In low background experiments the reduction of all possible radioactive contaminants is a crucial point for detector construction. This is also true for the surface contaminants, either those introduced during the production of detector components or those introduced during handling, treatment or storage. One of the most critical issue in this field is the control of the contamination induced by <sup>222</sup>Rn and its progenies in the environment where the detectors are assembled and stored. Radioactive atoms can stick on detector components and create a net increase of the contaminants present on their surfaces, introducing an additional—often not negligible—source of background. The reduction of this kind of contaminations can become of primary importance in the case of fully sensitive devices, like cryogenic particle detectors. In this paper the analysis on the Rn sticking factor for copper and tellurium dioxide—the two main materials used for the construction of the CUORE detector—is discussed. The diffusion of radioactive atoms inside the detector components is considered in order to evaluate the effective contribution of Rn exposure to the background counting rate of an experiment.

Clemenza, M., Maiano, C., Pattavina, L., Previtali, E. (2011). Radon-induced surface contaminations in low background experiments. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. C, PARTICLES AND FIELDS, 71(11), 1-7 [10.1140/epjc/s10052-011-1805-0].

Radon-induced surface contaminations in low background experiments

CLEMENZA, MASSIMILIANO;MAIANO, CECILIA GIOVANNA;PATTAVINA, LUCA MARIA;Previtali, E.
2011

Abstract

In low background experiments the reduction of all possible radioactive contaminants is a crucial point for detector construction. This is also true for the surface contaminants, either those introduced during the production of detector components or those introduced during handling, treatment or storage. One of the most critical issue in this field is the control of the contamination induced by 222Rn and its progenies in the environment where the detectors are assembled and stored. Radioactive atoms can stick on detector components and create a net increase of the contaminants present on their surfaces, introducing an additional—often not negligible—source of background. The reduction of this kind of contaminations can become of primary importance in the case of fully sensitive devices, like cryogenic particle detectors. In this paper the analysis on the Rn sticking factor for copper and tellurium dioxide—the two main materials used for the construction of the CUORE detector—is discussed. The diffusion of radioactive atoms inside the detector components is considered in order to evaluate the effective contribution of Rn exposure to the background counting rate of an experiment.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Radon, low background experiments
English
2011
71
11
1
7
1805
none
Clemenza, M., Maiano, C., Pattavina, L., Previtali, E. (2011). Radon-induced surface contaminations in low background experiments. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. C, PARTICLES AND FIELDS, 71(11), 1-7 [10.1140/epjc/s10052-011-1805-0].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/35944
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