arXiv subjects

F. Piquemal

Publications and source records attributed to F. Piquemal.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

Measurement of the two neutrino double beta decay half-life of Zr-96 with the NEMO-3 detector

Using 9.4 g of Zr-96 and 1221 days of data from the NEMO-3 detector corresponding to 0.031 kg yr, the obtained 2vbb decay half-life measurement is [2.35 +/- 0.14(stat) +/- 0.16(syst)] x 10^19 yr. Different characteristics of the final state electrons have been studied, such as the energy sum, individual electron energy, and angular distribution. The 2v nuclear matrix element is extracted using the measured 2vbb half-life and is 0.049 +/- 0.002. Constraints on 0vbb decay have also been set.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2010

Results of the BiPo-1 prototype for radiopurity measurements for the SuperNEMO double beta decay source foils

The development of BiPo detectors is dedicated to the measurement of extremely high radiopurity in $^{208}$Tl and $^{214}$Bi for the SuperNEMO double beta decay source foils. A modular prototype, called BiPo-1, with 0.8 $m^2$ of sensitive surface area, has been running in the Modane Underground Laboratory since February, 2008. The goal of BiPo-1 is to measure the different components of the background and in particular the surface radiopurity of the plastic scintillators that make up the detector. The first phase of data collection has been dedicated to the measurement of the radiopurity in $^{208}$Tl. After more than one year of background measurement, a surface activity of the scintillators of $\mathcal{A}$($^{208}$Tl) $=$ 1.5 $μ$Bq/m$^2$ is reported here. Given this level of background, a larger BiPo detector having 12 m$^2$ of active surface area, is able to qualify the radiopurity of the SuperNEMO selenium double beta decay foils with the required sensitivity of $\mathcal{A}$($^{208}$Tl) $<$ 2 $μ$Bq/kg (90% C.L.) with a six month measurement.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2009

The LAGUNA design study- towards giant liquid based underground detectors for neutrino physics and astrophysics and proton decay searches

The feasibility of a next generation neutrino observatory in Europe is being considered within the LAGUNA design study. To accommodate giant neutrino detectors and shield them from cosmic rays, a new very large underground infrastructure is required. Seven potential candidate sites in different parts of Europe and at several distances from CERN are being studied: Boulby (UK), Canfranc (Spain), Fréjus (France/Italy), Pyhäsalmi (Finland), Polkowice-Sieroszowice (Poland), Slanic (Romania) and Umbria (Italy). The design study aims at the comprehensive and coordinated technical assessment of each site, at a coherent cost estimation, and at a prioritization of the sites within the summer 2010.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2009

Measurement of the background in the NEMO 3 double beta decay experiment

In the double beta decay experiment NEMO~3 a precise knowledge of the background in the signal region is of outstanding importance. This article presents the methods used in NEMO~3 to evaluate the backgrounds resulting from most if not all possible origins. It also illustrates the power of the combined tracking-calorimetry technique used in the experiment.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2006

Measurement of double beta decay of 100Mo to excited states in the NEMO 3 experiment

The double beta decay of 100Mo to the 0^+_1 and 2^+_1 excited states of 100Ru is studied using the NEMO 3 data. After the analysis of 8024 h of data the half-life for the two-neutrino double beta decay of 100Mo to the excited 0^+_1 state is measured to be T^(2nu)_1/2 = [5.7^{+1.3}_{-0.9}(stat)+/-0.8(syst)]x 10^20 y. The signal-to-background ratio is equal to 3. Information about energy and angular distributions of emitted electrons is also obtained. No evidence for neutrinoless double beta decay to the excited 0^+_1 state has been found. The corresponding half-life limit is T^(0nu)_1/2(0^+ --> 0^+_1) > 8.9 x 10^22 y (at 90% C.L.). The search for the double beta decay to the 2^+_1 excited state has allowed the determination of limits on the half-life for the two neutrino mode T^(2nu)_1/2(0^+ --> 2^+_1) > 1.1 x 10^21 y (at 90% C.L.) and for the neutrinoless mode T^(0nu)_1/2(0^+ --> 2^+_1) > 1.6 x 10^23 y (at 90% C.L.).

hep-ex↗

arXiv2003

Heating process in the pre-Breakdown regime of the Quantum Hall Efect : a size dependent effect

Our study presents experimental measurements of the contact and longitudinal voltage drops in Hall bars, as a function of the current amplitude. We are interested in the heating phenomenon which takes place before the breakdown of the quantum Hall effect, i.e. the pre-breakdown regime. Two types of samples has been investigated, at low temperature (4.2 and 1.5K) and high magnetic field (up to 13 T). The Hall bars have several different widths, and our observations clearly demonstrate that the size of the sample influences the heating phenomenon. By measuring the critical currents of both contact and longitudinal voltages, as a function of the filling factor (around $i=2$), we highlight the presence of a high electric field domain near the source contact, which is observable only in samples whose width is smaller than 400 microns.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2003

Behavior of the contacts of Quantum Hall Effect devices at high currents : an electronic thermometer

This paper reports on an experimental study of the contact resistance of Hall bars in the Quantum Hall Effect regime while increasing the current through the sample. These measurements involve also the longitudinal resistance and they have been always performed before the breakdown of the Quantum Hall Effect. Our investigations are restricted to the $i=2$ plateau which is used in all metrological measurements of the von Klitzing constant $R_K$. A particular care has been taken concerning the configuration of the measurement. Four configurations were used for each Hall bar by reversing the current and the magnetic field polarities. Several samples with different width have been studied and we observed that the critical current for the contact resistance increases with the width of the Hall bar as previously observed for the critical current of the longitudinal resistance. The critical currents exhibit either a linear or a sublinear increase. All our observations are interpreted in the current understanding of the Quantum hall effect brekdown. Our analysis suggests that a heated region appears at the current contact, develops and then extends in the whole sample while increasing the current. Consequently, we propose to use the contact resistance as an electronic thermometer for the Hall fluid.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2003

Possible background reductions in double beta decay experiments

The background induced by radioactive impurities of $^{208}\rm Tl$ and $^{214}\rm Bi$ in the source of the double beta experiment NEMO-3 has been investigated. New methods of data analysis which decrease the background from the above mentioned contamination are identified. The techniques can also be applied to other double beta decay experiments capable of measuring independently the energies of the two electrons.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2002

RK/100 and RK/200 Quantum Hall Array Resistance Standards

It is theoretically possible to combine several Hall bars in arrays to define new quantum standards with perfectly quantized resistance values. We have thus, for the first time, developed and fabricated novel Quantum Hall Array Resistance Standards (QHARS) made of a large number N (N=100, 50) of Hall bars placed in parallel using a triple connections technique. The Hall resistance of these quantum standards is found to be very well quantized. On the i=2 Hall plateau, the resistance of specific good arrays stays equal to RK/2N within 5 parts in 10^9 for supplying currents up to 2 mA at a 1.3 K temperature. The mean longitudinal resistance of the Hall bars which constitute the arrays has been determined through the analysis of the array equivalent electrical circuit. This measurement shows that the carrier transport in the Hall bars is dissipation-less. This work therefore demonstrates the efficiency of the multiple connections technique and consequently that QHARS are likely to extend the QHE metrological applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2002

Start-up of the nemo3 experiment

The NEMO collaboration is looking to measure neutrinoless double beta decay down to a lower limit of 0.1 eV for the effective neutrino mass. The NEMO 3 detector is now operating in the Frejus Underground Laboratory. The expected performance and the data of the first runs are presented here.

hep-ex↗