Muon-induced signals and isotope production in the GERDA experiment

Journal Article · Wed Mar 28 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2722076· OSTI ID:21055014

Pandola, L ^[1]

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1. INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, S.S. 17 bis km 18-910, I-67100 Assergi (Italy)

Background induced by the interaction of cosmic ray muons can be important for the new generation of experiments searching for neutrinoless double beta decay. The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA), located at the Gran Sasso Laboratory, in Italy, uses germanium enriched in 76Ge as source and detector material. It aims at a background level of 10-3 counts/(kg{center_dot}keV{center_dot}y) at the Q{beta}{beta}-value. The prompt background from muon interactions in the setup as well as the delayed background due to the production of radioactive isotopes within the setup have been evaluated by a detailed GEANT4-based Monte Carlo simulation. The results indicate that the background can be reduced to the desired level and that the muon-induced background does not limit the expected GERDA sensitivity.

• OSTI ID: 21055014
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 897; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COSMIC RADIATION
DOUBLE BETA DECAY
G CODES
GE SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
GERMANIUM 76
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION
MONTE CARLO METHOD
MUON DETECTION
MUON REACTIONS
MUON-NUCLEON INTERACTIONS
MUONS
SENSITIVITY