Speaker
Dr
Robert Nelson
(Caltech)
Description
The BetaCage is a proposed neon time-projection chamber for the ultra-sensitive screening of materials for alpha- and beta-emitting surface contaminants. The BetaCage is of interest to rare-event-search experiments (e.g. dark matter searches and neutrino less double-beta decay) where surface contaminations from the implantation of the products from radon decays are a substantial background. A prototype device, measuring 40 cm x 40 cm screening area with a 20 cm drift field sandwiched between two multi-wire proportional grids, has been constructed and is currently operating at Caltech. We will report on the progress of this prototype device and, in particular, measurements of low-energy x-ray and alpha sources.
Primary author
Dr
Robert Nelson
(Caltech)
Co-authors
Mr
Alexander Rider
(Caltech)
Mr
Alexander Zahn
(Caltech)
Mr
Boqian Wang
(Syracuse University)
Prof.
Darren Grant
(University of Alberta)
Dr
Marek Kos
(Syracuse University)
Mr
Michael Bowles
(Syracuse University)
Dr
Raymond Bunker
(Syracuse University)
Prof.
Richard Schnee
(Syracuse University)
Prof.
Sunil Golwala
(Caltech)
Dr
Zeeshan Ahmed
(Caltech)
