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Quenching Factor estimation of Na recoils in NaI(Tl) crystals using a low-energy pulsed neutron beam measurement
by Mukund Raghunath Bharadwaj, G. Angloher, P. S. Barbeau, I. Dafinei, N. Di Marco, L. Einfalt, F. Ferroni, S. Fichtinger, A. Filipponi , T. Frank , M. Friedl , A. Fuss, Z. Ge , S. Hedges, M. Heikinheimo, K. Huitu, M. Kellermann, R. Maji, M. Mancuso, L. Pagnanini, F. Petricca, S. Pirro, F. Pröbst , G. Profeta, A. Puiu, F. Reindl , K. Schäffner, J. Schieck, D. Schmiedmayer , C. Schwertner , M. Stahlberg , A. Stendahl, M. Stukel , F. Wagner, S. Yue, V. Zema, Y. Zhu
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Submission summary
| Authors (as registered SciPost users): | Mukund Raghunath Bharadwaj |
| Submission information | |
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| Preprint Link: | scipost_202210_00021v1 (pdf) |
| Date submitted: | 2022-10-03 12:49 |
| Submitted by: | Raghunath Bharadwaj, Mukund |
| Submitted to: | SciPost Physics Proceedings |
| Proceedings issue: | 14th International Conference on Identification of Dark Matter (IDM2022) |
| Ontological classification | |
|---|---|
| Academic field: | Physics |
| Specialties: |
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| Approach: | Experimental |
Abstract
NaI(Tl) based scintillation detectors have become a staple in the field of direct dark matter searches, with the DAMA-LIBRA experiment being the standout for its reported observation of an annually modulating WIMP-like signal which is in direct contrast with other results. In order to accurately calibrate the energies of WIMP-induced nuclear recoil signals and conclusively rule out the parameter space covered by DAMA/LIBRA, precise measurements of the quenching factor of the NaI crystals are essential for each of these experiments, as it is well established that electron recoils and nuclear recoils have dissimilar scintillation light yields. In this contribution, we present first preliminary results of an ongoing systematic study that has been carried out by the COSINUS collaboration and Duke University to measure the quenching factor of Na recoils primarily in the low recoil energies of 1-30$keV_{nr}$. Five ultra-pure NaI crystals, manufactured by the Shanghai Institute for Ceramics, each of which have varying Tl dopant concentrations, were irradiated with a mono-energetic neutron beam at the Triangle Universities National Laboratory, North Carolina, USA to extract the quenching factor values in our desired recoil energy range.
Current status:
Reports on this Submission
Report #1 by Anonymous (Referee 1) on 2022-10-12 (Invited Report)
- Cite as: Anonymous, Report on arXiv:scipost_202210_00021v1, delivered 2022-10-12, doi: 10.21468/SciPost.Report.5876
Report
The paper, contribution to the Proceedings of the IDM 2022 conference, shows the status of the NaI quenching factors measurements at TUNL for various concentrations of Tl dopant. The paper can be published, once the small remarks in the following will be fulfilled.
- in the abstract it is written: “… and conclusively rule out the parameter space …”
Generally, the experiments are done to confirm or disprove, never only to rule out. Thus I suggest a more fair sentence.
- Line 44: …potentially mimics… A more polite sentence is required
- lines 61,62. Actually DAMA papers report three different options for the quenching factors: 1) those independent of the recoil energy; 2) including the channeling effect; 3) using the energy dependence of the Tretyak model. Thus, the sentence must be modified accordingly.
- lines 66-68. Other levels of uncertainty in the q.f. arise from the other features of the used NaI detectors. The Tl dopant is just one of them. The method of growth of the crystal itself plays a relevant role too.
- line 88. The range of the neutron energy produced by the facility should be added.
- line 108. It is reported the Tl dopant levels in the initial powder; it should be added the Tl concentrations for the grown crystal, if available
- Fig 2, it is better to invert the two plots, following the logics of the analysis done: before the selection of neutrons in the BD, afterwards the selection of the TOF.
- line 159. At the end of the sentence remove the colon
Author: Mukund Raghunath Bharadwaj on 2022-11-03 [id 2979]
(in reply to Report 1 on 2022-10-12)Thank you for the suggestions in this regard. I implemented all the necessary changes aforementioned and prepared an updated manuscript.
Regarding the Tl dopant concentrations reported in line 108, the Tl concentrations of the tested crystals are still yet to be verified and hence was not mentioned yet. (although the location in the crystal boules that they were cut from was reported to have almost the same Tl dopants as the initial powder from SICCAS)
Anonymous on 2022-11-08 [id 2995]
(in reply to Mukund Raghunath Bharadwaj on 2022-11-03 [id 2979])Please resubmit an updated version.