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V. V. Golovko

Publications and source records attributed to V. V. Golovko.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Position Reconstruction in the DEAP-3600 Dark Matter Search Experiment

In the DEAP-3600 dark matter search experiment, precise reconstruction of the positions of scattering events in liquid argon is key for background rejection and defining a fiducial volume that enhances dark matter candidate events identification. This paper describes three distinct position reconstruction algorithms employed by DEAP-3600, leveraging the spatial and temporal information provided by photomultipliers surrounding a spherical liquid argon vessel. Two of these methods are maximum-likelihood algorithms: the first uses the spatial distribution of detected photoelectrons, while the second incorporates timing information from the detected scintillation light. Additionally, a machine learning approach based on the pattern of photoelectron counts across the photomultipliers is explored.

physics.ins-det↗

Direct Measurement of the $^{39}$Ar Half-life from 3.4 Years of Data with the DEAP-3600 Detector

The half-life of $^{39}$Ar is measured using the DEAP-3600 detector located 2 km underground at SNOLAB. Between 2016 and 2020, DEAP-3600 used a target mass of (3269 $\pm$ 24) kg of liquid argon distilled from the atmosphere in a direct-detection dark matter search. Such an argon mass also enables direct measurements of argon isotope properties. The decay of $^{39}$Ar in DEAP-3600 is the dominant source of triggers by two orders of magnitude, ensuring high statistics and making DEAP-3600 well-suited for measuring this isotope's half-life. Use of the pulse-shape discrimination technique in DEAP-3600 allows powerful discrimination between nuclear recoils and electron recoils, resulting in the selection of a clean sample of $^{39}$Ar decays. Observing over a period of 3.4 years, the $^{39}$Ar half-life is measured to be $(302 \pm 8_{\rm stat} \pm 6_{\rm sys})$ years. This new direct measurement suggests that the half-life of $^{39}$Ar is significantly longer than the accepted value, with potential implications for measurements using this isotope's half-life as input.

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Precision Measurement of the Specific Activity of $^{39}$Ar in Atmospheric Argon with the DEAP-3600 Detector

The specific activity of the beta decay of $^{39}$Ar in atmospheric argon is measured using the DEAP-3600 detector. DEAP-3600, located 2 km underground at SNOLAB, uses a total of (3269 $\pm$ 24) kg of liquid argon distilled from the atmosphere to search for dark matter. This detector with very low background uses pulseshape discrimination to differentiate between nuclear recoils and electron recoils and is well-suited to measure the decay of $^{39}$Ar. With 167 live-days of data, the measured specific activity at the time of atmospheric extraction is [0.964 $\pm$ 0.001 (stat) $\pm$ 0.024 (sys)] Bq/kg$_{\rm atmAr}$ which is consistent with results from other experiments. A cross-check analysis using different event selection criteria provides a consistent result.

physics.ins-det↗

The liquid-argon scintillation pulseshape in DEAP-3600

DEAP-3600 is a liquid-argon scintillation detector looking for dark matter. Scintillation events in the liquid argon (LAr) are registered by 255 photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), and pulseshape discrimination (PSD) is used to suppress electromagnetic background events. The excellent PSD performance of LAr makes it a viable target for dark matter searches, and the LAr scintillation pulseshape discussed here is the basis of PSD. The observed pulseshape is a combination of LAr scintillation physics with detector effects. We present a model for the pulseshape of electromagnetic background events in the energy region of interest for dark matter searches. The model is composed of a) LAr scintillation physics, including the so-called intermediate component, b) the time response of the TPB wavelength shifter, including delayed TPB emission at $\mathcal O$(ms) time-scales, and c) PMT response. TPB is the wavelength shifter of choice in most LAr detectors. We find that approximately 10\% of the intensity of the wavelength-shifted light is in a long-lived state of TPB. This causes light from an event to spill into subsequent events to an extent not usually accounted for in the design and data analysis of LAr-based detectors.

physics.ins-det↗

Search for dark matter with a 231-day exposure of liquid argon using DEAP-3600 at SNOLAB

DEAP-3600 is a single-phase liquid argon (LAr) direct-detection dark matter experiment, operating 2 km underground at SNOLAB (Sudbury, Canada). The detector consists of 3279 kg of LAr contained in a spherical acrylic vessel. This paper reports on the analysis of a 758 tonne\cdot day exposure taken over a period of 231 live-days during the first year of operation. No candidate signal events are observed in the WIMP-search region of interest, which results in the leading limit on the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross section on a LAr target of $3.9\times10^{-45}$ cm$^{2}$ ($1.5\times10^{-44}$ cm$^{2}$) for a 100 GeV/c$^{2}$ (1 TeV/c$^{2}$) WIMP mass at 90\% C. L. In addition to a detailed background model, this analysis demonstrates the best pulse-shape discrimination in LAr at threshold, employs a Bayesian photoelectron-counting technique to improve the energy resolution and discrimination efficiency, and utilizes two position reconstruction algorithms based on PMT charge and photon arrival times.

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Electromagnetic Backgrounds and Potassium-42 Activity in the DEAP-3600 Dark Matter Detector

The DEAP-3600 experiment is searching for WIMP dark matter with a 3.3 tonne single phase liquid argon (LAr) target, located 2.1 km underground at SNOLAB. The experimental signature of dark matter interactions is keV-scale $^{40}$Ar nuclear recoils (NR) producing 128 nm LAr scintillation photons observed by PMTs. The largest backgrounds in DEAP-3600 are electronic recoils (ER) induced by $β$ and $γ$-rays originating from internal and external radioactivity in the detector material. A background model of the ER interactions in DEAP-3600 was developed and is described in this work. The model is based on several components which are expected from radioisotopes in the LAr, from ex-situ material assay measurements, and from dedicated independent in-situ analyses. This prior information is used in a Bayesian fit of the ER components to a 247.2 d dataset to model the radioactivity in the surrounding detector materials. While excellent discrimination between ERs and NRs is reached with pulse shape discrimination, utilizing the large difference between fast and slow components of LAr scintillation light, detailed knowledge of the ER background and activity of detector components, sets valuable constraints on other key types of backgrounds in the detector: neutrons and alphas. In addition, the activity of $^{42}$Ar in LAr in DEAP-3600 is determined by measuring the daughter decay of $^{42}$K. This cosmogenically activated trace isotope is a relevant background at higher energies for other rare event searches using atmospheric argon e.g. DarkSide-20k, GERDA or LEGEND. The specific activity of $^{42}$Ar in the atmosphere is found to be $40.4 \pm 5.9$ $μ$Bq/kg of argon.

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In-situ characterization of the Hamamatsu R5912-HQE photomultiplier tubes used in the DEAP-3600 experiment

The Hamamatsu R5912-HQE photomultiplier-tube (PMT) is a novel high-quantum efficiency PMT. It is currently used in the DEAP-3600 dark matter detector and is of significant interest for future dark matter and neutrino experiments where high signal yields are needed. We report on the methods developed for in-situ characterization and monitoring of DEAP's 255 R5912-HQE PMTs. This includes a detailed discussion of typical measured single-photoelectron charge distributions, correlated noise (afterpulsing), dark noise, double, and late pulsing characteristics. The characterization is performed during the detector commissioning phase using laser light injected through a light diffusing sphere and during normal detector operation using LED light injected through optical fibres.

physics.ins-det↗

First results from the DEAP-3600 dark matter search with argon at SNOLAB

This paper reports the first results of a direct dark matter search with the DEAP-3600 single-phase liquid argon (LAr) detector. The experiment was performed 2 km underground at SNOLAB (Sudbury, Canada) utilizing a large target mass, with the LAr target contained in a spherical acrylic vessel of 3600 kg capacity. The LAr is viewed by an array of PMTs, which would register scintillation light produced by rare nuclear recoil signals induced by dark matter particle scattering. An analysis of 4.44 live days (fiducial exposure of 9.87 tonne-days) of data taken with the nearly full detector during the initial filling phase demonstrates the detector performance and the best electronic recoil rejection using pulse-shape discrimination in argon, with leakage $<1.2\times 10^{-7}$ (90% C.L.) between 16 and 33 keV$_{ee}$. No candidate signal events are observed, which results in the leading limit on WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross section on argon, $<1.2\times 10^{-44}$ cm$^2$ for a 100 GeV/c$^2$ WIMP mass (90% C.L.).

astro-ph.CO↗

Design and Construction of the DEAP-3600 Dark Matter Detector

The Dark matter Experiment using Argon Pulse-shape discrimination (DEAP) has been designed for a direct detection search for particle dark matter using a single-phase liquid argon target. The projected cross section sensitivity for DEAP-3600 to the spin-independent scattering of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) on nucleons is $10^{-46}~\rm{cm}^{2}$ for a 100 GeV/$c^2$ WIMP mass with a fiducial exposure of 3 tonne-years. This paper describes the physical properties and construction of the DEAP-3600 detector.

astro-ph.IM↗

Measurement of the scintillation time spectra and pulse-shape discrimination of low-energy beta and nuclear recoils in liquid argon with DEAP-1

The DEAP-1 low-background liquid argon detector was used to measure scintillation pulse shapes of electron and nuclear recoil events and to demonstrate the feasibility of pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) down to an electron-equivalent energy of 20 keV. In the surface dataset using a triple-coincidence tag we found the fraction of beta events that are misidentified as nuclear recoils to be $<1.4\times 10^{-7}$ (90% C.L.) for energies between 43-86 keVee and for a nuclear recoil acceptance of at least 90%, with 4% systematic uncertainty on the absolute energy scale. The discrimination measurement on surface was limited by nuclear recoils induced by cosmic-ray generated neutrons. This was improved by moving the detector to the SNOLAB underground laboratory, where the reduced background rate allowed the same measurement with only a double-coincidence tag. The combined data set contains $1.23\times10^8$ events. One of those, in the underground data set, is in the nuclear-recoil region of interest. Taking into account the expected background of 0.48 events coming from random pileup, the resulting upper limit on the electronic recoil contamination is $<2.7\times10^{-8}$ (90% C.L.) between 44-89 keVee and for a nuclear recoil acceptance of at least 90%, with 6% systematic uncertainty on the absolute energy scale. We developed a general mathematical framework to describe PSD parameter distributions and used it to build an analytical model of the distributions observed in DEAP-1. Using this model, we project a misidentification fraction of approx. $10^{-10}$ for an electron-equivalent energy threshold of 15 keV for a detector with 8 PE/keVee light yield. This reduction enables a search for spin-independent scattering of WIMPs from 1000 kg of liquid argon with a WIMP-nucleon cross-section sensitivity of $10^{-46}$ cm$^2$, assuming negligible contribution from nuclear recoil backgrounds.

astro-ph.IM↗

Improving Photoelectron Counting and Particle Identification in Scintillation Detectors with Bayesian Techniques

Many current and future dark matter and neutrino detectors are designed to measure scintillation light with a large array of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). The energy resolution and particle identification capabilities of these detectors depend in part on the ability to accurately identify individual photoelectrons in PMT waveforms despite large variability in pulse amplitudes and pulse pileup. We describe a Bayesian technique that can identify the times of individual photoelectrons in a sampled PMT waveform without deconvolution, even when pileup is present. To demonstrate the technique, we apply it to the general problem of particle identification in single-phase liquid argon dark matter detectors. Using the output of the Bayesian photoelectron counting algorithm described in this paper, we construct several test statistics for rejection of backgrounds for dark matter searches in argon. Compared to simpler methods based on either observed charge or peak finding, the photoelectron counting technique improves both energy resolution and particle identification of low energy events in calibration data from the DEAP-1 detector and simulation of the larger MiniCLEAN dark matter detector.

physics.ins-det↗

Hyperfine Field and Hyperfine Anomalies of Copper Impurities in Iron

A new value for the hyperfine magnetic field of copper impurities in iron is obtained by combining resonance frequencies from experiments involving β-NMR on oriented nuclei on 59-Cu, 69-Cu, and 71-Cu with magnetic moment values from collinear laser spectroscopy measurements on these isotopes. The resulting value, i.e., Bhf(CuFe) = -21.794(10) T, is in agreement with the value adopted until now but is an order of magnitude more precise. It is consistent with predictions from ab initio calculations. Comparing the hyperfine field values obtained for the individual isotopes, the hyperfine anomalies in Fe were determined to be 59Δ69=0.15(9)% and 71Δ69=0.07(11)%.

nucl-ex↗

Precise Half-Life Measurement of the Superallowed Beta+ Emitter 26Si

We have measured the half-life of the superallowed 0+ -to- 0+ beta+ emitter 26Si to be 2245.3(7) ms. We used pure sources of 26Si and employed a high-efficiency gas counter, which was sensitive to positrons from both this nuclide and its daughter 26mAl. The data were analyzed as a linked parent-daughter decay. To contribute meaningfully to any test of the unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix, the ft value of a superallowed transition must be determined to a precision of 0.1% or better. With a precision of 0.03% the present result is more than sufficient to be compatable with that requirement. Only the branching ratio now remains to be measured precisely before a +/-0.1% ft value can be obtained for the superallowed transition from 26Si.

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Magnetic moment of Ag-104(m) and the hyperfine magnetic field of Ag in Fe using nuclear magnetic resonance on oriented nuclei

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR/ON) measurements with beta- and gamma-ray detection have been performed on oriented Ag-104(g,m) nuclei with the NICOLE He-3-He-4 dilution refrigerator setup at ISOLDE/CERN. For Ag-104(g) (I-pi = 5(+)) the gamma-NMR/ON resonance signal was found at nu = 266.70(5) MHz. Combining this result with the known magnetic moment for this isotope, the magnetic hyperfine field of Ag impurities in an Fe host at low temperature (< 1 K) is found to be vertical bar B-hf(AgFe)vertical bar = 44.709(35) T. A detailed analysis of other relevant data available in the literature yields three more values for this hyperfine field. Averaging all four values yields a new and precise value for the hyperfine field of Ag in Fe; that is, vertical bar B-hf(AgFe)vertical bar = 44.692(30) T. For Ag-104(m) (I-pi = 2(+)), the anisotropy of the beta particles provided the NMR/ON resonance signal at nu = 627.7(4) MHz. Using the new value for the hyperfine field of Ag in Fe, this frequency corresponds to the magnetic moment mu(Ag-104m) = +3.691(3) mu(N), which is significantly more precise than previous results. The magnetic moments of the even-A Ag102 -110 isotopes are discussed in view of the competition between the (pi g(9/2))(7/2+)(-3)(nu d(5/2)nu g(7/2))(5/2+) and the (pi g(9/2))(9/2+)(-3)(nu d(5/2)nu g(7/2))(5/2+) configurations. The magnetic moments of the ground and isomeric states of Ag-104 can be explained by an almost complete mixing of these two configurations.

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Precision measurements of the $^{60}$Co $β$-asymmetry parameter in search for tensor currents in weak interactions

The $β$-asymmetry parameter $\widetilde{A}$ for the Gamow-Teller decay of $^{60}$Co was measured by polarizing the radioactive nuclei with the brute force low-temperature nuclear-orientation method. The $^{60}$Co activity was cooled down to milliKelvin temperatures in a $^3$He-$^4$He dilution refrigerator in an external 13 T magnetic field. The $β$ particles were observed by a 500 $μm$ thick Si PIN diode operating at a temperature of about 10 K in a magnetic field of 0.6 T. Extensive GEANT4 Monte-Carlo simulations were performed to gain control over the systematic effects. Our result, $\widetilde{A} = -1.014(12)_{stat}(16)_{syst}$, is in agreement with the Standard-Model value of $-0.987(9)$, which includes recoil-order corrections that were addressed for the first time for this isotope. Further, it enables limits to be placed on possible tensor-type charged weak currents as well as other physics beyond the Standard Model.

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Half-life of the electron-capture decay of 97Ru: Precision measurement shows no temperature dependence

We have measured the half-life of the electron-capture (ec) decay of 97Ru in a metallic environment, both at low temperature (19K), and also at room temperature. We find the half-lives at both temperatures to be the same within 0.1%. This demonstrates that a recent claim that the ec decay half-life for 7Be changes by $0.9% +/- 0.2% under similar circumstances certainly cannot be generalized to other ec decays. Our results for the half-life of 97Ru, 2.8370(14)d at room temperature and 2.8382(14)d at 19K, are consistent with, but much more precise than, previous room-temperature measurements. In addition, we have also measured the half-lives of the beta-emitters 103Ru and 105Rh at both temperatures, and found them also to be unchanged.

nucl-ex↗

A GEANT4 Monte-Carlo Simulation Code for precision beta spectroscopy

The measurement of the beta asymmetry parameter in nuclear beta decay is a potentially very sensitive tool to search for non V-A components in the charge-changing weak interaction. To reach the required precision (percent level) all effects that modify the emission pattern of the beta radiation, i.e. the geometry of the setup, the effect of the magnetic field on the trajectories of beta particles as well as (back)scattering in the source, on the sample holder and on the detector, have to be correctly taken into account in the analysis of the data. A thorough study of these effects and a new method based on detailed GEANT4 Monte-Carlo simulations that was developed for this purpose is presented here. The code was developed for beta asymmetry measurements by means of the Low Temperature Nuclear Orientation (LTNO) method, but can in principle be generalized to other experimental setups using other polarization techniques.

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The use of Geant4 for simulations of a plastic beta-detector and its application to efficiency calibration

Precise beta-branching-ratio measurements are required in order to determine ft-values as a part of our program to test the Electroweak Standard Model via unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Moskawa matrix. For the measurements to be useful in this test, their precision must be close to 0.1 %. In a branching-ratio measurement, we position the radioactive sample between a thin plastic scintillator used to detect beta-particles, and a HPGe detector for gamma-rays. Both beta singles and beta-gamma coincidences are recorded. Although the branching ratio depends most strongly on the HPGe detector efficiency, it has some sensitivity to the energy dependence of the beta-detector efficiency. We report here on a study of our beta-detector response function, which used Monte Carlo calculations performed by the Geant4 toolkit. Results of the simulations are compared to measured beta-spectra from several standard beta-sources.

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