The ultimate solar neutrino detector: Simultaneous detection of light and phonons in a fast scintillator made of single crystals of an indium compound and cooled to very low temperature

1992; Elsevier BV; Volume: 28; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0920-5632(92)90214-d

ISSN

1873-3832

Autores

Luis Gonzalez‐Mestres,

Tópico(s)

Neutrino Physics Research

Resumo

Abstract Real time detection of low energy solar neutrinos remains a technical challenge. Progress has been made on scintillating single crystals of indium compounds. Cerium doping has been successfully implemented by a French group (Talence-Lyon-Annecy Collaboration). Since Ce 3+ fluorescence is expected to remain fast at very low temperature, luminescence can be combined with phonon detection to improve energy resolution and localization, which are crucial for background rejection. Devices based on superconducting tunnel junctions may provide a read-out sensitive to the light strobe followed by the delayed pulse of phonons. Such a detector would operate at 3 He temperatures ( T ap ; 350 mK). Alternatives to develop solar neutrino detectors, as well as other applications of low temperature scintillation, are briefly discussed.

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