ ions in high pressure xenon gas is one possible way to attain background-free sensitivity to neutrinoless double beta decay and hence establish the Majorana nature of the neutrino. In this paper we demonstrate selective single Ba$^{2+}$ ion imaging inside a high-pressure xenon gas environment. Ba$^{2+}$ ions chelated with molecular chemosensors are resolved at the gas-solid interface using a diffraction-limited imaging system with scan area of 1$\times$1~cm$^2$ located inside 10~bar of xenon gas. This new form of microscopy represents an important enabling step in the development of barium tagging for neutrinoless double beta decay searches in $^{136}$Xe, as well as a new tool for studying the photophysics of fluorescent molecules and chemosensors at the solid-gas interface.
Published: 2024

3. Design, characterization and installation of the NEXT-100 cathode and electroluminescence regions

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Mistry, K., Rogers, L., Jones, B. J. P., Munson, B., Norman, L., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Auria-Luna, F., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., del Barrio-Torregrosa, M., Bayo, A., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Brodolin, A., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Castillo, A., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Cid, L., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Dey, E., Díaz, G., Dickel, T., Echevarria, C., Elorza, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F. W., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., Grocott, J. W. R., Guenette, R., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernando~Morata, J. A., Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Carrete, C. Hervés, Ifergan, Y., Larizgoitia, L., Larumbe, A., Lebrun, P., Lopez, F., López-March, N., Madigan, R., Mano, R. D. P., Marques, A. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., Meziani, Z. E., Miller, R. L., Molina-Canteras, J., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Navarro, K. E., Novella, P., Nuñez, A., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Oliver, D., Palacio, J., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Parmaksiz, I., Pelegrin, J., Maneiro, M. Pérez, Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Rivilla, I., Rogero, C., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Seemann, M., Shomroni, I., Simón, A., Soleti, S. R., Sorel, M., Soto-Oton, J., Teixeira, J. M. R., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Trettin, A., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Waiton, J., and Yubero, A.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: NEXT-100 is currently being constructed at the Laboratorio Subterr\'aneo de Canfranc in the Spanish Pyrenees and will search for neutrinoless double beta decay using a high-pressure gaseous time projection chamber (TPC) with 100 kg of xenon. Charge amplification is carried out via electroluminescence (EL) which is the process of accelerating electrons in a high electric field region causing secondary scintillation of the medium proportional to the initial charge. The NEXT-100 EL and cathode regions are made from tensioned hexagonal meshes of 1 m diameter. This paper describes the design, characterization, and installation of these parts for NEXT-100. Simulations of the electric field are performed to model the drift and amplification of ionization electrons produced in the detector under various EL region alignments and rotations. Measurements of the electrostatic breakdown voltage in air characterize performance under high voltage conditions and identify breakdown points. The electrostatic deflection of the mesh is quantified and fit to a first-principles mechanical model. Measurements were performed with both a standalone test EL region and with the NEXT-100 EL region before its installation in the detector. Finally, we describe the parts as installed in NEXT-100, following their deployment in Summer 2023., Comment: 35 pages, 25 Figures, update includes accepted version in JINST
Published: 2023
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4. Demonstration of Event Position Reconstruction based on Diffusion in the NEXT-White Detector

Author: Haefner, J., Navarro, K. E., Guenette, R., Jones, B. J. P., Tripathi, A., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Auria-Luna, F., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., del Barrio-Torregrosa, M., Bayo, A., BenllochRodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Brodolin, A., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Cid, L., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Dey, E., Díaz, G., Dickel, T., Elorza, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F. W., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., Grocott, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Carrete, C. Hervés, Ifergan, Y., Labarga, L., Larizgoitia, L., Larumbe, A., Lebrun, P., Lopez, F., López-March, N., Madigan, R., Mano, R. D. P., Marques, A. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., Meziani, Z. E., Miller, R. L., Mistry, K., Molina-Canteras, J., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Nuñez, A., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Palacio, J., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Parmaksiz, I., Pelegrin, J., Maneiro, M. Pérez, Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Rivilla, I., Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Shomroni, I., Simón, A., Soleti, S. R., Sorel, M., Soto-Oton, J., Teixeira, J. M. R., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Trettin, A., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Waiton, J., and White, J. T.
Subjects: High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: Noble element time projection chambers are a leading technology for rare event detection in physics, such as for dark matter and neutrinoless double beta decay searches. Time projection chambers typically assign event position in the drift direction using the relative timing of prompt scintillation and delayed charge collection signals, allowing for reconstruction of an absolute position in the drift direction. In this paper, alternate methods for assigning event drift distance via quantification of electron diffusion in a pure high pressure xenon gas time projection chamber are explored. Data from the NEXT-White detector demonstrate the ability to achieve good position assignment accuracy for both high- and low-energy events. Using point-like energy deposits from $^{83\mathrm{m}}$Kr calibration electron captures ($E\sim45$keV), the position of origin of low-energy events is determined to $2~$cm precision with bias $< 1$mm. A convolutional neural network approach is then used to quantify diffusion for longer tracks (E$\geq$1.5MeV), yielding a precision of 3cm on the event barycenter. The precision achieved with these methods indicates the feasibility energy calibrations of better than 1% FWHM at Q$_{\beta\beta}$ in pure xenon, as well as the potential for event fiducialization in large future detectors using an alternate method that does not rely on primary scintillation., Comment: 18 pages, 16 figures
Published: 2023

5. Demonstration of neutrinoless double beta decay searches in gaseous xenon with NEXT

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Novella, P., Sorel, M., Usón, A., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Auria-Luna, F., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., del Barrio-Torregrosa, M., Bayo, A., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Bounasser, S., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Cid, L., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Dey, E., Díaz, G., Dickel, T., Elorza, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Fahs, A., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F. W., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., Grocott, J., Guenette, R., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Carrete, C. Hervés, Ho, J., Ho, P., Ifergan, Y., Jones, B. J. P., Labarga, L., Larizgoitia, L., Larumbe, A., Lebrun, P., Lopez, F., Gutierrez, D. Lopez, López-March, N., Madigan, R., Mano, R. D. P., Marques, A. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., Meziani, Z. E., Miller, R. L., Mistry, K., Molina-Canteras, J., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Navarro, K. E., Nuñez, A., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Odriozola-Gimeno, M., Palacio, J., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Parmaksiz, I., Pelegrin, J., Maneiro, M. Pérez, Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Rivilla, I., Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Soleti, S. R., Stanford, C., Teixeira, J. M. R., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Vuong, T. T., Waiton, J., and White, J. T.
Subjects: Nuclear Experiment, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: The NEXT experiment aims at the sensitive search of the neutrinoless double beta decay in $^{136}$Xe, using high-pressure gas electroluminescent time projection chambers. The NEXT-White detector is the first radiopure demonstrator of this technology, operated in the Laboratorio Subterr\'aneo de Canfranc. Achieving an energy resolution of 1% FWHM at 2.6 MeV and further background rejection by means of the topology of the reconstructed tracks, NEXT-White has been exploited beyond its original goals in order to perform a neutrinoless double beta decay search. The analysis considers the combination of 271.6 days of $^{136}$Xe-enriched data and 208.9 days of $^{136}$Xe-depleted data. A detailed background modeling and measurement has been developed, ensuring the time stability of the radiogenic and cosmogenic contributions across both data samples. Limits to the neutrinoless mode are obtained in two alternative analyses: a background-model-dependent approach and a novel direct background-subtraction technique, offering results with small dependence on the background model assumptions. With a fiducial mass of only 3.50$\pm$0.01 kg of $^{136}$Xe-enriched xenon, 90% C.L. lower limits to the neutrinoless double beta decay are found in the T$_{1/2}^{0\nu}>5.5\times10^{23}-1.3\times10^{24}$ yr range, depending on the method. The presented techniques stand as a proof-of-concept for the searches to be implemented with larger NEXT detectors.
Published: 2023
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6. NEXT-CRAB-0: A High Pressure Gaseous Xenon Time Projection Chamber with a Direct VUV Camera Based Readout

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Byrnes, N. K., Parmaksiz, I., Adams, C., Asaadi, J., Baeza-Rubio, J, Bailey, K., Church, E., González-Díaz, D., Higley, A., Jones, B. J. P., Mistry, K., Moya, I. A., Nygren, D. R., Oyedele, P., Rogers, L., Stogsdill, K., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Ballester, F., del Barrio-Torregrosa, M., Bayo, A., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Bounasser, S., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Cid, L., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Dey, E., Díaz, G., Dickel, T., Elorza, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Fahs, A., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F. W., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., Grocott, J., Guenette, R., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Carrete, C. Hervés, Ho, J., Ho, P., Ifergan, Y., Labarga, L., Larizgoitia, L., Lebrun, P., Lopez, F, Gutierrez, D. Lopez, López-March, N., Madigan, R., Mano, R. D. P., Marques, A. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., Meziani, Z. E., Miller, R. L., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Navarro, K. E., Novella, P., Nuñez, A., Oblak, E., Odriozola-Gimeno, M., Palacio, J., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pelegrin, J, Maneiro, M. Pérez, Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Rivilla, I., Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Soleti, S. R., Sorel, M., Stanford, C., Teixeira, J. M. R., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Vuong, T. T., Waiton, J., and White, J. T.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: The search for neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu\beta\beta$) remains one of the most compelling experimental avenues for the discovery in the neutrino sector. Electroluminescent gas-phase time projection chambers are well suited to $0\nu\beta\beta$ searches due to their intrinsically precise energy resolution and topological event identification capabilities. Scalability to ton- and multi-ton masses requires readout of large-area electroluminescent regions with fine spatial resolution, low radiogenic backgrounds, and a scalable data acquisition system. This paper presents a detector prototype that records event topology in an electroluminescent xenon gas TPC via VUV image-intensified cameras. This enables an extendable readout of large tracking planes with commercial devices that reside almost entirely outside of the active medium.Following further development in intermediate scale demonstrators, this technique may represent a novel and enlargeable method for topological event imaging in $0\nu\beta\beta$., Comment: 30 Pages, 22 figures, Updated to match current JINST submission
Published: 2023

7. A Compact Dication Source for Ba$^{2+}$ Tagging and Heavy Metal Ion Sensor Development

Author: Navarro, K. E., Jones, B. J. P., Baeza-Rubio, J., Boyd, M., Denisenko, A. A., Foss, F. W., Giri, S., Miller, R., Nygren, D. R., Tiscareno, M. R., Samaniego, F. J., Stogsdill, K., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Bounasser, S., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Dey, E., Díaz, G., Dickel, T., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Fahs, A., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., Grocott, J., Guenette, R., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Carrete, C. Hervés, Ho, J., Ho, P., Ifergan, Y., Labarga, L., Larizgoitia, L., Lebrun, P., Gutierrez, D. Lopez, López-March, N., Madigan, R., Mano, R. D. P., Marques, A. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., Meziani, Z. E., Mistry, K., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Nuñez, A., Oblak, E., Odriozola-Gimeno, M., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pelegrín, J., Maneiro, M. Pérez, Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Rivilla, I., Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sorel, M., Stanford, C., Teixeira, J. M. R., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Vuong, T. T., Waiton, J., and White, J. T.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: We present a tunable metal ion beam that delivers controllable ion currents in the picoamp range for testing of dry-phase ion sensors. Ion beams are formed by sequential atomic evaporation and single or multiple electron impact ionization, followed by acceleration into a sensing region. Controllability of the ionic charge state is achieved through tuning of electrode potentials that influence the retention time in the ionization region. Barium, lead, and cobalt samples have been used to test the system, with ion currents identified and quantified using a quadrupole mass analyzer. Realization of a clean $\mathrm{Ba^{2+}}$ ion beam within a bench-top system represents an important technical advance toward the development and characterization of barium tagging systems for neutrinoless double beta decay searches in xenon gas. This system also provides a testbed for investigation of novel ion sensing methodologies for environmental assay applications, with dication beams of Pb$^{2+}$ and Cd$^{2+}$ also demonstrated for this purpose.
Published: 2023
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8. Reflectance and fluorescence characteristics of PTFE coated with TPB at visible, UV, and VUV as a function of thickness

Author: Haefner, J, Fahs, A, Ho, J, Stanford, C, Guenette, R, Adams, C, Almazán, H, Álvarez, V, Aparicio, B, Aranburu, AI, Arazi, L, Arnquist, IJ, Auria-Luna, F, Ayet, S, Azevedo, CDR, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Bounasser, S, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrián, S, Church, E, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Cossío, FP, Denisenko, AA, Dey, E, Díaz, G, Dickel, T, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Fernandes, LMP, Ferrario, P, Ferreira, AL, Foss, FW, Freitas, EDC, Freixa, Z, Generowicz, J, Goldschmidt, A, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, González, R, Grocott, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Henriques, CAO, Morata, JA Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P, Herrero, V, Ho, P, Ifergan, Y, Jones, BJP, Kekic, M, Labarga, L, Larizgoitia, L, Lebrun, P, Gutierrez, D Lopez, López-March, N, Madigan, R, Mano, RDP, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez-Lema, G, Martínez-Vara, M, Marques, AP, Meziani, ZE, Miller, R, Mistry, K, Molina-Canteras, J, Monrabal, F, Monteiro, CMB, Mora, FJ, Vidal, J Muñoz, Navarro, K, Novella, P, Nuñez, A, Nygren, DR, Oblak, E, Odriozola-Gimeno, M, Palmeiro, B, Para, A, Querol, M, Redwine, AB, Renner, J, Rivilla, I, Rodríguez, J, Rogero, C, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sorel, M, Teixeira, JMR, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, and Usón, A
Subjects: Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Physical Sciences, Engineering, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Physical sciences
Abstract: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an excellent diffuse reflector widely used in light collection systems for particle physics experiments. In noble element systems, it is often coated with tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB) to allow detection of vacuum ultraviolet scintillation light. In this work this dependence is investigated for PTFE coated with TPB in air for light of wavelengths of 200 nm, 260 nm, and 450 nm. The results show that TPB-coated PTFE has a reflectance of approximately 92% for thicknesses ranging from 5 mm to 10 mm at 450 nm, with negligible variation as a function of thickness within this range. A cross-check of these results using an argon chamber supports the conclusion that the change in thickness from 5 mm to 10 mm does not affect significantly the light response at 128 nm. Our results indicate that pieces of TPB-coated PTFE thinner than the typical 10 mm can be used in particle physics detectors without compromising the light signal.
Published: 2023

9. Reflectance and fluorescence characteristics of PTFE coated with TPB at visible, UV, and VUV as a function of thickness

Author: Haefner, J., Fahs, A., Ho, J., Stanford, C., Guenette, R., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Auria-Luna, F., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Bounasser, S., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Denisenko, A. A., Dey, E., Díaz, G., Dickel, T., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F. W., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., Grocott, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Ho, P., Ifergan, Y., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Larizgoitia, L., Lebrun, P., Gutierrez, D. Lopez, López-March, N., Madigan, R., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., Marques, A. P., Meziani, Z. E., Miller, R., Mistry, K., Molina-Canteras, J., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Navarro, K., Novella, P., Nuñez, A., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Odriozola-Gimeno, M., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Rivilla, I., Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sorel, M., Teixeira, J. M. R., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Vuong, T. T., and Waiton, J.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Optics
Abstract: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an excellent diffuse reflector widely used in light collection systems for particle physics experiments. In noble element systems, it is often coated with tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB) to allow detection of vacuum ultraviolet scintillation light. In this work this dependence is investigated for PTFE coated with TPB in air for light of wavelengths of 200~nm, 260~nm, and 450~nm. The results show that TPB-coated PTFE has a reflectance of approximately 92\% for thicknesses ranging from 5~mm to 10~mm at 450~nm, with negligible variation as a function of thickness within this range. A cross-check of these results using an argon chamber supports the conclusion that the change in thickness from 5~mm to 10~mm does not affect significantly the light response at 128~nm. Our results indicate that pieces of TPB-coated PTFE thinner than the typical 10~mm can be used in particle physics detectors without compromising the light signal.
Published: 2022
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10. Cor de solo, formas do fósforo e adsorção de fosfatos em Latossolos desenvolvidos de basalto do extremo-sul do Brasil

Author: Almeida J. A., Torrent J., and Barrón V.
Subjects: Latossolos, refletância difusa, adsorção de P, óxidos de ferro, fracionamento do fósforo, hematita, goethita, Agriculture (General), S1-972
Abstract: Latossolos Brunos e Vermelhos férricos desenvolvidos de basalto representam parcela expressiva dos solos intensivamente cultivados do Sul do Brasil. Além dos perfis monomatizados típicos, brunos ou vermelhos, incluem-se, atualmente, nestas duas classes perfis polimatizados, que apresentam os horizontes superficiais brunados e os subsuperficiais mais avermelhados, anteriormente individualizados como Latossolo "Bruno/Roxo". Não há, ainda, no Sistema Brasileiro de Classificação de Solos, um consenso quanto aos componentes de cor mais apropriados para separação dos Latossolos Brunos e Vermelhos. Graças à sua textura muito argilosa e ao alto conteúdo de óxidos de ferro, tais solos apresentam elevada capacidade de adsorção de fosfatos, à qual se pressupõe seja diferenciada de acordo com as formas dos óxidos de ferro presentes em cada modalidade. Por outro lado, a matéria orgânica, ao interagir com os óxidos de ferro, pode igualmente mascarar o efeito individual desses óxidos na fixação. Desse modo, o presente trabalho objetivou: (a) testar a utilidade e a eficácia do uso de dados espectrais obtidos por refletância difusa como ferramenta para identificação dos óxidos de ferro goethita (FeOOH) e hematita (Fe2O3); (b) quantificar, por fracionamento químico, as diferentes formas ou compartimentos onde se encontra o fósforo nesses solos, e (c) avaliar o efeito dos diferentes tipos e proporções de hematita e goethita na adsorção de fósforo, bem como o efeito da matéria orgânica na redução dessa capacidade sortiva. Foram selecionados seis perfis de solo em Santa Catarina e Rio Grande do Sul, sendo dois Latossolos Brunos típicos, dois Latossolos Vermelhos férricos e dois Latossolos Brunos, provisoriamente denominados Latossolo Bruno/Vermelho férrico. Os perfis foram caracterizados do ponto de vista físico, químico e mineralógico, sendo as amostras de quatro horizontes de cada perfil selecionadas para análises mais detalhadas. As técnicas de refletância difusa utilizadas mostraram-se altamente promissoras para a identificação e quantificação dos óxidos de ferro presentes. O matiz 4 YR, em amostras naturais úmidas, correspondeu a valores aproximadamente iguais de hematita e de goethita nos solos, sendo esse valor proposto como limite de separação entre Latossolos Brunos e Vermelhos e entre Nitossolos Vermelhos e Háplicos. Para a maioria dos solos, as quantidades totais de fósforo foram superiores a 1.000 mg kg-1, indicando alta reserva potencial desse nutriente. No fracionamento químico seqüencial, evidenciou-se o predomínio das formas "oclusas" de fósforo (Pdcb), seguida das formas orgânicas, P adsorvido a formas cristalinas dos óxidos de ferro e P ligado a compostos de ferro de baixa cristalinidade. O coeficiente A da equação de Freundlich modificada, que estima a quantidade de P necessária para manter 1 mg L-1 P na solução após um dia de equilíbrio, foi menor nos Latossolos Vermelhos em relação aos Brunos. Em todos os solos, entretanto, o valor de A mostrou-se inversamente correlacionado com o conteúdo de matéria orgânica, indicando que, além do efeito individual dos óxidos de ferro na fixação, o aumento no conteúdo de matéria orgânica exerce papel extremamente importante na redução da sorção de fosfatos desses solos.
Published: 2003

11. Demonstration of event position reconstruction based on diffusion in the NEXT-white detector

Author: Haefner, J., Navarro, K. E., Guenette, R., Jones, B. J. P., Tripathi, A., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Auria-Luna, F., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Barrio-Torregrosa, M. del, Bayo, A., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Brodolin, A., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Cid, L., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Dey, E., Díaz, G., Dickel, T., Elorza, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F. W., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., Grocott, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Hervés Carrete, C., Ifergan, Y., Labarga, L., Larizgoitia, L., Larumbe, A., Lebrun, P., Lopez, F., López-March, N., Madigan, R., Mano, R. D. P., Marques, A. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., Meziani, Z. E., Miller, R. L., Mistry, K., Molina-Canteras, J., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Muñoz Vidal, J., Novella, P., Nuñez, A., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Palacio, J., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Parmaksiz, I., Pelegrin, J., Pérez Maneiro, M., Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Rivilla, I., Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., dos Santos, J. M. F., Shomroni, I., Simón, A., Soleti, S. R., Sorel, M., Soto-Oton, J., Teixeira, J. M. R., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Trettin, A., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Waiton, J., and White, J. T.
Published: 2024
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12. Neutral Bremsstrahlung emission in xenon unveiled

Author: Henriques, C. A. O., Amedo, P., Teixeira, J. M. R., Gonzalez-Diaz, D., Azevedo, C. D. R., Para, A., Martin-Albo, J., Hernandez, A. Saa, Gomez-Cadenas, J. J., Nygren, D. R., Monteiro, C. M. B., Adams, C., Alvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., Cebrian, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Diaz, G., Diaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Ghosh, S., Goldschmidt, A., Guenette, R., Gutierrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ifergan, Y., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., Lopez-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martinez, A., Martinez-Vara, M., Martinez-Lema, G., McDonald, A. D., Monrabal, F., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Munoz, Novella, P., Palmeiro, B., Perez, J., Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Garcia, Y. Rodriguez, Rodriguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simon, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Uson, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Physics - Atomic Physics
Abstract: We present evidence of non-excimer-based secondary scintillation in gaseous xenon, obtained using both the NEXT-White TPC and a dedicated setup. Detailed comparison with first-principle calculations allows us to assign this scintillation mechanism to neutral bremsstrahlung (NBrS), a process that has been postulated to exist in xenon that has been largely overlooked. For photon emission below 1000 nm, the NBrS yield increases from about 10$^{-2}$ photon/e$^{-}$ cm$^{-1}$ bar$^{-1}$ at pressure-reduced electric field values of 50 V cm$^{-1}$ bar$^{-1}$ to above 3$\times$10$^{-1}$ photon/e$^{-}$ cm$^{-1}$ bar$^{-1}$ at 500 V cm$^{-1}$ bar$^{-1}$. Above 1.5 kV cm$^{-1}$ bar$^{-1}$, values that are typically employed for electroluminescence, it is estimated that NBrS is present with an intensity around 1 photon/e$^{-}$ cm$^{-1}$ bar$^{-1}$, which is about two orders of magnitude lower than conventional, excimer-based electroluminescence. Despite being fainter than its excimeric counterpart, our calculations reveal that NBrS causes luminous backgrounds that can interfere, in either gas or liquid phase, with the ability to distinguish and/or to precisely measure low primary-scintillation signals (S1). In particular, we show this to be the case in the "buffer" and "veto" regions, where keeping the electric field below the electroluminescence (EL) threshold will not suffice to extinguish secondary scintillation. The electric field in these regions should be chosen carefully to avoid intolerable levels of NBrS emission. Furthermore, we show that this new source of light emission opens up a viable path towards obtaining S2 signals for discrimination purposes in future single-phase liquid TPCs for neutrino and dark matter physics, with estimated yields up to 20-50 photons/e$^{-}$ cm$^{-1}$., Comment: Published in Physical Review X
Published: 2022
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13. Ba$^{2+}$ ion trapping by organic submonolayer: towards an ultra-low background neutrinoless double beta decay detector

Author: Herrero-Gómez, P., Calupitan, J. P., Ilyn, M., Berdonces-Layunta, A., Wang, T., de Oteyza, D. G., Corso, M., González-Moreno, R., Rivilla, I., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Freixa, Z., Monrabal, F., Cossío, F. P., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Rogero, C., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Alvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Bounasser, S., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Denisenko, A. A., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Dickel, T., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Fahs, A., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F. W., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, V., Ho, J., Ifergan, Y., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Larizgoitia, L., Lebrun, P., Gutierrez, D. Lopez, López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., McDonald, A. D., Meziani, Z. E., Mistry, K., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Navarro, K., Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Odriozola-Gimeno, M., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Raymond, A., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Ripoll, L., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sorel, M., Stanford, C., Teixeira, J. M. R., Thapa, P., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Vuong, T. T., Webb, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: High Energy Physics - Experiment, Condensed Matter - Materials Science, Physics - Chemical Physics
Abstract: If neutrinos are their own antiparticles, the otherwise-forbidden nuclear reaction known as neutrinoless double beta decay ($\beta\beta 0\nu$) can occur, with a characteristic lifetime which is expected to be very long, making the suppression of backgrounds a daunting task. It has been shown that detecting (``tagging'') the Ba$^{+2}$ dication produced in the double beta decay ${}^{136}\mathrm{Xe} \rightarrow {}^{136}$Ba$^{+2}+ 2 e + (2 \nu)$ in a high pressure gas experiment, could lead to a virtually background free experiment. To identify these \Bapp, chemical sensors are being explored as a key tool by the NEXT collaboration . Although used in many fields, the application of such chemosensors to the field of particle physics is totally novel and requires experimental demonstration of their suitability in the ultra-dry environment of a xenon gas chamber. Here we use a combination of complementary surface science techniques to unambiguously show that Ba$^{+2}$ ions can be trapped (chelated) in vacuum by an organic molecule, the so-called fluorescent bicolour indicator (FBI) (one of the chemosensors developed by NEXT), immobilized on a surface. We unravel the ion capture mechanism once the molecules are immobilised on Au(111) surface and explain the origin of the emission fluorescence shift associated to the trapping of different ions. Moreover, we prove that chelation also takes place on a technologically relevant substrate, as such, demonstrating the feasibility of using FBI indicators as building blocks of a Ba$^{+2}$ detector.
Published: 2022
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14. Radon Mitigation Applications at the Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC)

Author: Perez-Perez, J., Amare, J. C., Bandac, I. C., Bayo, A., Borjabad-Sanchez, S., Calvo-Mozota, J. M., Cid-Barrio, L., Hernandez-Antolin, R., Hernandez-Molinero, B., Novella, P., Pelczar, K., Peña-Garay, C., Romeo, B., de Solorzano, A. Ortiz, Sorel, M., Torrent, J., Uson, A., Wojna-Pelczar, A., and Zuzel, G.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: The Laboratorio Subterra neo de Canfranc (LSC) is the national hub for low radioactivity techniques and the associated scientific and technological applications. The concentration of the airborne radon is a major component of the radioactive budget in the neighborhood of the detectors. The LSC hosts a Radon Abatement System (RAS), which delivers a radon suppressed air with < 1 mBq/m3 of 222Rn. The radon content in the air is continuously monitored with an Electrostatic Radon Monitor (ERM). Measurements with the doble beta decay demonstrators NEXT-NEW and CROSS and the gamma HPGe detectors demonstrate the important reduction of the radioactive background due to the replaced air in the vicinity of the detectors. We also discuss the use of this facility in the LSC current program which includes NEXT-100, low background biology experiments and radiopure copper electroformation equipment placed in the radon-free clean room.
Published: 2021

15. Measurement of the ${}^{136}$Xe two-neutrino double beta decay half-life via direct background subtraction in NEXT

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Novella, P., Sorel, M., Usón, A., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Bounasser, S., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Denisenko, A. A., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Dickel, T., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Fahs, A., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F. W., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Ho, J., Ifergan, Y., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Larizgoitia, L., Lebrun, P., Gutierrez, D. Lopez, López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., McDonald, A. D., Meziani, Z. E., Mistry, K., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Navarro, K., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Odriozola-Gimeno, M., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Raymond, A., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Ripoll, L., Rivilla, I., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Stanford, C., Teixeira, J. M. R., Thapa, P., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Vuong, T. T., Webb, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Nuclear Experiment, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: We report a measurement of the half-life of the ${}^{136}$Xe two-neutrino double beta decay performed with a novel direct background subtraction technique. The analysis relies on the data collected with the NEXT-White detector operated with ${}^{136}$Xe-enriched and ${}^{136}$Xe-depleted xenon, as well as on the topology of double-electron tracks. With a fiducial mass of only 3.5 kg of Xe, a half-life of $2.34^{+0.80}_{-0.46}\textrm{(stat)}^{+0.30}_{-0.17}\textrm{(sys)}\times10^{21}~\textrm{yr}$ is derived from the background-subtracted energy spectrum. The presented technique demonstrates the feasibility of unique background-model-independent neutrinoless double beta decay searches., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, and 1 appendix
Published: 2021
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16. The Dynamics of Ions on Phased Radio-frequency Carpets in High Pressure Gases and Application for Barium Tagging in Xenon Gas Time Projection Chambers

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Jones, B. J. P., Raymond, A., Woodruff, K., Byrnes, N., Denisenko, A. A., Foss, F. W., Navarro, K., Nygren, D. R., Vuong, T. T., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Bounasser, S., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Dickel, T., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Fahs, A., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z, Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernando~Morata, J. A., Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Ho, J., Ifergan, Y., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., Gutierrez, D. Lopez, López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., McDonald, A. D., Meziani, Z. E., Mistry, K., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Oblak, E., Odriozola-Gimeno, M., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Ripoll, L., Rivilla, I., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sorel, M., Stanford, C., Teixeira, J. M. R., Thapa, P., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) carpets with ultra-fine pitches are examined for ion transport in gases at atmospheric pressures and above. We develop new analytic and computational methods for modeling RF ion transport at densities where dynamics are strongly influenced by buffer gas collisions. An analytic description of levitating and sweeping forces from phased arrays is obtained, then thermodynamic and kinetic principles are used to calculate ion loss rates in the presence of collisions. This methodology is validated against detailed microscopic SIMION simulations. We then explore a parameter space of special interest for neutrinoless double beta decay experiments: transport of barium ions in xenon at pressures from 1 to 10 bar. Our computations account for molecular ion formation and pressure dependent mobility as well as finite temperature effects. We discuss the challenges associated with achieving suitable operating conditions, which lie beyond the capabilities of existing devices, using presently available or near-future manufacturing techniques., Comment: 26 pages, 16 figures v2: author list update and pre-journal submission adjustments
Published: 2021

17. Neutral Bremsstrahlung Emission in Xenon Unveiled

Author: Henriques, CAO, Amedo, P, Teixeira, JMR, González-Díaz, D, Azevedo, CDR, Para, A, Martín-Albo, J, Hernandez, A Saa, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, Nygren, DR, Monteiro, CMB, Adams, C, Álvarez, V, Arazi, L, Arnquist, IJ, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrián, S, Church, E, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Díaz, G, Díaz, J, Diesburg, M, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Fernandes, AFM, Fernandes, LMP, Ferrario, P, Ferreira, AL, Freitas, EDC, Generowicz, J, Ghosh, S, Goldschmidt, A, Guenette, R, Gutiérrez, RM, Haefner, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Morata, JA Hernando, Herrero, P, Herrero, V, Ifergan, Y, Jones, BJP, Kekic, M, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Mano, RDP, Martínez, A, Martínez-Vara, M, Martínez-Lema, G, McDonald, AD, Monrabal, F, Mora, FJ, Vidal, J Muñoz, Novella, P, Palmeiro, B, Pérez, J, Querol, M, Redwine, AB, Renner, J, Repond, J, Riordan, S, Ripoll, L, García, Y Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sofka, C, Sorel, M, Stiegler, T, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Usón, A, Veloso, JFCA, Webb, R, Weiss-Babai, R, White, JT, Woodruff, K, and Yahlali, N
Subjects: Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Physical Sciences, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Condensed Matter Physics, Quantum Physics, Physical sciences
Abstract: We present evidence of non-excimer-based secondary scintillation in gaseous xenon, obtained using both the NEXT-White time projection chamber (TPC) and a dedicated setup. Detailed comparison with first-principle calculations allows us to assign this scintillation mechanism to neutral bremsstrahlung (NBrS), a process that is postulated to exist in xenon that has been largely overlooked. For photon emission below 1000 nm, the NBrS yield increases from about 10-2 photon/e- cm-1 bar-1 at pressure-reduced electric field values of 50 V cm-1 bar-1 to above 3×10-1 photon/e- cm-1 bar-1 at 500 V cm-1 bar-1. Above 1.5 kV cm-1 bar-1, values that are typically employed for electroluminescence, it is estimated that NBrS is present with an intensity around 1 photon/e- cm-1 bar-1, which is about 2 orders of magnitude lower than conventional, excimer-based electroluminescence. Despite being fainter than its excimeric counterpart, our calculations reveal that NBrS causes luminous backgrounds that can interfere, in either gas or liquid phase, with the ability to distinguish and/or to precisely measure low primary-scintillation signals (S1). In particular, we show this to be the case in the "buffer"region, where keeping the electric field below the electroluminescence threshold does not suffice to extinguish secondary scintillation. The electric field leakage in this region should be mitigated to avoid intolerable levels of NBrS emission. Furthermore, we show that this new source of light emission opens up a viable path toward obtaining S2 signals for discrimination purposes in future single-phase liquid TPCs for neutrino and dark matter physics, with estimated yields up to 20-50 photons/e- cm-1.
Published: 2022

18. Boosting background suppression in the NEXT experiment through Richardson-Lucy deconvolution

Author: Simón, A., Ifergan, Y., Redwine, A. B., Weiss-Babai, R., Arazi, L., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Denisenko, A. A., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., González-Díaz, D., Gosh, S., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ho, J., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Vara, M., Martínez-Lema, G., McDonald, A. D., Meziani, Z. -E., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Newhouse, C., Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Odriozola-Gimeno, M., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Renner, J., Ripoll, L., Rivilla, I., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Sorel, M., Stanford, C., Teixeira, J. M. R., Thapa, P., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Vuong, T. T., Webb, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract: Next-generation neutrinoless double beta decay experiments aim for half-life sensitivities of ~$10^{27}$ yr, requiring suppressing backgrounds to <1 count/tonne/yr. For this, any extra background rejection handle, beyond excellent energy resolution and the use of extremely radiopure materials, is of utmost importance. The NEXT experiment exploits differences in the spatial ionization patterns of double beta decay and single-electron events to discriminate signal from background. While the former display two Bragg peak dense ionization regions at the opposite ends of the track, the latter typically have only one such feature. Thus, comparing the energies at the track extremes provides an additional rejection tool. The unique combination of the topology-based background discrimination and excellent energy resolution (1% FWHM at the Q-value of the decay) is the distinguishing feature of NEXT. Previous studies demonstrated a topological background rejection factor of ~5 when reconstructing electron-positron pairs in the $^{208}$Tl 1.6 MeV double escape peak (with Compton events as background), recorded in the NEXT-White demonstrator at the Laboratorio Subterr\'aneo de Canfranc, with 72% signal efficiency. This was recently improved through the use of a deep convolutional neural network to yield a background rejection factor of ~10 with 65% signal efficiency. Here, we present a new reconstruction method, based on the Richardson-Lucy deconvolution algorithm, which allows reversing the blurring induced by electron diffusion and electroluminescence light production in the NEXT TPC. The new method yields highly refined 3D images of reconstructed events, and, as a result, significantly improves the topological background discrimination. When applied to real-data 1.6 MeV $e^-e^+$ pairs, it leads to a background rejection factor of 27 at 57% signal efficiency., Comment: Submitted to JHEP
Published: 2021
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19. Demonstration of background rejection using deep convolutional neural networks in the NEXT experiment

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Kekic, M., Adams, C., Woodruff, K., Renner, J., Church, E., Del Tutto, M., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Gomez-Cadenas, J. J., Alvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., Cebrian, S., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Diaz, G., Diaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Ghosh, S., Goldschmidt, A., Gonzalez-Diaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutierrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ifergan, Y., Jones, B. J. P., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., Lopez-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martin-Albo, J., Martinez, A., Martinez-Lema, G., Martinez-Vara, M., McDonald, A. D., Meziani, Z. E., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Perez, J., Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Ripoll, L., Garcia, Y. Rodriguez, Rodriguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simon, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Uson, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract: Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are widely used state-of-the-art computer vision tools that are becoming increasingly popular in high energy physics. In this paper, we attempt to understand the potential of CNNs for event classification in the NEXT experiment, which will search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in $^{136}$Xe. To do so, we demonstrate the usage of CNNs for the identification of electron-positron pair production events, which exhibit a topology similar to that of a neutrinoless double-beta decay event. These events were produced in the NEXT-White high-pressure xenon TPC using 2.6-MeV gamma rays from a $^{228}$Th calibration source. We train a network on Monte Carlo-simulated events and show that, by applying on-the-fly data augmentation, the network can be made robust against differences between simulation and data. The use of CNNs offer significant improvement in signal efficiency/background rejection when compared to previous non-CNN-based analyses., Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures; version matches published JHEP version
Published: 2020
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20. Dependence of polytetrafluoroethylene reflectance on thickness at visible and ultraviolet wavelengths in air

Author: Ghosh, S., Haefner, J., Martín-Albo, J., Guenette, R., Li, X., Villalpando, A. A. Loya, Burch, C., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González-Díaz, D., Gutiérrez, R. M., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ifergan, Y., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martínez, A., Martínez-Vara, M., Martínez-Lema, G., McDonald, A. D., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Redwine, A., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an excellent diffuse reflector widely used in light collection systems for particle physics experiments. However, the reflectance of PTFE is a function of its thickness. In this work, we investigate this dependence in air for light of wavelengths 260 nm and 450 nm using two complementary methods. We find that PTFE reflectance for thicknesses from 5 mm to 10 mm ranges from 92.5% to 94.5% at 450 nm, and from 90.0% to 92.0% at 260 nm. We also see that the reflectance of PTFE of a given thickness can vary by as much as 2.7% within the same piece of material. Finally, we show that placing a specular reflector behind the PTFE can recover the loss of reflectance in the visible without introducing a specular component in the reflectance., Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures
Published: 2020
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21. Sensitivity of the NEXT experiment to Xe-124 double electron capture

Author: Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., Sorel, M., Adams, C., Alvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Ghosh, S., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ifergan, Y., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., McDonald, A. D., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: High Energy Physics - Experiment, Nuclear Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: Double electron capture by proton-rich nuclei is a second-order nuclear process analogous to double beta decay. Despite their similarities, the decay signature is quite different, potentially providing a new channel to measure the hypothesized neutrinoless mode of these decays. The Standard-Model-allowed two-neutrino double electron capture ($2\nu ECEC$) has been predicted for a number of isotopes, but only observed in $^{78}$Kr, $^{130}$Ba and, recently, $^{124}$Xe. The sensitivity to this decay establishes a benchmark for the ultimate experimental goal, namely the potential to discover also the lepton-number-violating neutrinoless version of this process, $0\nu ECEC$. Here we report on the current sensitivity of the NEXT-White detector to $^{124}$Xe $2\nu ECEC$ and on the extrapolation to NEXT-100. Using simulated data for the $2\nu ECEC$ signal and real data from NEXT-White operated with $^{124}$Xe-depleted gas as background, we define an optimal event selection that maximizes the NEXT-White sensitivity. We estimate that, for NEXT-100 operated with xenon gas isotopically enriched with 1 kg of $^{124}$Xe and for a 5-year run, a sensitivity to the $2\nu ECEC$ half-life of $6 \times 10^{22}$ y (at 90% confidence level) or better can be reached., Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures
Published: 2020
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22. Sensitivity of a tonne-scale NEXT detector for neutrinoless double beta decay searches

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Denisenko, A. A., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., González-Díaz, D., Gosh, S., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ho, J., Ifergan, Y., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Vara, M., Martínez-Lema, G., McDonald, A. D., Meziani, Z. E., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Newhouse, C., Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Redwine, A., Renner, J., Ripoll, L., Rivilla, I., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sorel, M., Stanford, C., Teixeira, J. M. R., Thapa, P., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Vuong, T. T., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: The Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC (NEXT) searches for the neutrinoless double-beta decay of Xe-136 using high-pressure xenon gas TPCs with electroluminescent amplification. A scaled-up version of this technology with about 1 tonne of enriched xenon could reach in less than 5 years of operation a sensitivity to the half-life of neutrinoless double-beta decay decay better than 1E27 years, improving the current limits by at least one order of magnitude. This prediction is based on a well-understood background model dominated by radiogenic sources. The detector concept presented here represents a first step on a compelling path towards sensitivity to the parameter space defined by the inverted ordering of neutrino masses, and beyond., Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures
Published: 2020

23. Mitigation of Backgrounds from Cosmogenic $^{137}$Xe in Xenon Gas Experiments using $^{3}$He Neutron Capture

Author: Rogers, L., Jones, B. J. P., Laing, A., Pingulkar, S., Woodruff, K., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Dingler, R., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Ghosh, S., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ifergan, Y., Johnston, S., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., McDonald, A. D., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract: \Xe{136} is used as the target medium for many experiments searching for \bbnonu. Despite underground operation, cosmic muons that reach the laboratory can produce spallation neutrons causing activation of detector materials. A potential background that is difficult to veto using muon tagging comes in the form of \Xe{137} created by the capture of neutrons on \Xe{136}. This isotope decays via beta decay with a half-life of 3.8 minutes and a \Qb\ of $\sim$4.16 MeV. This work proposes and explores the concept of adding a small percentage of \He{3} to xenon as a means to capture thermal neutrons and reduce the number of activations in the detector volume. When using this technique we find the contamination from \Xe{137} activation can be reduced to negligible levels in tonne and multi-tonne scale high pressure gas xenon neutrinoless double beta decay experiments running at any depth in an underground laboratory.
Published: 2020
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24. Demonstration of neutrinoless double beta decay searches in gaseous xenon with NEXT

Author: Novella, P., Sorel, M., Usón, A., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A. I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Auria-Luna, F., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., del Barrio-Torregrosa, M., Bayo, A., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Bounasser, S., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Cid, L., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F. P., Dey, E., Díaz, G., Dickel, T., Elorza, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Fahs, A., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss, F. W., Freitas, E. D. C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González, R., Grocott, J., Guenette, R., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernando Morata, J. A., Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Hervés Carrete, C., Ho, J., Ho, P., Ifergan, Y., Jones, B. J. P., Labarga, L., Larizgoitia, L., Larumbe, A., Lebrun, P., Lopez, F., Lopez Gutierrez, D., López-March, N., Madigan, R., Mano, R. D. P., Marques, A. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., Meziani, Z. E., Miller, R. L., Mistry, K., Molina-Canteras, J., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Muñoz Vidal, J., Navarro, K., Nuñez, A., Nygren, D. R., Oblak, E., Odriozola-Gimeno, M., Palacio, J., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Parmaksiz, I., Pelegrin, J., Pérez Maneiro, M., Querol, M., Redwine, A. B., Renner, J., Rivilla, I., Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., dos Santos, J. M. F., Simón, A., Soleti, S. R., Stanford, C., Teixeira, J. M. R., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Vuong, T. T., Waiton, J., and White, J. T.
Published: 2023
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25. Sensitivity of a tonne-scale NEXT detector for neutrinoless double-beta decay searches

Author: Adams, C, Álvarez, V, Arazi, L, Arnquist, IJ, Azevedo, CDR, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrián, S, Church, E, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Denisenko, AA, Díaz, G, Díaz, J, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Fernandes, LMP, Ferrario, P, Ferreira, AL, Foss, F, Freitas, EDC, Freixa, Z, Generowicz, J, Goldschmidt, A, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, González, R, González-Díaz, D, Gosh, S, Guenette, R, Gutiérrez, RM, Haefner, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Henriques, CAO, Hernando Morata, JA, Herrero, P, Herrero, V, Ho, J, Ifergan, Y, Jones, BJP, Kekic, M, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Mano, RDP, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez, A, Martínez-Vara, M, Martínez-Lema, G, McDonald, AD, Meziani, ZE, Monrabal, F, Monteiro, CMB, Mora, FJ, Muñoz Vidal, J, Newhouse, C, Novella, P, Nygren, DR, Oblak, E, Palmeiro, B, Para, A, Pérez, J, Querol, M, Redwine, A, Renner, J, Ripoll, L, Rivilla, I, Rodríguez García, Y, Rodríguez, J, Rogero, C, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sorel, M, Stanford, C, Teixeira, JMR, Thapa, P, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Usón, A, Veloso, JFCA, Vuong, TT, Webb, R, Weiss-Babai, R, White, JT, Woodruff, K, and Yahlali, N
Subjects: Mathematical Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics
Abstract: The Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC (NEXT) searches for the neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ) decay of 136Xe using high-pressure xenon gas TPCs with electroluminescent amplification. A scaled-up version of this technology with about 1 tonne of enriched xenon could reach in less than 5 years of operation a sensitivity to the half-life of 0νββ decay better than 1027 years, improving the current limits by at least one order of magnitude. This prediction is based on a well-understood background model dominated by radiogenic sources. The detector concept presented here represents a first step on a compelling path towards sensitivity to the parameter space defined by the inverted ordering of neutrino masses, and beyond. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
Published: 2021

26. Boosting background suppression in the NEXT experiment through Richardson-Lucy deconvolution

Author: Simón, A, Ifergan, Y, Redwine, AB, Weiss-Babai, R, Arazi, L, Adams, C, Almazán, H, Álvarez, V, Aparicio, B, Aranburu, AI, Arnquist, IJ, Azevedo, CDR, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrián, S, Church, E, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Cossío, FP, Denisenko, AA, Díaz, G, Díaz, J, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Fernandes, LMP, Ferrario, P, Ferreira, AL, Foss, F, Freitas, EDC, Freixa, Z, Generowicz, J, Goldschmidt, A, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, González, R, González-Díaz, D, Gosh, S, Guenette, R, Gutiérrez, RM, Haefner, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Henriques, CAO, Hernando Morata, JA, Herrero, P, Herrero, V, Ho, J, Jones, BJP, Kekic, M, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Mano, RDP, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez, A, Martínez-Vara, M, Martínez-Lema, G, McDonald, AD, Meziani, Z-E, Monrabal, F, Monteiro, CMB, Mora, FJ, Muñoz Vidal, J, Newhouse, C, Novella, P, Nygren, DR, Oblak, E, Odriozola-Gimeno, M, Palmeiro, B, Para, A, Pérez, J, Querol, M, Renner, J, Ripoll, L, Rivilla, I, Rodríguez García, Y, Rodríguez, J, Rogero, C, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Sorel, M, Stanford, C, Teixeira, JMR, Thapa, P, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Usón, A, Veloso, JFCA, Vuong, TT, and Webb, R
Subjects: Affordable and Clean Energy, Mathematical Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics
Abstract: Next-generation neutrinoless double beta decay experiments aim for half-life sensitivities of ∼ 1027 yr, requiring suppressing backgrounds to < 1 count/tonne/yr. For this, any extra background rejection handle, beyond excellent energy resolution and the use of extremely radiopure materials, is of utmost importance. The NEXT experiment exploits differences in the spatial ionization patterns of double beta decay and single-electron events to discriminate signal from background. While the former display two Bragg peak dense ionization regions at the opposite ends of the track, the latter typically have only one such feature. Thus, comparing the energies at the track extremes provides an additional rejection tool. The unique combination of the topology-based background discrimination and excellent energy resolution (1% FWHM at the Q-value of the decay) is the distinguishing feature of NEXT. Previous studies demonstrated a topological background rejection factor of ∼ 5 when reconstructing electron-positron pairs in the 208Tl 1.6 MeV double escape peak (with Compton events as background), recorded in the NEXT-White demonstrator at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc, with 72% signal efficiency. This was recently improved through the use of a deep convolutional neural network to yield a background rejection factor of ∼ 10 with 65% signal efficiency. Here, we present a new reconstruction method, based on the Richardson-Lucy deconvolution algorithm, which allows reversing the blurring induced by electron diffusion and electroluminescence light production in the NEXT TPC. The new method yields highly refined 3D images of reconstructed events, and, as a result, significantly improves the topological background discrimination. When applied to real-data 1.6 MeV e−e+ pairs, it leads to a background rejection factor of 27 at 57% signal efficiency. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
Published: 2021

27. Sensitivity of the NEXT experiment to Xe-124 double electron capture

Author: Martínez-Lema, G, Martínez-Vara, M, Sorel, M, Adams, C, Álvarez, V, Arazi, L, Arnquist, IJ, Azevedo, CDR, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrián, S, Church, E, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Díaz, G, Díaz, J, Diesburg, M, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Fernandes, AFM, Fernandes, LMP, Ferrario, P, Ferreira, AL, Freitas, EDC, Generowicz, J, Ghosh, S, Goldschmidt, A, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, González-Díaz, D, Guenette, R, Gutiérrez, RM, Haefner, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Henriques, CAO, Hernando Morata, JA, Herrero, P, Herrero, V, Ifergan, Y, Johnston, S, Jones, BJP, Kekic, M, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Mano, RDP, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez, A, McDonald, AD, Monrabal, F, Monteiro, CMB, Mora, FJ, Muñoz Vidal, J, Novella, P, Nygren, DR, Palmeiro, B, Para, A, Pérez, J, Querol, M, Redwine, AB, Renner, J, Repond, J, Riordan, S, Ripoll, L, Rodríguez García, Y, Rodríguez, J, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sofka, C, Stiegler, T, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Usón, A, Veloso, JFCA, Webb, R, Weiss-Babai, R, White, JT, Woodruff, K, and Yahlali, N
Subjects: Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay, Mathematical Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Mathematical physics, Nuclear and plasma physics, Particle and high energy physics
Abstract: Double electron capture by proton-rich nuclei is a second-order nuclear process analogous to double beta decay. Despite their similarities, the decay signature is quite different, potentially providing a new channel to measure the hypothesized neutrinoless mode of these decays. The Standard-Model-allowed two-neutrino double electron capture (2νEC EC) has been predicted for a number of isotopes, but only observed in 78Kr, 130Ba and, recently, 124Xe. The sensitivity to this decay establishes a benchmark for the ultimate experimental goal, namely the potential to discover also the lepton-number-violating neutrinoless version of this process, 0νEC EC. Here we report on the current sensitivity of the NEXT-White detector to 124Xe 2νEC EC and on the extrapolation to NEXT-100. Using simulated data for the 2νEC EC signal and real data from NEXT-White operated with 124Xe-depleted gas as background, we define an optimal event selection that maximizes the NEXT-White sensitivity. We estimate that, for NEXT-100 operated with xenon gas isotopically enriched with 1 kg of 124Xe and for a 5-year run, a sensitivity to the 2νEC EC half-life of 6 × 1022 y (at 90% confidence level) or better can be reached. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
Published: 2021

28. Demonstration of background rejection using deep convolutional neural networks in the NEXT experiment

Author: Kekic, M, Adams, C, Woodruff, K, Renner, J, Church, E, Del Tutto, M, Hernando Morata, JA, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, Álvarez, V, Arazi, L, Arnquist, IJ, Azevedo, CDR, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrián, S, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Díaz, G, Díaz, J, Diesburg, M, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Fernandes, AFM, Fernandes, LMP, Ferrario, P, Ferreira, AL, Freitas, EDC, Generowicz, J, Ghosh, S, Goldschmidt, A, González-Díaz, D, Guenette, R, Gutiérrez, RM, Haefner, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Henriques, CAO, Herrero, P, Herrero, V, Ifergan, Y, Jones, BJP, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Mano, RDP, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez, A, Martínez-Lema, G, Martínez-Vara, M, McDonald, AD, Meziani, Z-E, Monrabal, F, Monteiro, CMB, Mora, FJ, Muñoz Vidal, J, Novella, P, Nygren, DR, Palmeiro, B, Para, A, Pérez, J, Querol, M, Redwine, AB, Ripoll, L, Rodríguez García, Y, Rodríguez, J, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sofka, C, Sorel, M, Stiegler, T, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Usón, A, Veloso, JFCA, Webb, R, Weiss-Babai, R, White, JT, and Yahlali, N
Subjects: Mathematical Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics
Abstract: Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are widely used state-of-the-art computer vision tools that are becoming increasingly popular in high-energy physics. In this paper, we attempt to understand the potential of CNNs for event classification in the NEXT experiment, which will search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 136Xe. To do so, we demonstrate the usage of CNNs for the identification of electron-positron pair production events, which exhibit a topology similar to that of a neutrinoless double-beta decay event. These events were produced in the NEXT-White high-pressure xenon TPC using 2.6 MeV gamma rays from a 228Th calibration source. We train a network on Monte Carlo-simulated events and show that, by applying on-the-fly data augmentation, the network can be made robust against differences between simulation and data. The use of CNNs offers significant improvement in signal efficiency and background rejection when compared to previous non-CNN-based analyses. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
Published: 2021

29. Radio Frequency and DC High Voltage Breakdown of High Pressure Helium, Argon, and Xenon

Author: Woodruff, K., Baeza-Rubio, J., Huerta, D., Jones, B. J. P., McDonald, A. D., Norman, L., Nygren, D. R., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N. K., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Denisenko, A. A., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Foss Jr., F. W., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., González-Díaz, D., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Ghosh, S., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Johnston, S., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Garcia, Y. Rodriguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Thapa, P., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: Motivated by the possibility of guiding daughter ions from double beta decay events to single-ion sensors for barium tagging, the NEXT collaboration is developing a program of R&D to test radio frequency (RF) carpets for ion transport in high pressure xenon gas. This would require carpet functionality in regimes at higher pressures than have been previously reported, implying correspondingly larger electrode voltages than in existing systems. This mode of operation appears plausible for contemporary RF-carpet geometries due to the higher predicted breakdown strength of high pressure xenon relative to low pressure helium, the working medium in most existing RF carpet devices. In this paper we present the first measurements of the high voltage dielectric strength of xenon gas at high pressure and at the relevant RF frequencies for ion transport (in the 10 MHz range), as well as new DC and RF measurements of the dielectric strengths of high pressure argon and helium gases at small gap sizes. We find breakdown voltages that are compatible with stable RF carpet operation given the gas, pressure, voltage, materials and geometry of interest.
Published: 2019
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30. Low-diffusion Xe-He gas mixtures for rare-event detection: Electroluminescence Yield

Author: Fernandes, A. F. M., Henriques, C. A. O., Mano, R. D. P., González-Díaz, D., Azevedo, C. D. R., Silva, P. A. O. C., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Freitas, E. D. C., Fernandes, L. M. P., Monteiro, C. M. B., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carríon, J. V., Cebrían, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Díaz, J., Díaz, G., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Generowicz, J., Ghosh, S., Goldschmidt, A., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ifergan, Y., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., McDonald, A. D., Monrabal, F., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Psihas, F., Querol, M., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Physics - Applied Physics
Abstract: High pressure xenon Time Projection Chambers (TPC) based on secondary scintillation (electroluminescence) signal amplification are being proposed for rare event detection such as directional dark matter, double electron capture and double beta decay detection. The discrimination of the rare event through the topological signature of primary ionisation trails is a major asset for this type of TPC when compared to single liquid or double-phase TPCs, limited mainly by the high electron diffusion in pure xenon. Helium admixtures with xenon can be an attractive solution to reduce the electron diffusion significantly, improving the discrimination efficiency of these optical TPCs. We have measured the electroluminescence (EL) yield of Xe-He mixtures, in the range of 0 to 30% He and demonstrated the small impact on the EL yield of the addition of helium to pure xenon. For a typical reduced electric field of 2.5 kV/cm/bar in the scintillation region, the EL yield is lowered by ~ 2%, 3%, 6% and 10% for 10%, 15%, 20% and 30% of helium concentration, respectively. This decrease is less than what has been obtained from the most recent simulation framework in the literature. The impact of the addition of helium on EL statistical fluctuations is negligible, within the experimental uncertainties. The present results are an important benchmark for the simulation tools to be applied to future optical TPCs based on Xe-He mixtures.
Published: 2019

31. Radiogenic backgrounds in the NEXT double beta decay experiment

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Novella, P., Palmeiro, B., Sorel, M., Usón, A., Ferrario, P., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., López, G. Díaz, Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Ghosh, S., Goldschmidt, A., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ifergan, Y., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., McDonald, A. D., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Nygren, D. R., Para, A., Pérez, J., Psihas, F., Querol, M., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract: Natural radioactivity represents one of the main backgrounds in the search for neutrinoless double beta decay. Within the NEXT physics program, the radioactivity-induced backgrounds are measured with the NEXT-White detector. Data from 37.9 days of low-background operations at the Laboratorio Subterr\'aneo de Canfranc with xenon depleted in $^{136}$Xe are analyzed to derive a total background rate of (0.84$\pm$0.02) mHz above 1000 keV. The comparison of data samples with and without the use of the radon abatement system demonstrates that the contribution of airborne-Rn is negligible. A radiogenic background model is built upon the extensive radiopurity screening campaign conducted by the NEXT Collaboration. A spectral fit to this model yields the specific contributions of $^{60}$Co, $^{40}$K, $^{214}$Bi and $^{208}$Tl to the total background rate, as well as their location in the detector volumes. The results are used to evaluate the impact of the radiogenic backgrounds in the double beta decay analyses, after the application of topological cuts that reduce the total rate to (0.25$\pm$0.01) mHz. Based on the best-fit background model, the NEXT-White median sensitivity to the two-neutrino double beta decay is found to be 3.5$\sigma$ after 1 year of data taking. The background measurement in a Q$_{\beta\beta}\pm$100 keV energy window validates the best-fit background model also for the neutrinoless double beta decay search with NEXT-100. Only one event is found, while the model expectation is (0.75$\pm$0.12) events.
Published: 2019
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32. Energy calibration of the NEXT-White detector with 1% resolution near Q$_{\beta\beta}$ of $^{136}$Xe

Author: Renner, J., López, G. Díaz, Ferrario, P., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Kekic, M., Martínez-Lema, G., Monrabal, F., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Ghosh, S., Goldschmidt, A., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ifergan, Y., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., McDonald, A. D., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Psihas, F., Querol, M., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: Excellent energy resolution is one of the primary advantages of electroluminescent high pressure xenon TPCs, and searches for rare physics events such as neutrinoless double-beta decay ($\beta\beta0\nu$) require precise energy measurements. Using the NEXT-White detector, developed by the NEXT (Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC) collaboration, we show for the first time that an energy resolution of 1% FWHM can be achieved at 2.6 MeV, establishing the present technology as the one with the best energy resolution of all xenon detectors for $\beta\beta0\nu$ searches., Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures; accepted to JHEP
Published: 2019
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33. Demonstration of the event identification capabilities of the NEXT-White detector

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Ferrario, P., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., López, G. Díaz, Morata, J. A. Hernando, Kekic, M., Renner, J., Usón, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Borges, F. I. G. M., Byrnes, N., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Contreras, T., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Ghosh, S., Goldschmidt, A., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Ifergan, Y., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., McDonald, A. D., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Psihas, F., Querol, M., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J. T., Woodruff, K., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract: In experiments searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay, the possibility of identifying the two emitted electrons is a powerful tool in rejecting background events and therefore improving the overall sensitivity of the experiment. In this paper we present the first measurement of the efficiency of a cut based on the different event signatures of double and single electron tracks, using the data of the NEXT-White detector, the first detector of the NEXT experiment operating underground. Using a \TO\ calibration source to produce signal-like and background-like events with energies near 1.6 MeV, a signal efficiency of $71.6 \pm 1.5_{\textrm{ stat}} \pm 0.3_{\textrm{ sys}} \%$ for a background acceptance of $20.6 \pm 0.4_{\textrm{ stat}} \pm 0.3_{\textrm{ sys}} \%$ is found, in good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations. An extrapolation to the energy region of the neutrinoless double beta decay by means of Monte Carlo simulations is also carried out, and the results obtained show an improvement in background rejection over those obtained at lower energies., Comment: Accepted by JHEP
Published: 2019
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34. Electron Drift and Longitudinal Diffusion in High Pressure Xenon-Helium Gas Mixtures

Author: McDonald, A. D., Woodruff, K., Atoum, B. Al, González-Díaz, D., Jones, B. J. P., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I. J., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C. A. N., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, P., Herrero, V., Johnston, S., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., MuñozVidal, J., Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Garcia, Y. Rodriguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: We report new measurements of the drift velocity and longitudinal diffusion coefficients of electrons in pure xenon gas and in xenon-helium gas mixtures at 1-9 bar and electric field strengths of 50-300 V/cm. In pure xenon we find excellent agreement with world data at all $E/P$, for both drift velocity and diffusion coefficients. However, a larger value of the longitudinal diffusion coefficient than theoretical predictions is found at low $E/P$ in pure xenon, below the range of reduced fields usually probed by TPC experiments. A similar effect is observed in xenon-helium gas mixtures at somewhat larger $E/P$. Drift velocities in xenon-helium mixtures are found to be theoretically well predicted. Although longitudinal diffusion in xenon-helium mixtures is found to be larger than anticipated, extrapolation based on the measured longitudinal diffusion coefficients suggest that the use of helium additives to reduce transverse diffusion in xenon gas remains a promising prospect.
Published: 2019
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35. Low-diffusion Xe-He gas mixtures for rare-event detection: electroluminescence yield

Author: Fernandes, AFM, Henriques, CAO, Mano, RDP, González-Díaz, D, Azevedo, CDR, Silva, PAOC, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, Freitas, EDC, Fernandes, LMP, Monteiro, CMB, Adams, C, Álvarez, V, Arazi, L, Arnquist, IJ, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrián, S, Church, E, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Díaz, G, Díaz, J, Diesburg, M, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Ferrario, P, Ferreira, AL, Generowicz, J, Ghosh, S, Goldschmidt, A, Guenette, R, Gutiérrez, RM, Haefner, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Hernando Morata, JA, Herrero, P, Herrero, V, Ifergan, Y, Johnston, S, Jones, BJP, Kekic, M, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez, A, Martínez-Lema, G, McDonald, AD, Monrabal, F, Mora, FJ, Muñoz Vidal, J, Novella, P, Nygren, DR, Palmeiro, B, Para, A, Pérez, J, Psihas, F, Querol, M, Renner, J, Repond, J, Riordan, S, Ripoll, L, Rodríguez García, Y, Rodríguez, J, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sofka, C, Sorel, M, Stiegler, T, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Usón, A, Veloso, JFCA, Webb, R, Weiss-Babai, R, White, JT, Woodruff, K, and Yahlali, N
Subjects: Prevention, Mathematical Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics
Abstract: High pressure xenon Time Projection Chambers (TPC) based on secondary scintillation (electroluminescence) signal amplification are being proposed for rare event detection such as directional dark matter, double electron capture and double beta decay detection. The discrimination of the rare event through the topological signature of primary ionisation trails is a major asset for this type of TPC when compared to single liquid or double-phase TPCs, limited mainly by the high electron diffusion in pure xenon. Helium admixtures with xenon can be an attractive solution to reduce the electron diffu- sion significantly, improving the discrimination efficiency of these optical TPCs. We have measured the electroluminescence (EL) yield of Xe–He mixtures, in the range of 0 to 30% He and demonstrated the small impact on the EL yield of the addition of helium to pure xenon. For a typical reduced electric field of 2.5 kV/cm/bar in the EL region, the EL yield is lowered by ∼ 2%, 3%, 6% and 10% for 10%, 15%, 20% and 30% of helium concentration, respectively. This decrease is less than what has been obtained from the most recent simulation framework in the literature. The impact of the addition of helium on EL statistical fluctuations is negligible, within the experimental uncertainties. The present results are an important benchmark for the simulation tools to be applied to future optical TPCs based on Xe-He mixtures. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
Published: 2020

36. Study of the loss of Xenon Scintillation in Xenon-Trimethylamine Mixtures

Author: Trindade, A. M. F., Escada, J., Cortez, A. F. V., Borges, F. I. G. M., Santos, F. P., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Azevedo, C. D. R., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Botas, A., Cárcel, S., Carríon, J. V., Cebrián, S., Conde, C. A. N., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernandez, A. I., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, V., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., Liubarsky, I., López-March, N., Losada, M., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez, A., McDonald, A. D., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Moutinho, L. M., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Musti, M., Nebot-Guinot, M., Novella, P., Nygrenq, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Tsamalaidze, Z., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., White, J. T., and Yahlalid, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: This work investigates the capability of TMA ((CH3)3N) molecules to shift the wavelength of Xe VUV emission (160-188 nm) to a longer, more manageable, wavelength (260-350 nm). Light emitted from a Xe lamp was passed through a gas chamber filled with Xe-TMA mixtures at 800 Torr and detected with a photomultiplier tube. Using bandpass filters in the proper transmission ranges, no reemitted light was observed experimentally. Considering the detection limit of the experimental system, if reemission by TMA molecules occurs, it is below 0.3% of the scintillation absorbed in the 160-188 nm range. An absorption coefficient value for xenon VUV light by TMA of 0.43+/-0.03 cm-1.Torr-1 was also obtained. These results can be especially important for experiments considering TMA as a molecular additive to Xe in large volume optical time projection chambers., Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables
Published: 2018
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37. Initial results on energy resolution of the NEXT-White detector

Author: Renner, J., Ferrario, P., Martínez-Lema, G., Monrabal, F., Para, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Botas, A., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Conde, C. A. N., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernandez, A. I., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, V., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., McDonald, A. D., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Musti, M., Nebot-Guinot, M., Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Pérez, J., Psihas, F., Querol, M., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: One of the major goals of the NEXT-White (NEW) detector is to demonstrate the energy resolution that an electroluminescent high pressure xenon TPC can achieve for high energy tracks. For this purpose, energy calibrations with 137Cs and 232Th sources have been carried out as a part of the long run taken with the detector during most of 2017. This paper describes the initial results obtained with those calibrations, showing excellent linearity and an energy resolution that extrapolates to approximately 1% FWHM at Q$_{\beta\beta}$., Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, Accepted for publication in JINST
Published: 2018
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38. Electroluminescence TPCs at the thermal diffusion limit

Author: Henriques, C. A. O., Monteiro, C. M. B., González-Díaz, D., Azevedo, C. D. R, Freitas, E. D. C., Mano, R. D. P., Jorge, M. R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Fernandes, L. M. P., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Botas, A., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Conde, C. A. N., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Hernandez, A. I., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, V., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., McDonald, A., Monrabal, F., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Musti, M., Nebot-Guinot, M., Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Psihas, F., Querol, M., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract: The NEXT experiment aims at searching for the hypothetical neutrinoless double-beta decay from the ${}^{136}$Xe isotope using a high-purity xenon TPC. Efficient discrimination of the events through pattern recognition of the topology of primary ionisation tracks is a major requirement for the experiment. However, it is limited by the diffusion of electrons. It is known that the addition of a small fraction of a molecular gas to xenon reduces electron diffusion. On the other hand, the electroluminescence (EL) yield drops and the achievable energy resolution may be compromised. We have studied the effect of adding several molecular gases to xenon (CO${}_{2}$, CH${}_{4}$ and CF${}_{4}$) on the EL yield and energy resolution obtained in a small prototype of driftless gas proportional scintillation counter. We have compared our results on the scintillation characteristics (EL yield and energy resolution) with a microscopic simulation, obtaining the diffusion coefficients in those conditions as well. Accordingly, electron diffusion may be reduced from about 10 mm/$\sqrt{\mathrm{m}}$ for pure xenon down to 2.5 mm/$\sqrt{\mathrm{m}}$ using additive concentrations of about 0.05%, 0.2% and 0.02% for CO${}_{2}$, CH${}_{4}$ and CF${}_{4}$, respectively. Our results show that CF${}_{4}$ admixtures present the highest EL yield in those conditions, but very poor energy resolution as a result of huge fluctuations observed in the EL formation. CH${}_{4}$ presents the best energy resolution despite the EL yield being the lowest. The results obtained with xenon admixtures are extrapolated to the operational conditions of the NEXT-100 TPC. CO${}_{2}$ and CH${}_{4}$ show potential as molecular additives in a large xenon TPC, CH${}_{4}$ showing the best performance and stability to be used in the NEXT-100 TPC, with an extrapolated energy resolution of 0.4% at 2.45 MeV for concentrations below 0.4%., Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures
Published: 2018
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39. The Next White (NEW) detector

Author: Monrabal, F., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Toledo, J. F., Álvarez, V., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Herrero, V., Laing, A., Martínez, A., Musti, M., Querol, M., Rodríguez, J., Simón, A., Sofka, C., Torrent, J., Webb, R., White, J. T., Adams, C., Arazi, L., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Borges, F. I. G. M., Botas, A., Cebrián, S., Conde, C. A. N., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Goldschmidt, A., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernandez, A. I., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Labarga, L., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., McDonald, A. D., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Munoz, Nebot-Guinot, M., Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Romo, C., Ripoll, L., Rogers, L., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Veloso, J. F. C. A., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract: Conceived to host 5 kg of xenon at a pressure of 15 bar in the fiducial volume, the NEXT- White (NEW) apparatus is currently the largest high pressure xenon gas TPC using electroluminescent amplification in the world. It is also a 1:2 scale model of the NEXT-100 detector scheduled to start searching for $\beta\beta 0\nu$ decays in 136Xe in 2019. Both detectors measure the energy of the event using a plane of photomultipliers located behind a transparent cathode. They can also reconstruct the trajectories of charged tracks in the dense gas of the TPC with the help of a plane of silicon photomultipliers located behind the anode. A sophisticated gas system, common to both detectors, allows the high gas purity needed to guarantee a long electron lifetime. NEXT-White has been operating since October 2017 at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC), in Spain. This paper describes the detector and associated infrastructures.
Published: 2018
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40. Electron drift properties in high pressure gaseous xenon

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Simón, A., Felkai, R., Martínez-Lema, G., Monrabal, F., González-Díaz, D., Sorel, M., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Azevedo, C. D. R., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Botas, A., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Conde, C. A. N., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernandez, A. I., Herrero, V., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., McDonald, A. D., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Musti, M., Nebot-Guinot, M., Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romo, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Sofka, C., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: Gaseous time projection chambers (TPC) are a very attractive detector technology for particle tracking. Characterization of both drift velocity and diffusion is of great importance to correctly assess their tracking capabilities. NEXT-White is a High Pressure Xenon gas TPC with electroluminescent amplification, a 1:2 scale model of the future NEXT-100 detector, which will be dedicated to neutrinoless double beta decay searches. NEXT-White has been operating at Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC) since December 2016. The drift parameters have been measured using $^{83m}$Kr for a range of reduced drift fields at two different pressure regimes, namely 7.2 bar and 9.1 bar. The results have been compared with Magboltz simulations. Agreement at the 5% level or better has been found for drift velocity, longitudinal diffusion and transverse diffusion., Comment: 22 pages, 17 figures
Published: 2018
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41. Calibration of the NEXT-White detector using $^{83m}\mathrm{Kr}$ decays

Author: Martínez-Lema, G., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Palmeiro, B., Botas, A., Ferrario, P., Monrabal, F., Laing, A., Renner, J., Simón, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Azevedo, C. D. R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Conde, C. A. N., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernandez, A. I., Herrero, V., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., McDonald, A. D., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Musti, M., Nebot-Guinot, M., Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romo, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., White, J. T., and Yahlalib, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract: The NEXT-White (NEW) detector is currently the largest radio-pure high-pressure xenon gas time projection chamber with electroluminescent readout in the world. NEXT-White has been operating at Laboratorio Subterr\'aneo de Canfranc (LSC) since October 2016. This paper describes the calibrations performed with $^{83m}\mathrm{Kr}$ decays during a long run taken from March to November 2017 (Run II). Krypton calibrations are used to correct for the finite drift-electron lifetime as well as for the dependence of the measured energy on the event position which is mainly caused by variations in solid angle coverage. After producing calibration maps to correct for both effects we measure an excellent energy resolution for 41.5 keV point-like deposits of (4.553 $\pm$ 0.010 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.324 (sys.)) % FWHM in the full chamber and (3.804 $\pm$ 0.013 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.112 (sys.)) % FWHM in a restricted fiducial volume. Using naive 1/$\sqrt{E}$ scaling, these values translate into resolutions of (0.516 $\pm$ 0.0014 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.0421 (sys.)) % FWHM and (0.4943 $\pm$ 0.0017 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.0146 (sys.)) % FWHM at the $Q_{\beta\beta}$ energy of xenon double beta decay (2458 keV), well within range of our target value of 1%., Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures
Published: 2018
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42. Measurement of radon-induced backgrounds in the NEXT double beta decay experiment

Author: NEXT Collaboration, Novella, P., Palmeiro, B., Simón, A., Sorel, M., Adams, C., Ferrario, P., Martínez-Lema, G., Monrabal, F., Zuzel, G., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Azevedo, C. D. R, Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Botas, A., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Conde, C. A. N., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, A. F. M., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernandez, A. I., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, V., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R. D. P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., McDonald, A., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Musti, M., Nebot-Guinot, M., Nygren, D. R., Para, A., Pérez, J., Psihas, F., Querol, M., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Sofka, C., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: The measurement of the internal $^{222}$Rn activity in the NEXT-White detector during the so-called Run-II period with $^{136}$Xe-depleted xenon is discussed in detail, together with its implications for double beta decay searches in NEXT. The activity is measured through the alpha production rate induced in the fiducial volume by $^{222}$Rn and its alpha-emitting progeny. The specific activity is measured to be $(38.1\pm 2.2~\mathrm{(stat.)}\pm 5.9~\mathrm{(syst.)})$~mBq/m$^3$. Radon-induced electrons have also been characterized from the decay of the $^{214}$Bi daughter ions plating out on the cathode of the time projection chamber. From our studies, we conclude that radon-induced backgrounds are sufficiently low to enable a successful NEXT-100 physics program, as the projected rate contribution should not exceed 0.1~counts/yr in the neutrinoless double beta decay sample., Comment: 28 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables. Version accepted for publication in JHEP
Published: 2018

43. Demonstration of the event identification capabilities of the NEXT-White detector

Author: Ferrario, P, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Díaz López, G, Hernando Morata, JA, Kekic, M, Renner, J, Usón, A, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, Adams, C, Álvarez, V, Arazi, L, Arnquist, IJ, Azevedo, CDR, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Borges, FIGM, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrían, S, Church, E, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Díaz, J, Diesburg, M, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Fernandes, AFM, Fernandes, LMP, Ferreira, AL, Freitas, EDC, Generowicz, J, Ghosh, S, Goldschmidt, A, González-Díaz, D, Guenette, R, Gutíerrez, RM, Haefner, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Henriques, CAO, Herrero, P, Herrero, V, Ifergan, Y, Johnston, S, Jones, BJP, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Mano, RDP, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez, A, Martínez-Lema, G, McDonald, AD, Monrabal, F, Monteiro, CMB, Mora, FJ, Muñoz Vidal, J, Novella, P, Nygren, DR, Palmeiro, B, Para, A, Pérez, J, Psihas, F, Querol, M, Repond, J, Riordan, S, Ripoll, L, Rodríguez García, Y, Rodríguez, J, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sofka, C, Sorel, M, Stiegler, T, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Veloso, JFCA, Webb, R, Weiss-Babai, R, White, JT, Woodruff, K, and Yahlali, N
Subjects: Mathematical Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics
Abstract: In experiments searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay, the possibility of identifying the two emitted electrons is a powerful tool in rejecting background events and therefore improving the overall sensitivity of the experiment. In this paper we present the first measurement of the efficiency of a cut based on the different event signatures of double and single electron tracks, using the data of the NEXT-White detector, the first detector of the NEXT experiment operating underground. Using a 228Th calibration source to produce signal-like and background-like events with energies near 1.6 MeV, a signal efficiency of 71.6 ± 1.5 stat± 0.3 sys% for a background acceptance of 20.6 ± 0.4 stat± 0.3 sys% is found, in good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations. An extrapolation to the energy region of the neutrinoless double beta decay by means of Monte Carlo simulations is also carried out, and the results obtained show an improvement in background rejection over those obtained at lower energies. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
Published: 2019

44. Radiogenic backgrounds in the NEXT double beta decay experiment

Author: Novella, P, Palmeiro, B, Sorel, M, Usón, A, Ferrario, P, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, Adams, C, Álvarez, V, Arazi, L, Arnquist, IJ, Azevedo, CDR, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrían, S, Church, E, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Díaz, G, Díaz, J, Diesburg, M, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Fernandes, AFM, Fernandes, LMP, Ferreira, AL, Freitas, EDC, Generowicz, J, Ghosh, S, Goldschmidt, A, Gonźalez-Díaz, D, Guenette, R, Gutiérrez, RM, Haefner, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Henriques, CAO, Hernando Morata, JA, Herrero, P, Herrero, V, Ifergan, Y, Johnston, S, Jones, BJP, Kekic, M, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Mano, RDP, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez, A, Martínez-Lema, G, McDonald, AD, Monrabal, F, Monteiro, CMB, Mora, FJ, Muñoz Vidal, J, Nygren, DR, Para, A, Pérez, J, Psihas, F, Querol, M, Renner, J, Repond, J, Riordan, S, Ripoll, L, Rodríguez García, Y, Rodríguez, J, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sofka, C, Stiegler, T, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Veloso, JFCA, Webb, R, Weiss-Babai, R, White, JT, Woodruff, K, and Yahlali, N
Subjects: Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay, Mathematical Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Mathematical physics, Nuclear and plasma physics, Particle and high energy physics
Abstract: Natural radioactivity represents one of the main backgrounds in the search for neutrinoless double beta decay. Within the NEXT physics program, the radioactivity- induced backgrounds are measured with the NEXT-White detector. Data from 37.9 days of low-background operations at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc with xenon depleted in 136Xe are analyzed to derive a total background rate of (0.84±0.02) mHz above 1000 keV. The comparison of data samples with and without the use of the radon abatement system demonstrates that the contribution of airborne-Rn is negligible. A radiogenic background model is built upon the extensive radiopurity screening campaign conducted by the NEXT collaboration. A spectral fit to this model yields the specific contributions of 60Co, 40K, 214Bi and 208Tl to the total background rate, as well as their location in the detector volumes. The results are used to evaluate the impact of the radiogenic backgrounds in the double beta decay analyses, after the application of topological cuts that reduce the total rate to (0.25±0.01) mHz. Based on the best-fit background model, the NEXT-White median sensitivity to the two-neutrino double beta decay is found to be 3.5σ after 1 year of data taking. The background measurement in a Qββ±100 keV energy window validates the best-fit background model also for the neutrinoless double beta decay search with NEXT-100. Only one event is found, while the model expectation is (0.75±0.12) events. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
Published: 2019

45. Energy calibration of the NEXT-White detector with 1% resolution near Qββ of 136Xe

Author: Renner, J, Díaz López, G, Ferrario, P, Hernando Morata, JA, Kekic, M, Martínez-Lema, G, Monrabal, F, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, Adams, C, Álvarez, V, Arazi, L, Arnquist, IJ, Azevedo, CDR, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrián, S, Church, E, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Díaz, J, Diesburg, M, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Fernandes, AFM, Fernandes, LMP, Ferreira, AL, Freitas, EDC, Generowicz, J, Ghosh, S, Goldschmidt, A, González-Díaz, D, Guenette, R, Gutiérrez, RM, Haefner, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Henriques, CAO, Herrero, P, Herrero, V, Ifergan, Y, Johnston, S, Jones, BJP, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Mano, RDP, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez, A, McDonald, AD, Monteiro, CMB, Mora, FJ, Muñoz Vidal, J, Novella, P, Nygren, DR, Palmeiro, B, Para, A, Pérez, J, Psihas, F, Querol, M, Repond, J, Riordan, S, Ripoll, L, Rodríguez García, Y, Rodríguez, J, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sofka, C, Sorel, M, Stiegler, T, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Usón, A, Veloso, JFCA, Webb, R, Weiss-Babai, R, White, JT, Woodruff, K, and Yahlali, N
Subjects: Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Bioengineering, Affordable and Clean Energy, Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay, Mathematical Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Mathematical physics, Nuclear and plasma physics, Particle and high energy physics
Abstract: Excellent energy resolution is one of the primary advantages of electroluminescent high-pressure xenon TPCs. These detectors are promising tools in searching for rare physics events, such as neutrinoless double-beta decay (ββ0ν), which require precise energy measurements. Using the NEXT-White detector, developed by the NEXT (Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC) collaboration, we show for the first time that an energy resolution of 1% FWHM can be achieved at 2.6 MeV, establishing the present technology as the one with the best energy resolution of all xenon detectors for ββ0ν searches. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
Published: 2019

46. Energy calibration of the NEXT-White detector with 1% resolution near Q ββ of 136Xe

Author: Renner, J, Díaz López, G, Ferrario, P, Hernando Morata, JA, Kekic, M, Martínez-Lema, G, Monrabal, F, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, Adams, C, Álvarez, V, Arazi, L, Arnquist, IJ, Azevedo, CDR, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Byrnes, N, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrián, S, Church, E, Conde, CAN, Contreras, T, Díaz, J, Diesburg, M, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Fernandes, AFM, Fernandes, LMP, Ferreira, AL, Freitas, EDC, Generowicz, J, Ghosh, S, Goldschmidt, A, González-Díaz, D, Guenette, R, Gutiérrez, RM, Haefner, J, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Henriques, CAO, Herrero, P, Herrero, V, Ifergan, Y, Johnston, S, Jones, BJP, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Mano, RDP, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez, A, McDonald, AD, Monteiro, CMB, Mora, FJ, Muñoz Vidal, J, Novella, P, Nygren, DR, Palmeiro, B, Para, A, Pérez, J, Psihas, F, Querol, M, Repond, J, Riordan, S, Ripoll, L, Rodríguez García, Y, Rodríguez, J, Rogers, L, Romeo, B, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sofka, C, Sorel, M, Stiegler, T, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Usón, A, Veloso, JFCA, Webb, R, Weiss-Babai, R, White, JT, Woodruff, K, and Yahlali, N
Subjects: Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay, Bioengineering, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematical Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics
Abstract: Excellent energy resolution is one of the primary advantages of electroluminescent high-pressure xenon TPCs. These detectors are promising tools in searching for rare physics events, such as neutrinoless double-beta decay (ββ0ν), which require precise energy measurements. Using the NEXT-White detector, developed by the NEXT (Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC) collaboration, we show for the first time that an energy resolution of 1% FWHM can be achieved at 2.6 MeV, establishing the present technology as the one with the best energy resolution of all xenon detectors for ββ0ν searches. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
Published: 2019

47. Electroluminescence TPCs at the thermal diffusion limit

Author: Henriques, CAO, Monteiro, CMB, González-Díaz, D, Azevedo, CDR, Freitas, EDC, Mano, RDP, Jorge, MR, Fernandes, AFM, Gómez-Cadenas, JJ, Fernandes, LMP, Adams, C, Álvarez, V, Arazi, L, Bailey, K, Ballester, F, Benlloch-Rodríguez, JM, Borges, FIGM, Botas, A, Cárcel, S, Carrión, JV, Cebrián, S, Conde, CAN, Díaz, J, Diesburg, M, Escada, J, Esteve, R, Felkai, R, Ferrario, P, Ferreira, AL, Generowicz, J, Goldschmidt, A, Guenette, R, Gutiérrez, RM, Hafidi, K, Hauptman, J, Hernandez, AI, Hernando Morata, JA, Herrero, V, Johnston, S, Jones, BJP, Kekic, M, Labarga, L, Laing, A, Lebrun, P, López-March, N, Losada, M, Martín-Albo, J, Martínez, A, Martínez-Lema, G, McDonald, A, Monrabal, F, Mora, FJ, Muñoz Vidal, J, Musti, M, Nebot-Guinot, M, Novella, P, Nygren, DR, Palmeiro, B, Para, A, Pérez, J, Psihas, F, Querol, M, Renner, J, Repond, J, Riordan, S, Ripoll, L, Rodríguez, J, Rogers, L, Romo-Luque, C, Santos, FP, dos Santos, JMF, Simón, A, Sofka, C, Sorel, M, Stiegler, T, Toledo, JF, Torrent, J, Veloso, JFCA, Webb, R, White, JT, and Yahlali, N
Subjects: Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay, Photon production, Particle correlations and fluctuations, Rare decay, Mathematical Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Mathematical physics, Nuclear and plasma physics, Particle and high energy physics
Abstract: The NEXT experiment aims at searching for the hypothetical neutrinoless double-beta decay from the 136Xe isotope using a high-purity xenon TPC. Efficient discrimination of the events through pattern recognition of the topology of primary ionisation tracks is a major requirement for the experiment. However, it is limited by the diffusion of electrons. It is known that the addition of a small fraction of a molecular gas to xenon reduces electron diffusion. On the other hand, the electroluminescence (EL) yield drops and the achievable energy resolution may be compromised. We have studied the effect of adding several molecular gases to xenon (CO2, CH4 and CF4) on the EL yield and energy resolution obtained in a small prototype of driftless gas proportional scintillation counter. We have compared our results on the scintillation characteristics (EL yield and energy resolution) with a microscopic simulation, obtaining the diffusion coefficients in those conditions as well. Accordingly, electron diffusion may be reduced from about 10 mm/m for pure xenon down to 2.5 mm/m using additive concentrations of about 0.05%, 0.2% and 0.02% for CO2, CH4 and CF4, respectively. Our results show that CF4 admixtures present the highest EL yield in those conditions, but very poor energy resolution as a result of huge fluctuations observed in the EL formation. CH4 presents the best energy resolution despite the EL yield being the lowest. The results obtained with xenon admixtures are extrapolated to the operational conditions of the NEXT-100 TPC. CO2 and CH4 show potential as molecular additives in a large xenon TPC. While CO2 has some operational constraints, making it difficult to be used in a large TPC, CH4 shows the best performance and stability as molecular additive to be used in the NEXT-100 TPC, with an extrapolated energy resolution of 0.4% at 2.45 MeV for concentrations below 0.4%, which is only slightly worse than the one obtained for pure xenon. We demonstrate the possibility to have an electroluminescence TPC operating very close to the thermal diffusion limit without jeopardizing the TPC performance, if CO2 or CH4 are chosen as additives.[Figure not available: see fulltext.]
Published: 2019

48. The dynamics of ions on phased radio-frequency carpets in high pressure gases and application for barium tagging in xenon gas time projection chambers

Author: Jones, B.J.P., Raymond, A., Woodruff, K., Byrnes, N., Denisenko, A.A., Foss, F.W., Navarro, K., Nygren, D.R., Vuong, T.T., Adams, C., Almazán, H., Álvarez, V., Aparicio, B., Aranburu, A.I., Arazi, L., Arnquist, I.J., Ayet, S., Azevedo, C.D.R., Bailey, K., Ballester, F., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J.M., Borges, F.I.G.M., Bounasser, S., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J.V., Cebrián, S., Church, E., Conde, C.A.N., Contreras, T., Cossío, F.P., Díaz, G., Díaz, J., Dickel, T., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Fahs, A., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L.M.P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A.L., Freitas, E.D.C., Freixa, Z., Generowicz, J., Goldschmidt, A., Gómez-Cadenas, J.J., González, R., González-Díaz, D., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R.M., Haefner, J., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C.A.O., Morata, J.A. Hernando, Herrero-Gómez, P., Herrero, V., Ho, J., Ifergan, Y., Kekic, M., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., Gutierrez, D. Lopez, López-March, N., Losada, M., Mano, R.D.P., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez, A., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez-Vara, M., McDonald, A.D., Meziani, Z.E., Mistry, K., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C.M.B., Mora, F.J., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Novella, P., Oblak, E., Odriozola-Gimeno, M., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Redwine, A.B., Renner, J., Ripoll, L., Rivilla, I., García, Y. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, J., Rogero, C., Rogers, L., Romeo, B., Romo-Luque, C., Santos, F.P., dos Santos, J.M.F., Simón, A., Sorel, M., Stanford, C., Teixeira, J.M.R., Thapa, P., Toledo, J.F., Torrent, J., Usón, A., Veloso, J.F.C.A., Webb, R., Weiss-Babai, R., White, J.T., and Yahlali, N.
Published: 2022
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49. Demonstration of Single Barium Ion Sensitivity for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay using Single Molecule Fluorescence Imaging

Author: McDonald, A. D., Jones, B. J. P., Nygren, D. R., Adams, C., Alvarez, V., Azevedo, C. D. R., Benlloch-Rodrıguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Botas, A., Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., Cebrian, S., Conde, C. A. N., Dıaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Felkai, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Goldschmidt, A., Gomez-Cadenas, J. J., Gonzalez-Dıaz, D., Gutierrez, R. M., Guenette, R., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernandez, A. I., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, V., Johnston, S., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., Liubarsky, I., Lopez-March, N., Losada, M., Martın-Albo, J., Martınez-Lema, G., Martınez, A., Monrabal, F., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Moutinho, L. M., Vidal, J. Munoz, Musti, M., Nebot-Guinot, M., Novella, P., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Perez, J., Querol, M., Repond, J., Renner, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Rodrıguez, J., Rogers, L., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simon, A., Sofka, C., Sorel, M., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Tsamalaidze, Z., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: A new method to tag the barium daughter in the double beta decay of $^{136}$Xe is reported. Using the technique of single molecule fluorescent imaging (SMFI), individual barium dication (Ba$^{++}$) resolution at a transparent scanning surface has been demonstrated. A single-step photo-bleach confirms the single ion interpretation. Individual ions are localized with super-resolution ($\sim$2~nm), and detected with a statistical significance of 12.9~$\sigma$ over backgrounds. This lays the foundation for a new and potentially background-free neutrinoless double beta decay technology, based on SMFI coupled to high pressure xenon gas time projection chambers., Comment: Accepted by PRL
Published: 2017
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50. Helium-Xenon mixtures to improve topological signature in high pressure gas Xenon TPCs

Author: Felkai, R., Monrabal, F., Gonzalez-Díaz, D., Sorel, M., López-March, N., Gómez-Cadenas, J. J., Adams, C., Álvarez, V., Arazi, L., Azevedo, C. D. R., Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M., Borges, F. I. G. M., Botas, A., Cárcel, S., Carrión, J. V., Cebrián, S., Conde, C. A. N., Díaz, J., Diesburg, M., Escada, J., Esteve, R., Fernandes, L. M. P., Ferrario, P., Ferreira, A. L., Freitas, E. D. C., Goldschmidt, A., Guenette, R., Gutiérrez, R. M., Hafidi, K., Hauptman, J., Henriques, C. A. O., Hernandez, A. I., Morata, J. A. Hernando, Herrero, V., Johnston, S., Jones, B. J. P., Labarga, L., Laing, A., Lebrun, P., Losada, M., Martín-Albo, J., Martínez-Lema, G., Martínez, A., McDonald, A. D., Monteiro, C. M. B., Mora, F. J., Moutinho, L. M., Vidal, J. Muñoz, Musti, M., Nebot-Guinot, M., Novella, P., Nygren, D. R., Palmeiro, B., Para, A., Pérez, J., Querol, M., Renner, J., Repond, J., Riordan, S., Ripoll, L., Romo, C., Rodríguez, J., Rogers, L., Santos, F. P., Santos, J. M. F. dos, Simón, A., Sofka, C., Stiegler, T., Toledo, J. F., Torrent, J., Tsamalaidze, Z., Veloso, J. F. C. A., Webb, R., White, J. T., and Yahlali, N.
Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract: Within the framework of xenon-based double beta decay experiments, we propose the possibility to improve the background rejection of an electroluminescent Time Projection Chamber (EL TPC) by reducing the diffusion of the drifting electrons while keeping nearly intact the energy resolution of a pure xenon EL TPC. Based on state-of-the-art microscopic simulations, a substantial addition of helium, around 10 or 15~\%, may reduce drastically the transverse diffusion down to 2.5~mm/$\sqrt{\mathrm{m}}$ from the 10.5~mm/$\sqrt{\mathrm{m}}$ of pure xenon. The longitudinal diffusion remains around 4~mm/$\sqrt{\mathrm{m}}$. Light production studies have been performed as well. They show that the relative variation in energy resolution introduced by such a change does not exceed a few percent, which leaves the energy resolution practically unchanged. The technical caveats of using photomultipliers close to an helium atmosphere are also discussed in detail., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures
Published: 2017
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