LArGe: Background suppression using liquid argon (LAr) scintillation for 0$\nu \beta \beta$ decay search with enriched germanium (Ge) detectors

Abstract

Measurements with a bare p-type high purity germanium diode (HPGe) submerged in a 19 kg liquid argon (LAr) scintillation detector at MPIK Heidelberg are reported. The liquid argon--germanium system (LArGe) is operated as a 4$\pi$ anti-Compton spectrometer to suppress backgrounds in the HPGe. This R&D is carried out in the framework of the GERDA experiment which searches for 0$\nu \beta \beta$ decays with HPGe detectors enriched in ${}^{76}$Ge. The goal of this work is to develop a novel method to discriminate backgrounds in 0$\nu \beta \beta$ search which would ultimately allow to investigate the effective neutrino mass free of background events down to the inverse mass hierarchy scale. Other applications in low-background counting are expected.

3 pages, 6 figures, conference proceedings of the 10th Topical Seminar on Innovative Particle and Radiation Detectors (IPRD06) 1 - 5 October 2006 Siena, Italy

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Double Beta Decay, Majorana Neutrinos, and Neutrino Mass
• The GERDA experiment for the search of 0νββ decay in ^{76}Ge
• Pulse shape discrimination studies with a Broad-Energy Germanium detector for signal identification and background suppression in the GERDA double beta decay experiment
• Development of an anti-Compton veto for HPGe detectors operated in liquid argon using Silicon Photo-Multipliers
• GELATIO: a general framework for modular digital analysis of high-purity Ge detector signals
• Monte Carlo Studies and Optimization for the Calibration System of the GERDA Experiment