Densities, isobaric thermal expansion coefficients and isothermal compressibilities of linear alkylbenzene

We report the measurements of the densities of linear alkylbenzene at three temperatures over 4 to 23 Celsius degree with pressures up to 10 MPa. The measurements have been analysed to yield the isobaric thermal expansion coefficients and, so far for the first time, isothermal compressibilities of linear alkylbenzene. Relevance of results for current generation (i.e. Daya Bay) and next generation (i.e. JUNO) large liquid scintillator neutrino detectors are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Spectroscopic study of light scattering in linear alkylbenzene for liquid scintillator neutrino detectors

We has set up a light scattering spectrometer to study the depolarization of light scattering in linear alkylbenzene. From the scattering spectra it can be unambiguously shown that the depolarized part of light scattering belongs to Rayleigh scattering. The additional depolarized Rayleigh scattering can make the effective transparency of linear alkylbenzene much better than it was expected. Therefore sufficient scintillation photons can transmit through the large liquid scintillator detector of JUNO. Our study is crucial to achieving the unprecedented energy resolution 3\%/$\sqrt{E\mathrm{(MeV)}}$ for JUNO experiment to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy. The spectroscopic method can also be used to judge the attribution of the depolarization of other organic solvents used in neutrino experiments.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Production of Gadolinium-loaded Liquid Scintillator for the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment

We report on the production and characterization of liquid scintillators for the detection of electron antineutrinos by the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment. One hundred eighty-five tons of gadolinium-loaded (0.1% by mass) liquid scintillator (Gd-LS) and two hundred tons of unloaded liquid scintillator (LS) were successfully produced from a linear-alkylbenzene (LAB) solvent in six months. The scintillator properties, the production and purification systems, and the quality assurance and control (QA/QC) procedures are described.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures. Submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section

TAO Conceptual Design Report: A Precision Measurement of the Reactor Antineutrino Spectrum with Sub-percent Energy Resolution

The Taishan Antineutrino Observatory (TAO, also known as JUNO-TAO) is a satellite experiment of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO). A ton-level liquid scintillator detector will be placed at about 30 m from a core of the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant. The reactor antineutrino spectrum will be measured with sub-percent energy resolution, to provide a reference spectrum for future reactor neutrino experiments, and to provide a benchmark measurement to test nuclear databases. A spherical acrylic vessel containing 2.8 ton gadolinium-doped liquid scintillator will be viewed by 10 m^2 Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) of >50% photon detection efficiency with almost full coverage. The photoelectron yield is about 4500 per MeV, an order higher than any existing large-scale liquid scintillator detectors. The detector operates at -50 degree C to lower the dark noise of SiPMs to an acceptable level. The detector will measure about 2000 reactor antineutrinos per day, and is designed to be well shielded from cosmogenic backgrounds and ambient radioactivities to have about 10% background-to-signal ratio. The experiment is expected to start operation in 2022

A practical approach of measuring 238^{238}U and 232^{232}Th in liquid scintillator to sub-ppq level using ICP-MS

Liquid scintillator (LS) is commonly utilized in experiments seeking rare events due to its high light yield, transparency, and radiopurity. The concentration of $^{238}$U and $^{232}$Th in LS consistently remains below 1 ppq (10$^{-15}$ g/g), and the current screening result is based on a minimum 20-ton detector. Inductively coupled plasma mass (ICP-MS) spectroscopy is well-regarded for its high sensitivity to trace $^{238}$U and $^{232}$Th. This study outlines a method for detecting $^{238}$U and $^{232}$Th in LS at the sub-ppq level using ICP-MS, involving the enrichment of $^{238}$U/$^{232}$Th from the LS through acid extraction. With meticulous cleanliness control, $^{238}$U/$^{232}$Th in approximately 2 kg of LS is concentrated by acid extraction with 0.4 (0.3) pg $^{238}$U ($^{232}$Th) contamination. Three standard adding methods are employed to assess recovery efficiency, including radon daughter, 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO), and natural non-existent $^{233}$U/$^{229}$Th. The method detection limit at a 99% confidence level of this approach can reach approximately 0.2-0.3 ppq for $^{238}$U/$^{232}$Th with nearly 100% recovery efficiency