arXiv subjects

V. Kornoukhov

Publications and source records attributed to V. Kornoukhov.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The $ν$EYE Neutrino Telescope: Conceptual Design Report

The $\bfνEYE$ neutrino project leverages the existing large pit at Yemilab located in South Korea, to reveal the existence of sterile neutrino, the up-turn of the neutrinos from the Sun, and the first minimum of the neutrino oscillation over distances on the order of tens of kilometers for the first time. This initiative is expected to facilitate a wide range of significant scientific and technological advancements within both South Korean and international communities engaged in neutrino science and technology. The $\bfνEYE$ aims to investigate the largely unexplored sector of almost-massless lepton in the elementary particle physics in detail. The emphasis will be placed on the study of real time nuclear processes and reactions involving possible sterile neutrinos on timescales down to nanoseconds in ultra-high intense or radioactive neutrino beams for the first time in the world; the $\bfνEYE$ looks at to-be universal oscillation (``up-turn'' in the electron neutrino survival probability) of neutrinos predicted by the three neutrino oscillation paradigm. This will confirm or deny our current understanding on the particle interactions of the lepton sector; and measurement of the first oscillation minimum between the first and second neutrinos in mass.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

A study of neutrinoless double electron capture in $^{40}$Ca from the AMoRE experiment

The search for neutrinoless double electron capture ($0ν\mathrm{2EC}$) provides a sensitive probe of lepton-number violation and the Majorana nature of neutrinos. We investigate the $0ν\mathrm{2EC}$ decay of $^{40}$Ca using cryogenic detectors equipped with metallic magnetic calorimeters in the AMoRE-I experiment. The analysis is based on a physics dataset corresponding to a total exposure of 7.32 kg$\cdot$yr from thirteen $^{40}$Ca$^{100}$MoO$_4$ crystals. No significant excess is observed, and a lower limit on the half-life is obtained as $T^{0ν}_{1/2} > 1.7 \times 10^{22}$ yr at 90$\%$ confidence level. An improved sensitivity is expected for the upcoming AMoRE-II experiment. These results demonstrate the potential of CaMoO$_4$ detectors to explore rare decay processes beyond the primary $^{100}$Mo $0νββ$ search program.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2025

Improved limit on neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{100}$Mo from AMoRE-I

AMoRE searches for the signature of neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{100}$Mo with a 100 kg sample of enriched $^{100}$Mo. Scintillating molybdate crystals coupled with a metallic magnetic calorimeter operate at milli-Kelvin temperatures to measure the energy of electrons emitted in the decay. As a demonstration of the full-scale AMoRE, we conducted AMoRE-I, a pre-experiment with 18 molybdate crystals, at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory for over two years. The exposure was 8.02 kg$\cdot$year (or 3.89 kg$_{\mathrm{^{100}Mo}}\cdot$year) and the total background rate near the Q-value was 0.025 $\pm$ 0.002 counts/keV/kg/year. We observed no indication of $0νββ$ decay and report a new lower limit of the half-life of $^{100}$Mo $0νββ$ decay as $ T^{0ν}_{1/2}>2.9\times10^{24}~\mathrm{yr}$ at 90\% confidence level. The effective Majorana mass limit range is $m_{ββ}<$(210--610) meV using nuclear matrix elements estimated in the framework of different models, including the recent shell model calculations.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2025

Development of MMC-based lithium molybdate cryogenic calorimeters for AMoRE-II

The AMoRE collaboration searches for neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{100}$Mo using molybdate scintillating crystals via low temperature thermal calorimetric detection. The early phases of the experiment, AMoRE-pilot and AMoRE-I, have demonstrated competitive discovery potential. Presently, the AMoRE-II experiment, featuring a large detector array with about 90 kg of $^{100}$Mo isotope, is under construction. This paper discusses the baseline design and characterization of the lithium molybdate cryogenic calorimeters to be used in the AMoRE-II detector modules. The results from prototype setups that incorporate new housing structures and two different crystal masses (316 g and 517 - 521 g), operated at 10 mK temperature, show energy resolutions (FWHM) of 7.55 - 8.82 keV at the 2.615 MeV $^{208}$Tl $γ$ line, and effective light detection of 0.79 - 0.96 keV/MeV. The simultaneous heat and light detection enables clear separation of alpha particles with a discrimination power of 12.37 - 19.50 at the energy region around $^6$Li(n, $α$)$^3$H with Q-value = 4.785 MeV. Promising detector performances were demonstrated at temperatures as high as 30 mK, which relaxes the temperature constraints for operating the large AMoRE-II array.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2024

Background study of the AMoRE-pilot experiment

We report a study on the background of the Advanced Molybdenum-Based Rare process Experiment (AMoRE), a search for neutrinoless double beta decay (\znbb) of $^{100}$Mo. The pilot stage of the experiment was conducted using $\sim$1.9 kg of \CAMOO~ crystals at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory, South Korea, from 2015 to 2018. We compared the measured $β/γ$ energy spectra in three experimental configurations with the results of Monte Carlo simulations and identified the background sources in each configuration. We replaced several detector components and enhanced the neutron shielding to lower the background level between configurations. A limit on the half-life of $0νββ$ decay of $^{100}$Mo was found at $T_{1/2}^{0ν} \ge 3.0\times 10^{23}$ years at 90\% confidence level, based on the measured background and its modeling. Further reduction of the background rate in the AMoRE-I and AMoRE-II are discussed.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2022

Alpha backgrounds in the AMoRE-Pilot experiment

The Advanced Mo-based Rare process Experiment (AMoRE)-Pilot experiment is an initial phase of the AMoRE search for neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{100}$Mo, with the purpose of investigating the level and sources of backgrounds. Searches for neutrinoless double beta decay generally require ultimately low backgrounds. Surface $α$ decays on the crystals themselves or nearby materials can deposit a continuum of energies that can be as high as the $Q$-value of the decay itself and may fall in the region of interest (ROI). To understand these background events, we studied backgrounds from radioactive contaminations internal to and on the surface of the crystals or nearby materials with Geant4-based Monte Carlo simulations. In this study, we report on the measured $α$ energy spectra fitted with the corresponding simulated spectra for six crystal detectors, where sources of background contributions could be identified through high energy $α$ peaks and continuum parts in the energy spectrum for both internal and surface contaminations. We determine the low-energy contributions from internal and surface $α$ contaminations by extrapolating from the $α$ background fitting model.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2019

First Results from the AMoRE-Pilot neutrinoless double beta decay experiment

The Advanced Molybdenum-based Rare process Experiment (AMoRE) aims to search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0$νββ$) of $^{100}$Mo with $\sim$100 kg of $^{100}$Mo-enriched molybdenum embedded in cryogenic detectors with a dual heat and light readout. At the current, pilot stage of the AMoRE project we employ six calcium molybdate crystals with a total mass of 1.9 kg, produced from $^{48}$Ca-depleted calcium and $^{100}$Mo-enriched molybdenum ($^{48\textrm{depl}}$Ca$^{100}$MoO$_4$). The simultaneous detection of heat(phonon) and scintillation (photon) signals is realized with high resolution metallic magnetic calorimeter sensors that operate at milli-Kelvin temperatures. This stage of the project is carried out in the Yangyang underground laboratory at a depth of 700 m. We report first results from the AMoRE-Pilot $0νββ$ search with a 111 kg$\cdot$d live exposure of $^{48\textrm{depl}}$Ca$^{100}$MoO$_4$ crystals. No evidence for $0νββ$ decay of $^{100}$Mo is found, and a upper limit is set for the half-life of 0$νββ$ of $^{100}$Mo of $T^{0ν}_{1/2} > 9.5\times10^{22}$ y at 90% C.L.. This limit corresponds to an effective Majorana neutrino mass limit in the range $\langle m_{ββ}\rangle\le(1.2-2.1)$ eV.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2017

A White Paper on keV Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter

We present a comprehensive review of keV-scale sterile neutrino Dark Matter, collecting views and insights from all disciplines involved - cosmology, astrophysics, nuclear, and particle physics - in each case viewed from both theoretical and experimental/observational perspectives. After reviewing the role of active neutrinos in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, we focus on sterile neutrinos in the context of the Dark Matter puzzle. Here, we first review the physics motivation for sterile neutrino Dark Matter, based on challenges and tensions in purely cold Dark Matter scenarios. We then round out the discussion by critically summarizing all known constraints on sterile neutrino Dark Matter arising from astrophysical observations, laboratory experiments, and theoretical considerations. In this context, we provide a balanced discourse on the possibly positive signal from X-ray observations. Another focus of the paper concerns the construction of particle physics models, aiming to explain how sterile neutrinos of keV-scale masses could arise in concrete settings beyond the Standard Model of elementary particle physics. The paper ends with an extensive review of current and future astrophysical and laboratory searches, highlighting new ideas and their experimental challenges, as well as future perspectives for the discovery of sterile neutrinos.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

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↗

arXiv2013

Isotopically modified Ge detectors for {\sc Gerda}: from production to operation

The \textsc{Gerda} experiment searches for the neutrinoless double beta ($0νβ$beta$) decay of $^{76}$Ge using high-purity germanium detectors made of material enriched in $^{76}$Ge. For Phase II of the experiment a sensitivity for the half life $T_{1/2}^{0ν}\,\,\sim2\cdot10^{26}$ yr is envisioned. Modified Broad Energy Germanium detectors (BEGe) with thick n$^+$ electrodes provide the capability to efficiently identify and reject background events, while keeping a large acceptance for the $0νβ$beta$-decay signal through novel pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) techniques. The viability of producing thick-window BEGe-type detectors for the \textsc{Gerda} experiment is demonstrated by testing all the production steps from the procurement of isotopically modified germanium up to working BEGe detectors. Comprehensive testing of the spectroscopic as well as PSD performance of the \textsc{Gerda} Phase II prototype BEGe detectors proved that the properties of these detectors are identical to those produced previously from natural germanium material following the standard production line of the manufacturer. Furthermore, the production of BEGe detectors from a limited amount of isotopically modified germanium served to optimize the production, in order to maximize the overall detector mass yield. The results of this test campaign provided direct input for the subsequent production of the enriched germanium detectors.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2007

Characterization and performances of new indium loaded organic liquid scintillators, based on novel indium carboxilate compounds

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.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2005

Cosmogenic activation of Germanium and its reduction for low background experiments

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.

nucl-ex↗