Improvement of radiopurity level of enriched ${}^{116}$CdWO${}_4$ and ZnWO${}_4$ crystal scintillators by recrystallization

Abstract

As low as possible radioactive contamination of a detector plays a crucial role to improve sensitivity of a double beta decay experiment. The radioactive contamination of a sample of ${}^{116}$CdWO${}_4$ crystal scintillator by thorium was reduced by a factor $\approx 10$, down to the level 0.01 mBq/kg (${}^{228}$Th), by exploiting the recrystallization procedure. The total alpha activity of uranium and thorium daughters was reduced by a factor $\approx 3$, down to 1.6 mBq/kg. No change in the specific activity (the total $\alpha$ activity and ${}^{228}$Th) was observed in a sample of ZnWO${}_4$ crystal produced by recrystallization after removing $\approx 0.4$ mm surface layer of the crystal.

arXiv comment14 pages, 5 figures and 2 tables

References in corpus (11)

• Semi-empirical calculation of quenching factors for ions in scintillators
• Quest for double beta decay of 160-Gd and Ce isotopes
• ZnWO_4 crystals as detectors for double beta decay and dark matter experiments
• Radioactive contamination of ZnWO4 crystal scintillators
• Final results of an experiment to search for 2beta processes in zinc and tungsten with the help of radiopure ZnWO4 crystal scintillators
• Low background detector with enriched 116CdWO4 crystal scintillators to search for double beta decay of 116Cd
• CdWO4 crystal scintillators from enriched isotopes for double beta decay experiments
• Search for double beta decay of ${}^{116}$Cd with enriched ${}^{116}$CdWO${}_4$ crystal scintillators (Aurora experiment)
• First test of an enriched ${}^{116}$CdWO${}_4$ scintillating bolometer for neutrinoless double-beta-decay searches
• Search for long-lived superheavy eka-tungsten with radiopure ZnWO${}_4$ crystal scintillator
• Search for 2β decay of 116Cd with the help of enriched 116CdWO4 crystal scintillators

Cited by in corpus (14)

• Development of ${}^{100}$Mo-containing scintillating bolometers for a high-sensitivity neutrinoless double-beta decay search
• Final results of the Aurora experiment to study 2$\beta$ decay of ${}^{116}$Cd with enriched ${}^{116}$CdWO${}_4$ crystal scintillators
• Low background techniques in bolometers for double-beta decay search
• Measurements of ZnWO${}_4$ anisotropic response to nuclear recoils for the ADAMO project
• Optical, luminescence, and scintillation properties of advanced ZnWO${}_4$ crystal scintillators
• Radioactive contamination of scintillators
• Main features of detectors and isotopes to investigate double beta decay with increased sensitivity
• Radiopure tungstate and molybdate crystal scintillators for double beta decay experiments
• First test of an enriched ${}^{116}$CdWO${}_4$ scintillating bolometer for neutrinoless double-beta-decay searches
• Test of ${}^{116}$CdWO${}_4$ and Li${}_2$MoO${}_4$ scintillating bolometers in the CROSS underground facility with upgraded detector suspension
• Developments and improvements of radiopure ZnWO${}_4$ anisotropic scintillators
• Search for double $\beta$-decay modes of ${}^{64}$Zn using purified zinc
• ZnO-based scintillating bolometers: New prospects to study double beta decay of ${}^{64}$Zn
• Precise measurement of the scintillation decay constant of ZnWO${}_4$ crystal