Processing an Additional Quantity of Ge-76 for the Majorana Demonstrator

一项关于无中微子双β衰变的全面计划非常及时。APS多部门研究的一个主要发现指出：“我们建议，作为优先事项，对无中微子核的双β衰变进行分阶段的敏感搜索。”这一奖项的学术价值是基于这样一个事实，即观察这种衰变是确定中微子是否是Majorana粒子(它们自己的反粒子)的唯一实用方法。这种奇特的衰变是对轻子数守恒的最敏感测试，轻子数守恒是基本粒子物理学中的一个重要对称性。事实上，如果中微子是马约拉纳粒子，对衰变半衰期的测量将得出电子中微子的有效马约拉纳质量。这一结果与中微子振荡数据相结合，将确定所有三个中微子质量本征值。瘦身甚至有可能发生吗？是的，但前提是中微子是马约拉纳粒子。这些资金被授予帮助Majorana示范器(MJD)实验寻找Ge-76(Ge-76)中的无中微子双β衰变。具体和有限的工作是将氧化锗(GeO2)进行高科技转化为适合制造Ge探测器单元的金属形式。PI领导MJD研发项目的任务，负责采购浓缩的GeO2，将其还原为金属，区域精炼到检测质量的Ge金属，以及废旧材料的再加工。独立调查员组成了为该设施配备设备的小组，并为GE加工和再加工购置了必要的设备；他们现在正在运营该设施。最近，两家俄罗斯研究所同意借给MJD 8.7至14.5公斤的浓缩GeO2。加工这种材料的费用不包括在最初的提案中。因此，这笔资金用于这种材料的减少、区域精炼和再加工，并用于新的研发，以开发更有效的废料后处理。这个新借出的GeO2将极大地扩展MJD Broader Impact的科学覆盖范围：一个更广泛的影响将是对宇宙学的重要贡献。另一个是，也一直是，国家和国土安全的新探测器技术。第三个更广泛的影响是用于其他基础科学和应用科学的新的超低本底Ge探测器技术。事实上，这项技术在环境放射性调查中有着广泛的应用。

A comprehensive program in neutrino-less double-beta decay is very timely. A principal finding of the APS Multidivisional Study stated: "We recommend, as a high priority, a phased program of sensitive searches for neutrino-less nuclear double-beta decay." The intellectual merit of this award is based on the fact that the observation of such a decay is the only practical way to determine if neutrinos are Majorana particles (their own antiparticles). This exotic decay is the most sensitive test of lepton number conservation, an important symmetry in elementary-particle physics. In fact, if neutrinos are Majorana particles, a measurement of the decay half-life would yield the effective Majorana mass of the electron neutrino. This result, combined with neutrino oscillation data, would determine all three neutrino-mass eigenvalues. Is leptogenesis even a possibility? Yes, but only if neutrinos are Majorana particles. These funds are awarded to assist the Majorana Demonstrator (MJD) experiment searching for neutrino-less double beta decay in germanium -76 (Ge-76). The specific and limited work is to carry-out the highly technical conversion of germanium oxide (GeO2) into metallic form suitable for the fabrication of Ge detector units. The PI leads the Task in the MJD R&D Project responsible for the procurement of enriched GeO2, its reduction to metal, zone refinement to detector quality Ge metal, and reprocessing of the scrap material. The PIs formed the team that equipped the facility and acquired the necessary equipment for the Ge processing and reprocessing; they are now operating the facility. Recently two Russian Institutes have agreed to loan MJD between 8.7 and 14.5-kg of enriched GeO2. The cost of processing this material was not covered in the original proposal. Accordingly, this funding is provided for the reduction, zone refinement and reprocessing of this material, and for new R&D to develop more efficient scrap reprocessing. This new loaned GeO2 will significantly extend the science reach of the MJD.Broader impacts: One broader impact would be an important contribution to cosmology. Another is, and has been, new detector technology for National and Homeland security. A third broader impact is new ultra-low background Ge-detector technology for other basic and applied sciences. In fact, this technology has broad application in environmental radiological surveys.