Ultra-Low-Background Material Screening with the BetaCage Time Projection Chamber

26 Jul 2017, 13:45
15m
Executive Learning Center

Executive Learning Center

Contributed talk Labs and Low Background Labs and Low Background

Speaker

Michael Bowles (SDSM&T Physics Dept)

Description

High-sensitivity, low-threshold material surface screening is necessary to meet the stringent radiopurity requirements for rare-event searches. The BetaCage is a proposed ultra-low-background time projection chamber (TPC) designed to screen alphas and low-energy betas emitted from material surfaces at trace levels, providing a transformative effect on isotopic assay efforts. I will describe the TPC design, the expected backgrounds and mitigation techniques, the estimated alpha and beta sensitivity, and the commissioning of a prototype TPC currently deployed at SDSM&T.

Primary authors

Raymond Bunker (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Sunil Golwala (Caltech) Richard Schnee (SDSM&T) Boqian Wang Darren Grant (University of Alberta) Michael Bowles (SDSM&T Physics Dept) Eric Miller (SDSM&T)

Presentation materials