Abstract

The Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC (NEXT), intended to investigate neutrinoless double beta decay, requires extremely low background levels. An extensive material screening and selection process to assess the radioactivity of components is underway combining several techniques, including germanium γ-ray spectrometry performed at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory; recent results of this material screening program are presented here.

Highlights

  • The experiment [1] will operate at the Laboratorio Subterrneo de Canfranc (LSC), Spain, a high-pressure xenon time projection chamber (TPC) to search for neutrinoless double beta decay events of 136Xe using 100 kg of enriched xenon at 90%

  • Complementary activity measurements based on Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS), Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GDMS) and germanium spectrometry performed at LSC have been carried out to help both in the design of the set-up and in the construction of the background model of the experiment

  • DEAC02-05CH11231; and the Portuguese FCT and FEDER through the program COMPETE, Projects PTDC/FIS/103860/2008 and PTDC/FIS/112272/2009

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Summary

Introduction

The experiment [1] will operate at the Laboratorio Subterrneo de Canfranc (LSC), Spain, a high-pressure xenon time projection chamber (TPC) to search for neutrinoless double beta decay events of 136Xe using 100 kg of enriched xenon at 90%. Concerning the field cage and EL region, several types of plastics [2, 3] and High Density Poliethylene (PE500) for field cage (#8) have been screened; HD polyethylene has been analyzed by ICPMS (#9). Results for silver epoxy (CW2400) (#10) and ETP copper for field cage, in rod (#11) and sheet (#12), have been obtained.

Results
Conclusion

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