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H. S. Lee

Publications and source records attributed to H. S. Lee.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Initial Performance of the COSINE-100 Experiment

COSINE is a dark matter search experiment based on an array of low background NaI(Tl) crystals located at the Yangyang underground laboratory. The assembly of COSINE-100 was completed in the summer of 2016 and the detector is currently collecting physics quality data aimed at reproducing the DAMA/LIBRA experiment that reported an annual modulation signal. Stable operation has been achieved and will continue for at least two years. Here, we describe the design of COSINE-100, including the shielding arrangement, the configuration of the NaI(Tl) crystal detection elements, the veto systems, and the associated operational systems, and we show the current performance of the experiment.

physics.ins-det↗

Photoproduction of $Λ$ and $Σ^{0}$ hyperons off protons with linearly polarized photons at $E_γ = 1.5-3.0$ GeV

We report the measurement of the $γp \rightarrow K^{+}Λ$ and $γp \rightarrow K^{+}Σ^{0}$ reactions at SPring-8. The differential cross sections and photon-beam asymmetries are measured at forward $K^{+}$ production angles using linearly polarized tagged-photon beams in the range of $E_γ=1.5$--3.0 GeV. With increasing photon energy, the cross sections for both $γp \rightarrow K^{+}Λ$ and $γp \rightarrow K^{+}Σ^{0}$ reactions decrease slowly. Distinct narrow structures in the production cross section have not been found at $E_γ=1.5$--3.0 GeV. The forward peaking in the angular distributions of cross sections, a characteristic feature of $t$-channel exchange, is observed for the production of $Λ$ in the whole observed energy range. A lack of similar feature for $Σ^{0}$ production reflects a less dominant role of $t$-channel contribution in this channel. The photon-beam asymmetries remain positive for both reactions, suggesting the dominance of $K^{*}$ exchange in the $t$ channel. These asymmetries increase gradually with the photon energy, and have a maximum value of +0.6 for both reactions. Comparison with theoretical predictions based on the Regge trajectory in the $t$ channel and the contributions of nucleon resonances indicates the major role of $t$-channel contributions as well as non-negligible effects of nucleon resonances in accounting for the reaction mechanism of hyperon photoproduction in this photon energy regime.

nucl-ex↗

Differential cross section and photon beam asymmetry for the gamma p -> pi+ n reaction at forward pi+ angles at Egamma=1.5-2.95 GeV

Differential cross sections and photon beam asymmetries for the gamma p -> pi+ n reaction have been measured for 0.6<cos(theta)<1 and Egamma=1.5-2.95 GeV at SPring-8/LEPS. The cross sections monotonically decrease as the photon beam energy increases for 0.6<cos(theta)<0.9. However, the energy dependence of the cross sections for 0.9<cos(theta)<1 and Egamma=1.5-2.2 GeV (W=1.9-2.2 GeV) is different, which may be due to a nucleon or Delta resonance. The present cross sections agree well with the previous cross sections measured by other groups and show forward peaking, suggesting significant t-channel contributions in this kinematical region. The asymmetries are found to be positive, which can be explained by rho-exchange in the t-channel. Large positive asymmetries in the small |t| region, where the rho-exchange contribution becomes small, could be explained by introducing pi-exchange interference with the s-channel.

nucl-ex↗

Muon detector for the COSINE-100 experiment

The COSINE-100 dark matter search experiment has started taking physics data with the goal of performing an independent measurement of the annual modulation signal observed by DAMA/LIBRA. A muon detector was constructed by using plastic scintillator panels in the outermost layer of the shield surrounding the COSINE-100 detector. It is used to detect cosmic ray muons in order to understand the impact of the muon annual modulation on dark matter analysis. Assembly and initial performance test of each module have been performed at a ground laboratory. The installation of the detector in Yangyang Underground Laboratory (Y2L) was completed in the summer of 2016. Using three months of data, the muon underground flux was measured to be 328 $\pm$ 1(stat.)$\pm$ 10(syst.) muons/m$^2$/day. In this report, the assembly of the muon detector and the results from the analysis are presented.

physics.ins-det↗

$ϕ$ photoproduction on the proton at $E_γ$ = 1.5 - 2.9 GeV

Differential cross sections at $t=t_{\text{min}}$ and decay asymmetries for the $γp\rightarrowϕp$ reaction have been measured using linearly polarized photons in the range 1.5 to 2.9 GeV. These cross sections were used to determine the Pomeron strength factor. The cross sections and decay asymmetries are consistently described by the $t$-channel Pomeron and pseudoscalar exchange model in the $E_γ$ region above 2.37 GeV. In the lower energy region, an excess over the model prediction is observed in the energy dependence of the differential cross sections at $t=t_{\text{min}}$. This observation suggests that additional processes or interference effects between Pomeron exchange and other processes appear near the threshold region.

nucl-ex↗

Identification of Radiopure Titanium for the LZ Dark Matter Experiment and Future Rare Event Searches

The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will search for dark matter particle interactions with a detector containing a total of 10 tonnes of liquid xenon within a double-vessel cryostat. The large mass and proximity of the cryostat to the active detector volume demand the use of material with extremely low intrinsic radioactivity. We report on the radioassay campaign conducted to identify suitable metals, the determination of factors limiting radiopure production, and the selection of titanium for construction of the LZ cryostat and other detector components. This titanium has been measured with activities of $^{238}$U$_{e}$~$<$1.6~mBq/kg, $^{238}$U$_{l}$~$<$0.09~mBq/kg, $^{232}$Th$_{e}$~$=0.28\pm 0.03$~mBq/kg, $^{232}$Th$_{l}$~$=0.25\pm 0.02$~mBq/kg, $^{40}$K~$<$0.54~mBq/kg, and $^{60}$Co~$<$0.02~mBq/kg (68\% CL). Such low intrinsic activities, which are some of the lowest ever reported for titanium, enable its use for future dark matter and other rare event searches. Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to assess the expected background contribution from the LZ cryostat with this radioactivity. In 1,000 days of WIMP search exposure of a 5.6-tonne fiducial mass, the cryostat will contribute only a mean background of $0.160\pm0.001$(stat)$\pm0.030$(sys) counts.

physics.ins-det↗

Understanding NaI(Tl) crystal background for dark matter searches

We have developed ultra-low-background NaI(Tl) crystals to reproduce the DAMA results with the ultimate goal of achieving purity levels that are comparable to or better than those of the DAMA/LIBRA crystals. Even though the achieved background level does not approach that of DAMA/LIBRA, it is crucial to have a quantitative understanding of the backgrounds. We have studied background simulations toward a deeper understanding of the backgrounds and developed background models for a 9.16-kg NaI(Tl) crystal used in the test arrangement. In this paper we describe the contributions of background sources quantitatively by performing Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations that are fitted to the measured data to quantify the unknown fractions of the background compositions. In the fitted results, the overall simulated background spectrum well describes the measured data with a 9.16-kg NaI(Tl) crystal and shows that the background sources are dominated by surface $^{210}$Pb and internal $^{40}$K in the 2 to 6-keV energy interval, which produce 2.4 counts/day/keV/kg (dru) and 0.5 dru, respectively.

astro-ph.IM↗

LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Technical Design Report

In this Technical Design Report (TDR) we describe the LZ detector to be built at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). The LZ dark matter experiment is designed to achieve sensitivity to a WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross section of three times ten to the negative forty-eighth square centimeters.

physics.ins-det↗

Performance of a prototype active veto system using liquid scintillator for a dark matter search experiment

We report the performance of an active veto system using a liquid scintillator with NaI(Tl) crystals for use in a dark matter search experiment. When a NaI(Tl) crystal is immersed in the prototype detector, the detector tags 48% of the internal K-40 background in the 0-10 keV energy region. We also determined the tagging efficiency for events at 6-20 keV as 26.5 +/- 1.7% of the total events, which corresponds to 0.76 +/- 0.04 events/keV/kg/day. According to a simulation, approximately 60% of the background events from U, Th, and K radioisotopes in photomultiplier tubes are tagged at energies of 0-10 keV. Full shielding with a 40-cm-thick liquid scintillator can increase the tagging efficiency for both the internal K-40 and external background to approximately 80%.

astro-ph.IM↗

A new search for the $K_{L} \to π^0 ν\overlineν$ and $K_{L} \to π^{0} X^{0}$ decays

We searched for the $CP$-violating rare decay of neutral kaon, $K_{L} \to π^0 ν\overlineν$, in data from the first 100 hours of physics running in 2013 of the J-PARC KOTO experiment. One candidate event was observed while $0.34\pm0.16$ background events were expected. We set an upper limit of $5.1\times10^{-8}$ for the branching fraction at the 90\% confidence level (C.L.). An upper limit of $3.7\times10^{-8}$ at the 90\% C.L. for the $K_{L} \to π^{0} X^{0}$decay was also set for the first time, where $X^{0}$ is an invisible particle with a mass of 135 MeV/$c^{2}$.

hep-ex↗

Simulations of background sources in AMoRE-I experiment

The first phase of the Advanced Mo-based Rare Process Experiment (AMoRE-I), an experimental search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0$νββ$) of $^{100}$Mo in calcium molybdate (CMO) crystal using cryogenic techniques, is in preparation at the YangYang underground laboratory (Y2L) in South Korea. A GEANT4 based Monte Carlo simulation was performed for background estimation in the first-phase the AMoRE-I detector and shield configuration. Background sources such as $^{238}$U, $^{232}$Th, $^{40}$K, $^{235}$U, and $^{210}$Pb were simulated from inside the crystals, surrounding materials, outer shielding walls of the Y2L cavity. The estimated background rate in the region of interest was found to be $< 1.5 \times 10^{-3}$ counts/keV/kg/yr (ckky). The effects of random coincidences between background and two-neutrino double beta decay of $^{100}$Mo were estimated as a potential background source and its estimated rate was $< 2.3 \times 10^{-4}$ ckky.

physics.ins-det↗

Search for solar axions with CsI(Tl) crystal detectors

The results of a search for solar axions from the Korea Invisible Mass Search (KIMS) experiment at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory are presented. Low-energy electron-recoil events would be produced by conversion of solar axions into electrons via the axio-electric effect in CsI(Tl) crystals. Using data from an exposure of 34,596 $\rm kg \cdot days$, we set a 90 \% confidence level upper limit on the axion-electron coupling, $g_{ae}$, of $1.39 \times 10^{-11}$ for an axion mass less than 1 keV/$\rm c^2$. This limit is lower than the indirect solar neutrino bound, and fully excludes QCD axions heavier than 0.48 eV/$\rm c^2$ and 140.9 eV/$\rm c^2$ for the DFSZ and KSVZ models respectively.

hep-ex↗

Understanding internal backgrounds of NaI(Tl) crystals toward a 200~kg array for the KIMS-NaI experiment

The Korea Invisible Mass Search (KIMS) collaboration has developed low-background NaI(Tl) crystals that are suitable for the direct detection of WIMP dark matter. With experience built on the KIMS-CsI programs, the KIMS-NaI experiment will consist of a 200~kg NaI(Tl) crystal array surrounded by layers of shielding structures and will be operated at the Yangyang underground laboratory. The goal is to provide an unambiguous test of the DAMA/LIBRA's annual modulation signature. Measurements of six prototype crystals show progress in the reduction of internal contaminations of radioisotopes. Based on our understanding of these measurements, we expect to achieve a background level in the final detector configuration that is less than 1~count/day/keV/kg for recoil energies around 2~keV. The annual modulation sensitivity for the KIMS-NaI experiment shows that an unambiguous 7$σ$ test of the DAMA/LIBRA signature would be possible with a 600~kg$\cdot$year exposure with this system.

physics.ins-det↗

Technical Design Report for the AMoRE $0νββ$ Decay Search Experiment

The AMoRE (Advanced Mo-based Rare process Experiment) project is a series of experiments that use advanced cryogenic techniques to search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay of \mohundred. The work is being carried out by an international collaboration of researchers from eight countries. These searches involve high precision measurements of radiation-induced temperature changes and scintillation light produced in ultra-pure \Mo[100]-enriched and \Ca[48]-depleted calcium molybdate ($\mathrm{^{48depl}Ca^{100}MoO_4}$) crystals that are located in a deep underground laboratory in Korea. The \mohundred nuclide was chosen for this \zeronubb decay search because of its high $Q$-value and favorable nuclear matrix element. Tests have demonstrated that \camo crystals produce the brightest scintillation light among all of the molybdate crystals, both at room and at cryogenic temperatures. $\mathrm{^{48depl}Ca^{100}MoO_4}$ crystals are being operated at milli-Kelvin temperatures and read out via specially developed metallic-magnetic-calorimeter (MMC) temperature sensors that have excellent energy resolution and relatively fast response times. The excellent energy resolution provides good discrimination of signal from backgrounds, and the fast response time is important for minimizing the irreducible background caused by random coincidence of two-neutrino double-beta decay events of \mohundred nuclei. Comparisons of the scintillating-light and phonon yields and pulse shape discrimination of the phonon signals will be used to provide redundant rejection of alpha-ray-induced backgrounds. An effective Majorana neutrino mass sensitivity that reaches the expected range of the inverted neutrino mass hierarchy, i.e., 20-50 meV, could be achieved with a 200~kg array of $\mathrm{^{48depl}Ca^{100}MoO_4}$ crystals operating for three years.

physics.ins-det↗

Pulse-shape discrimination between electron and nuclear recoils in a NaI(Tl) crystal

We report on the response of a high light-output NaI(Tl) crystal to nuclear recoils induced by neutrons from an Am-Be source and compare the results with the response to electron recoils produced by Compton scattered 662 keV $γ$-rays from a $^{137}$Cs source. The measured pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) power of the NaI(Tl) crystal is found to be significantly improved because of the high light output of the NaI(Tl) detector. We quantify the PSD power with a quality factor and estimate the sensitivity to the interaction rate for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with nucleons, and the result is compared with the annual modulation amplitude observed by the DAMA/LIBRA experiment. The sensitivity to spin-independent WIMP-nucleon interactions based on 100 kg$\cdot$year of data from NaI detectors is estimated with simulated experiments, using the standard halo model.

astro-ph.IM↗

Measurement of the quenching and channeling effects in a CsI crystal used for a WIMP search

We have studied channeling effects in a Cesium Iodide (CsI) crystal that is similar in composition to the ones being used in a search for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) dark matter candidates, and measured its energy-dependent quenching factor, the relative scintillation yield for electron and nuclear recoils. The experimental results are reproduced with a GEANT4 simulation that includes a model of the scintillation efficiency as a function of electronic stopping power. We present the measured and simulated quenching factors and the estimated effects of channeling.

physics.ins-det↗

Tests on NaI(Tl) crystals for WIMP search at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory

Among the direct search experiments for WIMP dark matter, the DAMA experiment observed an annual modulation signal interpreted as WIMP interactions with 9.2$σ$ significance. However, this result is contradictory with other direct search experiments reporting null signals in the same parameter space allowed by the DAMA observation, necessitating clarification of the origin of the modulation signal observed using the NaI(Tl) crystals of the DAMA experiment independently. Here, we report the first results of NaI(Tl) crystal measurement at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory to grow ultra-low-background NaI(Tl) crystal detectors.

astro-ph.IM↗

Neutron calibration facility with an Am-Be source for pulse shape discrimination measurement of CsI(Tl) crystals

We constructed a neutron calibration facility based on a 300-mCi Am-Be source in conjunction with a search for weakly interacting massive particle candidates for dark matter. The facility is used to study the response of CsI(Tl) crystals to nuclear recoils induced by neutrons from the Am-Be source and comparing them with the response to electron recoils produced by Compton scattering of 662-keV $γ$-rays from a $^{137}$Cs source. The measured results on pulse shape discrimination (PSD) between nuclear- and electron-recoil events are quantified in terms of quality factors. A comparison with similar result from a neutron reactor demonstrate the feasibility of performing calibrations of PSD measurements using neutrons from a Am-Be source.

physics.ins-det↗