Point contact germanium detectors for rare event searches

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If the Big Bang created equal amounts of matter and anti-matter, how is it possible that we exist? Should we not have met our anti-partners and disappeared? If we can only observe 5% of the matter in the universe, what makes up the rest? These are important fundamental questions that this research program aims to answer by better understanding the properties of neutrinos (are they matter or anti-matter?) and by developing ways to detect "dark matter" (thought to be a substantial fraction of the missing matter in the universe). Canada has demonstrated a commitment to answering these questions, which was recognized by the recent Nobel Prize. The proposed program will strengthen the country's leadership role in this research while training highly qualified personnel.This grant will support a team to utilize a CFI-funded facility to develop and test novel particle detectors fabricated from high purity germanium. Our facility will support current research efforts worldwide by providing critically-needed characterization measurements of the surfaces of these detectors. In the long term, we will develop new detector technologies for the next generation of experiments along two avenues. The first is to determine how large these detectors can be made so that we can minimize the number of individual detectors required to study the fundamental nature of the neutrino. The second is to develop a prototype that is uniquely sensitive to the small amounts of energy that a dark matter particle or a neutrino would deposit in the detector. The proposed work makes use of strong collaborations that we have built with groups in Texas and in Berkeley, as well as leveraging existing facilities at Queen's. This allows us to propose significant advances in the development of technologies for a competitive cost. My group will participate in the international MAJORANA and MINER collaborations which are using germanium detectors to understand neutrinos and dark matter. We are also participating in the design of a next generation experiment to understand neutrinos using one tonne of germanium detectors (hence the need to determine how large these can be made). Our research program is thus integrated into the current frontier of knowledge while developing future technologies that are aligned with Canada's research priorities in particle physics.We will provide young scientists with a dynamic research environment where they will develop a variety of skills that will benefit their careers. By working in our facility, they will participate in a number of hardware projects involving cutting-edge technologies. By developing software to analyse data, they will acquire modern computing skills and obtain a well-rounded education that balances hardware with software. Their education will be further enhanced by working as a part of a large diverse international team, which will help to develop Canada's highly trained workforce.