CUORE crystal validation runs: Results on radioactive contamination and extrapolation to CUORE background

The CUORE Crystal Validation Runs (CCVRs) have been carried out since the end of 2008 at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories, in order to test the performance and the radiopurity of the TeO2 crystals produced at SICCAS (Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) for the CUORE experiment. In this work the results of the first 5 validation runs are presented. Results have been obtained for bulk contaminations and surface contaminations from several nuclides. An extrapolation to the CUORE background has been performed.

► Measurement of radioactive contaminations of TeO2 crystals for the CUORE experiment. ► Both bulk and surface contamination from 238U and 232Th decay chains is not found. ► The upper limits are calculated to be within the contract specification. ► An extrapolation to CUORE background from bulk and surface contamination is performed.