Abstract
The R&D activity performed during the last years proved the potential of ZnSe scintillating bolometers to the search for neutrino-less double beta decay, motivating the realization of the first large-mass experiment based on this technology: CUPID-0. The isotopic enrichment in ^{82}Se, the Zn^{82}Se crystals growth, as well as the light detectors production have been accomplished, and the experiment is now in construction at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (Italy). In this paper we present the results obtained testing the first three Zn^{82}Se crystals operated as scintillating bolometers, and we prove that their performance in terms of energy resolution, background rejection capability and intrinsic radio-purity complies with the requirements of CUPID-0.
Highlights
Neutrino-less double beta decay (0νDBD) is a hypothesized nuclear transition in which a nucleus decays emitting only two electrons
These results can mainly be ascribed to the improvement of the interface between the Ge disks and the Neutron Transmutation Doped (NTD) Ge thermistors provided by dedicated surface treatments, as well as by the semi-automatic gluing system that enhanced the reproducibility of the detectors features
The results presented in this paper allowed to assess the performance of the first Zn82Se array in view of CUPID0
Summary
Neutrino-less double beta decay (0νDBD) is a hypothesized nuclear transition in which a nucleus decays emitting only two electrons. The CUPID (CUORE Upgrade with Particle IDentification [10,11]) interest group is defining the technological upgrades that will allow to reach this target with a CUORE-size bolometric detector Such an ambitious goal poses a stringent requirement on the background, that must be close to zero at the tonne·year level of exposure. Several R&D activities demonstrated that the detection of Cherenkov light emitted by electrons crossing the TeO2 crystals of CUORE can provide an effective α background rejection [25]. Choosing crystals containing high Q-value 0νDBD emitters such as 82Se and 100Mo provides a natural suppression of the γ background produced by the environmental radioactivity, that drops above the 2615 keV γ -line of 208Tl. The encouraging results obtained with large ZnSe bolometers motivated the endeavor in realizing a first large mass demonstrator of the scintillating bolometers technology: CUPID-0. CUPID-0 aims at proving that the interactions due to α particles can be efficiently suppressed, providing a path to ensure the achievement of the zero-background level required by CUPID
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