0000000000248063
AUTHOR
Kevin Bailey
Boosting background suppression in the NEXT experiment through Richardson-Lucy deconvolution
The NEXT collaboration: et al.
Electroluminescence TPCs at the thermal diffusion limit
Artículo escrito por un elevado número de autores, solo se referencian el que aparece en primer lugar, el nombre del grupo de colaboración, si le hubiere, y los autores pertenecientes a la UAM
Initial results on energy resolution of the NEXT-White detector
One of the major goals of the NEXT-White (NEW) detector is to demonstrate the energy resolution that an electroluminescent high pressure xenon TPC can achieve for high energy tracks. For this purpose, energy calibrations with 137Cs and 232Th sources have been carried out as a part of the long run taken with the detector during most of 2017. This paper describes the initial results obtained with those calibrations, showing excellent linearity and an energy resolution that extrapolates to approximately 1% FWHM at Q$_{\beta\beta}$.
Dependence of polytetrafluoroethylene reflectance on thickness at visible and ultraviolet wavelengths in air
[EN] Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an excellent diffuse reflector widely used in light collection systems for particle physics experiments. However, the reflectance of PTFE is a function of its thickness. In this work, we investigate this dependence in air for light of wavelengths 260 nm and 450 nm using two complementary methods. We find that PTFE reflectance for thicknesses from 5 mm to 10 mm ranges from 92.5% to 94.5% at 450 nm, and from 90.0% to 92.0% at 260 nm We also see that the reflectance of PIFE of a given thickness can vary by as much as 2.7% within the same piece of material. Finally, we show that placing a specular reflector behind the PTFE can recover the loss of reflectan…
Demonstration of background rejection using deep convolutional neural networks in the NEXT experiment
[EN] Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are widely used state-of-the-art computer vision tools that are becoming increasingly popular in high-energy physics. In this paper, we attempt to understand the potential of CNNs for event classification in the NEXT experiment, which will search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in Xe-136. To do so, we demonstrate the usage of CNNs for the identification of electron-positron pair production events, which exhibit a topology similar to that of a neutrinoless double-beta decay event. These events were produced in the NEXT-White high-pressure xenon TPC using 2.6 MeV gamma rays from a Th-228 calibration source. We train a network on Monte Carlo-simulat…
Counting IndividualCa41Atoms with a Magneto-Optical Trap
Atom trap trace analysis, a novel method based upon laser trapping and cooling, is used to count individual atoms of $^{41}\mathrm{Ca}$ present in biomedical samples with isotopic abundance levels between ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ and ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$. The method is calibrated against resonance ionization mass spectrometry, demonstrating good agreement between the two methods. The present system has a counting efficiency of $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$. Within 1 h of observation time, its $3\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}\ensuremath{\sigma}$ detection limit on the isotopic abundance of $^{41}\mathrm{Ca}$ reaches $4.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10…
Sensitivity of a tonne-scale NEXT detector for neutrinoless double-beta decay searches
The NEXT collaboration: et al.
Sensitivity of the NEXT experiment to Xe-124 double electron capture
[EN] Double electron capture by proton-rich nuclei is a second-order nuclear process analogous to double beta decay. Despite their similarities, the decay signature is quite di erent, potentially providing a new channel to measure the hypothesized neutrinoless mode of these decays. The Standard-Model-allowed two-neutrino double electron capture has been predicted for a number of isotopes, but only observed in 78Kr, 130Ba and, recently, 124Xe. The sensitivity to this decay establishes a benchmark for the ultimate experimental goal, namely the potential to discover also the lepton-number-violating neutrinoless version of this process. Here we report on the current sensitivity of the NEXT-Whit…