PIRE: Advanced Germanium Detectors and Technologies for Underground Physics

PIRE：用于地下物理的先进锗探测器和技术

• 批准号: 1743790
• 负责人: Dongming Mei
• 金额: $ 435.2万
• 依托单位: University of South Dakota Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-10-01 至 2024-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1743790&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: PIRE; Advanced; Germanium; Detectors; Technologies

PI: Dongming Mei (University of South Dakota)co-PIs: Harlan Harris (Texas A&M University)John Wilkerson (University of North Carolina)Nontechnical abstract:Understanding how the Universe works at its fundamental level is key to harnessing its power here on Earth. Observations of gravitational phenomena indicate that 80% of the matter in the Universe is dark matter (DM). Novel direct-detection strategies to probe non-gravitational interactions between DM and ordinary matter are needed to discover DM. In addition to DM, neutrinos also play an important role in understanding the Universe. The discovery of neutrino mass has created a potential tantalizing connection between the observed asymmetry of matter over antimatter in our Universe and postulated neutrino properties. If neutrinos are their own anti-particles, this might offer an explanation of the prevalence of matter over anti-matter. The only experimentally feasible way to answer this question is to look for neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ) decay, a proposed form of nuclear decay. Observation of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) indicates several important properties of neutrinos. Testing these properties could lead to a better understanding of the origin and evolution of the Universe. Therefore, the nature of dark matter and key properties of neutrinos are two of the most important questions in fundamental physics. PIRE-GErmanium Materials And Detectors Advancement Research Consortium (PIRE- GEMADARC) is a global partnership created to accelerate the germanium (Ge) material platform used in research and development for ton-scale DM and 0νββ decay experiments while educating the next generation of scientists. PIRE-GEMADARC also develops innovative approaches to constructing new types of low threshold and high-resolution Ge detectors with applications in homeland security, environmental monitoring, and medical imaging. Technical abstract:PIRE-GEMADARC leverages the research expertise, training capabilities, and world-renowned facilities of eleven institutions in the United States, Canada, China, Germany, and Taiwan. Specifically, PIRE-GEMADARC will: (1) advance techniques in zone refinement and crystal growth to guarantee the purity and appropriate gradient of large-size Ge (LGe) detector-grade crystals; (2) develop LGe detectors to achieve low energy thresholds for DM and CEνNS detection and better particle discrimination for 0νββ decay; (3) improve detector performance by gaining a better understanding of charge collection efficiency, background reduction methods, and systematic uncertainties; and (4) enhance education and training for young scientists in the field. Direct detection of DM and observation of 0νββ decay requires deep underground laboratories, extremely pure detectors, and well-established expertise in crystal growth. This Consortium provides access to the deepest underground laboratories - SNOLAB (Canada) and China Jinping Underground Laboratory (China), and includes world-class international expertise in developing Ge detectors from Max-Planck-Institut für Physik (Germany) and the Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica (Taiwan). Equally important is the work of the Consortium to develop the next generation of diverse scientists and engineers through its integrated research and education program. At the end of this five-year award, the Consortium will have trained more than 170 undergraduate and graduate students and K-12 teachers, plus 5 postdoctoral fellows - a majority of whom will have practical international research experiences, and a significant fraction of which will be from underrepresented groups. The Consortium's comprehensive Junior Faculty Development plan will prepare six early career faculty members for academic leadership.

PI：Dongming Mei（南达科他州大学）co-PI：哈兰Harris（德克萨斯农工大学）John Wilkerson（北卡罗来纳州大学）非技术性摘要：了解宇宙在其基本层面上的运作方式是利用其在地球上的力量的关键。引力现象的观测表明，宇宙中80%的物质是暗物质（DM）。 新的直接检测策略，以探测DM和普通物质之间的非引力相互作用，需要发现DM。除了DM，中微子在理解宇宙中也发挥着重要作用。 中微子质量的发现在我们宇宙中观测到的物质相对于反物质的不对称性和假设的中微子性质之间建立了一个潜在的诱人的联系。如果中微子是它们自己的反粒子，这可能会解释物质比反物质更普遍。唯一可行的实验方法来回答这个问题是寻找无中微子双β（0 #957;#946; #946;）衰变，核衰变的一种建议形式。中微子-原子核相干弹性散射（CE #957;NS）的观测表明了中微子的几个重要性质。测试这些性质可以更好地了解宇宙的起源和演化。因此，暗物质的本质和中微子的关键性质是基础物理学中最重要的两个问题。PIRE-GEMADARC是一个全球合作伙伴关系，旨在加速用于吨级DM和0 #957;#946; #946;衰变实验的锗（Ge）材料平台的研发，同时教育下一代科学家。Pire-GEMADARC还开发了创新方法来构建新型低阈值和高分辨率Ge探测器，应用于国土安全，环境监测和医学成像。技术摘要：PIRE-GEMADARC利用了美国、加拿大、中国、德国和台湾的11个机构的研究专长、培训能力和世界知名的设施。具体而言，PIRE-GEMADARC将：（1）推进区域细化和晶体生长技术，以保证大尺寸Ge（LGe）探测器级晶体的纯度和适当的梯度;（2）开发LGe探测器，以实现DM和CE& #957;NS探测的低能量阈值，以及对0& #957;β #946&;衰变的更好的粒子区分;（3）通过更好地理解电荷收集效率、背景减少方法和系统不确定性来提高探测器性能;（4）加强对青年科学家的教育和培训。直接检测DM和观察0的衰变需要深地下实验室、极纯的检测器和成熟的晶体生长专业知识。该联盟提供进入最深地下实验室的机会- SNOLAB（加拿大）和中国锦屏地下实验室（中国），并包括来自马克斯-普朗克物理研究所（德国）和中央研究院物理研究所（台湾）的开发锗探测器的世界级国际专业知识。同样重要的是，该联盟通过其综合研究和教育计划，培养下一代多样化的科学家和工程师。在这个为期五年的奖项结束时，该联盟将培训170多名本科生和研究生以及K-12教师，加上5名博士后研究员-其中大多数将具有实际的国际研究经验，其中很大一部分将来自代表性不足的群体。 该联盟的综合初级教师发展计划将准备六个早期职业教师的学术领导。

项目成果

Observation of time-dependent internal charge amplification in a planar germanium detector at cryogenic temperature

• DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-023-11432-y
• 发表时间: 2022-11
• 期刊: The European Physical Journal C
• 作者: P. Acharya;M. Fritts;Dongbin Mei;V. Mandic;C.-J. Wang;R. Mahapatra;M. Platt

Low-energy solar neutrino detection utilizing advanced germanium detectors

利用先进的锗探测器进行低能太阳中微子探测

• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6471/acc751
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics
• 作者: Bhattarai, S;Mei, D-M;Raut, M S
• 通讯作者: Raut, M S

Temperature-dependent charge barrier height of amorphous germanium contact detector

非晶锗接触探测器随温度变化的电荷势垒高度

• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2022.166862
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Detectors and Associated Equipment
• 作者: Panth, Rajendra;Wei, Wenzhao;Mei, Dongming;Liu, Jing;Bhattarai, Sanjay;Mei, Hao;Raut, Mathbar;Acharya, Pramod;Kooi, Kyler;Wang, Guojian
• 通讯作者: Wang, Guojian

Fabrication and characterization of high-purity germanium detectors with amorphous germanium contacts

• DOI: 10.1088/1748-0221/14/02/p02019
• 发表时间: 2019-02-01
• 期刊: JOURNAL OF INSTRUMENTATION
• 影响因子: 1.3
• 作者: Meng, X-H;Wang, G-J;Mei, D-M
• 通讯作者: Mei, D-M

Atmospheric charged $$K/\pi $$K/π ratio and measurement of muon annual modulation with a liquid scintillation detector at Soudan

苏丹使用液体闪烁探测器进行大气充电 $$K/pi $$K/Ï 比值和 μ 子年调制测量

• DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-019-7344-9
• 发表时间: 2019
• 期刊: The European Physical Journal C
• 作者: Zhang, C.;Mei, D.-M.
• 通讯作者: Mei, D.-M.