Search

We have combined two low-threshold detector technologies to develop a large-mass, low-threshold detector system that simultaneously measures the athermal phonons in a sapphire detector while an adjacent silicon high-voltage detector detects the scintillation light from the sapphire detector. This detector system could provide event-by-event discrimination between electron and nuclear events due to the difference in their scintillation light yield. While such systems with simultaneous phonon and light detection have been demonstrated earlier with smaller detectors, our system is designed to provide a large detector mass with high amplification for the limited scintillation light. Future work will focus on at least an order of magnitude improvement in the light collection efficiency by having a highly reflective detector housing and custom phonon mask design to maximize light collection by the silicon high-voltage detector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed Mitchell Institute Neutrino Experiment at Reactor (MINER) experiment at the Nuclear Science Center at Texas A&M University will search for coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering within close proximity (about 2 m) of a 1 MW TRIGA nuclear reactor core using low threshold, cryogenic germanium and silicon detectors. Given the Standard Model cross section of the scattering process and the proposed experimental proximity to the reactor, as many as 5–20 events/kg/day are expected. We discuss the status of preliminary measurements to characterize the main backgrounds for the proposed experiment. Both in situ measurements at the experimental site and simulations using the MCNP and GEANT4 codes are described. A strategy for monitoring backgrounds during data taking is briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the fabrication and performance of an annular, cryogenic, phonon-mediated veto detector that can host an inner target detector, allowing substantial reduction in radiogenic backgrounds for rare event search experiments. A germanium veto detector of mass ∼ 500 g with an outer diameter of 76 mm and an inner diameter of 28 mm was produced inside of which was mounted a 25 mm diameter germanium inner target detector of mass ∼ 10 g. The detector was designed using inputs from a GEANT4 based simulation, where it was modeled to be sandwiched between two germanium detectors. The simulation showed that the background rates (dominated by gamma interactions) could be reduced by > 90%, and that such an arrangement is sufficient for aggressive background reduction needed for neutrino and dark matter search experiments. Operating at mK temperatures at the experimental site, the veto detector prototype achieved a baseline resolution of 1.24 ± 0.02 keV while hosting a functional inner target detector. The baseline resolution of the inner target detector was 147 ± 2 eV. The experimental results of an identical detector arrangement are in excellent agreement with the simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large mass single electron resolution solid state detectors are desirable to search for low mass dark matter candidates and to measure coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering (CE ν NS). Here, we present results from a novel 100 g phonon-mediated Si detector with a new interface architecture. This detector gives a baseline resolution of ∼ 1 e − ∕ h + pair and a leakage current on the order of 1 0 − 16 A. This was achieved by removing the direct electrical contact between the Si crystal and the metallic electrode, and by increasing the phonon absorption efficiency of the sensors. The phonon signal amplification in the detector shows a linear increase while the signal to noise ratio improves with bias voltage, up to 240 V. This feature enables the detector to operate at a low energy threshold which is beneficial for dark matter and CE ν NS like searches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistivity, thermoelectric power, heat capacity, and magnetization for samples of RuSr2(Gd1.5Ce0.5)Cu2O10-δ were investigated in the temperature range 1.8–300 K with a magnetic field up to 8 T. The resistive transitions to the superconducting state are found to be determined by the inhomogeneous (granular) structure, characterized by the intragranular, Tc0, and intergranular, Tcg, transition temperatures. Heat capacity, C(T), shows a jump at the superconducting transition temperature Tc0≈37.5 K. A Schottky-type anomaly is found in C(T) below 20 K. This low-temperature anomaly can be attributed to splitting of the ground term 8S7/2 of paramagnetic Gd3+ ions by internal and external magnetic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first demonstration of a phonon-mediated silicon detector technology that provides a primary phonon measurement in a low-voltage region, and a simultaneous indirect measurement of the ionization signal through Neganov–Trofimov–Luke amplification in a high voltage region, both in a monolithic crystal. We present characterization of charge and phonon transport between the two stages of the detector and the resulting background discrimination capability at low energies. This new detector technology has the potential to significantly enhance the sensitivity of dark matter and coherent neutrino scattering experiments beyond the capabilities of current technologies that have limited discrimination at low energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]