Low-background applications of MICROMEGAS detector technology

The MICROMEGAS detector concept, generally optimized for use in accelerator experiments, displays a peculiar combination of features that can be advantageous in several astroparticle and neutrino physics applications. Their sub-keV ionization energy threshold, excellent energy and space resolution, and a simplicity of design that allows the use of radioclean materials in their construction are some of these characteristics. We envision tackling experimental challenges such as the measurement of neutral-current neutrino-nucleus coherent scattering or Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) detectors with directional sensitivity. The large physics potential of a compact (total volume O(1)m$^{3}$), multi-purpose array of low-background MICROMEGAS is made evident

Fast Neutron Detectors Based On Micromegas Technology

After a short description of the Micromegas principle, a new concept of neutron detectors based on this technique is presented. The report is illustrated by an overall picture of the possible use of these detectors in different domain such as: nuclear physics, inertial fusion and industrial application. A particular description will be devoted to the compact detector named "PiccoloMicromegas". This detector, able to measure neutron flux in a broad range of energy of neutron (from thermal to several MeV), is developed for the measurements of neutrons flux in-core of the future generations of the nuclear reactors (fast and possibly Accelerator Driven System (ADS))

R&D Proposal Development of Micro-Pattern Gas Detector Technologies

Development of advanced gas-avalanche detector technologies and associated electronic-readout systems for applications in basic and applied researc

CAST constraints on the axion-electron coupling

In non-hadronic axion models, which have a tree-level axion-electron interaction, the Sun produces a strong axion flux by bremsstrahlung, Compton scattering, and axiorecombination, the "BCA processes." Based on a new calculation of this flux, including for the first time axio-recombination, we derive limits on the axion-electron Yukawa coupling gae and axion-photon interaction strength ga using the CAST phase-I data (vacuum phase). For ma <~ 10 meV/c2 we find ga gae < 8.1 × 10−23 GeV−1 at 95% CL. We stress that a next-generation axion helioscope such as the proposed IAXO could push this sensitivity into a range beyond stellar energy-loss limits and test the hypothesis that white-dwarf cooling is dominated by axion emission

An improved limit on the axion-photon coupling from the CAST experiment

We have searched for solar axions or similar particles that couple to two photons by using the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) setup with improved conditions in all detectors. From the absence of excess X-rays when the magnet was pointing to the Sun, we set an upper limit on the axion-photon coupling of 8.8 x 10^{-11} GeV^{-1} at 95% CL for m_a <~ 0.02 eV. This result is the best laboratory limit over a broad range of axion masses and for m_a <~ 0.02 eV also supersedes the previous limit derived from energy-loss arguments on globular-cluster stars