SABRE R&D: Investigating radio-pure Sodium Iodide

军刀R

基本信息

批准号：
1506397
负责人：
Frank Calaprice
金额：
$ 19.16万
依托单位：
Princeton University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2015
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2015-09-01 至 2017-08-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1506397&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
SABRE R&D Investigating radio pure

项目摘要

Multiple astronomical observations have established that about 85% of the matter in the universe is not made of known particles. Deciphering the nature of this so-called Dark Matter is of fundamental importance to cosmology, astrophysics, and high-energy particle physics. A leading hypothesis is that it is comprised of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, or WIMPs, that were produced moments after the Big Bang. If WIMPs are the dark matter, then their presence in our galaxy may be detectable via scattering from atomic nuclei in detectors located deep underground to help reject backgrounds due to cosmic rays. DAMA at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory in Italy is the only experiment claiming a discovery of dark matter interactions from their observation of a predicted annual modulation of the signal rate. Recent results from some experiments (CoGeNT, CRESST, and CDMS-Si) may support the light WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particle) interpretation, while others do not (KIMS-CsI, LUX, and XENON-100, among others). Only an experiment using NaI(Tl) can perform a model-independent test. The SABRE (Sodium-iodide with Active Background REjection) experiment would shed light on this debate and thus direct future direct-detection searches.The SABRE project provides ample opportunities for students and postdoctoral researchers to gain experience and training for careers in the scientific community. SABRE is consulting with the Princeton Teacher Preparation Program office to discuss potential ways to provide additional educational and professional development opportunities for local high-school students and teachers. The SABRE project engenders strong relationships between industry and academia. Their partnerships with industry enable the development of new technologies, products, and measurement techniques that will be made available to the research and industrial market at large. The SABRE R&D effort, funded by this award, aims to provide a proof-of-principle for such a detector by developing NaI(Tl) detectors with lower backgrounds and a lower energy threshold than DAMA. Progress has been made in producing highly pure NaI powders that now exhibit impurities at a similar level to, or lower than, the final crystals in DAMA. The potential for further purification has been demonstrated by their crystal grower with zone-refining.

多次天文观察结果表明，宇宙中约有85％的物质不是由已知粒子制成的。破译这种所谓的暗物质的性质对于宇宙学，天体物理学和高能粒子物理学至关重要。一个主要的假设是，它由弱相互作用的巨大颗粒或wimps组成，这些颗粒或wimps是在大爆炸后瞬间产生的。如果wimps是暗物质，那么它们在我们的星系中的存在可能可以通过从原子核中散射到地下深地下的探测器中来检测到，以帮助拒绝由于宇宙射线而引起的背景。意大利格兰·萨索（Gran Sasso）地下实验室的达玛（Dama）是唯一一项从发现暗物质相互作用的实验，从他们对信号速率的预测年度调制中发现了暗物质相互作用。某些实验（Cogent，Cresst和CDMS-SI）的最新结果可能支持轻wIMP（弱相互作用的大量粒子）解释，而其他实验则没有（Kims-CSI，Lux和Xenon-100）。只有使用NAI（TL）的实验才能执行与模型无关的测试。 SABER（具有主动背景拒绝的钠碘化物）实验将阐明这场辩论，从而导致未来的直接检测搜索。SABER项目为学生和博士后研究人员提供了足够的机会，以获得科学界职业的经验和培训。 Saber正在与普林斯顿教师准备计划办公室进行咨询，讨论为当地高中生和老师提供更多教育和专业发展机会的潜在方法。 Saber项目在行业与学术界之间建立了牢固的关系。他们与行业的合作伙伴关系可以开发新技术，产品和测量技术，这些技术将为整个研究和工业市场提供。由该奖项资助的SABER研发工作旨在通过开发具有较低背景的NAI（TL）检测器来为这种检测器提供原则证明，而能量阈值低于Dama。在产生高度纯净的NAI粉末方面取得了进展，该粉末现在表现出与达马的最终晶体相似或低的杂质。其晶体种植者和区域涂层的晶体种植者已经证明了进一步纯化的潜力。