Radiopure ZnMoO{sub 4} scintillating bolometers for the LUMINEU double-beta experiment

Journal Article · Mon Aug 17 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4927985· OSTI ID:22488702

Poda, D. V.; Chernyak, D. M. ^[1]; Armengaud, E.; Boissière, T. de; Fourches, N.; Gerbier, G.; Gros, M.; Hervé, S.; Magnier, P.; Navick, X-F.; Nones, C.; Paul, B.; Penichot, Y. ^[2]; Arnaud, Q.; Augier, C.; Benoît, A.; Cazes, A.; Censier, B.; Charlieux, F.; De Jesus, M. ^[3] ; others, and

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1. CSNSM, Centre de Sciences Nucléaires et de Sciences de la Matière, CNRS/IN2P3, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay (France)
2. CEA, Centre d’Etudes Saclay, IRFU, 91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette Cedex (France)
3. IPNL, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS/IN2P3, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex (France)

The results of R&D of radiopure zinc molybdate (ZnMoO{sub 4}) based scintillating bolometers for the LUMINEU (Luminescent Underground Molybdenum Investigation for NEUtrino mass and nature) double-beta decay experiment are presented. A dedicated two-stage molybdenum purification technique (sublimation in vacuum and recrystallization from aqueous solutions) and an advanced directional solidification method (the low-thermal-gradient Czochralski technique) were utilized to produce high optical quality large mass (∼1 kg) ZnMoO{sub 4} crystal boules and first {sup 100}Mo (99.5%) enriched Zn{sup 100}MoO{sub 4} crystal scintillator (mass of ∼0.2 kg). Scintillating bolometers based on ZnMoO{sub 4} (≈ 0.33 kg) and Zn{sup 100}MoO{sub 4} (≈ 0.06 kg) scintillation elements and high purity Ge wafers were tested in the EDELWEISS set-up at the Modane Underground Laboratory (France). Long term low temperature tests demonstrate excellent detectors’ performance and effectiveness of the purification and solidification procedures for the achievement of high radiopurity of the material, in particular with a bulk activity of {sup 228}Th and {sup 226}Ra below 4 µBq/kg. The adopted protocol was used to produce for the first time a large volume Zn{sup 100}MoO{sub 4} crystal scintillator (mass of ∼1.4 kg, {sup 100}Mo enrichment is 99.5%) to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay of {sup 100}Mo in the framework of the LUMINEU project.

• OSTI ID: 22488702
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1672, Issue 1; Conference: LRT 2015: 5. international workshop in low radioactivity techniques, Seattle, WA (United States), 18-20 Mar 2015; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
BOLOMETERS
CRYSTALS
DOUBLE BETA DECAY
FRANCE
HIGH-PURITY GE DETECTORS
MOLYBDATES
MOLYBDENUM 100
NEUTRINOS
PURIFICATION
RADIUM 226
RECRYSTALLIZATION
SCINTILLATIONS
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
SOLIDIFICATION
SUBLIMATION
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
THORIUM 228
UNDERGROUND
ZINC COMPOUNDS