Neutrino-Less Double Beta Decay with EXO-200 and EXO

EXO-200 和 EXO 的无中微子双贝塔衰变

• 批准号: 1209907
• 负责人: Andrea Pocar
• 金额: $ 60.9万
• 依托单位: University of Massachusetts Amherst
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-06-15 至 2016-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1209907&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Neutrino; Less; Double; Beta; Decay

This award provides base support for the group to continue to participate in the Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO) program to search for neutrino-less double beta decay in 136-Xenon, a nuclear process which could hold clues into the nature of neutrinos. Observation of this decay would imply that neutrinos are Majorana particles, i.e. their own antiparticles, with profound implications on our understanding of the pattern of masses of fundamental particles and of the structure and evolution of the early universe. The EXO-200 experiment, a 200-kg enriched liquid xenon detector is now running underground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico. This group will also take part in the development and design of a more sensitive tonne-scale EXO experiment (full-EXO) to follow EXO-200. With the planned research at UMass, the group will provide key input to the design of a full-EXO experiment with sensitivity to neutrino masses as small as 10 meV by: i) optimizing the optical response and VUV detection efficiency of the detector, and ii) supplying a single Barium ion source, a possibly game-changing tool for the realization of the EXO-specific background suppression scheme which looks for the appearance of Barium ions following 136-Xe double beta decay.Broader Impacts: Noble liquid detectors are finding applications in medical imaging devices as well as in remote monitoring of nuclear power plant fuel composition. The ultra-low background methods developed for detectors like EXO-200 have taken radioactive contamination to levels considered impossible to achieve just twenty years ago. Processes of interest for the electronics industry now require similar levels of radio-purity in their manufacturing lines. Work with EXO-200 and EXO provides ample opportunities for graduate students to perform cutting edge research and experience working in a medium-sized international scientific collaboration.

该奖项为该小组提供了基本的支持，以继续参加富集的氙气观测计划（EXO）计划，以在136-XENON中寻找无中微子的双β衰减，这是一种核过程，这是一种可以使中微子的线索融入中微子的过程。对这种衰变的观察将暗示中微子是主要颗粒，即它们自己的反粒子，对我们对基本颗粒质量的模式以及早期宇宙的结构和演变产生了深远的影响。 EXO-200实验是一个200公斤富集的液体氙气检测器，现已在新墨西哥州的废物隔离试点（WIPP）的地下运行。该小组还将参与更敏感的吨级EXO实验（Full-EXO）的开发和设计，以遵循EXO-200。 With the planned research at UMass, the group will provide key input to the design of a full-EXO experiment with sensitivity to neutrino masses as small as 10 meV by: i) optimizing the optical response and VUV detection efficiency of the detector, and ii) supplying a single Barium ion source, a possibly game-changing tool for the realization of the EXO-specific background suppression scheme which looks for the appearance of Barium ions following 136-Xe双重β衰变。BRODER的影响：高贵的液体探测器正在医疗成像设备以及远程监测核电站燃料组成中的应用。为exo-200等检测器开发的超低背景方法已将放射性污染带到了被认为是二十年前无法实现的水平。现在，电子行业感兴趣的过程需要在其制造业线中类似的无线电水平。与EXO-200和EXO的合作为研究生提供了足够的机会，可以在中型国际科学合作中进行尖端研究和经验。