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Title: Measurement of the low-energy quenching factor in germanium using an Y 88 / Be photoneutron source

Abstract

Here, we employ an 88Y/Be photoneutron source to derive the quenching factor for neutron-induced nuclear recoils in germanium, probing recoil energies from a few hundred eVnr to 8.5 keVnr. A comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation of our setup is compared to experimental data employing a Lindhard model with a free electronic energy loss k and an adiabatic correction for sub-keVnr nuclear recoils. The best fit k = 0.179 ± 0.001 obtained using a Monte Carlo Markov chain (MCMC) ensemble sampler is in good agreement with previous measurements, confirming the adequacy of the Lindhard model to describe the stopping of few-keV ions in germanium crystals at a temperature of ~77 K. This value of k corresponds to a quenching factor of 13.7% to 25.3% for nuclear recoil energies between 0.3 and 8.5 keVnr, respectively.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States)
  2. Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States); Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
OSTI Identifier:
1423260
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1336976
Report Number(s):
arXiv:1608.03588; FERMILAB-PUB-16-762-AE
Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0010; PRVDAQ; 1481014
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-07CH11359
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review D
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 94; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0010
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS

Citation Formats

Scholz, B. J., Chavarria, A. E., Collar, J. I., Privitera, P., and Robinson, A. E. Measurement of the low-energy quenching factor in germanium using an Y88/Be photoneutron source. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.94.122003.
Scholz, B. J., Chavarria, A. E., Collar, J. I., Privitera, P., & Robinson, A. E. Measurement of the low-energy quenching factor in germanium using an Y88/Be photoneutron source. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.94.122003
Scholz, B. J., Chavarria, A. E., Collar, J. I., Privitera, P., and Robinson, A. E. Wed . "Measurement of the low-energy quenching factor in germanium using an Y88/Be photoneutron source". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.94.122003. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1423260.
@article{osti_1423260,
title = {Measurement of the low-energy quenching factor in germanium using an Y88/Be photoneutron source},
author = {Scholz, B. J. and Chavarria, A. E. and Collar, J. I. and Privitera, P. and Robinson, A. E.},
abstractNote = {Here, we employ an 88Y/Be photoneutron source to derive the quenching factor for neutron-induced nuclear recoils in germanium, probing recoil energies from a few hundred eVnr to 8.5 keVnr. A comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation of our setup is compared to experimental data employing a Lindhard model with a free electronic energy loss k and an adiabatic correction for sub-keVnr nuclear recoils. The best fit k = 0.179 ± 0.001 obtained using a Monte Carlo Markov chain (MCMC) ensemble sampler is in good agreement with previous measurements, confirming the adequacy of the Lindhard model to describe the stopping of few-keV ions in germanium crystals at a temperature of ~77 K. This value of k corresponds to a quenching factor of 13.7% to 25.3% for nuclear recoil energies between 0.3 and 8.5 keVnr, respectively.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevD.94.122003},
journal = {Physical Review D},
number = 12,
volume = 94,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Dec 21 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Wed Dec 21 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}

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