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A. Caminata

Publications and source records attributed to A. Caminata.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Search for dark matter-nucleon interactions via Migdal effect with DarkSide-50

Dark matter elastic scattering off nuclei can result in the excitation and ionization of the recoiling atom through the so-called Migdal effect. The energy deposition from the ionization electron adds to the energy deposited by the recoiling nuclear system and allows for the detection of interactions of sub-GeV/c$^2$ mass dark matter. We present new constraints for sub-GeV/c$^2$ dark matter using the dual-phase liquid argon time projection chamber of the DarkSide-50 experiment with an exposure of (12306 $\pm$ 184) kg d. The analysis is based on the ionization signal alone and significantly enhances the sensitivity of DarkSide-50, enabling sensitivity to dark matter with masses down to 40 MeV/c$^2$. Furthermore, it sets the most stringent upper limit on the spin independent dark matter nucleon cross section for masses below $3.6$ GeV/c$^2$.

hep-ex↗

Search for dark matter particle interactions with electron final states with DarkSide-50

We present a search for dark matter particles with sub-GeV/$c^2$ masses whose interactions have final state electrons using the DarkSide-50 experiment's (12306 $\pm$ 184) kg d low-radioactivity liquid argon exposure. By analyzing the ionization signals, we exclude new parameter space for the dark matter-electron cross section $\barσ_e$, the axioelectric coupling constant $g_{Ae}$, and the dark photon kinetic mixing parameter $κ$. We also set the first dark matter direct-detection constraints on the mixing angle $\left|U_{e4}\right|^2$ for keV sterile neutrinos.

hep-ex↗

Euclid: Forecasts from the void-lensing cross-correlation

The Euclid space telescope will survey a large dataset of cosmic voids traced by dense samples of galaxies. In this work we estimate its expected performance when exploiting angular photometric void clustering, galaxy weak lensing and their cross-correlation. To this aim, we implement a Fisher matrix approach tailored for voids from the Euclid photometric dataset and present the first forecasts on cosmological parameters that include the void-lensing correlation. We examine two different probe settings, pessimistic and optimistic, both for void clustering and galaxy lensing. We carry out forecast analyses in four model cosmologies, accounting for a varying total neutrino mass, $M_ν$, and a dynamical dark energy (DE) equation of state, $w(z)$, described by the CPL parametrisation. We find that void clustering constraints on $h$ and $Ω_b$ are competitive with galaxy lensing alone, while errors on $n_s$ decrease thanks to the orthogonality of the two probes in the 2D-projected parameter space. We also note that, as a whole, the inclusion of the void-lensing cross-correlation signal improves parameter constraints by $10-15\%$, and enhances the joint void clustering and galaxy lensing Figure of Merit (FoM) by $10\%$ and $25\%$, in the pessimistic and optimistic scenarios, respectively. Finally, when further combining with the spectroscopic galaxy clustering, assumed as an independent probe, we find that, in the most competitive case, the FoM increases by a factor of 4 with respect to the combination of weak lensing and spectroscopic galaxy clustering taken as independent probes. The forecasts presented in this work show that photometric void-clustering and its cross-correlation with galaxy lensing deserve to be exploited in the data analysis of the Euclid galaxy survey and promise to improve its constraining power, especially on $h$, $Ω_b$, the neutrino mass, and the DE evolution.

astro-ph.CO↗

An Energy-dependent Electro-thermal Response Model of CUORE Cryogenic Calorimeter

The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) is the most sensitive experiment searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay ($0νββ$) in $^{130}\text{Te}$. CUORE uses a cryogenic array of 988 TeO$_2$ calorimeters operated at $\sim$10 mK with a total mass of 741 kg. To further increase the sensitivity, the detector response must be well understood. Here, we present a non-linear thermal model for the CUORE experiment on a detector-by-detector basis. We have examined both equilibrium and dynamic electro-thermal models of detectors by numerically fitting non-linear differential equations to the detector data of a subset of CUORE channels which are well characterized and representative of all channels. We demonstrate that the hot-electron effect and electric-field dependence of resistance in NTD-Ge thermistors alone are inadequate to describe our detectors' energy dependent pulse shapes. We introduce an empirical second-order correction factor in the exponential temperature dependence of the thermistor, which produces excellent agreement with energy-dependent pulse shape data up to 6 MeV. We also present a noise analysis using the fitted thermal parameters and show that the intrinsic thermal noise is negligible compared to the observed noise for our detectors.

physics.ins-det↗

Search for Neutrinoless $β^+EC$ Decay of $^{120}$Te with CUORE

CUORE is a large scale cryogenic experiment searching for neutrinoless double beta decay ($0νββ$) in $^{130}$Te. The CUORE detector is made of natural tellurium, providing the possibility of rare event searches on isotopes other than $^{130}$Te. In this work we describe a search for neutrinoless positron emitting electron capture ($0νβ^+EC$) decay in $^{120}$Te with a total TeO$_2$ exposure of 355.7 kg $\cdot$ yr, corresponding to 0.2405 kg $\cdot$ yr of $^{120}$Te. Albeit $0 νββ$ with two final state electrons represents the most promising channel, the emission of a positron and two 511-keV $γ$s make $0νβ^+EC$ decay signature extremely clear. To fully exploit the potential offered by the detector modularity we include events with different topology and perform a simultaneous fit of five selected signal signatures. Using blinded data we extract a median exclusion sensitivity of $3.4 \cdot 10^{22}$ yr at 90% Credibility Interval (C.I.). After unblinding we find no evidence of $0νβ^+EC$ signal and set a 90% C.I. Bayesian lower limit of $2.9 \cdot 10^{22}$ yr on $^{120}$Te half-life. This result improves by an order of magnitude the existing limit from the combined analysis of CUORE-0 and Cuoricino.

nucl-ex↗

Improved measurement of solar neutrinos from the Carbon-Nitrogen-Oxygen cycle by Borexino and its implications for the Standard Solar Model

We present an improved measurement of the CNO solar neutrino interaction rate at Earth obtained with the complete Borexino Phase-III dataset. The measured rate R$_{\rm CNO}$ = $6.7^{+2.0}_{-0.8}$ counts/(day$ \cdot$ 100 tonnes), allows us to exclude the absence of the CNO signal with about 7$σ$ C.L. The correspondent CNO neutrino flux is $6.6^{+2.0}_{-0.9} \times 10^8$ cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$, taking into account the neutrino flavor conversion. We use the new CNO measurement to evaluate the C and N abundances in the Sun with respect to the H abundance for the first time with solar neutrinos. Our result of $N_{\rm CN}$ = $(5.78^{+1.86}_{-1.00})\times10^{-4}$ displays a $\sim$2$σ$ tension with the "low metallicity" spectroscopic photospheric measurements. On the other hand, our result used together with the $^7$Be and $^8$B solar neutrino fluxes, also measured by Borexino, permits to disfavour at 3.1$σ$ C.L. the "low metallicity" SSM B16-AGSS09met as an alternative to the "high metallicity" SSM B16-GS98.

hep-ex↗

Search for Low-Energy Signals from Fast Radio Bursts with the Borexino Detector

The search for neutrino events in correlation with several of the most intense fast radio bursts (FRBs) has been performed using the Borexino data. We have searched for signals with visible energies above $250$~keV within a time window of $\pm$1000~s corresponding to the detection time of a particular FRB. We also applied an alternative approach based on searching for specific shapes of neutrino-electron scattering spectra in the full exposure spectrum of the Borexino detector. In particular, two incoming neutrino spectra were considered: the monoenergetic line and the spectrum expected from supernovae. The same spectra were considered for electron antineutrinos detected through the inverse beta-decay reaction. No statistically significant excess over the background was observed. As a result, the strongest upper limits on FRB-associated neutrino fluences of all flavors have been obtained in the $0.5 - 50$~MeV neutrino energy range.

hep-ex↗

Independent determination of the Earth's orbital parameters with solar neutrinos in Borexino

Since the beginning of 2012, the Borexino collaboration has been reporting precision measurements of the solar neutrino fluxes, emitted in the proton-proton chain and in the Carbon-Nitrogen-Oxygen cycle. The experimental sensitivity achieved in Phase-II and Phase-III of the Borexino data taking made it possible to detect the annual modulation of the solar neutrino interaction rate due to the eccentricity of Earth's orbit, with a statistical significance greater than 5$σ$. This is the first precise measurement of the Earth's orbital parameters based solely on solar neutrinos and an additional signature of the solar origin of the Borexino signal. The complete periodogram of the time series of the Borexino solar neutrino detection rate is also reported, exploring frequencies between one cycle/year and one cycle/day. No other significant modulation frequencies are found. The present results were uniquely made possible by Borexino's decade-long high-precision solar neutrino detection.

hep-ex↗

Search for Majorana neutrinos exploiting millikelvin cryogenics with CUORE

The possibility that neutrinos may be their own antiparticles, unique among the known fundamental particles, arises from the symmetric theory of fermions proposed by Ettore Majorana in 1937. Given the profound consequences of such Majorana neutrinos, among which is a potential explanation for the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe via leptogenesis, the Majorana nature of neutrinos commands intense experimental scrutiny globally; one of the primary experimental probes is neutrinoless double beta ($0 νββ$) decay. Here we show results from the search for $0 νββ$ decay of $^{130}$Te, using the latest advanced cryogenic calorimeters with the CUORE experiment. CUORE, operating just 10 millikelvin above absolute zero, has pushed the state of the art on three frontiers: the sheer mass held at such ultra-low temperatures, operational longevity, and the low levels of ionising radiation emanating from the cryogenic infrastructure. We find no evidence for $0 νββ$ decay and set a lower bound of $T_{1/2}^{0 ν} > 2.2 \times 10^{25}$ years at a 90% credibility interval. We discuss potential applications of the advances made with CUORE to other fields such as direct dark matter, neutrino and nuclear physics searches and large-scale quantum computing, which can benefit from sustained operation of large payloads in a low-radioactivity, ultra-low temperature cryogenic environment.

nucl-ex↗

Correlated and Integrated Directionality for sub-MeV solar neutrinos in Borexino

Liquid scintillator detectors play a central role in the detection of neutrinos from various sources. In particular, it is the only technique used so far for the precision spectroscopy of sub-MeV solar neutrinos, as demonstrated by the Borexino experiment at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy. The benefit of a high light yield, and thus a low energy threshold and a good energy resolution, comes at the cost of the directional information featured by water Cherenkov detectors, measuring $^8$B solar neutrinos above a few MeV. In this paper we provide the first directionality measurement of sub-MeV solar neutrinos which exploits the correlation between the first few detected photons in each event and the known position of the Sun for each event. This is also the first signature of directionality in neutrinos elastically scattering off electrons in a liquid scintillator target. This measurement exploits the sub-dominant, fast Cherenkov light emission that precedes the dominant yet slower scintillation light signal. Through this measurement, we have also been able to extract the rate of $^{7}$Be solar neutrinos in Borexino. The demonstration of directional sensitivity in a traditional liquid scintillator target paves the way for the possible exploitation of the Cherenkov light signal in future kton-scale experiments using liquid scintillator targets. Directionality is important for background suppression as well as the disentanglement of signals from various sources.

hep-ex↗

First Directional Measurement of sub-MeV Solar Neutrinos with Borexino

We report the measurement of sub-MeV solar neutrinos through the use of their associated Cherenkov radiation, performed with the Borexino detector at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. The measurement is achieved using a novel technique that correlates individual photon hits of events to the known position of the Sun. In an energy window between 0.54 MeV to 0.74 MeV, selected using the dominant scintillation light, we have measured 10887$^{+2386}_{-2103} (\mathrm{stat.})\pm 947 (\mathrm{syst.})$ ($68\%$ confidence interval) solar neutrinos out of 19904 total events. This corresponds to a $^{7}$Be neutrino interaction rate of 51.6$^{+13.9}_{-12.5}$ counts/(day$\cdot$ 100 ton), which is in agreement with the Standard Solar Model predictions and the previous spectroscopic results of Borexino. The no-neutrino hypothesis can be excluded with $>$5$σ$ confidence level. For the first time, we have demonstrated the possibility of utilizing the directional Cherenkov information for sub-MeV solar neutrinos, in a large-scale, high light yield liquid scintillator detector. This measurement provides an experimental proof of principle for future hybrid event reconstruction using both Cherenkov and scintillation signatures simultaneously.

hep-ex↗

CUORE Opens the Door to Tonne-scale Cryogenics Experiments

The past few decades have seen major developments in the design and operation of cryogenic particle detectors. This technology offers an extremely good energy resolution - comparable to semiconductor detectors - and a wide choice of target materials, making low temperature calorimetric detectors ideal for a variety of particle physics applications. Rare event searches have continued to require ever greater exposures, which has driven them to ever larger cryogenic detectors, with the CUORE experiment being the first to reach a tonne-scale, mK-cooled, experimental mass. CUORE, designed to search for neutrinoless double beta decay, has been operational since 2017 at a temperature of about 10 mK. This result has been attained by the use of an unprecedentedly large cryogenic infrastructure called the CUORE cryostat: conceived, designed and commissioned for this purpose. In this article the main characteristics and features of the cryogenic facility developed for the CUORE experiment are highlighted. A brief introduction of the evolution of the field and of the past cryogenic facilities are given. The motivation behind the design and development of the CUORE cryogenic facility is detailed as are the steps taken toward realization, commissioning, and operation of the CUORE cryostat. The major challenges overcome by the collaboration and the solutions implemented throughout the building of the cryogenic facility will be discussed along with the potential improvements for future facilities. The success of CUORE has opened the door to a new generation of large-scale cryogenic facilities in numerous fields of science. Broader implications of the incredible feat achieved by the CUORE collaboration on the future cryogenic facilities in various fields ranging from neutrino and dark matter experiments to quantum computing will be examined.

physics.ins-det↗

A study of events with photoelectric emission in the DarkSide-50 liquid argon Time Projection Chamber

Finding unequivocal evidence of dark matter interactions in a particle detector is a major objective of physics research. Liquid argon time projection chambers offer a path to probe Weakly Interacting Massive Particles scattering cross sections on nucleus down to the so-called neutrino floor, in a mass range from few GeV's to hundredths of TeV's. Based on the successful operation of the DarkSide-50 detector at LNGS, a new and more sensitive experiment, DarkSide-20k, has been designed and is now under construction. A thorough understanding of the DarkSide-50 detector response and, therefore, of all kind of observed events, is essential for an optimal design of the new experiment. In this paper, we report on a particular set of events, which were not used for dark matter searches. Namely, standard two-pulse scintillation-ionization signals accompanied by a small amplitude third pulse, originating from single or few electrons, in a time window of less than a maximum drift time. We compare our findings to those of a recent paper of the LUX Collaboration (D.S.Akerib et al. Phys.Rev.D 102, 092004). Indeed, both experiments observe events related to photoionization of the cathode. From the measured rate of these events, we estimate for the first time the quantum efficiency of the tetraphenyl butadiene deposited on the DarkSide-50 cathode at wavelengths around 128 nm, in liquid argon. Also, both experiments observe events likely related to photoionization of impurities in the liquid. The probability of photoelectron emission per unit length turns out to be one order of magnitude smaller in DarkSide-50 than in LUX. This result, together with the much larger measured electron lifetime, coherently hints toward a lower concentration of contaminants in DarkSide-50 than in LUX.

physics.ins-det↗

Coded masks for imaging of neutrino events

The capture of scintillation light emitted by liquid Argon and Xenon under molecular excitations by charged particles is still a challenging task. Here we present a first attempt to design a device able to grab sufficiently high luminosity in order to reconstruct the path of ionizing particles. This preliminary study is based on the use of masks to encode the light signal combined with single-photon detectors. In this respect, the proposed system is able to detect tracks over focal distances of about tens of centimeters. From numerical simulations it emerges that it is possible to successfully decode and recognize signals, even complex, with a relatively limited number of acquisition channels. Such innovative technique can be very fruitful in a new generation of detectors devoted to neutrino physics and dark matter search. Indeed the introduction of coded masks combined with SiPM detectors is proposed for a liquid-Argon target in the Near Detector of the DUNE experiment.

physics.ins-det↗

Identification of the cosmogenic $^{11}$C background in large volumes of liquid scintillators with Borexino

Cosmogenic radio-nuclei are an important source of background for low-energy neutrino experiments. In Borexino, cosmogenic $^{11}$C decays outnumber solar $pep$ and CNO neutrino events by about ten to one. Highly efficient identification of this background is mandatory for these neutrino analyses. We present here the details of the most consolidated strategy, used throughout Borexino solar neutrino measurements. It hinges upon finding the space-time correlations between $^{11}$C decays, the preceding parent muons and the accompanying neutrons. This article describes the working principles and evaluates the performance of this Three-Fold Coincidence (TFC) technique in its two current implementations: a hard-cut and a likelihood-based approach. Both show stable performances throughout Borexino Phases II (2012-2016) and III (2016-2020) data sets, with a $^{11}$C tagging efficiency of $\sim$90 % and $\sim$63-66 % of the exposure surviving the tagging. We present also a novel technique that targets specifically $^{11}$C produced in high-multiplicity during major spallation events. Such $^{11}$C appear as a burst of events, whose space-time correlation can be exploited. Burst identification can be combined with the TFC to obtain about the same tagging efficiency of $\sim$90 % but with a higher fraction of the exposure surviving, in the range of $\sim$66-68 %.

physics.ins-det↗

Calibration of the liquid argon ionization response to low energy electronic and nuclear recoils with DarkSide-50

DarkSide-50 has demonstrated the high potential of dual-phase liquid argon time projection chambers in exploring interactions of WIMPs in the GeV/c$^2$ mass range. The technique, based on the detection of the ionization signal amplified via electroluminescence in the gas phase, allows to explore recoil energies down to the sub-keV range. We report here on the DarkSide-50 measurement of the ionization yield of electronic recoils down to $\sim$180~eV$_{er}$, exploiting $^{37}$Ar and $^{39}$Ar decays, and extrapolated to a few ionization electrons with the Thomas-Imel box model. Moreover, we present a model-dependent determination of the ionization response to nuclear recoils down to $\sim$500~eV$_{nr}$, the lowest ever achieved in liquid argon, using \textit{in situ} neutron calibration sources and external datasets from neutron beam experiments.

physics.ins-det↗

Search for Double-Beta Decay of $\mathrm{^{130}Te}$ to the $0^+$ States of $\mathrm{^{130}Xe}$ with CUORE

The CUORE experiment is a large bolometric array searching for the lepton number violating neutrino-less double beta decay ($0νββ$) in the isotope $\mathrm{^{130}Te}$. In this work we present the latest results on two searches for the double beta decay (DBD) of $\mathrm{^{130}Te}$ to the first $0^{+}_2$ excited state of $\mathrm{^{130}Xe}$: the $0νββ$ decay and the Standard Model-allowed two-neutrinos double beta decay ($2νββ$). Both searches are based on a 372.5 kg$\times$yr TeO$_2$ exposure. The de-excitation gamma rays emitted by the excited Xe nucleus in the final state yield a unique signature, which can be searched for with low background by studying coincident events in two or more bolometers. The closely packed arrangement of the CUORE crystals constitutes a significant advantage in this regard. The median limit setting sensitivities at 90\% Credible Interval (C.I.) of the given searches were estimated as $\mathrm{S^{0ν}_{1/2} = 5.6 \times 10^{24} \: \mathrm{yr}}$ for the ${0νββ}$ decay and $\mathrm{S^{2ν}_{1/2} = 2.1 \times 10^{24} \: \mathrm{yr}}$ for the ${2νββ}$ decay. No significant evidence for either of the decay modes was observed and a Bayesian lower bound at $90\%$ C.I. on the decay half lives is obtained as: $\mathrm{(T_{1/2})^{0ν}_{0^+_2} > 5.9 \times 10^{24} \: \mathrm{yr}}$ for the $0νββ$ mode and $\mathrm{(T_{1/2})^{2ν}_{0^+_2} > 1.3 \times 10^{24} \: \mathrm{yr}}$ for the $2νββ$ mode. These represent the most stringent limits on the DBD of $^{130}$Te to excited states and improve by a factor $\sim5$ the previous results on this process.

nucl-ex↗

Experimental evidence of neutrinos produced in the CNO fusion cycle in the Sun

For most of their existence stars are fueled by the fusion of hydrogen into helium proceeding via two theoretically well understood processes, namely the $pp$ chain and the CNO cycle. Neutrinos emitted along such fusion processes in the solar core are the only direct probe of the deep interior of the star. A complete spectroscopy of neutrinos from the {\it pp} chain, producing about 99\% of the solar energy, has already been performed \cite{bib:Nature-2018}. Here, we report the direct observation, with a high statistical significance, of neutrinos produced in the CNO cycle in the Sun. This is the first experimental evidence of this process obtained with the unprecedentedly radio-pure large-volume liquid-scintillator Borexino detector located at the underground Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. The main difficulty of this experimental effort is to identify the excess of the few counts per day per 100 tonnes of target due to CNO neutrino interactions above the backgrounds. A novel method to constrain the rate of \bi contaminating the scintillator relies on the thermal stabilisation of the detector achieved over the past 5 years. In the CNO cycle, the hydrogen fusion is catalyzed by the carbon (C) - nitrogen (N) - oxygen (O) and thus its rate, as well as the flux of emitted CNO neutrinos, directly depends on the abundance of these elements in solar core. Therefore, this result paves the way to a direct measurement of the solar metallicity by CNO neutrinos. While this result quantifies the relative contribution of the CNO fusion in the Sun to be of the order of 1\%, this process is dominant in the energy production of massive stars. The occurrence of the primary mechanism for the stellar conversion of hydrogen into helium in the Universe has been proven.

hep-ex↗