DOE OSTI · 3229486
Radon-induced backgrounds in the NEXT-100 experiment
Abstract
The NEXT-100 detector at the LSC aims at the first competitive search for the 0νββ decay using a high-pressure $^{136}$Xe electroluminescent time projection chamber. The first low-background run of NEXT-100 at 3.95 bar has been devoted to the measurement of the radon-induced backgrounds impacting this search. The contributions from both the internal and external airborne radon have been evaluated. The internal $^{222}$Rn activity is found to be (0.95±0.04(stat)±0.09(sys)) Bq/m$^{3}$, while no traces of $^{220}$Rn have been observed. Most of the $^{222}$Rn progeny plate-out on the surface of the cathode of the detector, leading to a rate of Rn-induced $^{214}$Bi of (0.97±0.05(stat)±0.10(sys)) Hz for visible energies above 400 keV. The corresponding background index in the 0νββ region of interest is evaluated as (7.3±1.5(stat)±0.8(sys))×10$^{−4}$ counts/(keV·kg·yr) after selection of the fully contained events. This background index is reduced to ∼4×10$^{−5}$ counts/(keV·kg·yr) by applying a topological selection requiring only one double-electron-like track in the events. This value is one order of magnitude below the total radiogenic background expectation in NEXT-100. By analyzing the correlation of the airborne radon activity and the measured rate of events in NEXT-100, it is concluded that the detector operates in a virtually radon-free environment thanks to the radon abatement system of the LSC.[graphic not available: see fulltext]
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Cortes-Parra, C. [Valencia U., IFIC] (ORCID:000000025785554X), Novella, P. [Valencia U., IFIC] (ORCID:0000000209233172), Martínez-Lema, G. [Valencia U., IFIC] (ORCID:0000000217423531), Almazán, H. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian] (ORCID:0000000317722598), Álvarez, V. [Valencia, Polytechnic U.], Arazi, L. [Ben Gurion U. of Negev], Arnquist, I. J. [PNL, Richland] (ORCID:0000000256438330), Auria-Luna, F. [Basque U., San Sebastian], Ayet, S. [Valencia U., IFIC], Ayyad, Y. [Santiago de Compostela U., IGFAE] (ORCID:0000000186044976), Azevedo, C. D.R. [U. Aveiro (main)] (ORCID:0000000200129918), Ballester, F. [Valencia, Polytechnic U.], Barcelon, J. E. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian], del Barrio-Torregrosa, M. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian; Basque U., Bilbao], Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian], Borges, F. I.G.M. [LIP, Coimbra], Brodoline, A. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian; Basque U., San Sebastian], Byrnes, N. [Texas U., Arlington (main)], Castillo, A. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian] (ORCID:0000000298873293), Church, E. [PNL, Richland] (ORCID:0000000201555812), Cid, M. [Valencia U., IFIC; Santiago de Compostela U., IGFAE], Cid, X. [Santiago de Compostela U., IGFAE] (ORCID:000000020468541X), Conde, C. A.N. [LIP, Coimbra] (ORCID:0000000213872161), Cossío, F. P. [Basque U., San Sebastian] (ORCID:0000000304543144), Coupe, R. [Manchester U.], Dey, E. [Texas U., Arlington (main)], Dietz, P. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian], Echeverria, C. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian], Elorza, M. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian; Basque U., Bilbao], Esteve, R. [Valencia, Polytechnic U.], Felkai, R. [Ben Gurion U. of Negev; Weizmann Inst.], Fernandes, L. M.P. [Coimbra U.] (ORCID:0000000270618768), Ferrario, P. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian; IKERBASQUE, Bilbao] (ORCID:0000000342442483), Mancheño, P. Ferrero [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian], Foss, F. W. [Texas U., Arlington (main)], Freixa, Z. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian; IKERBASQUE, Bilbao], García-Barrena, J. [Valencia, Polytechnic U.], Gómez-Cadenas, J. J. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian; IKERBASQUE, Bilbao] (ORCID:0000000282247714), Grocott, J. W.R. [Manchester U.], Guenette, R. [Manchester U.] (ORCID:0000000339670151), Hauptman, J. [Iowa State U.] (ORCID:0000000270850516), Henriques, C. A.O. [Coimbra U.], Hernando Morata, J. A. [Santiago de Compostela U., IGFAE], Herrero-Gómez, P. [Hebrew U.], Herrero, V. [Valencia, Polytechnic U.], Carrete, C. Hervés [Santiago de Compostela U., IGFAE], Ifergan, Y. [Ben Gurion U. of Negev], Isabel, A. F.B. [Coimbra U.], Jones, B. J.P. [Texas U., Arlington (main); Manchester U.] (ORCID:0000000334008986), Kellerer, F. [Valencia U., IFIC], Larizgoitia, L. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian] (ORCID:0000000343565856), Larumbe, A. [Basque U., San Sebastian], Lebrun, P. [Fermilab], Lopez, F. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian], López-March, N. [Valencia U., IFIC] (ORCID:0000000165860675), Madigan, R. [Texas U., Arlington (main)], Mano, R. D.P. [Coimbra U.], Marauri, A. [Basque U., San Sebastian], Marques, A. P. [LIP, Coimbra], Martín-Albo, J. [Valencia U., IFIC] (ORCID:0000000273181469), Martínez, A. [Valencia, Polytechnic U.], Martínez-Vara, M. [Valencia U., IFIC] (ORCID:0009000549427405), Miller, R. L. [Texas U., Arlington], Mistry, K. [Texas U., Arlington] (ORCID:0000000175337482), Molina-Canteras, J. [Basque U., San Sebastian], Monrabal, F. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian; IKERBASQUE, Bilbao] (ORCID:0000000240475620), Monteiro, C. M.B. [Coimbra U.] (ORCID:0000000219122804), Mora, F. J. [Valencia, Polytechnic U.], Navarro, K. E. [Texas U., Arlington], Nygren, D. R. [Texas U., Arlington], Oblak, E. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian], Osborne, I. [Manchester U.] (ORCID:0009000227802399), Palacio, J. [LSC, Canfranc] (ORCID:000000030374100X), Palmeiro, B. [Manchester U.] (ORCID:000000015878650X), Para, A. [Fermilab], Parmaksiz, I. [Texas U., Arlington] (ORCID:0009000214783977), Pazos, A. [Basque U., San Sebastian] (ORCID:0000000331538084), Pelegrin, J. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian], Maneiro, M. Pérez [Santiago de Compostela U., IGFAE], Querol, M. [Valencia U., IFIC], Renner, J. [Valencia U., IFIC], Rivilla, I. [Basque U., San Sebastian; Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian], Rogero, C. [CFM, San Sebastian], Rogers, L. [Argonne], Romeo, B. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian; North Carolina U., Greensboro] (ORCID:0000000188964565), Romo-Luque, C. [Valencia U., IFIC; Los Alamos] (ORCID:000000034248056X), Ruiz-Chóliz, E. [LSC, Canfranc] (ORCID:0000000224177121), Saharia, P. [Valencia U., IFIC], Santos, F. P. [LIP, Coimbra], dos Santos, J. M.F. [Coimbra U.] (ORCID:0000000288416523), Seemann, M. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian; Basque U., Bilbao], Shomroni, I. [Hebrew U.], Silva, A. L.M. [U. Aveiro (main)], Silva, P. A.O.C. [Coimbra U.] (ORCID:0000000341068258), Simón, A. [Valencia U., IFIC], Soleti, S. R. [Donostia Intl. Phys. Ctr., San Sebastian; IKERBASQUE, Bilbao] (ORCID:0000000255261414), Sorel, M. [Valencia U., IFIC] (ORCID:0000000321419508), Soto-Oton, J. [Valencia U., IFIC] (ORCID:0000000168049810), Teixeira, J. M.R. [Coimbra U.] (ORCID:0000000242633020), Teruel-Pardo, S. [Valencia U., IFIC]. 2026-09-07. Radon-induced backgrounds in the NEXT-100 experiment. https://doi.org/10.1007/jhep09(2026)082
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