RESEARCH NOTE FROM COLLABORATION: Production and decay of the 73Ge*(1/2-) metastable state in a low-background germanium detector
Abstract
The 73Ge*(1/2-) metastable state decays with a very characteristic signature which allows it to be tagged event-by-event. Studies were performed using data taken with a high-purity germanium detector in a low-background laboratory near a nuclear power reactor core where the \rm{\bar{\nu}_e} -flux was \rm{6.4 \times 10^{12} \;cm^{-2} \;s^{-1}} . The measured average and equilibrium production rates of 73Ge*(1/2-) were (8.7 ± 0.4) and (6.7 ± 0.3) kg-1 day-1, respectively. The production channels were studied and identified. By studying the difference in the production of 73Ge*(1/2-) between the reactor ON and OFF spectra, limiting sensitivities in the range of {\sim} \rm{10^{-42}\ to 10^{-43} \;cm^2} for the cross sections of neutrino-induced nuclear transitions were derived. The dominant backgrounds are due to β- decays of cosmic-ray-induced 73Ga. The prospects of enhancing the sensitivities at underground locations are discussed.
- Publication:
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Journal of Physics G Nuclear Physics
- Pub Date:
- July 2008
- DOI:
- 10.1088/0954-3899/35/7/077001
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0801.0263
- Bibcode:
- 2008JPhG...35g7001L
- Keywords:
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- Nuclear Experiment
- E-Print:
- 16 pages, 10 figures