8 research outputs found
Results of the BiPo-1 prototype for radiopurity measurements for the SuperNEMO double beta decay source foils
The development of BiPo detectors is dedicated to the measurement of
extremely high radiopurity in Tl and Bi for the SuperNEMO
double beta decay source foils. A modular prototype, called BiPo-1, with 0.8
of sensitive surface area, has been running in the Modane Underground
Laboratory since February, 2008. The goal of BiPo-1 is to measure the different
components of the background and in particular the surface radiopurity of the
plastic scintillators that make up the detector. The first phase of data
collection has been dedicated to the measurement of the radiopurity in
Tl. After more than one year of background measurement, a surface
activity of the scintillators of (Tl) 1.5
Bq/m is reported here. Given this level of background, a larger BiPo
detector having 12 m of active surface area, is able to qualify the
radiopurity of the SuperNEMO selenium double beta decay foils with the required
sensitivity of (Tl) 2 Bq/kg (90% C.L.) with a six
month measurement.Comment: 24 pages, submitted to N.I.M.
Spectral modeling of scintillator for the NEMO-3 and SuperNEMO detectors
We have constructed a GEANT4-based detailed software model of photon
transport in plastic scintillator blocks and have used it to study the NEMO-3
and SuperNEMO calorimeters employed in experiments designed to search for
neutrinoless double beta decay. We compare our simulations to measurements
using conversion electrons from a calibration source of and show
that the agreement is improved if wavelength-dependent properties of the
calorimeter are taken into account. In this article, we briefly describe our
modeling approach and results of our studies.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figure
Measurement of the beta beta Decay Half-Life of Te-130 with the NEMO-3 Detector
We report results from the NEMO-3 experiment based on an exposure of 1275 days with 661 g of Te-130 in the form of enriched and natural tellurium foils. The beta beta decay rate of Te-130 is found to be greater than zero with a significance of 7.7 standard deviations and the half-life is measured to be T-1/2(2v)=[7.0 +/- 0.9(stat) +/- 1: 1(syst)] x 10(20) yr. This represents the most precise measurement of this half- life yet published and the first real-time observation of this decay
Measurement of the background in the NEMO 3 double beta decay experiment
In the double beta decay experiment NEMO~3 a precise knowledge of the background in the signal region is of outstanding importance. This article presents the methods used in NEMO~3 to evaluate the backgrounds resulting from most if not all possible origins. It also illustrates the power of the combined tracking-calorimetry technique used in the experiment
Measurement of the two neutrino double beta decay half-life of Zr-96 and search for associated neutrinoless processes with the NEMO-3 detector
Using 1221 days of data from the NEMO-3 detector, the measurement of Zr-96 2vbb decay half-life is [2.35 +/- 0.14(stat) +/- 0.19(syst)] x 10^19 yr. Different characteristics of the final state electrons have been studied, such as the energy sum, individual electron energy, and angular distribution. The 2v nuclear matrix element is extracted using the measured 2vbb half-life and is 0.049 +/- 0.003. A 90% CL limit is set on the 0vbb decay half-life of > 9.2 x 10^21 yr corresponding to a limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass < 7.2 - 19.5 eV. Limits on other mechanisms of 0vbb decay have also been set
Measurement of the Double Beta Decay Half-life of 130Te with the NEMO-3 Detector
This Letter reports results from the NEMO-3 experiment based on an exposure of 1275 days with 661g of 130Te in the form of enriched and natural tellurium foils. With this data set the double beta decay rate of 130Te is found to be non-zero with a significance of 7.7 standard deviations and the half-life is measured to be T1/2 = (7.0 +/- 0.9(stat) +/- 1.1(syst)) x 10^{20} yr. This represents the most precise measurement of this half-life yet published and the first real-time observation of this decay
Measurement of the two neutrino double beta decay half-life of Zr-96 with the NEMO-3 detector
Using 9.4 g of 96Zr isotope and 1221 days of data from the NEMO-3 detector corresponding to 0.031 kg y, the obtained 2νββ decay half-life measurement is View the MathML source. Different characteristics of the final state electrons have been studied, such as the energy sum, individual electron energy, and angular distribution. The 2ν nuclear matrix element is extracted using the measured 2νββ half-life and is M2ν=0.049±0.002. Constraints on 0νββ decay have also been set