38 research outputs found
Characterization of ZnSe scintillating bolometers for Double Beta Decay
ZnSe scintillating bolometers are good candidates for future Double Beta
Decay searches, because of the 82Se high Q-value and thanks to the possibility
of alpha background rejection on the basis of the scintillation signal. In this
paper we report the characteristics and the anomalies observed in an extensive
study of these devices. Among them, an unexpected high emission from alpha
particles, accompanied with an unusual pattern of the light vs. heat scatter
plot. The perspectives for the application of this kind of detectors to search
for the Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay of 82Se are presented.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure
Search for Dark Matter with CRESST
The search for direct interactions of dark matter particles remains one of
the most pressing challenges of contemporary experimental physics. A variety of
different approaches is required to probe the available parameter space and to
meet the technological challenges. Here, we review the experimental efforts
towards the detection of direct dark matter interactions using scintillating
crystals at cryogenic temperatures. We outline the ideas behind these detectors
and describe the principles of their operation. Recent developments are
summarized and various results from the search for rare processes are
presented. In the search for direct dark matter interactions, the CRESST-II
experiment delivers competitive limits, with a sensitivity below 5x10^(-7) pb
on the coherent WIMP-nucleon cross section.Comment: Accepted for publication in New Journal of Physics. 25 pages, 18
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