1. Results obtained with large mass surface sensitive detectors Zaragoza -November 7, 2005 University of Insubria - Como, Italy INFN - Milano, Italy

2. Surface background in CUORE Surface background in CUORE CUORE –  of 130 Te Q  = 2528.8 keV Cuoricino background analysis and Monte Carlo simulations allow to make predictions on the future background expected for CUORE… From what we know until now, experimental data and simulations suggest that the main contribute expected for CUORE background in the DBD region could be:  and degraded particles emitted by 238 U and 232 Th surface contaminations on the Cu frame BKG = 0.18±0.01 c/(keV kg y) T 1/2  > 2×10 24 y @ 90% C.L.  130 Te

3. Surface background reduction Surface background reduction There are three possible ways to reduce the background due to surface Cu contaminations: Minimizing the amount of Cu surface facing the detectors Improving the quality of surface treatment for Cu components Creating new types of detectors able to recognize surface events This can be done by shielding a bolometer with layers of different materials. Each layer is an auxiliary bolometer… …thermally coupled to a “classical” bolometer. This detector is a Surface Sensitive Bolometer (SSB)

4. Dynamic behaviour of SSBs Dynamic behaviour of SSBs TeO 2 main bolometer Active shield Classic pulse Fast and high pulse Event originating inside the main bolometer (DBD event) Event originating outside the main bolometer (degraded ) The origin of events can be determined. The addition of active shields alters the dynamic behaviour of the bolometer, leading to pulses different in both amplitude and shape. An -surface event gives distinct pulses on the thermistors of the SSB. Particles releasing energy in the detector heat up each element of this composite bolometer:

5. Identification of surface events – Amplitude (1) Identification of surface events – Amplitude (1) Surface events may be identified comparing pulse amplitudes read simultaneously by the thermistor on the main absorber and on the active shield. The main tool is a graph reporting the pulse height from the shield sensor vs the pulse height from the main sensor. SCATTER PLOT Amplitude on active shield sensor [mV] Amplitude on main absorber sensor [mV] A DBD event occurring inside the absorber gives an equal amplitude pulse on both sensors An  particle coming from outside the detector gives a higher amplitude pulse on the shield sensor than on the main sensor

6. Various materials for active shields were tested on small size detectors (main absorbers 2×2×2 - 2×2×0.5 cm 3 ) Surface events TeO 2 shields Pros Low cost Cons Low purity Notes IET Si slabs (Polish) gave good results IRST Si slabs (Italian) gave some unexplained results Pros Thermal contractions with main absorber Known material Cons Frailty Thermal coupling with thermistors SSB prototypes @ Como SSB prototypes @ Como Ge shieldsSi shields Pros Excellent results High purity Cons High cost Surface events Parallel readout!

7. Identification of surface events – Rise time (2) Identification of surface events – Rise time (2) Not just pulse amplitude discrimination But also pulse shape discrimination Counts Rise time on active shield thermistor [ms] Surface events correspond to pulses with shorter rise times on the shield sensor Two classes of events Rise time discrimination is a powerful tool to isolate outer events

8. Preparation for the large mass test Preparation for the large mass test After testing a great deal of SSB prototypes, a test with CUORE real size crystals was organized. TeO 2 crystals, size 5×5×5 cm 3, m=750 g Main absorber Si slabs produced by IRST, size 5×5×0.3 cm 3, resistivity 20kΩ (floating zone crystal with < 10 12 atoms/cm 3 of P) Active shields Initial idea for the active shields: TeO 2. However, the producer could not deliver slabs in time for the beginning of assembly. Therefore… Four SSBs with these characteristics were assembled. Slab sensors connected in parallel configuration Signal readout Moreover, in order to reduce the number of necessary channels…

9. Test @ LNGS – Single SSB Test @ LNGS – Single SSB Two configurations - 3 detectors type A, 1 detector type B Type AType B Very different from both a thermal and a mechanical point of view Slabs thermally coupled to absorbers through Ge stand-offs; teflon holders keeping crystals attached to the Cu frame.

10. Test @ LNGS – Four detectors module Test @ LNGS – Four detectors module The four SSB module (Cu frame and PTFE holders)… …and the whole structure mounted in the cryostat (along with other eight nude crystals for an assembly test).

11. Test @ LNGS - Problems Test @ LNGS - Problems Only two crystals were firmly held. Crystals with unequal heights The fully covered crystal (even if its height was increased by PTFE holding it through the slabs) was not securely fixed. The last one was not held at all. Slabs not fully realiable Si slabs by IRST had previously lead to results whose physical origin has yet to be determined. Difficult assembly Because of very different thermal contractions between Si and TeO 2, slabs must be glued only close to the center of the TeO 2 crystal face. Many slabs detached during assembly and had to be provisionally attached with vacuum grease. Lost signals During the test, we lost contact with a set of slab sensors in parallel: signals from one SSB could not be acquired. A lot of problems, but in spite of them… The two firmly held crystals worked properly and one of them had readable slabs, from which we gathered data.

12. Test @ LNGS – Scatter plot Test @ LNGS – Scatter plot The scatter plot is coherent with the expected behaviour. Surface events Bulk events Mixed events However, there are some problems. For example… There is a considerable contamination ( in the slabs or close to them. This is probably a slab with a bad thermal coupling to the absorber. While surface events may be identified, the parallel configuration seems to confuse the physical understanding of each element in the plot.

13. Test @ LNGS – Rise time distribution on shields Test @ LNGS – Rise time distribution on shields Again as expected, we can recognize various classes of events from the rise time distribution on the parallel slabs channel. Rise time vs amplitude plot on slab sensors:

14. Surface events & decay time on main crystal Surface events & decay time on main crystal Surprise: there is another way to distinguish surface events from bulk events. Decay time – amplitude relation on main absorber sensor Detector with no slabsDetector with slabs

15. Identification of surface events – Decay time (3) Identification of surface events – Decay time (3) Bulk events are well isolated by a cut in the decay time – amplitude plot on the main sensor

16. Shields as pulse shape modifiers Shields as pulse shape modifiers Shields act as pulse shape modifiers – behaviour to be investigated in the future. We found a similar feature in the previous tests at Como. Important feature… Is it possible to get rid of the slab sensors? In this way, slabs could be a very promising option for CUORE.

17. Background reduction Background reduction Cutting on the DT distribution allows to isolate a great deal of unwanted events. Quantitatively – background obtained region) E [MeV] 3.2-3.43.4-3.92.9-3.2 0.58 ± 0.08 0.51 ± 0.04 0.18 ± 0.08 0.51 ± 0.16 0.29 ± 0.08 Bkg (no slabs) [c/kg keV y] Bkg (slabs) [c/kg keV y] 0.44 ± 0.06 The  region shows a considerable improvement: the obtained value is very similar to the Cuoricino value. Important result: even though the test was not performed in extremely clean conditions, the background is comparable to that obtained with accurately cleaned detectors… Rejection by slabs works

18. Conclusions & future investigations Conclusions & future investigations Not complete efficiency of the SSB rejection (high contamination, not working slabs) Next test at LNGS Four detectors with TeO 2 slabs (problem of thermistor coupling to be solved) Careful cleaning of all the detectors Single readout of the slab sensors of two detectors (instead of parallel) “Passive” slabs for the other two detectors (can we use just the main absorber sensor?) Origin of the decay time distribution on the main absorber sensor and reproducibility of surface events identification with this parameter Topics to be cleared by analysis & future tests Motivation for the background value (~ 0.2 c/kg keV y): SSBs are proving themselves to be very helpful in understanding the nature of the background.