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Author NEXT Collaboration (Novella, P. et al); Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Lopez, F.; Lopez-March, N.; Martin-Albo, J.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Querol, M.; Romo-Luque, C.; Sorel, M.; Uson, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Demonstration of neutrinoless double beta decay searches in gaseous xenon with NEXT Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Journal of High Energy Physics Abbreviated Journal J. High Energy Phys.  
  Volume 09 Issue 9 Pages 190 - 35pp  
  Keywords Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments); Rare Decay  
  Abstract (up) The NEXT experiment aims at the sensitive search of the neutrinoless double beta decay in Xe-136, using high-pressure gas electroluminescent time projection chambers. The NEXT-White detector is the first radiopure demonstrator of this technology, operated in the Laboratorio Subterr & aacute;neo de Canfranc. Achieving an energy resolution of 1% FWHM at 2.6 MeV and further background rejection by means of the topology of the reconstructed tracks, NEXT-White has been exploited beyond its original goals in order to perform a neu-trinoless double beta decay search. The analysis considers the combination of 271.6 days of Xe-136-enriched data and 208.9 days of 136Xe-depleted data. A detailed background mod-eling and measurement has been developed, ensuring the time stability of the radiogenic and cosmogenic contributions across both data samples. Limits to the neutrinoless mode are obtained in two alternative analyses: a background-model-dependent approach and a novel direct background-subtraction technique, offering results with small dependence on the background model assumptions. With a fiducial mass of only 3.50 +/- 0.01 kg of Xe-136-enriched xenon, 90% C.L. lower limits to the neutrinoless double beta decay are found in the T-1/2(0 nu) > 5.5x10(23) -1.3x10(24) yr range, depending on the method. The presented techniques stand as a pro of-of-concept for the searches to be implemented with larger NEXT detectors.  
  Address [Hauptman, J.] Iowa State Univ, Dept Phys & Astron, Ames, IA 50011 USA, Email: pau.novella@ific.uv.es  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Springer Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1029-8479 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:001085073500001 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 5798  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author NEXT Collaboration (Ferrario, P. et al); Laing, A.; Lopez-March, N.; Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Cervera-Villanueva, A.; Diaz, J.; Liubarsky, I.; Lorca, D.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Monrabal, F.; Monserrate, M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Novella, P.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Serra, L.; Simon, A.; Sorel, M.; Yahlali, N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title First proof of topological signature in the high pressure xenon gas TPC with electroluminescence amplification for the NEXT experiment Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of High Energy Physics Abbreviated Journal J. High Energy Phys.  
  Volume 01 Issue 1 Pages 104 - 18pp  
  Keywords Dark Matter; Double Beta Decay  
  Abstract (up) The NEXT experiment aims to observe the neutrinoless double beta decay of Xe-136 in a high-pressure xenon gas TPC using electroluminescence (EL) to amplify the signal from ionization. One of the main advantages of this technology is the possibility to reconstruct the topology of events with energies close to Q(beta beta). This paper presents the first demonstration that the topology provides extra handles to reject background events using data obtained with the NEXT-DEMO prototype. Single electrons resulting from the interactions of Na-22 1275 keV gammas and electron-positron pairs produced by conversions of gammas from the Th-228 decay chain were used to represent the background and the signal in a double beta decay. These data were used to develop algorithms for the reconstruction of tracks and the identification of the energy deposited at the end-points, providing an extra background rejection factor of 24.3 +/- 1.4 (stat.)%, while maintaining an efficiency of 66.7 +/- 1.% for signal events.  
  Address [Ferrario, P.; Laing, A.; Lopez-March, N.; Gomez-Cadenas, J. J.; Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Cervera, A.; Diaz, J.; Liubarsky, I.; Lorca, D.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Monrabal, F.; Monserrate, M.; Munoz Vidal, J.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Novella, P.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Serra, L.; Simon, A.; Sorel, M.; Yahlali, N.] CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, Jose Beltran 2, Valencia 46980, Spain, Email: paola.ferrario@ific.uv.es  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Springer Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1029-8479 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000370438900001 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2560  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author NEXT Collaboration (Lorca, D. et al); Martin-Albo, J.; Laing, A.; Ferrario, P.; Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Cervera-Villanueva, A.; Diaz, J.; Liubarsky, I.; Martinez, A.; Monrabal, F.; Monserrate, M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Rodriguez, J.; Serra, L.; Simon, A.; Sorel, M.; Yahlali, N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Characterisation of NEXT-DEMO using xenon K-alpha X-rays Type Journal Article
  Year 2014 Publication Journal of Instrumentation Abbreviated Journal J. Instrum.  
  Volume 9 Issue Pages P10007 - 20pp  
  Keywords Charge transport, multiplication and electroluminescence in rare gases and liquids; Double-beta decay detectors; Time projection chambers  
  Abstract (up) The NEXT experiment aims to observe the neutrinoless double beta decay of Xe-136 in a high-pressure xenon gas TPC using electroluminescence (EL) to amplify the signal from ionization. Understanding the response of the detector is imperative in achieving a consistent and well understood energy measurement. The abundance of xenon K-shell X-ray emission during data taking has been identified as a multitool for the characterisation of the fundamental parameters of the gas as well as the equalisation of the response of the detector. The NEXT-DEMO prototype is a similar to 1.5 kg volume TPC filled with natural xenon. It employs an array of 19 PMTs as an energy plane and of 256 SiPMs as a tracking plane with the TPC light tube and SiPM surfaces being coated with tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB) which acts as a wavelength shifter for the VUV scintillation light produced by xenon. This paper presents the measurement of the properties of the drift of electrons in the TPC, the effects of the EL production region, and the extraction of position dependent correction constants using K-alpha X-ray deposits. These constants were used to equalise the response of the detector to deposits left by gammas from Na-22.  
  Address [Lorca, D.; Martin-Albo, J.; Laing, A.; Ferrario, P.; Gomez-Cadenas, J. J.; Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Cervera, A.; Diaz, J.; Liubarsky, I.; Martinez, A.; Monrabal, F.; Monserrate, M.; Munoz Vidal, J.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Rodriguez, J.; Serra, L.; Simon, A.; Sorel, M.; Yahlali, N.] CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, Valencia 46980, Spain, Email: david.lorca@ific.uv.es;  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1748-0221 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000345858500050 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2055  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author NEXT Collaboration (Martinez-Lema, G. et al); Palmeiro, B.; Botas, A.; Laing, A.; Renner, J.; Simon, A.; Alvarez, V.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Diaz, J.; Felkai, R.; Kekic, M.; Lopez-March, N.; Martinez, A.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Musti, M.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Novella, P.; Perez, J.; Querol, M.; Rodriguez, J.; Romo-Lugue, C.; Sorel, M.; Torrent, J.; Yahlali, N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Calibration of the NEXT-White detector using Kr-83m decays Type Journal Article
  Year 2018 Publication Journal of Instrumentation Abbreviated Journal J. Instrum.  
  Volume 13 Issue Pages P10014 - 21pp  
  Keywords Charge transport; multiplication and electroluminescence in rare gases and liquids; Gaseous imaging and tracking detectors; Time projection Chambers (TPC); Double-beta decay detectors  
  Abstract (up) The NEXT-White (NEW) detector is currently the largest radio-pure high-pressure xenon gas time projection chamber with electroluminescent readout in the world. It has been operating at Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC) since October 2016. This paper describes the calibrations performed using Kr-83m decays during a long run taken from March to November 2017 (Run II). Krypton calibrations are used to correct for the finite drift-electron lifetime as well as for the dependence of the measured energy on the event transverse position which is caused by variations in solid angle coverage both for direct and reflected light and edge effects. After producing calibration maps to correct for both effects we measure an excellent energy resolution for 41.5 keV point-like deposits of (4.553 +/- 0.010 (stat.) +/- 0.324 (sys.)) % FWHM in the full chamber and (3.804 +/- 0.013 (stat.) +/- 0.112 (sys.)) % FWHM in a restricted fiducial volume. Using naive 1/root E scaling, these values translate into resolutions of (0.5916 +/- 0.0014 (stat.) +/- 0.0421 (sys.)) % FWHM and (0.4943 +/- 0.0017 (stat.) +/- 0.0146 (sys.)) % FWHM at the Q(beta beta) energy of xenon double beta decay (2458 keV), well within range of our target value of 1%.  
  Address [Hauptman, J.] Iowa State Univ, Dept Phys & Astron, 12 Phys Hall, Ames, IA 50011 USA, Email: gonzalo.martinez.lema@usc.es  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1748-0221 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000447061800001 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 3754  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Freitas, E.D.C.; Monteiro, C.M.B.; Ball, M.; Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Lopes, J.A.M.; Lux, T.; Sanchez, F.; dos Santos, J.M.F. doi  openurl
  Title Secondary scintillation yield in high-pressure xenon gas for neutrinoless double beta decay (0 nu beta beta) search Type Journal Article
  Year 2010 Publication Physics Letters B Abbreviated Journal Phys. Lett. B  
  Volume 684 Issue 4-5 Pages 205-210  
  Keywords Neutrino; Neutrinoless double-beta decay; Secondary scintillation; Xenon; High-pressure  
  Abstract (up) The search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0 nu beta beta) is an important topic in contemporary physics with many active experiments. New projects are planning to use high-pressure xenon gas as both source and detection medium. The secondary scintillation processes available in noble gases permit large amplification with negligible statistical fluctuations, offering the prospect of energy resolution approaching the Fano factor limit. This Letter reports results for xenon secondary scintillation yield, at room temperature, as a function of electric field in the gas scintillation gap for pressures ranging from 2 to 10 bar. A Large Area Avalanche Photodiode (LAAPD) collected the VUV secondary scintillation produced in the gas. X-rays directly absorbed in the LAAPD are used as a reference for determining the number of charge carriers produced by the scintillation pulse and, hence, the number of photons impinging the LAAPD. The number of photons produced per drifting electron and per kilovolt, the so-called scintillation amplification parameter, displays a small increase with pressure, ranging from 141 +/- 6 at 2 bar to 170 +/- 10 at 8 bar. In our setup, this Parameter does not increase above 8 bar due to nonnegligible electron attachment. The results are in good agreement with those presented in the literature in the 1 to 3 bar range. The increase of the scintillation amplification parameter with pressure for high gas densities has been also observed in former work at cryogenic temperatures.  
  Address [Freitas, E. D. C.; Monteiro, C. M. B.; Lopes, J. A. M.; dos Santos, J. M. F.] Univ Coimbra, GIAN CI, Dept Fis, P-3004516 Coimbra, Portugal, Email: jmf@gian.fis.uc.pt  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Elsevier Science Bv Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0370-2693 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes ISI:000275009600006 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ elepoucu @ Serial 487  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author NEXT Collaboration (Byrnes, N.K. et al); Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Lopez, F.; Lopez-March, N.; Martin-Albo, J.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Novella, P.; Querol, M.; Romo-Luque, C.; Sorel, M.; Uson, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title NEXT-CRAB-0: a high pressure gaseous xenon time projection chamber with a direct VUV camera based readout Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Journal of Instrumentation Abbreviated Journal J. Instrum.  
  Volume 18 Issue 8 Pages P08006 - 33pp  
  Keywords Double-beta decay detectors; Optical detector readout concepts; Particle tracking detectors (Gaseous detectors); Time projection chambers  
  Abstract (up) The search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) remains one of the most compelling experimental avenues for the discovery in the neutrino sector. Electroluminescent gas-phase time projection chambers are well suited to 0νββ searches due to their intrinsically precise energy resolution and topological event identification capabilities. Scalability to ton-and multi-ton masses requires readout of large-area electroluminescent regions with fine spatial resolution, low radiogenic backgrounds, and a scalable data acquisition system. This paper presents a detector prototype that records event topology in an electroluminescent xenon gas TPC via VUV image-intensified cameras. This enables an extendable readout of large tracking planes with commercial devices that reside almost entirely outside of the active medium. Following further development in intermediate scale demonstrators, this technique may represent a novel and enlargeable method for topological event imaging in 0νββ.  
  Address [Byrnes, N. K.; Parmaksiz, I; Asaadi, J.; Baeza-Rubio, J.; Jones, B. J. P.; Mistry, K.; Moya, I. A.; Nygren, D. R.; Stogsdill, K.; Navarro, K. E.] Univ Texas Arlington, Dept Phys, Arlington, TX 76019 USA  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher IOP Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1748-0221 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:001084390900004 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 5764  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Martin-Albo, J.; Sorel, M.; Ferrario, P.; Monrabal, F.; Muñoz, J.; Novella, P.; Poves, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Sense and sensitivity of double beta decay experiments Type Journal Article
  Year 2011 Publication Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Abbreviated Journal J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys.  
  Volume 06 Issue 6 Pages 007 - 30pp  
  Keywords double beta decay; neutrino experiments; neutrino properties  
  Abstract (up) The search for neutrinoless double beta decay is a very active field in which the number of proposals for next-generation experiments has proliferated. In this paper we attempt to address both the sense and the sensitivity of such proposals. Sensitivity comes first, by means of proposing a simple and unambiguous statistical recipe to derive the sensitivity to a putative Majorana neutrino mass, m(beta beta). In order to make sense of how the different experimental approaches compare, we apply this recipe to a selection of proposals, comparing the resulting sensitivities. We also propose a “physics-motivated range” (PMR) of the nuclear matrix elements as a unifying criterium between the different nuclear models. The expected performance of the proposals is parametrized in terms of only four numbers: energy resolution, background rate (per unit time, isotope mass and energy), detection efficiency, and beta beta isotope mass. For each proposal, both a reference and an optimistic scenario for the experimental performance are studied. In the reference scenario we find that all the proposals will be able to partially explore the degenerate spectrum, without fully covering it, although four of them (KamLAND-Zen, CUORE, NEXT and EXO) will approach the 50 meV boundary. In the optimistic scenario, we find that CUORE and the xenon-based proposals (KamLAND-Zen, EXO and NEXT) will explore a significant fraction of the inverse hierarchy, with NEXT covering it almost fully. For the long term future, we argue that Xe-136-based experiments may provide the best case for a 1-ton scale experiment, given the potentially very low backgrounds achievable and the expected scalability to large isotope masses.  
  Address [Gomez-Cadenas, J. J.; Martin-Albo, J.; Sorel, M.; Ferrario, P.; Monrabal, F.; Munoz, J.] CSIC, IFIC, Valencia 46071, Spain, Email: gomez@mail.cern.ch  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1475-7516 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes ISI:000292332400007 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration no  
  Call Number IFIC @ elepoucu @ Serial 675  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Martin-Albo, J.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Pena-Garay, C. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Discovery potential of xenon-based neutrinoless double beta decay experiments in light of small angular scale CMB observations Type Journal Article
  Year 2013 Publication Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Abbreviated Journal J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys.  
  Volume 03 Issue 3 Pages 043 - 17pp  
  Keywords neutrino masses from cosmology; double beta decay  
  Abstract (up) The South Pole Telescope (SPT) has probed an expanded angular range of the CMB temperature power spectrum. Their recent analysis of the latest cosmological data prefers nonzero neutrino masses, with Sigma m(nu) = (0.32 +/- 0.11) eV. This result, if con firmed by the upcoming Planck data, has deep implications on the discovery of the nature of neutrinos. In particular, the values of the effective neutrino mass m(beta beta) involved in neutrinoless double beta decay (beta beta 0 nu) are severely constrained for both the direct and inverse hierarchy, making a discovery much more likely. In this paper, we focus in xenon-based beta beta 0 nu experiments, on the double grounds of their good performance and the suitability of the technology to large-mass scaling. We show that the current generation, with effective masses in the range of 100 kg and conceivable exposures in the range of 500 kg.year, could already have a sizeable opportunity to observe beta beta 0 nu events, and their combined discovery potential is quite large. The next generation, with an exposure in the range of 10 ton.year, would have a much more enhanced sensitivity, in particular due to the very low specific background that all the xenon technologies (liquid xenon, high-pressure xenon and xenon dissolved in liquid scintillator) can achieve. In addition, a high-pressure xenon gas TPC also features superb energy resolution. We show that such detector can fully explore the range of allowed effective Majorana masses, thus making a discovery very likely.  
  Address CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular, IFIC, Valencia 46090, Spain, Email: gomez@mail.cern.ch;  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1475-7516 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000316989200044 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration no  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 1434  
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Author Tain, J.L.; Algora, A.; Agramunt, J.; Guadilla, V.; Jordan, M.D.; Montaner-Piza, A.; Rubio, B.; Valencia, E.; Cano-Ott, D.; Gelletly, W.; Martinez, T.; Mendoza, E.; Podolyak, Z.; Regan, P.; Simpson, J.; Smith, A.J.; Strachan, J. doi  openurl
  Title A decay total absorption spectrometer for DESPEC at FAIR Type Journal Article
  Year 2015 Publication Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research A Abbreviated Journal Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A  
  Volume 803 Issue Pages 36-46  
  Keywords Total absorption gamma-ray spectrometer; Scintillation detectors; Beta decay; High-energy beam fragmentation facilities  
  Abstract (up) This paper presents the design of a total absorption gamma-ray spectrometer for the determination of beta-decay intensity distributions of exotic nuclear species at the focal plane of the FAIR-NUSTAR Super Fragment Separator. The spectrometer is a key instrument in the DESPEC experiment and the proposed implementation follows extensive design studies and prototype tests. Two options were contemplated, based on Nal(TI) and LaBr3:Ce inorganic scintillation crystals respectively. Monte Carlo simulations and technical considerations determined the optimal configurations consisting of sixteen 15 x 15 x 25 cm(3) crystals for the Nal(Tl) option and one hundred and twenty-eight 5.5 x 5.5 x 11 cm(3) crystals for the LaBr3:Ce option. Minimization of dead material was crucial for maximizing the spectrometer full-energy peak efficiency. Module prototypes were build to verify constructional details and characterize their performance. The measured energy and timing resolution was found to agree rather well with estimates based on simulations of scintillation light transport and collection. The neutron sensitivity of the spectrometer, important when measuring beta-delayed neutron emitters, was investigated by means of Monte Carlo simulations.  
  Address [Tain, J. L.; Algora, A.; Agramunt, J.; Guadilla, V.; Jordan, M. D.; Montaner-Piza, A.; Rubio, B.; Valencia, E.] Univ Valencia, Inst Fis Corpuscular, CSIC, E-46071 Valencia, Spain, Email: tain@ific.uv.es  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Elsevier Science Bv Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-9002 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000363464600007 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2431  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Renner, J.; Cervera-Villanueva, A.; Hernando, J.A.; Izmaylov, A.; Monrabal, F.; Muñoz, J.; Nygren, D.; Gomez-Cadenas, J.J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Improved background rejection in neutrinoless double beta decay experiments using a magnetic field in a high pressure xenon TPC Type Journal Article
  Year 2015 Publication Journal of Instrumentation Abbreviated Journal J. Instrum.  
  Volume 10 Issue Pages P12020 - 19pp  
  Keywords Pattern recognition, cluster finding, calibration and fitting methods; Double-beta decay detectors; Time projection chambers; Particle tracking detectors (Gaseous detectors)  
  Abstract (up) We demonstrate that the application of an external magnetic field could lead to an improved background rejection in neutrinoless double-beta (0 nu beta beta) decay experiments using a high-pressure xenon (HPXe) TPC. HPXe chambers are capable of imaging electron tracks, a feature that enhances the separation between signal events (the two electrons emitted in the 0 nu beta beta decay of Xe-136) and background events, arising chiefly from single electrons of kinetic energy compatible with the end-point of the 0 nu beta beta decay (Q(beta beta)). Applying an external magnetic field of sufficiently high intensity (in the range of 0.5-1 Tesla for operating pressures in the range of 5-15 atmospheres) causes the electrons to produce helical tracks. Assuming the tracks can be properly reconstructed, the sign of the curvature can be determined at several points along these tracks, and such information can be used to separate signal (0 nu beta beta) events containing two electrons producing a track with two different directions of curvature from background (single-electron) events producing a track that should spiral in a single direction. Due to electron multiple scattering, this strategy is not perfectly efficient on an event-by-event basis, but a statistical estimator can be constructed which can be used to reject background events by one order of magnitude at a moderate cost (about 30%) in signal efficiency. Combining this estimator with the excellent energy resolution and topological signature identification characteristic of the HPXe TPC, it is possible to reach a background rate of less than one count per ton-year of exposure. Such a low background rate is an essential feature of the next generation of 0 nu beta beta experiments, aiming to fully explore the inverse hierarchy of neutrino masses.  
  Address [Renner, J.; Imzaylov, A.; Monrabal, F.; Munoz, J.; Gomez-Cadenas, J. J.] CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, Calle Catedrat Jose Beltran 2, Valencia 46980, Spain, Email: jrenner@ific.uv.es  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1748-0221 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000369998500053 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2549  
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