Pulse-shape discrimination with PbWO4_4 crystal scintillators

The light output, $\alpha/\beta$ ratio, and pulse shape have been investigated at $-25^\circ$ C with PbWO$_4$ crystal scintillators undoped, and doped by F, Eu, Mo, Gd and S. The fast $0.01-0.06 \mu$s and middle $0.1-0.5 \mu$s components of scintillation decay were observed for all the samples. Slow components of scintillation signal with the decay times $1-3 \mu$s and $13-28 \mu$s with the total intensity up to $\approx50$ have been recognized for several samples doped by Molybdenum. We found some indications of a pulse-shape discrimination between $\alpha$ particles and $\gamma$ quanta with PbWO$_4$ (Mo doped) crystal scintillators.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, submitted to NIM

Search for double beta decay of Zinc and Tungsten with the help of low-background ZnWO4 crystal scintillators

Double beta processes in 64-Zn, 70-Zn, 180-W, and 186-W have been searched for with the help of large volume (0.1-0.7 kg) low background ZnWO4 crystal scintillators at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories of the INFN. Total time of measurements exceeds 10 thousands hours. New improved half-life limits on double electron capture and electron capture with positron emission in 64-Zn have been set, in particular (all the limits are at 90% C.L.): T1/2(0nu2EC)> 1.1e20 yr, T1/2(2nuECbeta+)>7.0e20 yr, and T1/2(0nuECbeta+)>4.3e20 yr. The different modes of double beta processes in 70-Zn, 180-W, and 186-W have been restricted at the level of 1e17-1e20 yr.Comment: 20 p., submitted to Phys. Rev.

Cryogenic characterization of a LiAlO 2 crystal and new results on spin-dependent dark matter interactions with ordinary matter: CRESST Collaboration

In this work, a first cryogenic characterization of a scintillating LiAlO 2 single crystal is presented. The results achieved show that this material holds great potential as a target for direct dark matter search experiments. Three different detector modules obtained from one crystal grown at the Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ) have been tested to study different properties at cryogenic temperatures. Firstly, two 2.8 g twin crystals were used to build different detector modules which were operated in an above-ground laboratory at the Max Planck Institute for Physics (MPP) in Munich, Germany. The first detector module was used to study the scintillation properties of LiAlO 2 at cryogenic temperatures. The second achieved an energy threshold of (213.02 ± 1.48) eV which allows setting a competitive limit on the spin-dependent dark matter particle-proton scattering cross section for dark matter particle masses between 350MeV/c2 and 1.50GeV/c2. Secondly, a detector module with a 373 g LiAlO 2 crystal as the main absorber was tested in an underground facility at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS): from this measurement it was possible to determine the radiopurity of the crystal and study the feasibility of using this material as a neutron flux monitor for low-background experiments. © 2020, The Author(s)

Search for double beta decay in 106^{106}Cd in the DAMA/CRYS setup

International audienceAn experiment to search for double beta decay in 106Cd is running in the DAMA/CRYS set-up at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory of the INFN (Italy). In this experiment a 106CdWO4 crystal scintillator (215 g) enriched in 106Cd to 66%, used in previous measurements in different configurations, is now in measurement in coincidence with two large volume low background CdWO4 crystal scintillators in close geometry. This further measurement will allow us to reach a sensitivity at the level of the most sensitive double β+ experiments (T1/2 ≃ 1020 −1022 yr) and to explore the region of the theoretical expectations for some decay modes

ZnWO4_4 anisotropic scintillator for Dark Matter investigation with the directionality technique

International audienceThe ZnWO4 crystal scintillator has unique features that make it very promising to realize a pioneering experiment to pursue Dark Matter investigation with the directionality technique. In particular in this detector the light output and the scintillation pulse shape for heavy particles (p, α, nuclear recoils) depend on the direction of the impinging particle with respect to the crystal axes, while the response to γ/β radiation is isotropic. The anisotropy of the light output can be considered to point out the presence in the diurnal counting rate of a Dark Matter signal produced by candidate particle inducing just nuclear recoils. In addition this crystal detector has also other important characteristics for a Dark Matter experiment: high light output, high level of radiopurity. In this paper the present performances of the developed ZnWO4 crystal scintillator will be summarized together with the possible future improvements. Some reachable sensitivities – under given assumptions – in the investigation of DM candidate particles with the directionality technique will also be addressed

Search for double beta processes in 106Cd with enriched 106CdWO4 crystal scintillator in coincidence with four crystals HPGe detector

A radiopure cadmium tungstate crystal scintillator, enriched in 106Cd (106CdWO4), was used to search for double beta decay processes in 106Cd in coincidence with an ultra-low background set-up containing four high purity germanium (HPGe) detectors in a single cryostat. The experiment has been completed after 13085 h of data taking. New improved limits on most of the double beta processes in 106Cd have been set on the level of 1020−1021 yr. Tn particular, the half-life limit on the two neutrinoelectron capture with positron emission, T1/2 ≥ 1.8 × 1021 yr, reached the region of theoretical predictions

First results of the experiment to search for 2β decay of

An experiment to search for double beta processes in 106Cd by using cadmium tungstate crystal scintillator enriched in 106Cd (106CdWO4) in coincidence with the four crystals HPGe detector GeMulti is in progress at the STELLA facility of the Gran Sasso underground laboratory of INFN (Italy). The 106CdWO4 scintillator is viewed by a low-background photomultiplier tube through a lead tungstate crystal light-guide produced from deeply purified archaeological lead to suppress γ quanta from the photomultiplier tube. Here we report the first results of the experiment after 3233 hours of the data taking. A few new improved limits on double beta processes in 106Cd are obtained, in particular T1/22νεβ+ ≥ 8.4 × 1020 yr at 90% C.L

Search for double beta decay of 116^{116}Cd with enriched 116^{116}CdWO4_4 crystal scintillators (Aurora experiment)

International audienceThe Aurora experiment to investigate double beta decay of (116) Cd with the help of 1.162 kg cadmium tungstate crystal scintillators enriched in (116) Cd to 82% is in progress at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory. The half-life of (116) Cd relatively to the two neutrino double beta decay is measured with the highest up-to-date accuracy T(1/2) = (2.62 ± 0.14) × 10(19) yr. The sensitivity of the experiment to the neutrinoless double beta decay of (116) Cd to the ground state of (116) Sn is estimated as T(1/2) ≥ 1.9 × 10(23) yr at 90% CL, which corresponds to the effective Majorana neutrino mass limit (mv) ≤ (1.2 — 1.8) eV. New limits are obtained for the double beta decay of (116) Cd to the excited levels of (116) Sn, and for the neutrinoless double beta decay with emission of majorons

Search for double-\beta decay of \{106}Cd by using isotopically enriched \{106}CdWO_{4} crystal scintillator

A search for double β processes in 106Cd was carried out at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories of the INFN (Italy) by using a CdWO4 crystal scintillator (mass of 215 g) enriched in 106Cd up to 66%. After 6590 h of data taking, half-life limits on double beta processes in 106Cd were set at level of 1019 −1021 yr. A possible resonant enhancement of the 0ν2ε processes has also been estimated in the framework of the QRPA approach.peerReviewe