Low background detector with enriched 116CdWO4 crystal scintillators to search for double beta decay of 116Cd

A cadmium tungstate crystal boule enriched in $^{116}$Cd to 82% with mass of 1868 g was grown by the low-thermal-gradient Czochralski technique. The isotopic composition of cadmium and the trace contamination of the crystal were estimated by High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass-Spectrometry. The crystal scintillators produced from the boule were subjected to characterization that included measurements of transmittance and energy resolution. A low background scintillation detector with two $^{116}$CdWO$_4$ crystal scintillators (586 g and 589 g) was developed. The detector was running over 1727 h deep underground at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories of the INFN (Italy), which allowed to estimate the radioactive contamination of the enriched crystal scintillators. The radiopurity of a third $^{116}$CdWO$_4$ sample (326 g) was tested with the help of ultra-low background high purity germanium $\gamma$ detector. Monte Carlo simulations of double $\beta$ processes in $^{116}$Cd were used to estimate the sensitivity of an experiment to search for double $\beta$ decay of $^{116}$Cd.Comment: 24 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication on Journal of Instrumentatio

Crystal growth, optical, luminescence and scintillation characterization of Li2Zn2(MoO4)(3) crystal

A Li2Zn2(MoO4)(3) (LZMO) single crystal was grown by the flux method under the condition of a low temperature-gradient. The obtained crystal has a single-phase confirmed by a powder X-ray diffraction study. Luminescence properties of the crystal have been studied from room to cryogenic (300-6 K) temperatures under excitation by a 280 nm light-emitting diode (LED). At 6 K, the grown crystal exhibits an intrinsic emission band with emission wavelength ranges from 400 to 900 nm, and the maximum peak at similar to 612 nm. From 6 to 280 K, the luminescence decay time of the crystal was studied using the 280 nm LED. The decay times for the entire temperature range were fitted with two exponential decay functions. The temperature-dependent (300-10 K) scintillation light yield was studied under the excitation of a Sr-90 (beta) radioactive source. We compared scintillation and luminescence light yields of the LZMO with a reference CaMoO4 crystal. Thermoluminescence study of the crystal was carried out from 9 to 300 K and different kinematic parameters such as activation energy and frequency factor have been calculated. From this study, it shows that the LZMO crystal has potential as detector material in experiments searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay of Mo-100 at cryogenic temperatures. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.11Nsciescopu

Laser performance of Ng-cut flash-lamp pumped Nd : KGW at high repetition rates

A comparative study of the flash-lamp pumped laser performance of standard b-grown Nd:KGW and Nd:KGW grown for propagation along the optical axis N-g is presented. The results show that, in comparison with b-grown crystal, the N-g-grown Nd:KGW is very promising for use at high repetition flash-lamp pumping rates. With the same laser cavity configuration, the N-g-grown Nd:KGW can operate at an average flash-lamp input power of at least 1.4 kW, while the b-cut one ceases lasing at average flash-lamp input power of similar to 0.5 kW. The reason for this is that the thermal lens induced in the N-g-oriented Nd:KGW rod under pump radiation is relatively weak, nearly spherical and positive, whereas the b-grown Nd:KGW rod acts as a quite weak positive lens for radiation with radial polarization, and as a much stronger negative lens for tangentially polarized radiation

Growth and characterization of a Li2_2Mg2_2(MoO4_4)3_3 scintillating bolometer

International audienceLithium magnesium molybdate (Li 2 Mg 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 ) crystals were grown by the low-thermal-gradient Czochralski method. Luminescence properties of the material (emission spectra, thermally stimulated luminescence, dependence of intensity on temperature, phosphorescence) have been studied under X-ray excitation in the temperature interval from 8 to 400 K, while at the same being operated as a scintillating bolometer at 20 mK for the first time. We demonstrated that Li 2 Mg 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 crystals are a potentially promising detector material to search for neutrinoless double beta decay of  100 Mo

Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ crystal as a potential detector for ¹⁰⁰Mo 2β-decay search

Properties of Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ crystals grown by the low-thermal-gradient Czochralski technique have been studied. Chemical composition of the material was tested by ICP-MS mass-spectrometry. Optical properties (refraction, transmittance and reflectivity) have been measured. Luminescence characteristics of crystals under ultraviolet, synchrotron, and X-ray excitation has been studied. Properties and the applicability of Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ crystals as scintillation and bolometric detectors have been checked for the first time.Досліджено властивості кристалів Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃, вирощених методом Чохральського з низьким температурним градієнтом. Хімічний склад зразків перевірено за допомогою ICP-MS мас-спектрометрії. Виміряно оптичні характеристики (заломлення, прозорість та відбивання). Люмінесцентні характеристики кристалів досліджено при збудженні ультрафіолетовим, синхротронним та рентгенівським випроміненнями. Вперше перевірено можливості використання кристалів Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ як сцинтиляційних та болометричних детекторів.Изучены свойства кристаллов Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃, выращенных методом Чохральского с низким температурным градиентом. Химический состав проверен при помощи ICP-MS масс-спектрометрии. Измерены оптические свойства (преломление, прозрачность и отражение). Люминесцентные характеристики кристаллов изучены при возбуждении ультрафиолетовым, синхротронным и рентгеновским излучениями. Впервые проверены возможности использования кристаллов Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ в качестве сцинтилляционных и болометрических детекторов

Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ crystal as a potential detector for ¹⁰⁰Mo 2β-decay search

Properties of Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ crystals grown by the low-thermal-gradient Czochralski technique have been studied. Chemical composition of the material was tested by ICP-MS mass-spectrometry. Optical properties (refraction, transmittance and reflectivity) have been measured. Luminescence characteristics of crystals under ultraviolet, synchrotron, and X-ray excitation has been studied. Properties and the applicability of Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ crystals as scintillation and bolometric detectors have been checked for the first time.Досліджено властивості кристалів Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃, вирощених методом Чохральського з низьким температурним градієнтом. Хімічний склад зразків перевірено за допомогою ICP-MS мас-спектрометрії. Виміряно оптичні характеристики (заломлення, прозорість та відбивання). Люмінесцентні характеристики кристалів досліджено при збудженні ультрафіолетовим, синхротронним та рентгенівським випроміненнями. Вперше перевірено можливості використання кристалів Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ як сцинтиляційних та болометричних детекторів.Изучены свойства кристаллов Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃, выращенных методом Чохральского с низким температурным градиентом. Химический состав проверен при помощи ICP-MS масс-спектрометрии. Измерены оптические свойства (преломление, прозрачность и отражение). Люминесцентные характеристики кристаллов изучены при возбуждении ультрафиолетовым, синхротронным и рентгеновским излучениями. Впервые проверены возможности использования кристаллов Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ в качестве сцинтилляционных и болометрических детекторов