| Records |
| Author |
NEXT Collaboration (Kekic, M. et al); Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Diaz, J.; Felkai, R.; Lopez-March, N.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Martinez-Lema, G.; Martinez-Vara, M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, B.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Romo-Luque, C.; Sorel, M.; Uson, A.; Yahlali, N. |
| Title |
Demonstration of background rejection using deep convolutional neural networks in the NEXT experiment |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Journal of High Energy Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. High Energy Phys. |
| Volume |
01 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
189 - 22pp |
| Keywords |
Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments) |
| Abstract |
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-simulated events and show that, by applying on-the-fly data augmentation, the network can be made robust against differences between simulation and data. The use of CNNs offers significant improvement in signal efficiency and background rejection when compared to previous non-CNN-based analyses. |
| Address |
[Hauptman, J.; Nygren, D. R.] Iowa State Univ, Dept Phys & Astron, 12 Phys Hall, Ames, IA 50011 USA, Email: marija.kekic@usc.es |
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| Publisher |
Springer |
Place of Publication |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN  |
1029-8479 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
WOS:000616730800001 |
Approved |
no |
| Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
| Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
4729 |
| Permanent link to this record |
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| Author |
NEXT Collaboration (Martinez-Lema, G. et al); Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Diaz, J.; Felkai, R.; Kekic, M.; Lopez-March, N.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Martinez-Vara, M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, B.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Romo-Luque, C.; Sorel, M.; Uson, A.; Yahlali, N. |
| Title |
Sensitivity of the NEXT experiment to Xe-124 double electron capture |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Journal of High Energy Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. High Energy Phys. |
| Volume |
02 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
203 - 25pp |
| Keywords |
Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments) |
| Abstract |
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 different, potentially providing a new channel to measure the hypothesized neutrinoless mode of these decays. The Standard-Model-allowed two-neutrino double electron capture (2 nu EC EC) has been predicted for a number of isotopes, but only observed in Kr-78, Ba-130 and, recently, Xe-124. 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, 0 nu EC EC. Here we report on the current sensitivity of the NEXT-White detector to Xe-124 2 nu EC EC and on the extrapolation to NEXT-100. Using simulated data for the 2 nu EC EC signal and real data from NEXT-White operated with Xe-124-depleted gas as background, we define an optimal event selection that maximizes the NEXT-White sensitivity. We estimate that, for NEXT-100 operated with xenon gas isotopically enriched with 1 kg of Xe-124 and for a 5-year run, a sensitivity to the 2 nu EC EC half-life of 6 x 10(22) y (at 90% confidence level) or better can be reached. |
| Address |
[Goldschmidt, A.; Hauptman, J.; Laing, A.; Martinez, A.; Para, A.] Iowa State Univ, Dept Phys & Astron, 12 Phys Hall, Ames, IA 50011 USA, Email: gonzalo.martinez.lema@weizmann.ac.il |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Springer |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1029-8479 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
WOS:000624564800002 |
Approved |
no |
| Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
| Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
4749 |
| Permanent link to this record |
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| Author |
NEXT Collaboration (Simon, A. et al); Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Diaz, J.; Felkai, R.; Lopez-March, N.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Martinez-Vara, M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, B.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Romo-Luque, C.; Sorel, M.; Uson, A.; Yahlali, N. |
| Title |
Boosting background suppression in the NEXT experiment through Richardson-Lucy deconvolution |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Journal of High Energy Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. High Energy Phys. |
| Volume |
07 |
Issue |
7 |
Pages |
146 - 38pp |
| Keywords |
Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments) |
| Abstract |
Next-generation neutrinoless double beta decay experiments aim for half-life sensitivities of similar to 10(27) yr, requiring suppressing backgrounds to < 1 count/tonne/yr. For this, any extra background rejection handle, beyond excellent energy resolution and the use of extremely radiopure materials, is of utmost importance. The NEXT experiment exploits differences in the spatial ionization patterns of double beta decay and single-electron events to discriminate signal from background. While the former display two Bragg peak dense ionization regions at the opposite ends of the track, the latter typically have only one such feature. Thus, comparing the energies at the track extremes provides an additional rejection tool. The unique combination of the topology-based background discrimination and excellent energy resolution (1% FWHM at the Q-value of the decay) is the distinguishing feature of NEXT. Previous studies demonstrated a topological background rejection factor of <similar to> 5 when reconstructing electron-positron pairs in the Tl-208 1.6 MeV double escape peak (with Compton events as background), recorded in the NEXT-White demonstrator at the Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc, with 72% signal efficiency. This was recently improved through the use of a deep convolutional neural network to yield a background rejection factor of similar to 10 with 65% signal efficiency. Here, we present a new reconstruction method, based on the Richardson-Lucy deconvolution algorithm, which allows reversing the blurring induced by electron diffusion and electroluminescence light production in the NEXT TPC. The new method yields highly refined 3D images of reconstructed events, and, as a result, significantly improves the topological background discrimination. When applied to real-data 1.6 MeV e(-)e(+) pairs, it leads to a background rejection factor of 27 at 57% signal efficiency. |
| Address |
[Hauptman, J.] Iowa State Univ, Dept Phys & Astron, Ames, IA USA, Email: ander@post.bgu.ac.il; |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Springer |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1029-8479 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
WOS:000677621700001 |
Approved |
no |
| Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
| Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
4906 |
| Permanent link to this record |
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| Author |
NEXT Collaboration (Serra, L. et al); Sorel, M.; Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Cervera-Villanueva, A.; Diaz, J.; Ferrario, P.; Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Laing, A.; Liubarsky, I.; Lopez-March, N.; Lorca, D.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Monrabal, F.; Monserrate, M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Simon, A.; Yahlali, N. |
| Title |
An improved measurement of electron-ion recombination in high-pressure xenon gas |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2015 |
Publication |
Journal of Instrumentation |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Instrum. |
| Volume |
10 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
P03025 - 21pp |
| Keywords |
Charge transport, multiplication and electroluminescence in rare gases and liquids; Double-beta decay detectors; Time projection chambers; Ionization and excitation processes |
| Abstract |
We report on results obtained with the NEXT-DEMO prototype of the NEXT-100 high-pressure xenon gas time projection chamber (TPC), filled with pure xenon gas at 10 bar pressure and exposed to an alpha decay calibration source. Compared to our previous measurements with alpha particles, an upgraded detector and improved analysis techniques have been used. We measure event-by-event correlated fluctuations between ionization and scintillation due to electronion recombination in the gas, with correlation coefficients between -0.80 and -0.56 depending on the drift field conditions. By combining the two signals, we obtain a 2.8% FWHM energy resolution for 5.49 MeV alpha particles and a measurement of the optical gain of the electroluminescent TPC. The improved energy resolution also allows us to measure the specific activity of the radon in the gas due to natural impurities. Finally, we measure the average ratio of excited to ionized atoms produced in the xenon gas by alpha particles to be 0.561 +/- 0.045, translating into an average energy to produce a primary scintillation photon of W-ex = (39.2 +/- 3.2) eV. |
| Address |
[Serra, L.; Sorel, M.; Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Cervera, A.; Diaz, J.; Ferrario, P.; Gomez-Cadenas, J. J.; Laing, A.; Liubarsky, I.; Lopez-March, N.; Lorca, D.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Monrabal, F.; Monserrate, M.; Munoz Vidal, J.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Simon, A.; Yahlali, N.] CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, Valencia 46980, Spain, Email: luis.serra@ific.uv.es |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Iop Publishing Ltd |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1748-0221 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
WOS:000357944500075 |
Approved |
no |
| Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
| Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
2307 |
| Permanent link to this record |
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| Author |
Renner, J.; Cervera-Villanueva, A.; Hernando, J.A.; Izmaylov, A.; Monrabal, F.; Muñoz, J.; Nygren, D.; Gomez-Cadenas, J.J. |
| 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 |
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 |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Iop Publishing Ltd |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1748-0221 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
WOS:000369998500053 |
Approved |
no |
| Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
| Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
2549 |
| Permanent link to this record |
