Backgrounds and sensitivity of the NEXT double beta decay experiment

Nebot-Guinot, M.; Ferrario, P.; Martín-Albo, J.; Vidal, J. Muñoz; Gómez-Cadenas, J.J.

doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysbps.2015.10.006

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…The NEXT background model, which will be fully validated with NEW, predicts a background rate of 5 × 10 −4 cts keV −1 kg −1 yr −1 in the ROI [9,10]. The energy resolution for NEXT-100 is assumed to be 0.7% FWHM at Q ββ (∼ 17 keV).…”

Section: Jinst 10 P12020mentioning

confidence: 99%

Improved background rejection in neutrinoless double beta decay experiments using a magnetic field in a high pressure xenon TPC

Renner¹,

Hernando²,

Imzaylov³

et al. 2015

J. Inst.

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We demonstrate that the application of an external magnetic field could lead to an improved background rejection in neutrinoless double-beta (0νβ β ) decay experiments using a highpressure xenon (HPXe) TPC. HPXe chambers are capable of imaging electron tracks, a feature that enhances the separation between signal events (the two electrons emitted in the 0νβ β decay of 136 Xe) and background events, arising chiefly from single electrons of kinetic energy compatible with the end-point of the 0νβ β decay (Q β β ). Applying an external magnetic field of sufficiently high intensity (in the range of 0.5-1 Tesla for operating pressures in the range of 5-15 atmospheres) causes the electrons to produce helical tracks. Assuming the tracks can be properly reconstructed, the sign (direction) of curvature can be determined at several points along these tracks, and such information can be used to separate signal (0νβ β ) events containing two electrons producing a track with two different directions of curvature from background (single-electron) events producing a track that should spiral in a single direction. Due to electron multiple scattering, this strategy is not perfectly efficient on an event-by-event basis, but a statistical estimator can be constructed which can be used to reject background events by one order of magnitude at a moderate cost (∼30%) in signal efficiency. Combining this estimator with the excellent energy resolution and topological signature identification characteristic of the HPXe TPC, it is possible to reach a background rate of less than one count per ton-year of exposure. Such a low background rate is an essential feature of the next generation of 0νβ β experiments, aiming to fully explore the inverse hierarchy of neutrino masses.

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Section: Jinst 10 P12020mentioning

confidence: 99%

Improved background rejection in neutrinoless double beta decay experiments using a magnetic field in a high pressure xenon TPC

Renner¹,

Hernando²,

Imzaylov³

et al. 2015

J. Inst.

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“…Detectors based on noble elements have become widespread in many applications such as Compton telescopes [1][2][3], ionization calorimeters [4][5][6], neutrinoless double-beta-decay searches [7][8][9][10], and direct dark matter detection experiments [11][12][13][14][15]. Radiationinduced recoils in the detector medium produce scintillation and ionization signals that are read out by photosensors or charge sensors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetically-coupled piston pump for high-purity gas applications

Brown¹,

Buss²,

Fieguth³

et al. 2018

Eur. Phys. J. C

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Experiments based on noble elements such as gaseous or liquid argon or xenon utilize the ionization and scintillation properties of the target materials to detect radiation-induced recoils. A requirement for high light and charge yields is to reduce electronegative impurities well below the ppb (parts per billion, 1 ppb = 1 × 10 −9 mol/mol) level. To achieve this, the target material is continuously circulated in the gas phase through a purifier and returned to the detector. Additionally, the low backgrounds necessary dictate low-Rn-emanation rates from all components that contact the gas. Since commercial pumps often introduce electronegative impurities from lubricants on internal components or through small air leaks, and are not designed to meet the radiopurity requirements, custom-built pumps are an advantageous alternative. A new pump has been developed in Muenster in cooperation with the nEXO group at Stanford University and the nEXO/XENON group at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute based on a magnetically-coupled piston in a hermetically sealed low-Rn-emanating vessel. This pump delivers high performance for noble gases, reaching more than 210 standard liters per minute (slpm) with argon and more than 170 slpm with xenon while maintaining a compression of up to 1.9 bar, demonstrating its capability for noble gas detectors and other applications requiring high standards of gas purity. a

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“…The experiment will take advantage of event topology in order to reject backgrounds, which, combined with a demonstrated energy resolution of < 1% [64] at the 136 Xe Q-value, gives an expected background index of ∼ 5 × 10 −4 kg −1 y −1 keV −1 (FWHM ROI). The expected sensitivity is ∼ 1 × 10 26 y after 5 years of running [63]. The Table 3.1: Experimental limits on the 0νββ-decay half-lives produced by the GERDA, CUORICINO, KamLAND-ZEN, and EXO-200 collaborations.…”

Section: Time Projection Chambersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Observation of Singly Charged Barium Ions in a Buffer Gas: Towards a Functional Barium-Tagging System for Use in the Enriched Xenon Observatory

Killick¹

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The observation of the rare neutrinoless-double-beta-decay will have major implications for both neutrino physics and particle physics as a whole. In particular, a positive observation will conrm the Majorana nature of the neutrino and demonstrate that lepton number is not a strictly conserved quantity. Furthermore, a measurement of the half-life of the decay will lend itself to a measurement of the absolute mass scale of the neutrino. In this work, the sensitivity to observing the neutrinoless-double-beta-decay of 136 Xe is analyzed for the EXO experiment, and the benets of the inclusion of a barium-tagging system in a future tonne-scale detector are demonstrated. In addition, the sensitivity to single barium ion identication is analyzed for two dierent methods of observation: continuous excitation and intermodulation. The intermodulation technique was determined to be the more sensitive as single barium ions were observed with a relatively high signal-to-noise ratio of ∼4 for a one second observation time. Single ions were not observed using the continuous excitation technique.

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Backgrounds and sensitivity of the NEXT double beta decay experiment

Cited by 5 publications

References 6 publications

Improved background rejection in neutrinoless double beta decay experiments using a magnetic field in a high pressure xenon TPC

Improved background rejection in neutrinoless double beta decay experiments using a magnetic field in a high pressure xenon TPC

Magnetically-coupled piston pump for high-purity gas applications

Observation of Singly Charged Barium Ions in a Buffer Gas: Towards a Functional Barium-Tagging System for Use in the Enriched Xenon Observatory

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