Study of alpha background in a dark matter detector
Name
701926530-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
6.6 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
3b55498545de0037d40cabfa5ddbed6d
Author(s)
Yegoryan, Hayk
Advisor(s)
Denis Dujmic and Gabriella Sciolla.
Date Issued
2010
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Alpha background, specifically from radon and its progeny in the uranium and thorium chains, has been a major issue in dark matter detectors. This work focuses on alpha background presence in the DMTPC experiment by examining the energy distribution and the rate of alpha tracks in detector's fiducial volume. It was found that the rate and the energy distribution of alpha tracks are inconsistent with radon buildup in the detector. This was verified by replacing stainless steel materials with copper that is known to have lower uranium concentration. The alpha background was reduced 5 fold confirming that the origin of alphas is from early uranium decay chain, not radon buildup in the detector.
Description
Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 2010.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 67).
Subjects
Physics.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics
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copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
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