Status of the GERDA Phase II upgrade

Journal Article · Tue Jun 21 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4953322· OSTI ID:22609101

Wagner, Victoria ^[1]

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1. Max-Planck-Insitut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany)

The GERDA experiment is designed to search for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay of {sup 76}Ge. In Phase I of the experiment a background index of 10{sup −2} cts/(keV·kg·yr) was reached. A lower limit on the half-life of the 0νββ decay of {sup 76}Ge was set to 2.1·10{sup 25} yr (at 90% C.L.). The aim of Phase II is to reach a sensitivity of the half-life of about 10{sup 26} yr. To increase the exposure thirty new Broad Energy Germanium (BEGe) detectors have been produced. These detectors are distinct for their improved energy resolution and enhanced pulse shape discrimination of signal from background events. Further background reduction will be reached by a light instrumentation to read out argon scintillation light. In April 2015 the light instrumentation together with eight BEGe detectors has been successfully deployed in the GERDA cryostat. In a commissioning run it was shown that two of the major background components, external γ-rays from {sup 214}Bi and {sup 208}Tl decays, were suppressed up to two orders of magnitude. We are confident to reach a background index of 10{sup −3} cts/(keV·kg·yr) which is the design goal for GERDA Phase II.

• OSTI ID: 22609101
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 1743; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ARGON
BISMUTH 214
COMMISSIONING
CRYOSTATS
ENERGY RESOLUTION
GAMMA DECAY
GAMMA RADIATION
GE SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
GERMANIUM 76
HALF-LIFE
NEUTRINOLESS DOUBLE BETA DECAY
READOUT SYSTEMS
SCINTILLATIONS
SENSITIVITY
THALLIUM 208