arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L. Bezrukov.
Multi-pixel photodiodes operating in a limited Geiger mode will be used for photoreadout of scintillator counters in underground cosmic ray experiment EMMA. Main parameters of photodiodes and the performance of EMMA scintillator counters are presented.
The GERDA (GERmanium Detector Array) experiment aiming to search for the neutrinoless double beta decay of 76Ge at the Laboratori Nazionali Del Gran Sasso (LNGS), Italy, will operate bare enriched high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors in liquid argon. GERDA Phase I will use the enriched diodes from the previous Heidelberg-Moscow (HdM) and IGEX experiments. With the HPGe detectors mounted in a low-mass holder, GERDA aims at an excellent energy resolution and extremely low background. The goal is to check the claim for the neutrinoless double beta decay evidence in the HdM 76Ge experiment within one year of data taking. Before dismounting the enriched diodes from their cryostat, the performance parameters of the HdM and the IGEX detectors have been measured. The diodes have been removed from their cryostats, their dimensions measured and they have been put under va-cuum in a transportation container. They are now being refurbished for GERDA Phase I at Canberra Semiconductor NV. Before operating the enriched diodes, a non-enriched HPGe p-type detector mounted in a low-mass holder is operated in the liquid argon test facility of the GERDA Detector Laboratory (GDL) at LNGS. Since January 2006, the testing of the prototype detector is being carried out in the GDL as well as at the site of the detector manufacturer.
A novel formulation to dope organic liquid scintillators (OLS) with indium at concentrations up to 10% is presented: it is based on specific indium carboxylate compounds adequately synthesized. The produced In-OLS has been characterized: it has light yield 8500 ph/MeV at indium concentration 5.5% and light attenuation length of 2,5 m at wavelength of 430 nm. The scintillator properties were stable during all time of investigation (~ 1 years). The produced In-OLS is compared to other In-OLS formulations and shows superior performances. The developed methodic to metal dope OLS can be easily extended to other metals as Gd, Nd, Cd.
This document reports on a series of experimental and theoretical studies conducted to assess the astro-particle physics potential of three future large-scale particle detectors proposed in Europe as next generation underground observatories. The proposed apparatus employ three different and, to some extent, complementary detection techniques: GLACIER (liquid Argon TPC), LENA (liquid scintillator) and MEMPHYS (\WC), based on the use of large mass of liquids as active detection media. The results of these studies are presented along with a critical discussion of the performance attainable by the three proposed approaches coupled to existing or planned underground laboratories, in relation to open and outstanding physics issues such as the search for matter instability, the detection of astrophysical- and geo-neutrinos and to the possible use of these detectors in future high-intensity neutrino beams.
Production of $^{60}$Co and $^{68}$Ge from stable isotopes of Germanium by nuclear active component of cosmic rays is a principal background source for a new generation of $^{76}$Ge double beta decay experiments like GERDA and Majorana. The biggest amount of cosmogenic activity is expected to be produced during transportation of either enriched material or already grown crystal. In this letter properties and feasibility of a movable iron shield are discussed. Activation reduction factor of about 10 is predicted by simulations with SHIELD code for a simple cylindrical configuration. It is sufficient for GERDA Phase II background requirements. Possibility of further increase of reduction factor and physical limitations are considered. Importance of activation reduction during Germanium purification and detector manufacturing is emphasized.
A brief sketch of the present status of gravitational wave experiments is given. Attention is concentrated to recent observations with the gravitational detector network. The project OGRAN for a combined optic-interferometrical and acoustical gravitation wave antenna planned for installation into underground facilities of the Baksan Neutrino Observatory is presented. We describe general principles of the apparatus, expected sensitivity and current characteristics of the antenna prototype; some ways for sensitivity improvement are also discussed.
Tremendous progress has been achieved in neutrino oscillation physics during the last few years. However, the smallness of the $\t13$ neutrino mixing angle still remains enigmatic. The current best constraint comes from the CHOOZ reactor neutrino experiment $\s2t13 < 0.2$ (at 90% C.L., for $\adm2=2.0 10^{-3} \text{eV}^2$). We propose a new experiment on the same site, Double-CHOOZ, to explore the range of $\s2t13$ from 0.2 to 0.03, within three years of data taking. The improvement of the CHOOZ result requires an increase in the statistics, a reduction of the systematic error below one percent, and a careful control of the cosmic ray induced background. Therefore, Double-CHOOZ will use two identical detectors, one at $\sim$150 m and another at 1.05 km distance from the nuclear cores. The plan is to start data taking with two detectors in 2008, and to reach a sensitivity of 0.05 in 2009, and 0.03 in 2011.
This Letter of Intent has been submitted to the Scientific Committee of the INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in March 2004. It describes a novel facility at the LNGS to study the double beta decay of 76Ge using an (optionally active) cryogenic fluid shield. The setup will allow to scrutinize with high significance on a short time scale the current evidence for neutrinoless double beta decay of 76Ge using the existing 76Ge diodes from the previous Heidelberg-Moscow and IGEX experiments. An increase in the lifetime limit can be achieved by adding more enriched detectors, remaining thereby background-free up to a few 100 kg-years of exposure.