Utilizing Thermal Kinetic Inductance Detectors for next-generation beta decay experiments

ORAL

Abstract

Precision measurements of the energy spectrum and angular distribution of the decay products in neutron beta decay can set competitive limits to beyond Standard Model physics. Spectra measurements are sensitive to linearity and stability of the gain, and uncertainty in the modelling of the beta backscattering. Measurements of the angular distribution are impeded by the difficulty in measuring the recoil proton, requiring large external fields to accelerate the particle into a measurable energy range. We are developing Charged-Particle Thermal Kinetic Inductance Detectors (CP-TKIDs). These cryogenic sensors will feature over an order of magnitude improvement in energy resolution compared to silicon detectors, can be easily multiplexed to give high granularity and large coverage, and feature low enough thresholds for direct detection of the recoil proton. We present initial simulations utilizing an array of double layer CP-TKIDs for next generation experiments, highlighting the proton-beta discrimination and backscatter tagging. Finally, we investigate the impact of the improved kinematic reconstruction due to the higher energy resolution and detector granularity.

*This work was supported by the DOE Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, under Award Number DE-SC0023682 and Interagency Agreement 89243019SSC000025, and by an appointment to the NRC Research Associateship Program at The National Institute of Standards and Technology, administered by the Fellowships Office of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

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Presenters

  • Tom-Erik Haugen

    • Michigan State University
    • National Institute of Standards and Technology

Authors

  • Tom-Erik Haugen

    • Michigan State University
    • National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Ian Fogarty Florang

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Joe Fowler

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Robert Lee Harper

    • Centre College

  • Shannon Fogwell Hoogerheide

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

  • Daniel Jardin

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Pieter P Mumm

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

  • Nathan Nakamura

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Matthew Natale

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Jeremy Paster

    • NIST

  • Thomas Rao

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Elizabeth M Scott

    • Centre College

  • Daniel Swetz

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Paul Szypryt

    • University of Colorado Boulder and National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Joel N Ullom

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology Boulder

  • Michael R Vissers

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology