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Barbeau, P S

Publications and source records attributed to Barbeau, P S.

8 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Search for Double Beta Decays of Xe134 with EXO-200 Phase II

EXO-200 was a leading double beta decay experiment consisting of a single-phase, enriched liquid xenon time projection chamber filled with an admixture of 80.672% ^{136}Xe and 19.098% ^{134}Xe. The detector operated at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant between 2010 and 2018 and was designed to search for double beta decay of ^{136}Xe. Data were acquired in two phases separated by a period of detector upgrades. We report on the search for 0νββ and 2νββ decay of ^{134}Xe with Phase II EXO-200 data, with median 90% CL exclusion sensitivity to half-life T_{1/2}^{0ν}≥3.7×10^{23} yr and T_{1/2}^{2ν}≥2.6×10^{21} yr, respectively. No statistically significant signal is observed for either decay mode. We set a world-leading lower limit on the half-life of the neutrinoless decay mode of ^{134}Xe of T_{1/2}^{0ν}≥8.7×10^{23} (90% CL) and the second strongest constraint on the two-neutrino decay of T_{1/2}^{2ν}≥2.9×10^{21} (90% CL), a threefold improvement over the EXO-200 Phase I measurement. New constraints are also set for the 2νββ and 0νββ decays of ^{134}Xe to the lowest excited state of ^{134}Ba.

Al Kharusi, S↗
DOE OSTI2012

Observation of Two-Neutrino Double-Beta Decay in Xe-136 with EXO-200

We report the observation of two-neutrino double-beta decay in {sup 136}Xe with T{sub 1/2} = 2.11 {+-} 0.04(stat) {+-} 0.21(syst) x 10{sup 21} yr. This second-order process, predicted by the standard model, has been observed for several nuclei but not for {sup 136}Xe. The observed decay rate provides new input to matrix element calculations and to the search for the more interesting neutrinoless double-beta decay, the most sensitive probe for the existence of Majorana particles and the measurement of the neutrino mass scale.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Prospects for Barium Tagging in Gaseous Xenon

Tagging events with the coincident detection of a barium ion would greatly reduce the background for a neutrino-less double beta decay search in xenon. This paper describes progress towards realizing this goal. It outlines a source that can produce large quantities of Ba++ in gas, shows that this can be extracted to vacuum, and demonstrates a mechanism by which the Ba++ can be efficiently converted to Ba+ as required for laser identification. It is clear from this study that electrospray is a convenient mechanism for producing Ba++ is gas at atmospheric pressure. It is likely that the source will perform just as effectively at higher pressures. Even though the source region has water vapour and methanol vapour at the 0.3% level, there is no evidence for molecular formation. The use of TEA offers an effective method to achieve the charge state conversion. The overall design of the ion extraction from high pressure to vacuum is very similar to the scheme proposed for the final detector and this appears to work well although the efficiency is not yet determined.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2011

The MAJORANA Experiment

The Majorana Collaboration is assembling an array of HPGe detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in {sup 76}Ge. Initially, Majorana aims to construct a prototype module to demonstrate the potential of a future 1-tonne experiment. The design and potential reach of this prototype Demonstrator module are presented.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Search for an Annual Modulation in a p-Type Point Contact Germanium Dark Matter Detector

Fifteen months of cumulative CoGeNT data are examined for indications of an annual modulation, a predicted signature of weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) interactions. Presently available data support the presence of a modulated component of unknown origin, with parameters prima facie compatible with a galactic halo composed of light-mass WIMPs. Unoptimized estimators yield a statistical significance for a modulation of {approx}2.8{sigma}, limited by the short exposure.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

A simple radionuclide-driven single-ion source

We describe a source capable of producing single barium ions through nuclear recoils in radioactive decay. The source is fabricated by electroplating {sup 148}Gd onto a silicon {alpha}-particle detector and vapor depositing a layer of BaF{sub 2} over it. {sup 144}Sm recoils from the alpha decay of {sup 148}Gd are used to dislodge Ba{sup +} ions from the BaF{sub 2} layer and emit them in the surrounding environment. The simultaneous detection of an {alpha} particle in the substrate detector allows for tagging of the nuclear decay and of the Ba{sup +} emission. The source is simple, durable, and can be manipulated and used in different environments. We discuss the fabrication process, which can be easily adapted to emit most other chemical species, and the performance of the source.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗