We present here a characterization of the low background NaI(Tl) crystal NaI-33 based on a period of almost one year of data taking (891 kg
×
days exposure) in a detector configuration with no use of ...organic scintillator veto. This remarkably radio-pure crystal already showed a low background in the SABRE Proof-of-Principle (PoP) detector, in the low energy region of interest (1–6 keV) for the search of dark matter interaction via the annual modulation signature. As the vetoable background components, such as
40
K, are here sub-dominant, we reassembled the PoP setup with a fully passive shielding. We upgraded the selection of events based on a Boosted Decision Tree algorithm that rejects most of the PMT-induced noise while retaining scintillation signals with > 90% efficiency in 1–6 keV. We find an average background of 1.39 ± 0.02 counts/day/kg/keV in the region of interest and a spectrum consistent with data previously acquired in the PoP setup, where the external veto background suppression was in place. Our background model indicates that the dominant background component is due to decays of
210
Pb, only partly residing in the crystal itself. The other location of
210
Pb is the reflector foil that wraps the crystal. We now proceed to design the experimental setup for the physics phase of the SABRE North detector, based on an array of similar crystals, using a low radioactivity PTFE reflector and further improving the passive shielding strategy, in compliance with the new safety and environmental requirements of Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso.
We present new results on the radiopurity of a 3.4-kg NaI(Tl) crystal scintillator operated in the SABRE proof-of-principle detector setup. The amount of potassium contamination, determined by the ...direct counting of radioactive 40K, is found to be 2.2 ± 1.5 ppb , lowest ever achieved for NaI(Tl) crystals. With the active veto, the average background rate in the crystal in the 1–6 keV energy region of interest (ROI) is 1.20 ± 0.05 counts / day / kg / keV , which is a breakthrough since the DAMA/LIBRA experiment. Our background model indicates that the rate is dominated by 210Pb and that about half of this contamination is located in the polytetrafluoroethylene reflector. We discuss ongoing developments of the crystal manufacture aimed at the further reduction of the background, including data from purification by zone refining. A projected background rate lower than ∼ 0.2 counts / day / kg / keV in the ROI is within reach. These results represent a benchmark for the development of next-generation NaI(Tl) detector arrays for the direct detection of dark matter particles.
Hundreds of concurrent collisions per bunch crossing are expected at future hadron colliders. Precision timing calorimetry has been advocated as a way to mitigate the pileup effects and, thanks to ...their excellent time resolution, microchannel plates (MCPs) are good candidate detectors for this goal. We report on the response of MCPs, used as secondary emission detectors, to single relativistic particles and to electromagnetic showers. Several prototypes, with different geometries and characteristics, were exposed to particle beams at the INFN-LNF Beam Test Facility and at CERN. Their time resolution and efficiency are measured for single particles and as a function of the multiplicity of particles. Efficiencies between 50% and 90% to single relativistic particles are reached, and up to 100% in presence of a large number of particles. Time resolutions between 20 ps and 30 ps are obtained.
A prototype for a sampling calorimeter made out of cerium fluoride crystals interleaved with tungsten plates, and read out by wavelength-shifting fibres, has been exposed to beams of electrons with ...energies between 20 and 150GeV, produced by the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron accelerator complex. The performance of the prototype is presented and compared to that of a Geant4 simulation of the apparatus. Particular emphasis is given to the response uniformity across the channel front face, and to the prototype׳s energy resolution.
The High-Luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN (HL-LHC) poses stringent requirements on calorimeter performance in terms of resolution, pileup resilience and radiation hardness. A ...tungsten-CeF 3 sampling calorimeter is a possible option for the upgrade of current detectors. A prototype, read out with different types of wavelength-shifting fibers, has been built and exposed to high energy electrons, representative for the particle energy spectrum at HL-LHC, at the CERN SPS H4 beam line. This paper shows the performance of the prototype, mainly focussing on energy resolution and uniformity. A detailed simulation has been also developed in order to compare with data and to extrapolate to different configurations to be tested in future beam tests. Additional studies on the calorimeter and the R&D projects ongoing on the various components of the experimental setup will be also discussed.
SABRE aims to directly measure the annual modulation of the dark matter interaction rate with NaI(Tl) crystals. A modulation compatible with the standard hypothesis, in which our Galaxy is immersed ...in a dark matter halo, has been measured by the DAMA experiment in the same target material. Other direct detection experiments, using different target materials, seem to exclude the interpretation of such modulation in the simplest scenario of WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering. The SABRE experiment aims to carry out an independent search with sufficient sensitivity to confirm or refute the DAMA claim. The goal of the SABRE experiment is to achieve the lowest background rate for a NaI(Tl) experiment (order of 0.1 cpd/kg/keV
ee
in the energy region of interest for dark matter). This challenging goal could be achievable by operating high-purity crystals inside a liquid scintillator veto for active background rejection. In addition, twin detectors will be located in the northern and southern hemispheres to identify possible contributions to the modulation from seasonal or site-related effects. The SABRE project includes an initial Proof-of-Principle phase at LNGS (Italy), to assess the radio-purity of the crystals and the efficiency of the liquid scintillator veto. This paper describes the general concept of SABRE and the expected sensitivity to WIMP annual modulation.
SABRE (Sodium-iodide with Active Background REjection) is a direct dark matter search experiment based on an array of radio-pure NaI(Tl) crystals surrounded by a liquid scintillator veto. Twin SABRE ...experiments in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres will differentiate a dark matter signal from seasonal and local effects. The experiment is currently in a Proof-of-Principle (PoP) phase, whose goal is to demonstrate that the background rate is low enough to carry out an independent search for a dark matter signal, with sufficient sensitivity to confirm or refute the DAMA result during the following full-scale experimental phase. The impact of background radiation from the detector materials and the experimental site needs to be carefully investigated, including both intrinsic and cosmogenically activated radioactivity. Based on the best knowledge of the most relevant sources of background, we have performed a detailed Monte Carlo study evaluating the expected background in the dark matter search spectral region. The simulation model described in this paper guides the design of the full-scale experiment and will be fundamental for the interpretation of the measured background and hence for the extraction of a possible dark matter signal.
Ultra-pure NaI(Tl) crystals are the key element for a model-independent verification of the long standing DAMA result and a powerful means to search for the annual modulation signature of dark matter ...interactions. The SABRE collaboration has been developing cutting-edge techniques for the reduction of intrinsic backgrounds over several years. In this paper we report the first characterization of a 3.4 kg crystal, named NaI-33, performed in an underground passive shielding setup at LNGS. NaI-33 has a record low
39
K contamination of 4.3 ± 0.2 ppb as determined by mass spectrometry. We measured a light yield of 11.1 ± 0.2 photoelectrons/keV and an energy resolution of 13.2% (FWHM/E) at 59.5 keV. We evaluated the activities of
226
Ra and
228
Th inside the crystal to be
5.9
±
0.6
μ
Bq/kg and
1.6
±
0.3
μ
Bq/kg, respectively, which would indicate a contamination from
238
U and
232
Th at part-per-trillion level. We measured an activity of 0.51 ± 0.02 mBq/kg due to
210
Pb out of equilibrium and a
α
quenching factor of 0.63 ± 0.01 at 5304 keV. We illustrate the analyses techniques developed to reject electronic noise in the lower part of the energy spectrum. A cut-based strategy and a multivariate approach indicated a rate, attributed to the intrinsic radioactivity of the crystal, of
∼
1 count/day/kg/keV in the 5–20 keV region.
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