Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10700524 | Astroparticle Physics | 2005 | 19 Pages |
Abstract
We present results of a detailed simulation study of neutron background reduction in dark matter detectors based on observation of nuclear recoils below 100Â keV. Background rates are estimated for neutrons from muons and from natural radioactivity, and with separate Monte Carlo simulations for the underground rock, shielding, and detector components. With optimum shielding combinations, further reduction of background can be achieved with muon and neutron vetos, simulations of the latter giving first estimates of the rejection efficiency as a function of veto geometry. Design options for neutron vetos are also discussed. A detailed tabulation of backgrounds is given, from which it is concluded that the total neutron background can be reduced below the level 10â4-10â3Â kgâ1Â dâ1 needed to detect dark matter particle-nucleon cross sections in the range 10â10-10â9Â pb, with further reductions attainable in principle with lower-activity detector materials.
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Authors
C. Bungau, B. Camanzi, J. Champer, Y. Chen, D.B. Cline, R. Luscher, J.D. Lewin, P.F. Smith, N.J.T. Smith, H. Wang,