Searcharxiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2404.18492

A new hybrid gadolinium nanoparticles-loaded polymeric material for neutron detection in rare event searches

20k Collaboration·F. Acerbi·P. Adhikari·P. Agnes·I. Ahmad·S. Albergo·I. F. Albuquerque·T. Alexander·A. K. Alton·P. Amaudruz·M. Angiolilli·E. Aprile·R. Ardito·M. Atzori Corona·D. J. Auty·M. Ave·I. C. Avetisov·O. Azzolini·H. O. Back·Z. Balmforth·A. Barrado Olmedo·P. Barrillon·G. Batignani·P. Bhowmick·V. Bocci·W. Bonivento·B. Bottino·M. G. Boulay·A. Buchowicz·S. Bussino·J. Busto·M. Cadeddu·M. Cadoni·R. Calabrese·V. Camillo·A. Caminata·N. Canci·A. Capra·M. Caravati·M. Cárdenas-Montes·N. Cargioli·M. Carlini·A. Castellani·P. Castello·P. Cavalcante·D. Cavallo·S. Cebrian·J. Cela Ruiz·S. Chashin·A. Chepurnov·L. Cifarelli·D. Cintas·M. Citterio·B. Cleveland·Y. Coadou·V. Cocco·D. Colaiuda·E. Conde Vilda·L. Consiglio·B. S. Costa·M. Czubak·S. D'Auria·M. D. Da Rocha Rolo·G. Darbo·S. Davini·S. De Cecco·G. De Guido·G. Dellacasa·A. V. Derbin·A. Devoto·F. Di Capua·A. Di Ludovico·L. Di Noto·P. Di Stefano·L. K. Dias·D. Díaz Mairena·X. Ding·C. Dionisi·G. Dolganov·F. Dordei·V. Dronik·A. Elersich·E. Ellingwood·T. Erjavec·M. Fernandez Diaz·A. Ficorella·G. Fiorillo·P. Franchini·D. Franco·H. Frandini Gatti·E. Frolov·F. Gabriele·D. Gahan·C. Galbiati·G. Galinski·G. Gallina·M. Garbini·P. Garcia Abia·A. Gawdzik·A. Gendotti
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Experiments aimed at direct searches for WIMP dark matter require highly effective reduction of backgrounds and control of any residual radioactive contamination. In particular, neutrons interacting with atomic nuclei represent an important class of backgrounds due to the expected similarity of a WIMP-nucleon interaction, so that such experiments often feature a dedicated neutron detector surrounding the active target volume. In the context of the development of DarkSide-20k detector at INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS), several R&D projects were conceived and developed for the creation of a new hybrid material rich in both hydrogen and gadolinium nuclei to be employed as an essential element of the neutron detector. Thanks to its very high cross-section for neutron capture, gadolinium is one of the most widely used elements in neutron detectors, while the hydrogen-rich material is instrumental in efficiently moderating the neutrons. In this paper results from one of the R&Ds are presented. In this effort the new hybrid material was obtained as a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix, loaded with gadolinium oxide in the form of nanoparticles. We describe its realization, including all phases of design, purification, construction, characterization, and determination of mechanical properties of the new material.

Explore related subjects

physics.ins-dethep-ex

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

20k Collaboration, F. Acerbi, P. Adhikari, P. Agnes, I. Ahmad, S. Albergo, I. F. Albuquerque, T. Alexander, A. K. Alton, P. Amaudruz, M. Angiolilli, E. Aprile, R. Ardito, M. Atzori Corona, D. J. Auty, M. Ave, I. C. Avetisov, O. Azzolini, H. O. Back, Z. Balmforth, A. Barrado Olmedo, P. Barrillon, G. Batignani, P. Bhowmick, V. Bocci, W. Bonivento, B. Bottino, M. G. Boulay, A. Buchowicz, S. Bussino, J. Busto, M. Cadeddu, M. Cadoni, R. Calabrese, V. Camillo, A. Caminata, N. Canci, A. Capra, M. Caravati, M. Cárdenas-Montes, N. Cargioli, M. Carlini, A. Castellani, P. Castello, P. Cavalcante, D. Cavallo, S. Cebrian, J. Cela Ruiz, S. Chashin, A. Chepurnov, L. Cifarelli, D. Cintas, M. Citterio, B. Cleveland, Y. Coadou, V. Cocco, D. Colaiuda, E. Conde Vilda, L. Consiglio, B. S. Costa, M. Czubak, S. D'Auria, M. D. Da Rocha Rolo, G. Darbo, S. Davini, S. De Cecco, G. De Guido, G. Dellacasa, A. V. Derbin, A. Devoto, F. Di Capua, A. Di Ludovico, L. Di Noto, P. Di Stefano, L. K. Dias, D. Díaz Mairena, X. Ding, C. Dionisi, G. Dolganov, F. Dordei, V. Dronik, A. Elersich, E. Ellingwood, T. Erjavec, M. Fernandez Diaz, A. Ficorella, G. Fiorillo, P. Franchini, D. Franco, H. Frandini Gatti, E. Frolov, F. Gabriele, D. Gahan, C. Galbiati, G. Galinski, G. Gallina, M. Garbini, P. Garcia Abia, A. Gawdzik, A. Gendotti. 2024-04-29. A new hybrid gadolinium nanoparticles-loaded polymeric material for neutron detection in rare event searches. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221%2F19%2F09%2Fp09021

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

High-Speed Semi-FE Readout Module for ATLAS MDT at HL-LHC: Design and Production-Level Characterization

The High-Luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) introduces increased demands on the ATLAS Muon Spectrometer, particularly in terms of data throughput, timing distribution and system reliability. The Phase-II Chamber Service Module (CSM) is a key component of the upgraded Monitored Drift Tube (MDT) trigger and readout system, providing a high-speed interface between the front-end electronics and the backend systems. This paper describes the design and implementation of the Phase-II CSM, together with its validation. The results show that the CSM supports two independent optical uplinks, each operating at a line rate of 10.24 Gbps, together with clock distribution and slow control in the expected operating environment. Integration with small-diameter MDT (sMDT) chambers and tests with the prototype L0MDT trigger system are also presented. The CSM boards are now in production and will be used for installation and integration during the upcoming LHC Long Shutdown.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2026

Spectral Discrimination of Deposited Gamma-Ray Energies in a Simulated CeBr$_3$ Scintillator

We show that wavelength measurements of individual detected optical photons may provide additional information about gamma-ray energy deposited in a CeBr$_3$ crystal when the detected-photon-count distributions overlap for nearby gamma-ray energies. Monoenergetic 662 and 629 keV gammas are used in a Geant4 simulation of a $25\times25\times20~\mathrm{mm^3}$ CeBr$_3$ crystal. Assuming a light yield of $6.0\times10^4$ photons/MeV, a wavelength-independent photon-detection efficiency of 30%, and a wavelength resolution of $\sigma_{\lambda}=40$ nm, we find that the fraction of photons reconstructed above 385 nm gives an event-level separation of $\sim$ 2 standard deviations between the 662 and 629 keV event populations selected within the same $\sim$ 1%-wide detected-photon-count interval. No timing or reconstructed interaction-position information is used. The result demonstrates, within the present simulation model, that event-dependent optical spectra can retain energy information beyond an undifferentiated photon count.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2026

Operation of a negative ion gas time projection chamber without electronegative fill gases

The high fidelity reconstruction of particle tracks in micropatterned gaseous time projection chambers renders this technology ideal for future rare-event searches, including direction-sensitive dark matter experiments. Large drift distances are typically required for such experiments, so that the overall spatial resolution is limited by diffusion. Negative ion drift exhibits lower diffusion than electron drift and is thus an attractive option for realising a large-scale detector. The use of electronegative gases to create negative ions introduces technical challenges, most notably a reduction in gain when compared to conventional gas mixtures. In this study, we demonstrate a new method for negative ion generation via dissociative electron attachment using the conventional molecular fill gas CF$_4$. Our optical measurements of negative ion drift indicate electron attachment lengths of $<$1 mm and comparable gain to electron avalanches. The individual negative ion avalanches were also time-resolved, allowing the number of ions reaching the readout to be counted. We measure an improved energy resolution by single ion counting, relative to an integrated electron avalanche signal measured under identical gain conditions.

physics.ins-det↗