Engineering topics

Gratta, G

Publications and source records attributed to Gratta, G.

6 records

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 OSTI2019

Imaging Individual Barium Atoms in Solid Xenon for Barium Tagging in nEXO

The search for neutrinoless double beta decay probes the fundamental properties of neutrinos, including whether or not the neutrino and antineutrino are distinct. Double beta detectors are large and expensive, so background reduction is essential for extracting the highest sensitivity. The identification, or “tagging”, of the 136Ba daughter atom from double beta decay of 136Xe provides a technique for eliminating backgrounds in the nEXO neutrinoless double beta decay experiment. The tagging scheme studied in this work utilizes a cryogenic probe to trap the barium atom in solid xenon, where the barium atom is tagged via fluorescence imaging in the solid xenon matrix. Here we demonstrate imaging and counting of individual atoms of barium in solid xenon by scanning a focused laser across a solid xenon matrix deposited on a sapphire window. When the laser sits on an individual atom, the fluorescence persists for ~30 s before dropping abruptly to the background level, a clear confirmation of one-atom imaging. No barium fluorescence persists following evaporation of a barium deposit to a limit of =0.16%. This is the first time that single atoms have been imaged in solid noble element. It establishes the basic principle of a barium tagging technique for nEXO.

Chambers, C↗

DOE OSTI2018

Characterization of an Ionization Readout Tile for nEXO

Anewdesign for the anode of a time projection chamber, consisting of a charge-detecting "tile", is investigated for use in large scale liquid xenon detectors. The tile is produced by depositing 60 orthogonal metal charge-collecting strips, 3 mm wide, on a 10 cm 10 cm fused-silica wafer. These charge tiles may be employed by large detectors, such as the proposed tonne-scale nEXO experiment to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay. Modular by design, an array of tiles can cover a sizable area. The width of each strip is small compared to the size of the tile, so a Frisch grid is not required. A grid-less, tiled anode design is beneficial for an experiment such as nEXO, where a wire tensioning support structure and Frisch grid might contribute radioactive backgrounds and would have to be designed to accommodate cycling to cryogenic temperatures. The segmented anode also reduces some degeneracies in signal reconstruction that arise in large-area crossed-wire time projection chambers. A prototype tile was tested in a cell containing liquid xenon. Very good agreement is achieved between the measured ionization spectrum of a 207Bi source and simulations that include the microphysics of recombination in xenon and a detailed modeling of the electrostatic field of the detector. An energy resolution E=5.5% is observed at 570 keV, comparable to the best intrinsic ionization-only resolution reported in literature for liquid xenon at 936 V/cm.

Jewell, M J.↗

DOE OSTI2011

Measurement of the {sup 8}B solar neutrino flux with the KamLAND liquid scintillator detector

We report a measurement of the neutrino-electron elastic scattering rate from {sup 8}B solar neutrinos based on a 123 kton-day exposure of KamLAND. The background-subtracted electron recoil rate, above a 5.5-MeV analysis threshold is 1.49 {+-} 0.14(stat) {+-} 0.17(syst) events per kton-day. Interpreted as due to a pure electron flavor flux with a {sup 8}B neutrino spectrum, this corresponds to a spectrum integrated flux of 2.77 {+-} 0.26(stat) {+-} 0.32(syst) x10{sup 6} cm{sup -2}s{sup -1}. The analysis threshold is driven by {sup 208}Tl present in the liquid scintillator, and the main source of systematic uncertainty is due to background from cosmogenic {sup 11}Be. The measured rate is consistent with existing measurements and with standard solar model predictions which include matter-enhanced neutrino oscillation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2011

A study of extraterrestrial antineutrino sources with the KamLAND detector

We present the results of a search for extraterrestrial electron antineutrinos ({bar {nu}}{sub e}'s) in the energy range 8.3 MeV < E{sub {bar {nu}}}{sub e} < 30.8 MeV using the KamLAND detector. In an exposure of 4.53 kton-year, we identify 25 candidate events. All of the candidate events can be attributed to background, most importantly neutral current atmospheric neutrino interactions, setting an upper limit on the probability of {sup 8}B solar {nu}{sub e}'s converting into {bar {nu}}{sub e}'s at 5.3 x 10{sup -5} (90% C.L.). The present data also allows us to set more stringent limits on the diffuse supernova neutrino flux and on the annihilation rates for light dark matter particles.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

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 ↗