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Author Perez-Perez, J.; Amare, J.C.; Bandac, I.C.; Bayo, A.; Borjabad-Sanchez, S.; Calvo-Mozota, J.M.; Cid-Barrio, L.; Hernandez-Antolin, R.; Hernandez-Molinero, B.; Novella, P.; Pelczar, K.; Pena-Garay, C.; Romeo, B.; Ortiz de Solorzano, A.; Sorel, M.; Torrent, J.; Uson, A.; Wojna-Pelczar, A.; Zuzel, G. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Radon Mitigation Applications at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC) Type Journal Article
  Year 2022 Publication Universe Abbreviated Journal Universe  
  Volume (down) 8 Issue 2 Pages 112 - 20pp  
  Keywords radon; neutrinos; HPGe-detector; LSC  
  Abstract The Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC) is the Spanish national hub for low radioactivity techniques and the associated scientific and technological applications. The concentration of the airborne radon is a major component of the radioactive budget in the neighborhood of the detectors. The LSC hosts a Radon Abatement System, which delivers a radon suppressed air with 1.1 & PLUSMN;0.2 mBq/m(3) of Rn-222. The radon content in the air is continuously monitored with an Electrostatic Radon Monitor. Measurements with the double beta decay demonstrators NEXT-NEW and CROSS and the gamma HPGe detectors show the important reduction of the radioactive background due to the purified air in the vicinity of the detectors. We also discuss the use of this facility in the LSC current program which includes NEXT-100, low background biology experiments and radiopure copper electroformation equipment placed in the radon-free clean room.  
  Address [Perez-Perez, Javier; Bandac, Iulian Catalin; Bayo, Alberto; Borjabad-Sanchez, Silvia; Calvo-Mozota, Jose Maria; Cid-Barrio, Laura; Hernandez-Antolin, Rebecca; Hernandez-Molinero, Beatriz; Pena-Garay, Carlos; Romeo, Beatriz] Lab Subterraneo Canfranc LSC, Canfranc Estn 22880, Spain, Email: javier.perez.perez@uj.edu.pl;  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Mdpi Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000762509500001 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 5143  
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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. url  doi
openurl 
  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 (down) 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;  
  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:000677621700001 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 4906  
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 (down) 06 Issue 6 Pages 007 - 30pp  
  Keywords double beta decay; neutrino experiments; neutrino properties  
  Abstract 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 NEXT Collaboration (Martin-Albo, J. et al); Muñoz Vidal, J.; Ferrario, P.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Cervera-Villanueva, A.; Diaz, J.; Laing, A.; Liubarsky, I.; Lopez-March, N.; Lorca, D.; Martinez, A.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, P.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Serra, L.; Simon, A.; Sorel, M.; Yahlali, N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Sensitivity of NEXT-100 to neutrinoless double beta decay Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of High Energy Physics Abbreviated Journal J. High Energy Phys.  
  Volume (down) 05 Issue 5 Pages 159 - 30pp  
  Keywords Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments); Rare decay  
  Abstract NEXT-100 is an electroluminescent high-pressure xenon gas time projection chamber that will search for the neutrinoless double beta (0v beta beta) decay of Xe-136. The detector possesses two features of great value for 0v beta beta searches: energy resolution better than 1% FWHM at the Q value of Xe-136 and track reconstruction for the discrimination of signal and background events. This combination results in excellent sensitivity, as discussed in this paper. Material-screening measurements and a detailed Monte Carlo detector simulation predict a background rate for NEXT-100 of at most 4 x 10(-4) counts keV(-1) kg(-1) yr(-1). Accordingly, the detector will reach a sensitivity to the 0v beta beta-decay half-life of 2.8 x 10(25) years (90% CL) for an exposure of 100 kg.year, or 6.0 x 10(25) years after a run of 3 effective years.  
  Address [Martin-Albo, J.; Munoz Vidal, J.; Ferrario, P.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Gomez-Cadenas, J. J.; Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J. V.; Cervera, A.; Diaz, J.; Laing, A.; Liubarsky, I.; Lopez-March, N.; Lorca, D.; Martinez, A.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, B.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Serra, L.; Simon, A.; Sorel, M.; Yahlali, N.] CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, Calle Catedrat Jose Beltran 2, Valencia 46980, Spain, Email: justo.martin-albo@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:000391745200003 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2928  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author NEXT Collaboration (Fernandes, A.F.M. et al); Alvarez, V.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Diaz, J.; Felkai, R.; Herrero, P.; Kekic, M.; Lopez-March, N.; Martinez-Lema, G.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, B.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Romo-Luque, C.; Sorel, M.; Uson, A.; Yahlali, N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Low-diffusion Xe-He gas mixtures for rare-event detection: electroluminescence yield Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Journal of High Energy Physics Abbreviated Journal J. High Energy Phys.  
  Volume (down) 04 Issue 4 Pages 034 - 18pp  
  Keywords Particle correlations and fluctuations; Photon production; Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments); Rare decay  
  Abstract High pressure xenon Time Projection Chambers (TPC) based on secondary scintillation (electroluminescence) signal amplification are being proposed for rare event detection such as directional dark matter, double electron capture and double beta decay detection. The discrimination of the rare event through the topological signature of primary ionisation trails is a major asset for this type of TPC when compared to single liquid or double-phase TPCs, limited mainly by the high electron diffusion in pure xenon. Helium admixtures with xenon can be an attractive solution to reduce the electron diffu- sion significantly, improving the discrimination efficiency of these optical TPCs. We have measured the electroluminescence (EL) yield of Xe-He mixtures, in the range of 0 to 30% He and demonstrated the small impact on the EL yield of the addition of helium to pure xenon. For a typical reduced electric field of 2.5 kV/cm/bar in the EL region, the EL yield is lowered by similar to 2%, 3%, 6% and 10% for 10%, 15%, 20% and 30% of helium concentration, respectively. This decrease is less than what has been obtained from the most recent simulation framework in the literature. The impact of the addition of helium on EL statistical fluctuations is negligible, within the experimental uncertainties. The present results are an important benchmark for the simulation tools to be applied to future optical TPCs based on Xe-He mixtures.  
  Address [Hauptman, J.] Iowa State Univ, Dept Phys & Astron, 12 Phys Hall, Ames, IA 50011 USA, Email: cristinam@uc.pt  
  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:000525257400001 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 4366  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Double Chooz collaboration (Abrahao, T. et al); Novella, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Cosmic-muon characterization and annual modulation measurement with Double Chooz detectors Type Journal Article
  Year 2017 Publication Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Abbreviated Journal J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys.  
  Volume (down) 02 Issue 2 Pages 017 - 20pp  
  Keywords cosmic ray experiments; neutrino detectors  
  Abstract A study on cosmic muons has been performed for the two identical near and far neutrino detectors of the Double Chooz experiment, placed at similar to 120 and similar to 300 m. w.e. underground respectively, including the corresponding simulations using the MUSIC simulation package. This characterization has allowed us to measure the muon flux reaching both detectors to be (3.64 +/- 0.04) x 10(-4) cm(-2) s(-1) for the near detector and (7.00 +/- 0.05) x 10(-5) cm(-2) s(-1) for the far one. The seasonal modulation of the signal has also been studied observing a positive correlation with the atmospheric temperature, leading to an effective temperature coefficient of alpha(T) = 0.212 +/- 0.024 and 0.355 +/- 0.019 for the near and far detectors respectively. These measurements, in good agreement with expectations based on theoretical models, represent one of the first measurements of this coefficient in shallow depth installations.  
  Address [Abrahao, T.; Bekman, I.; Cerrada, M.; Corpace, O.; Jochum, J.; LoSecco, J. M.; Maricic, J.; Nagasaka, Y.; Veyssiere, C.; Yermia, F.] Ctr Brasileiro Pesquisas Fisicas, BR-22290180 Rio De Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, Email: hgomez@apc.univ-paris7.fr  
  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:000399455000017 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 3110  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
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. url  doi
openurl 
  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 (down) 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 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:000624564800002 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 4749  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Double Chooz collaboration (Abe, Y. et al); Novella, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Measurement of theta(13) in Double Chooz using neutron captures on hydrogen with novel background rejection techniques Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of High Energy Physics Abbreviated Journal J. High Energy Phys.  
  Volume (down) 01 Issue 1 Pages 163 - 29pp  
  Keywords Oscillation; Electroweak interaction; Neutrino Detectors and Telescopes; Flavor physics  
  Abstract The Double Chooz collaboration presents a measurement of the neutrino mixing angle theta(13) using reactor (nu) over bar (e) observed via the inverse beta decay reaction in which the neutron is captured on hydrogen. This measurement is based on 462.72 live days data, approximately twice as much data as in the previous such analysis, collected with a detector positioned at an average distance of 1050m from two reactor cores. Several novel techniques have been developed to achieve significant reductions of the backgrounds and systematic uncertainties. Accidental coincidences, the dominant background in this analysis, are suppressed by more than an order of magnitude with respect to our previous publication by a multi-variate analysis. These improvements demonstrate the capability of precise measurement of reactor (nu) over bar (e) without gadolinium loading. Spectral distortions from the (nu) over bar (e) reactor flux predictions previously reported with the neutron capture on gadolinium events are confirmed in the independent data sample presented here. A value of sin(2) 2 theta(13) = 0.095(0.039)(+0.039)(stat+syst) is obtained from a fit to the observed event rate as a function of the reactor power, a method insensitive to the energy spectrum shape. A simultaneous fit of the hydrogen capture events and of the gadolinium capture events yields a measurement of sin(2) 2 theta(13) = 0.088 +/- 0.033(stat+syst).  
  Address [Felde, J.] Univ Maryland, Dept Phys, College Pk, MD 20742 USA, Email: amil@nevis.columbia.edu;  
  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:000369294300001 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2543  
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 (down) 01 Issue 1 Pages 104 - 18pp  
  Keywords Dark Matter; Double Beta Decay  
  Abstract 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 (Henriques, C.A.O. et al); Alvarez, V.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Botas, A.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Diaz, J.; Felkai, R.; Kekic, M.; Laing, A.; Lopez-March, N.; Martinez, A.; Martinez-Lema, G.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Musti, M.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, B.; Perez, J.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Romo-Luque, C.; Simon, A.; Sorel, M.; Yahlali, N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Electroluminescence TPCs at the thermal diffusion limit Type Journal Article
  Year 2019 Publication Journal of High Energy Physics Abbreviated Journal J. High Energy Phys.  
  Volume (down) 01 Issue 1 Pages 027 - 23pp  
  Keywords Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments); Photon production; Particle correlations and fluctuations; Rare decay  
  Abstract The NEXT experiment aims at searching for the hypothetical neutrinoless double-beta decay from the Xe-136 isotope using a high-purity xenon TPC. Efficient discrimination of the events through pattern recognition of the topology of primary ionisation tracks is a major requirement for the experiment. However, it is limited by the diffusion of electrons. It is known that the addition of a small fraction of a molecular gas to xenon reduces electron diffusion. On the other hand, the electroluminescence (EL) yield drops and the achievable energy resolution may be compromised. We have studied the effect of adding several molecular gases to xenon (CO2, CH4 and CF4) on the EL yield and energy resolution obtained in a small prototype of driftless gas proportional scintillation counter. We have compared our results on the scintillation characteristics (EL yield and energy resolution) with a microscopic simulation, obtaining the diffusion coefficients in those conditions as well. Accordingly, electron diffusion may be reduced from about 10 for pure xenon down to 2.5 using additive concentrations of about 0.05%, 0.2% and 0.02% for CO2, CH4 and CF4, respectively. Our results show that CF4 admixtures present the highest EL yield in those conditions, but very poor energy resolution as a result of huge fluctuations observed in the EL formation. CH4 presents the best energy resolution despite the EL yield being the lowest. The results obtained with xenon admixtures are extrapolated to the operational conditions of the NEXT-100 TPC. CO2 and CH4 show potential as molecular additives in a large xenon TPC. While CO2 has some operational constraints, making it difficult to be used in a large TPC, CH4 shows the best performance and stability as molecular additive to be used in the NEXT-100 TPC, with an extrapolated energy resolution of 0.4% at 2.45 MeV for concentrations below 0.4%, which is only slightly worse than the one obtained for pure xenon. We demonstrate the possibility to have an electroluminescence TPC operating very close to the thermal diffusion limit without jeopardizing the TPC performance, if CO2 or CH4 are chosen as additives.  
  Address [Henriques, C. A. O.; Monteiro, C. M. B.; Freitas, E. D. C.; Mano, R. D. P.; Jorge, M. R.; Fernandes, A. F. M.; Fernandes, L. M. P.; dos Santos, J. M. F.] Univ Coimbra, Phys Dept, LIBPhys, Rua Larga, P-3004516 Coimbra, Portugal, Email: pancho@gian.fis.uc.pt  
  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:000455157300002 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 3873  
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