Neutron Interactions as Seen by A Segmented Germanium Detector

Abstract

The GERmanium Detector Array, GERDA, is designed for the search for ``neutrinoless double beta decay'' (0-nu-2-beta) with germanium detectors enriched in Ge76. An 18-fold segmented prototype detector for GERDA Phase II was exposed to an AmBe neutron source to improve the understanding of neutron induced backgrounds. Neutron interactions with the germanium isotopes themselves and in the surrounding materials were studied. Segment information is used to identify neutron induced peaks in the recorded energy spectra. The Geant4 based simulation package MaGe is used to simulate the experiment. Though many photon peaks from germanium isotopes excited by neutrons are correctly described by Geant4, some physics processes were identified as being incorrectly treated or even missing.

17 pages, 10 figures, submitted to EPJC

References in corpus (2)

• Characterization of the first true coaxial 18-fold segmented n-type prototype detector for the GERDA project
• Identification of photons in double beta-decay experiments using segmented germanium detectors - studies with a GERDA Phase II prototype detector

Cited by in corpus (10)

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• Discrimination of gamma rays due to inelastic neutron scattering in AGATA
• Pulse shape simulation for segmented true-coaxial HPGe detectors
• First $\beta$-decay spectroscopy of ${}^{135}$In and new $\beta$-decay branches of ${}^{134}$In
• MaGe - a Geant4-based Monte Carlo framework for low-background experiments
• Muon-induced neutrons in lead and copper at shallow depth
• Double Beta Decay Experiments at Canfranc Underground Laboratory
• Identification and rejection of scattered neutrons in AGATA
• Axes determination for segmented true-coaxial HPGe detectors