Imperfections in analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) cannot be ignored when signal digitization requirements demand both wide dynamic range and high resolution, as is the case for the Majorana ...Demonstrator 76 Ge neutrinoless double-beta decay search. Enabling the experiment's high-resolution spectral analysis and efficient pulse shape discrimination required careful measurement and correction of ADC nonlinearities. A simple measurement protocol was developed that did not require sophisticated equipment or lengthy data-taking campaigns. A slope-dependent hysteresis was observed and characterized. A correction applied to digitized waveforms prior to signal processing reduced the differential and integral nonlinearities by an order of magnitude, eliminating these as dominant contributions to the systematic energy uncertainty at the double-beta decay <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">Q </tex-math></inline-formula> value.
Abstract P-type point contact (PPC) HPGe detectors are a leading technology for rare event searches due to their excellent energy resolution, low thresholds, and multi-site event rejection ...capabilities. We have characterized a PPC detector’s response to $$\alpha $$ α particles incident on the sensitive passivated and p $$^+$$ + surfaces, a previously poorly-understood source of background. The detector studied is identical to those in the Majorana Demonstrator experiment, a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay ( $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0 ν β β ) in $$^{76}$$ 76 Ge. $$\alpha $$ α decays on most of the passivated surface exhibit significant energy loss due to charge trapping, with waveforms exhibiting a delayed charge recovery (DCR) signature caused by the slow collection of a fraction of the trapped charge. The DCR is found to be complementary to existing methods of $$\alpha $$ α identification, reliably identifying $$\alpha $$ α background events on the passivated surface of the detector. We demonstrate effective rejection of all surface $$\alpha $$ α events (to within statistical uncertainty) with a loss of only 0.2% of bulk events by combining the DCR discriminator with previously-used methods. The DCR discriminator has been used to reduce the background rate in the $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0 ν β β region of interest window by an order of magnitude in the Majorana Demonstrator and will be used in the upcoming LEGEND-200 experiment.
P-type point contact (PPC) HPGe detectors are a leading technology for rare event searches due to their excellent energy resolution, low thresholds, and multi-site event rejection capabilities. We ...have characterized a PPC detector’s response to
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particles incident on the sensitive passivated and p
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surfaces, a previously poorly-understood source of background. The detector studied is identical to those in the
Majorana
Demonstrator
experiment, a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay (
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ν
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β
) in
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76
Ge.
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decays on most of the passivated surface exhibit significant energy loss due to charge trapping, with waveforms exhibiting a delayed charge recovery (DCR) signature caused by the slow collection of a fraction of the trapped charge. The DCR is found to be complementary to existing methods of
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identification, reliably identifying
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background events on the passivated surface of the detector. We demonstrate effective rejection of all surface
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events (to within statistical uncertainty) with a loss of only 0.2% of bulk events by combining the DCR discriminator with previously-used methods. The DCR discriminator has been used to reduce the background rate in the
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β
β
region of interest window by an order of magnitude in the
Majorana
Demonstrator
and will be used in the upcoming LEGEND-200 experiment.
Imperfections in analog-to-digital conversion cannot be ignored when signal digitization requirements demand both wide dynamic range and high resolution, as is the case for the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR ...76Ge neutrinoless double beta decay search. Enabling the experiment's high-resolution spectral analysis and efficient pulse shape discrimination required careful measurement and correction of ADC nonlinearites. Here, a simple measurement protocol was developed that did not require sophisticated equipment or lengthy data taking campaigns. A slope-dependent hysteresis was observed and characterized. A correction applied to digitized waveforms prior to signal processing reduced the differential and integral nonlinearites by an order of magnitude, eliminating these as dominant contributions to the systematic energy uncertainty at the double-beta decay Q value.
Imperfections in analog-to-digital conversion cannot be ignored when signal digitization requirements demand both wide dynamic range and high resolution, as is the case for the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR ...76Ge neutrinoless double beta decay search. Enabling the experiment's high-resolution spectral analysis and efficient pulse shape discrimination required careful measurement and correction of ADC nonlinearites. A simple measurement protocol was developed that did not require sophisticated equipment or lengthy data taking campaigns. A slope-dependent hysteresis was observed and characterized. A correction applied to digitized waveforms prior to signal processing reduced the differential and integral nonlinearites by an order of magnitude, eliminating these as dominant contributions to the systematic energy uncertainty at the double-beta decay Q value.
The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is searching for double-beta decay of 76Ge to excited states (E.S.) in 76Se using a modular array of high purity Germanium detectors. 76Ge can decay into three E.S.s of ...76Se. The E.S. decays have a clear event signature consisting of a ββ-decay with the prompt emission of one or two γ-rays, resulting in with high probability in a multi-site event. The granularity of the DEMONSTRATOR detector array enables powerful discrimination of this event signature from backgrounds. Using 21.3 kg-y of isotopic exposure, the DEMONSTRATOR has set world leading limits for each E.S. decay, with 90% CL lower half-life limits in the range of (0.56 ‒ 2.1) ⋅ 1024 y. In particular, for the 2v transition to the first 0+ E.S. of 76Se, a lower half-life limit of 0.68 ⋅ 1024 at 90% CL was achieved.
Abstract
The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is searching for double-beta decay of
76
Ge to excited states (E.S.) in
76
Se using a modular array of high purity Germanium detectors.
76
Ge can decay into three ...E.S.s of
76
Se. The E.S. decays have a clear event signature consisting of a
ββ
-decay with the prompt emission of one or two
γ
-rays, resulting in with high probability in a multi-site event. The granularity of the DEMONSTRATOR detector array enables powerful discrimination of this event signature from backgrounds. Using 21.3 kg-y of isotopic exposure, the DEMONSTRATOR has set world leading limits for each E.S. decay, with 90% CL lower half-life limits in the range of (0.56 ‒ 2.1) ⋅ 10
24
y. In particular, for the 2
v
transition to the first 0
+
E.S. of
76
Se, a lower half-life limit of 0.68 ⋅ 10
24
at 90% CL was achieved.
The Majorana Demonstrator is a neutrinoless double-beta decay search consisting of a low-background modular array of high-purity germanium detectors, \(\sim2/3\) of which are enriched to 88\% in ...\(^{76}\)Ge. The experiment is also searching for double-beta decay of \(^{76}\)Ge to excited states (e.s.) in \(^{76}\)Se. \(^{76}\)Ge can decay into three daughter states of \(^{76}\)Se, with clear event signatures consisting of a \(\beta\beta\)-decay followed by the prompt emission of one or two \(\gamma\)-rays. This results with high probability in multi-detector coincidences. The granularity of the Demonstrator detector array enables powerful discrimination of this event signature from backgrounds. Using 41.9~kg-y of isotopic exposure, the Demonstrator has set world leading limits for each e.s.\ decay of \(^{76}\)Ge, with 90\% CL lower half-life limits in the range of \((0.75-4.0)\times10^{24}\)~y. In particular, for the \(2\nu\) transition to the first \(0^+\) e.s.\ of \(^{76}\)Se, a lower half-life limit of \(7.5\times10^{23}\)~y at 90\% CL was achieved.
The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is searching for double-beta decay of \(^{76}\)Ge to excited states (E.S.) in \(^{76}\)Se using a modular array of high purity Germanium detectors. \(^{76}\)Ge can decay ...into three E.S.s of \(^{76}\)Se. The E.S. decays have a clear event signature consisting of a \(\beta\beta\)-decay with the prompt emission of one or two \(\gamma\)-rays, resulting in with high probability in a multi-site event. The granularity of the DEMONSTRATOR detector array enables powerful discrimination of this event signature from backgrounds. Using 21.3 kg-y of isotopic exposure, the DEMONSTRATOR has set world leading limits for each E.S. decay, with 90% CL lower half-life limits in the range of \((0.56-2.1)\cdot10^{24}\) y. In particular, for the \(2\nu\) transition to the first \(0^+\) E.S. of \(^{76}\)Se, a lower half-life limit of \(0.68\cdot10^{24}\) at 90% CL was achieved.