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I. Ogawa

Publications and source records attributed to I. Ogawa.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2021

Low background measurement in CANDLES-III for studying the neutrino-less double beta decay of $^{48}$Ca

We developed a CANDLES-III system to study the neutrino-less double beta (0$νββ$) decay of $^{48}$Ca. The proposed system employs 96 CaF$_{2}$ scintillation crystals (305 kg) with natural Ca ($^{\rm nat.}$Ca) isotope which corresponds 350\,g of $^{48}$Ca. External backgrounds were rejected using a 4$π$ active shield of a liquid scintillator surrounding the CaF$_2$ crystals. The internal backgrounds caused by the radioactive impurities within the CaF$_2$ crystals can be reduced effectively through analysis of the signal pulse shape. We analyzed the data obtained in the Kamioka underground for a live-time of 130.4\,days to evaluate the feasibility of the low background measurement with the CANDLES-III detector. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we estimated the background rate from the radioactive impurities in the CaF$_{2}$ crystals and the rate of high energy $γ$-rays caused by the (n, $γ$) reactions induced by environmental neutrons. The expected background rate was in a good agreement with the measured rate, i.e., approximately 10$^{-3}$ events/keV/yr/(kg of $^{\rm nat.}$Ca), in the 0$νββ$ window. In conclusion, the background candidates were estimated properly by comparing the measured energy spectrum with the background simulations. With this measurement method, we performed the first search for 0$νββ$ decay in a low background condition using a detector with a Ca isotope, in which the Ca present was not enriched, in a scale of hundreds of kg. The $^{48}$Ca isotope has a high potential for use in 0$νββ$ decay search, and is expected to be useful for the development of a next-generation detector for highly sensitive measurements.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2021

Development of a cavity with photonic crystal structure for axion searches

Two cavities in different size with the photonic crystal structure have been developed for axion searches. In the cavities, the dispersion relation in the photonic crystal is utilised, and so was named to "DRiPC cavities". The size of the smaller one is 100 mm x 100 mm x 10 mm, where 16 cylindrical metal poles with a diameter of 4 mm are introduced in a 4x4 grid at 20 mm intervals. In this study, the grid interval in x direction in the small size cavity, Lx, was changed to investigate resonance frequency, Q-value, and electric field profile at each Lx. The lowest three frequencies have been compared with the ones simulated by the finite element method to be found in excellent agreement. The lowest frequency mode could be tuned from 5.10 GHz (Lx = 25.0 mm) to 6.72 GHz (13.9 mm), centering on 5.87 GHz at Lx = 20 mm. This wide range tunability, 27.7%, was suitable for a search with a modest Q-value. By examining the electric field distributions with the bead pull method, the lowest frequency mode at Lx = 16.0 - 25.0 mm were TM010-like. This mode was also obtained in a larger size cavity (180 mm x 180 mm x 20 mm x 2) with the same photonic crystal structure. These results led us to conclude a DRiPC cavity has the noble features for future axion search experiments.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2021

A study on energy resolution of CANDLES detector

In a neutrinoless double-beta decay ($0νββ$) experiment, energy resolution is important to distinguish between $0νββ$ and background events. CAlcium fluoride for studies of Neutrino and Dark matters by Low Energy Spectrometer (CANDLES) discerns the $0νββ$ of $^{48}$Ca using a CaF$_2$ scintillator as the detector and source. Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) collect scintillation photons. At the Q-value of $^{48}$Ca, the current energy resolution (2.6%) exceeds the ideal statistical fluctuation of the number of photoelectrons (1.6%). Because of CaF$_2$'s long decay constant of 1000 ns, a signal integration within 4000 ns is used to calculate the energy. The baseline fluctuation ($σ_{baseline}$) is accumulated in the signal integration, thus degrading the energy resolution. This paper studies $σ_{baseline}$ in the CANDLES detector, which severely degrades the resolution by 1% at the Q-value of $^{48}$Ca. To avoid $σ_{\rm baseline}$, photon counting can be used to obtain the number of photoelectrons in each PMT; however, a significant photoelectron signal overlapping probability in each PMT causes missing photoelectrons in counting and reduces the energy resolution. "Partial photon counting" reduces $σ_{baseline}$ and minimizes photoelectron loss. We obtain improved energy resolutions of 4.5-4.0% at 1460.8 keV ($γ$-ray of $^{40}$K), and 3.3-2.9% at 2614.5 keV ($γ$-ray of $^{208}$Tl). The energy resolution at the Q-value is estimated to be improved from 2.6% to 2.2%, and the detector sensitivity for the $0νββ$ half-life of $^{48}$Ca can be improved by 1.09 times.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2020

The energy calibration system for CANDLES using (n, γ) reaction

CAlcium fluoride for the study of Neutrinos and Dark matters by Low-energy Spectrometer (CANDLES) searches for neutrino-less double beta decay of $^{48}$Ca using a CaF$_2$ scintillator array. A high Q-value of $^{48}$Ca at 4,272 keV enabled us to achieve very low background condition, however, at the same it causes difficulties in calibrating the detector's Q-value region because of the absence of a standard high-energy $γ$-ray source. Therefore, we have developed a novel calibration system based on $γ$-ray emission by neutron capture on $^{28}$Si, $^{56}$Fe and $^{58}$Ni nuclei. In the paper, we report the development of the new calibration system as well as the results of energy calibration in CANDLES up to 9 MeV.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2016

Background Studies for the MINER Coherent Neutrino Scattering Reactor Experiment

The proposed Mitchell Institute Neutrino Experiment at Reactor (MINER) experiment at the Nuclear Science Center at Texas A&M University will search for coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering within close proximity (about 2 meters) of a 1 MW TRIGA nuclear reactor core using low threshold, cryogenic germanium and silicon detectors. Given the Standard Model cross section of the scattering process and the proposed experimental proximity to the reactor, as many as 5 to 20 events/kg/day are expected. We discuss the status of preliminary measurements to characterize the main backgrounds for the proposed experiment. Both in situ measurements at the experimental site and simulations using the MCNP and GEANT4 codes are described. A strategy for monitoring backgrounds during data taking is briefly discussed.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2014

First Millimeter-wave Spectroscopy of the Ground-state Positronium

We report on the first measurement of the Breit-Wigner resonance of the transition from {\it ortho-}positronium to {\it para-}positronium. We have developed an optical system to accumulate a power of over 20 kW using a frequency-tunable gyrotron and a Fabry-Pérot cavity. This system opens a new era of millimeter-wave spectroscopy, and enables us to directly determine both the hyperfine interval and the decay width of {\it p-}Ps.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2012

Direct Observation of the Hyperfine Transition of the Ground State Positronium

We report the first direct measurement of the hyperfine transition of the ground state positronium. The hyperfine structure between ortho-positronium and para-positronium is about 203 GHz. We develop a new optical system to accumulate about 10 kW power using a gyrotron, a mode converter, and a Fabry-Pérot cavity. The hyperfine transition has been observed with a significance of 5.4 standard deviations. The transition probability is measured to be $A = 3.1^{+1.6}_{-1.2} \times 10^{-8}$ s$^{-1}$ for the first time, which is in good agreement with the theoretical value of $3.37 \times 10^{-8}$ s$^{-1}$.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2011

First direct measurement of positronium hyperfine splitting with sub-THz light

Positronium is an ideal system for the research of the bound state QED. The hyperfine splitting of positronium (Ps-HFS, about 203 GHz) is an important observable but all previous measurements of Ps-HFS had been measured indirectly using Zeeman splitting. There might be the unknown systematic errors on the uniformity of magnetic field. We are trying to measure Ps-HFS directly using sub-THz radiation. We developed an optical system to accumulate high power (about 10 kW) radiation in a Fabry-Pérot resonant cavity and observed the positronium hyperfine transition for the first time.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2010

Precise measurement of Hyper Fine Structure of positronium using sub-THz light

Positronium is an ideal system for the research of the QED, especially for the QED in bound state. The discrepancy of 3.9σis found recently between the measured HFS values and the QED prediction ($O(α^3)$). It might be due to the contribution of the unknown new physics or the systematic problems in the previous all measurements. We propose new method to measure HFS precisely and directly. A gyrotron, a novel sub-THz light source is used with a high-finesse Fabry-Pérot cavity to obtain enough radiation power at 203 GHz. The present status of the optimization studies and current design of the experiment are described.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2009

Precise measurement of HFS of positronium

The ground state hyperfine splitting in positronium, $Δ_{\mathrm{HFS}}$, is sensitive to high order corrections of QED. A new calculation up to $O(α^3)$ has revealed a $3.9 σ$ discrepancy between the QED prediction and the experimental results. This discrepancy might either be due to systematic problems in the previous experiments or to contributions beyond the Standard Model. We propose an experiment to measure $Δ_{\mathrm{HFS}}$ employing new methods designed to remedy the systematic errors which may have affected the previous experiments. Our experiment will provide an independent check of the discrepancy. The measurement is in progress and a preliminary result of $Δ_{\mathrm{HFS}} = 203.399 \pm 0.029 \mathrm{GHz} (143 \mathrm{ppm})$ has been obtained. A measurement with a precision of O(1) ppm is expected within a few years.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2008

Neutrino-less Double Beta Decay of 48Ca studied by CaF2(Eu) Scintillators

We searched for the neutrino-less double beta decay(0nbb) of 48Ca by using CaF2(Eu) scintillators. Analysis of their pulse shapes was effective to reduce backgrounds. No events are observed in the Q-value region for the data of 3394 kg days. It gives a lower limit (90% confidence level) of T > 2.7 x 10^22 year for the half life of 0nbb of 48Ca. Combined with our previous data for 1553 kg days, we obtained more stringent limit of T > 5.8 x 10^22 year.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2002

Manipulating ionization path in a Stark map: Stringent schemes for the selective field ionization in highly excited Rb Rydberg atoms

We have developed a quite stringent method in selectivity to ionize the low angular- momentum ($\ell$) states which lie below and above the adjacent manifold in highly excited Rb Rydberg atoms. The method fully exploits the pulsed field-ionization characteristics of the manifold states in high slew-rate regime: Specifically the low $\ell$ state below (above) the adjacent manifold is firstly transferred to the lowest (highest) state in the manifold via the adiabatic transition at the first avoided crossing in low slew-rate regime, and then the atoms are driven to a high electric field for ionization in high slew-rate regime. These extreme states of the manifold are ionized at quite different fields due to the tunneling process, resulting in thus the stringent selectivity. Two manipulation schemes to realize this method actually are demonstrated here experimentally.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2002

Systematic observation of tunneling field-ionization in highly excited Rb Rydberg atoms

Pulsed field ionization of high-$n$ (90 $\leq n \leq$ 150) manifold states in Rb Rydberg atoms has been investigated in high slew-rate regime. Two peaks in the field ionization spectra were systematically observed for the investigated $n$ region, where the field values at the lower peak do not almost depend on the excitation energy in the manifold, while those at the higher peak increase with increasing excitation energy. The fraction of the higher peak component to the total ionization signals increases with increasing $n$, exceeding 80% at $n$ = 147. Characteristic behavior of the peak component and the comparison with theoretical predictions indicate that the higher peak component is due to the tunneling process. The obtained results show for the first time that the tunneling process plays increasingly the dominant role at such highly excited nonhydrogenic Rydberg atoms.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2001

A coupled microwave-cavity system in the Rydberg-atom cavity detector for dark matter axions

A coupled microwave-cavity system of cylindrical TM$_{010}$ single-mode has been developed to search for dark matter axions around 10 $μ{\rm eV}$(2.4 GHz) with the Rydberg-atom cavity detector at 10 mK range temperature. One component of the coupled cavity (conversion cavity) made of oxygen-free high-conductivity copper is used to convert an axion into a single photon with the Primakoff process in the strong magnetic field, while the other component (detection cavity) made of Nb is utilized to detect the converted photons with Rydberg atoms passed through it without magnetic field. Top of the detection cavity is attached to the bottom flange of the mixing chamber of a dilution refrigerator, thus the whole cavity is cooled down to 10 mK range to reduce the background thermal blackbody-photons in the cavity. The cavity resonant frequency is tunable over $\sim$ 15% by moving dielectric rods inserted independently into each part of the cavities along the cylindrical axis. In order to reduce the heat load from the higher temperature side to the most cooled dilution refrigerator part, the tuning rod at the conversion cavity is especially driven via the Kevlar strings with a stepping motor outside the cryostat at room temperature. The lowest temperature achieved up to now is 12 $\sim$ 15 mK for the long period operation and the loaded Q value at low temperature is 3.5 $\sim$ 4.5 $\times$ $10^4$ for the whole range of frequency tuning. Characteristics and the performance of the coupled-cavity system are presented and discussed with possible future improvements.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2000

Coherent time evolution of highly excited Rydberg states in pulsed electric field: Opening a stringent way to selectively field-ionize the highly excited states

Coherent time evolution of highly excited Rydberg states in Rb (98 < n < 150) under pulsed electric field in high slew-rate regime was investigated with the field ionization detection. The electric field necessary to ionize the Rydberg states was found to take discrete values successively depending on the slew rate. Specifically the slew-rate dependence of the ionization field varies with the quantum defect value of the states, i.e. with the energy position of the states relative to the adjacent manifold. This discrete transitional behavior of the ionization field observed for the first time is considered to be a manifestation of the strong coherence effect in the time evolution of the Rydberg states in pulsed electric field and opens a new effective way to stringently select a low-l state from the nearby states by field ionization.

physics.atom-ph↗