The ν-cleus experiment: a gram-scale fiducial-volume cryogenic detector for the first detection of coherent neutrino–nucleus scattering

• Published in: The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields Vol. 77; no. 8; pp. 1 - 14
• Main Authors: Strauss, R., Rothe, J., Angloher, G., Bento, A., Gütlein, A., Hauff, D., Kluck, H., Mancuso, M., Oberauer, L., Petricca, F., Pröbst, F., Schieck, J., Schönert, S., Seidel, W., Stodolsky, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-08-2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics and Cosmology; Coherent scattering; Elementary Particles; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Measurement Science and Instrumentation; Neutrinos; Nuclear Energy; Nuclear Physics; Nuclear power plants; Nuclei (nuclear physics); Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum Field Theories; Quantum Field Theory; Recoil; Regular Article - Experimental Physics; Sensors; Shielding; String Theory
• ISSN: 1434-6044; 1434-6052
• DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-017-5068-2

We discuss a small-scale experiment, called
ν
-cleus, for the first detection of coherent neutrino–nucleus scattering by probing nuclear-recoil energies down to the 10 eV regime. The detector consists of low-threshold CaWO
4
and Al
2
O
3
calorimeter arrays with a total mass of about 10 g and several cryogenic veto detectors operated at millikelvin temperatures. Realizing a fiducial volume and a multi-element target, the detector enables active discrimination of
γ
, neutron and surface backgrounds. A first prototype Al
2
O
3
device, operated above ground in a setup without shielding, has achieved an energy threshold of
∼
20
 eV and further improvements are in reach. A sensitivity study for the detection of coherent neutrino scattering at nuclear power plants shows a unique discovery potential (5
σ
) within a measuring time of
≲
2
 weeks. Furthermore, a site at a thermal research reactor and the use of a radioactive neutrino source are investigated. With this technology, real-time monitoring of nuclear power plants is feasible.