Searching for Double Beta Decay with the Enriched Xenon Observatory
The Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO) Collaboration is building a series of experiments to search for the neutrinoless double beta decay of {sup 136}Xe. The first experiment, known as EXO-200, will utilize 200 kg of xenon enriched to 80% in the isotope of interest, making it the largest double beta decay experiment to date by one order of magnitude. This experiment is rapidly being constructed, and will begin data taking in 2007. The EXO collaboration is also developing a technique to identify on an event-by-event basis the daughter barium ion of the double beta decay. If successful, this method would eliminate all conventional radioactive backgrounds to the decay, resulting in an ideal experiment. We summarize here the current status of EXO-200 construction and the barium tag R&D program.
- Research Organization:
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76SF00515
- OSTI ID:
- 900996
- Report Number(s):
- SLAC-PUB-12399; TRN: US0702431
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conf.Proc.870:532-535,2006, Conference: Prepared for CIPANP 2006: 9th Conference on the Intersections of Particle and Nuclear Physics, Westin Rio Mar Beach, Puerto Rico, 30 May - 3 Jun 2006
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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