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Belogurov, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Belogurov, S..

Limit on the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of 36 Ar from GERDA Phase I

Neutrinoless double electron capture is a process that, if detected, would give evidence of lepton number violation and the Majorana nature of neutrinos. Here, a search for neutrinoless double electron capture of 36 Ar has been performed with germanium detectors installed in liquid argon using data from Phase I of the GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) experiment at the Gran Sasso Laboratory of INFN, Italy. No signal was observed and an experimental lower limit on the half-life of the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of 36 Ar was established: T 1/2 > 3.6 × 10 21 years at 90% CI.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Model-independent confirmation of the Z ( 4430 ) - state

Here, the decay B 0 →ψ(2S)K + π - is analyzed using 3 fb -1 of pp collision data collected with the LHCb detector. A model-independent description of the ψ(2S)π mass spectrum is obtained, using as input the Kπ mass spectrum and angular distribution derived directly from data, without requiring a theoretical description of resonance shapes or their interference. The hypothesis that the ψ(2S)π mass spectrum can be described in terms of Kπ reflections alone is rejected with more than 8σ significance. This provides confirmation, in a model-independent way, of the need for an additional resonant component in the mass region of the Z(4430) - exotic state.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Results on $\beta \beta $ decay with emission of two neutrinos or Majorons in $^{76}$ Ge from GERDA Phase I: GERDA Collaboration

A search for neutrinoless ββ decay processes accompanied with Majoron emission has been performed using data collected during Phase I of the GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso of INFN (Italy). Processes with spectral indices n = 1,2,3,7 were searched for. No signals were found and lower limits of the order of 10 23 yr on their half-lives were derived, yielding substantially improved results compared to previous experiments with 76 Ge. A new result for the half-life of the neutrino-accompanied ββ decay of 76Ge with significantly reduced uncertainties is also given, resulting in T 2ν 1/2 = (1.926 ± 0.094) × 10 21 yr.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Improvement of the energy resolution via an optimized digital signal processing in GERDA Phase I

An optimized digital shaping filter has been developed for the Gerda experiment which searches for neutrinoless double beta decay in $^{76}$Ge. The Gerda Phase I energy calibration data have been reprocessed and an average improvement of 0.3 keV in energy resolution (FWHM) corresponding to 10% at the $Q$ value for $0\nu \beta \beta $0νββ decay in $^{76}$Ge is obtained. This is possible thanks to the enhanced low-frequency noise rejection of this Zero Area Cusp (ZAC) signal shaping filter.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Production, characterization and operation of $^{76}$Ge enriched BEGe detectors in GERDA

The GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory (LNGS) searches for the neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) of 76 Ge. Germanium detectors made of material with an enriched 76 Ge fraction act simultaneously as sources and detectors for this decay. During Phase I of theexperiment mainly refurbished semi-coaxial Ge detectors from former experiments were used. For the upcoming Phase II, 30 new 76 Ge enriched detectors of broad energy germanium (BEGe)-type were produced. A subgroup of these detectors has already been deployed in Gerda during Phase I. The present article reviews the complete production chain of these BEGe detectors including isotopic enrichment, purification, crystal growth and diode production. The efforts in optimizing the mass yield and in minimizing the exposure of the 76 Ge enriched germanium to cosmic radiation during processing are described. Furthermore, characterization measurements in vacuum cryostats of the first subgroup of seven BEGe detectors and their long-term behavior in liquid argon are discussed. Lastly, the detector performance fulfills the requirements needed for the physics goals of Gerda Phase II.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Study of χ b meson production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$ 7 and 8 TeV and observation of the decay χ b (3P) → $\Upsilon$(3S)$\gamma$

A study of χ b meson production at LHCb is performed on proton–proton collision data, corresponding to 3.0 fb -1 of integrated luminosity collected at centre-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 and 8 TeV. The fraction of $\Upsilon \mathrm {(nS)}$ mesons originating from χ b decays is measured as a function of the $\Upsilon$ transverse momentum in the rapidity range 2.0 < y $\Upsilon$ < 4.5. The radiative transition of the χ b (3P) meson to $\Upsilon$ (3S) is observed for the first time. The χ b1 (3P) mass is determined to be $\begin{aligned} m_{χ_{{\mathrm {b}} 1}\mathrm {(3P)}} = 10\,511.3 \pm 1.7 \pm 2.5{\mathrm {\,MeV}/c^2}, \end{aligned}$ where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of the Ξ b – and Ω b – baryon lifetimes

Using a data sample of pp collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb -1 , the Ξ b – and Ω b – baryons are reconstructed in the Ξ b – →J/ψΞ - and Ω b – →J/ψΩ - decay modes and their lifetimes measured to be τ( Ξ b – )=1.55$^{+0.10}_{-0.09}$(stat)±0.03(syst)ps, τ( Ω b – )=1.54$^{+0.26}_{-0.21}$(stat)±0.05(syst)ps. These are the most precise determinations to date. Both measurements are in good agreement with previous experimental results and with theoretical predictions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of charged particle multiplicities and densities in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV in the forward region

Charged particle multiplicities are studied in proton–proton collisions in the forward region at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7 TeV with data collected by the LHCb detector. The forward spectrometer allows access to a kinematic range of 2.0 < η < 4.8 in pseudorapidity, momenta greater than 2 GeV/c and transverse momenta greater than 0.2 GeV/c. The measurements are performed using events with at least one charged particle in the kinematic acceptance. The results are presented as functions of pseudorapidity and transverse momentum and are compared to predictions from several Monte Carlo event generators.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

The background in the $0\nu \beta \beta $ experiment Gerda

The GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) experiment at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory (LNGS) of INFN is searching for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay of 76 Ge. The signature of the signal is a monoenergetic peak at 2039 keV, the Q ββ value of the decay. To avoid bias in the signal search, the present analysis does not consider all those events, that fall in a 40 keV wide region centered around Q ββ. The main parameters needed for the 0νββ analysis are described. A background model was developed to describe the observed energy spectrum. The model contains several contributions, that are expected on the basis of material screening or that are established by the observation of characteristic structures in the energy spectrum. The model predicts a flat energy spectrum for the blinding window around Qββ with a background index ranging from 17.6 to 23.8 × 10 -3 cts/(keV kg yr). A part of the data not considered before has been used to test if the predictions of the background model are consistent. The observed number of events in this energy region is consistent with the background model. The background at Q ββ is dominated by close sources, mainly due to 42 K, 214 Bi, 228 60 Co and α emitting isotopes from the 226 Ra decay chain. The individual fractions depend on the assumed locations of the contaminants. It is shown, that after removal of the known γ peaks, the energy spectrum can be fitted in an energy range of 200 keV around Q ββ with a constant background. This gives a background index consistent with the full model and uncertainties of the same size.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Measurement of J/ψ polarization in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7\ \mathrm{TeV}$

An angular analysis of the decay J/ψ→μ + μ – is performed to measure the polarization of prompt J/ψ mesons produced in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 0.37 fb –1 collected with the LHCb detector. The measurement is presented as a function of transverse momentum, p T , and rapidity, y, of the J/ψ meson, in the kinematic region 2 < p T < 15 GeV/c and 2.0<y<4.5.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Observation of the Decay B c + → B s 0 π +

The result of a search for the decay B c + → B s 0 π + is presented, using the B s 0 → D s - π + and B s 0 → J /&psi;&phi; channels. The analysis is based on a data sample of pp collisions collected with the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1 fb -1 taken at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, and 2 fb -1 taken at 8 TeV. The decay B c + → B s 0 π + is observed with significance in excess of 5 standard deviations independently in both decay channels. The measured product of the ratio of cross sections and branching fraction is [σ (B c + )/σ (B s 0 )] × B ( B c + → B s 0 π + ) =[2.37±0.31 (stat) ± 0.11 (syst)$ +0.17\atop{-0.13} $(τ$_B{_c^+}$)]×10 -3 , in the pseudorapidity range 2<η(B)<5, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third is due to the uncertainty on the $B{_c^+}$ lifetime. This is the first observation of a B meson decaying to another B meson via the weak interaction.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Pulse shape discrimination for Gerda Phase I data

The GERDA experiment located at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso of INFN searches for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay of 76 Ge using germanium diodes as source and detector. In Phase I of the experiment eight semi-coaxial and five BEGe type detectors have been deployed. The latter type is used in this field of research for the first time. All detectors are made from material with enriched 76 Ge fraction. The experimental sensitivity can be improved by analyzing the pulse shape of the detector signals with the aim to reject background events. This paper documents the algorithms developed before the data of Phase I were unblinded. The double escape peak (DEP) and Compton edge events of 2.615 MeV γ rays from 208Tl decays as well as two-neutrino double beta (2νββ) decays of 76 Ge are used as proxies for 0νββ decay. For BEGe detectors the chosen selection is based on a single pulse shape parameter. It accepts 0.92 ± 0.02 of signal-like events while about 80 % of the background events at Qββ = 2039 keV are rejected. For semi-coaxial detectors three analyses are developed. The one based on an artificial neural network is used for the search of 0νββ decay. It retains 90 % of DEP events and rejects about half of the events around Qββ . The 2νββ events have an efficiency of 0.85±0.02 and the one for 0νββ decays is estimated to be 0.90 +0.05 -0.09 . A second analysis uses a likelihood approach trained on Compton edge events. The third approach uses two pulse shape parameters. The latter two methods confirm the classification of the neural network since about 90 % of the data events rejected by the neural network are also removed by both of them. In general, the selection efficiency extracted from DEP events agrees well with those determined from Compton edge events or from 2νββ decays.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗