Measurement of Majorana background neutron interactions

POSTER

Abstract

Recent experiments have shown that free neutrons produced by cosmic-ray muons are expected to contribute to background events in double-beta decay and dark matter experiments. Neutron-induced transitions in natural lead were investigated with a broad spectrum neutron beam during Fall 2006 at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. Specific measurements of the $\gamma$-ray production cross-section of Pb(n,Xn') reactions allow for improved Monte Carlo simulations of neutron-induced background. We focus on the 2040-keV line (in $^{206}$Pb) and 3062-keV double-escape peak (in $^{207}$Pb) which overlap with the germanium-76 neutrinoless double-beta decay signature. In addition, the integral $\gamma$-ray production cross-sections for the first excited state to ground state in $^{206,207,208}$Pb are calculated as a check on this result.

Authors

  • D.V. Perepelitsa

    MIT, LANL

  • V.E. Guiseppe

    University of Connecticut, Univ. of New Hampshire, Sandia National Labs, IBM Research Center, PTB, TUNL, Petersburg Nuc. Phys. Inst., Yale Univ., U.S. Coast Guard Acad., Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3046, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Division of Proton Engineering Frontier Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea, Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY 11973, Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, RMD Inc., Watertown, MA, ALEM Associates, Boston, MA, Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, University of South Dakota, LANL

  • V.E. Guiseppe

    University of Connecticut, Univ. of New Hampshire, Sandia National Labs, IBM Research Center, PTB, TUNL, Petersburg Nuc. Phys. Inst., Yale Univ., U.S. Coast Guard Acad., Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3046, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Division of Proton Engineering Frontier Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea, Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY 11973, Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, RMD Inc., Watertown, MA, ALEM Associates, Boston, MA, Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, University of South Dakota, LANL

  • V.E. Guiseppe

    University of Connecticut, Univ. of New Hampshire, Sandia National Labs, IBM Research Center, PTB, TUNL, Petersburg Nuc. Phys. Inst., Yale Univ., U.S. Coast Guard Acad., Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3046, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Division of Proton Engineering Frontier Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea, Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY 11973, Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, RMD Inc., Watertown, MA, ALEM Associates, Boston, MA, Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, University of South Dakota, LANL

  • V.E. Guiseppe

    University of Connecticut, Univ. of New Hampshire, Sandia National Labs, IBM Research Center, PTB, TUNL, Petersburg Nuc. Phys. Inst., Yale Univ., U.S. Coast Guard Acad., Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3046, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Division of Proton Engineering Frontier Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea, Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY 11973, Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, RMD Inc., Watertown, MA, ALEM Associates, Boston, MA, Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, University of South Dakota, LANL

  • V.E. Guiseppe

    University of Connecticut, Univ. of New Hampshire, Sandia National Labs, IBM Research Center, PTB, TUNL, Petersburg Nuc. Phys. Inst., Yale Univ., U.S. Coast Guard Acad., Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3046, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Division of Proton Engineering Frontier Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea, Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY 11973, Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, RMD Inc., Watertown, MA, ALEM Associates, Boston, MA, Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, University of South Dakota, LANL

  • V.E. Guiseppe

    University of Connecticut, Univ. of New Hampshire, Sandia National Labs, IBM Research Center, PTB, TUNL, Petersburg Nuc. Phys. Inst., Yale Univ., U.S. Coast Guard Acad., Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3046, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Division of Proton Engineering Frontier Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea, Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY 11973, Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, RMD Inc., Watertown, MA, ALEM Associates, Boston, MA, Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, University of South Dakota, LANL

  • V.E. Guiseppe

    University of Connecticut, Univ. of New Hampshire, Sandia National Labs, IBM Research Center, PTB, TUNL, Petersburg Nuc. Phys. Inst., Yale Univ., U.S. Coast Guard Acad., Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3046, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Division of Proton Engineering Frontier Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea, Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY 11973, Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, RMD Inc., Watertown, MA, ALEM Associates, Boston, MA, Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, University of South Dakota, LANL

  • V.E. Guiseppe

    University of Connecticut, Univ. of New Hampshire, Sandia National Labs, IBM Research Center, PTB, TUNL, Petersburg Nuc. Phys. Inst., Yale Univ., U.S. Coast Guard Acad., Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3046, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Division of Proton Engineering Frontier Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea, Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY 11973, Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, RMD Inc., Watertown, MA, ALEM Associates, Boston, MA, Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, University of South Dakota, LANL

  • V.E. Guiseppe

    University of Connecticut, Univ. of New Hampshire, Sandia National Labs, IBM Research Center, PTB, TUNL, Petersburg Nuc. Phys. Inst., Yale Univ., U.S. Coast Guard Acad., Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3046, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Division of Proton Engineering Frontier Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea, Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY 11973, Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, RMD Inc., Watertown, MA, ALEM Associates, Boston, MA, Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, University of South Dakota, LANL

  • V.E. Guiseppe

    University of Connecticut, Univ. of New Hampshire, Sandia National Labs, IBM Research Center, PTB, TUNL, Petersburg Nuc. Phys. Inst., Yale Univ., U.S. Coast Guard Acad., Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3046, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Division of Proton Engineering Frontier Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea, Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY 11973, Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, RMD Inc., Watertown, MA, ALEM Associates, Boston, MA, Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, University of South Dakota, LANL