3–10 Aug 2016
Chicago IL USA
US/Central timezone
There is a live webcast for this event.

Barium Tagging for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay using SMFI

8 Aug 2016, 18:30
2h
Riverwalk A/B

Riverwalk A/B

Poster Detector: R&D and Performance Poster Session

Speaker

Ben Jones (UT Arlington)

Description

Realization of ton-scale experiments capable of a robust detection of neutrinoless double beta decay, given an inverted neutrino mass ordering and Majorana neutrino nature, is a high priority for nuclear and particle physics. To achieve the required sensitivity these experiments must have high signal efficiency and be virtually background free, with rates <0.1 counts per ton per year. At present, no technology exists that demonstrably meets this goal. One proposed method for ultra-low-background detection is the identification of the barium daughter ion in the decay 136Xe-->136Ba + 2e. Extraction and identification of single ions from a ton of xenon represents a formidable task. In this talk I will describe a new approach to barium tagging using single molecular fluorescence imaging (SMFI), a tool from in biology and biochemistry. SMFI relies on the chelation dye molecules in contact with specific ions, which can have large, detectable effects on the their fluorescence behavior. Using SMFI we believe that single daughter ions may be extracted and reliably identified in high-pressure xenon gas TPC detectors. I will describe the concept and discuss tests performed at the University of Texas, Arlington, where this R&D is taking place. Preliminary results regarding the drift properties of barium dictations in high-pressure xenon gas, and barium sensitive fluorescent dyes will be presented. Short-term R&D goals and long-term prospects for the method will be discussed.

Primary author

Ben Jones (UT Arlington)

Co-author

Dr David Nygren (UT Arlington)

Presentation materials

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