Pulse shape discrimination performance of Inverted Coaxial Ge detectors

We report on the characterization of two inverted coaxial Ge detectors in the context of being employed in future $^{76}$Ge neutrinoless double beta ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay experiments. It is an advantage that such detectors can be produced with bigger Ge mass as compared to the planar Broad Energy Ge detectors (BEGe) that are currently used in the GERDA $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay experiment. This will result in lower background for the search of $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay due to a reduction of cables, electronics and holders. The measured resolution near the $^{76}$Ge Q-value at 2039 keV is 2.5 keV and their pulse-shape characteristics are similar to BEGe-detectors. It is concluded that this type of Ge-detector is suitable for usage in $^{76}$Ge $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay experiments

Search for α\alpha decay of 151^{151}Eu to the first excited level of 147^{147}Pm using underground γ\gamma-ray spectrometry

The alpha decay of $^{151}$Eu to the first excited level of $^{147}$Pm ($J^\pi = 5/2^+$, $E_{exc}=91.1$ keV) was searched for at the HADES underground laboratory ($\approx 500$ m w.e.). A sample of high purity europium oxide with mass of 303 g and a natural isotopic composition has been measured over 2232.8 h with a high energy resolution ultra-low background n-type semi-planar HPGe detector (40 cm$^3$) with sub-micron deadlayer. The new improved half-life limit has been set as $T_{1/2} \geq 3.7\times 10^{18}$ yr at 68% C.L. Possibilities to improve the sensitivity of the experiment, which is already near the theoretical predictions, are discussed. New half-life limit for $\alpha$ decay of $^{153}$Eu is also set as $T_{1/2} \geq 5.5\times 10^{17}$ yr.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, 18 reference

Revisiting the firm, industry, and country effects on profitability under recessionary and expansion periods: a multilevel analysis

Despite voluminous past research, the relevance of firm, industry, and country effects on profitability, particularly under adverse contexts, is still unclear. We reconcile institutional theory with the resource‐based view and industrial organization economics to investigate the effects of economic adversity, such as the 2008 global economic crisis. Using a three‐level random coefficient model, we examine 15,008 firms across 10 emerging and 10 developed countries for the 2005–2011 period. We find that firm effects become stronger under adversity, whereas industry effects become weaker, as well as country main and interaction effects, particularly among the emerging economies. These findings confirm our assumptions that the firm's own fate is, to a great extent, self‐determined; a reality that is even more pronounced during periods of extreme economic hardship

Sustainable international business model innovations for a globalizing circular economy : a review and synthesis, integrative framework, and opportunities for future research

The global imperative has increased in recent years for international firms to respond to major threats such as unintended environmental, social, and economic problems arising from ecological destruction, population growth, and economic activity. To respond to this confluence that has created an emerging existential crisis, we identify that a globalizing circular economy (CE) is required and subsequently define a new construct: sustainable international business model innovations. In doing so, we introduce circular inputs, sharing platforms, product as a service, product use extension, and resource recovery as business models that contain the potential to reply to these grand challenges. Based on CE principles, the innovations and designs introduced are contrasted with the traditional linear economic model and are presented as actionable standardization/adaptation alternatives for companies responding to differing informal and formal international institutions. Based on the theoretical underpinnings of the resource-based, dynamic capabilities, and international business model innovation perspectives, we introduce an integrative framework that is accompanied by a series of detailed research questions to provide future research opportunities for the domain. This conceptual approach holds that international resource design influences marketing capabilities adaptation which, in turn, impacts international performance and offers a foundation from which to build the literature.© The Author(s) 2023. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

A calibration method for broad-bandwidth cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy performed with supercontinuum radiation

An efficient calibration method has been developed for broad-bandwidth cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy. The calibration is performed using phase shift cavity ring-down spectroscopy, which is conveniently implemented through use of an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF). The AOTF permits a narrowband portion of the SC spectrum to be scanned over the full high-reflectivity bandwidth of the cavity mirrors. After calibration the AOTF is switched off and broad-bandwidth CEAS can be performed with the same light source without any loss of alignment to the set-up. We demonstrate the merits of the method by probing transitions of oxygen molecules O-2 and collisional pairs of oxygen molecules (O-2)(2) in the visible spectral range

Entropy gives rise to topologically associating domains

We investigate chromosome organization within the nucleus using polymer models whose formulation is closely guided by experiments in live yeast cells. We employ bead-spring chromosome models together with loop formation within the chains and the presence of nuclear bodies to quantify the extent to which these mechanisms shape the topological landscape in the interphase nucleus. By investigating the genome as a dynamical system, we show that domains of high chromosomal interactions can arise solely from the polymeric nature of the chromosome arms due to entropic interactions and nuclear confinement. In this view, the role of bio-chemical related processes is to modulate and extend the duration of the interacting domains

Highly sensitive gamma-spectrometers of GERDA for material screening: Part I

The GERDA experiment aims to search for the neutrinoless double beta-decay of 76Ge and possibly for other rare processes. The sensitivity of the first phase is envisioned to be more than one order of magnitude better than in previous neutrinoless double beta-decay experiments. This implies that materials with ultra-low radioactive contamination need to be used for the construction of the detector and its shielding. Therefore the requirements on material screening include high-sensitivity low-background detection techniques and long measurement times. In this article, an overview of material-screening laboratories available to the GERDA collaboration is given, with emphasis on the gamma-spectrometry. Additionally, results of an intercomparison of the evaluation accuracy in these laboratories are presented.Comment: Featured in: Proceedings of the XIV International Baksan School "Particles and Cosmology" Baksan Valley, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, April 16-21,2007. INR RAS, Moscow 2008. ISBN 978-5-94274-055-9, pp. 228-232; (5 pages, 0 figures