J. Emes

First Results from the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search in the Soudan Underground Laboratory

We report the first results from a search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) in the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) experiment at the Soudan Underground Laboratory. Four Ge and two Si detectors were operated for 52.6 live days, providing 19.4 kg-d of Ge net exposure after cuts for recoil energies between 10--100 keV. A blind analysis was performed using only calibration data to define the energy threshold and selection criteria for nuclear-recoil candidates. Using the standard dark-matter halo and nuclear-physics WIMP model, these data set the worlds lowest exclusion limits on the coherent WIMP-nucleon scalar cross-section for all WIMP masses above 15 GeV, ruling out a significant range of neutralino supersymmetric models. The minimum of this limit curve at the 90% C.L. is 4 x 10^{-43} cm^2 at a WIMP mass of 60 GeV.

The ATLAS Silicon Pixel Sensors

Prototype sensors for the ATLAS silicon pixel detector have been developed. The design of the sensors is guided by the need to operate them in the severe LHC radiation environment at up to several hundred volts while maintaining a good signal-to-noise ratio, small cell size, and minimal multiple scattering. The ability to be operated under full bias for electrical characterization prior to attachment of the readout integrated circuit electronics is also desired.

Electrical characteristics of silicon pixel detectors

Prototype sensors for the ATLAS silicon pixel detector have been electrically characterized. The current and voltage characteristics, charge-collection efficiencies, and resolutions have been examined. Devices were fabricated on oxygenated and standard detector-grade silicon wafers. Results from prototypes which examine p-stop and standard and moderated p-spray isolation are presented for a variety of geometrical options. Some of the comparisons relate unirradiated sensors with those that have received fluences relevant to LHC operation.

Radiation Tolerance of Fully-Depleted P-Channel CCDs Designed for the SNAP Satellite

Thick, fully depleted p-channel charge-coupled devices (CCDs) have been developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). These CCDs have several advantages over conventional thin, n-channel CCDs, including enhanced quantum efficiency and reduced fringing at near-infrared wavelengths and improved radiation tolerance. Here we report results from the irradiation of CCDs with 12.5 and 55 MeV protons at the LBNL 88-Inch Cyclotron and with 0.1-1 MeV electrons at the LBNL 60Co source. These studies indicate that the LBNL CCDs perform well after irradiation, even in the parameters in which significant degradation is observed in other CCDs: charge transfer efficiency, dark current, and isolated hot pixels. Modeling the radiation exposure over a six-year mission lifetime with no annealing, we expect an increase in dark current of 20 e-/pixel/hr, and a degradation of charge transfer efficiency in the parallel direction of 3 times 10-6 and 1 times 10-6 in the serial direction. The dark current is observed to improve with an annealing cycle, while the parallel CTE is relatively unaffected and the serial CTE is somewhat degraded. As expected, the radiation tolerance of the p-channel LBNL CCDs is significantly improved over the conventional n-channel CCDs that are currently employed in space-based telescopes such as the Hubble Space Telescope.

Measurement of electron-phonon decoupling time in neutron-transmutation doped germanium at 20 mK

We have studied the electron-phonon decoupling in Neutron-Transmutation Doped (NTD) Germanium thermistors below 50 mK, and measured a characteristic time constant of this phenomenon. We will discuss how our decoupling model accounts for observed non-linearities in I–V characteristics of NTD Ge and for the time structure of phonon pulses detected in a Ge crystal operated at 20 mK.

Recent results with a 62 g Ge cryogenic dark matter detector

Abstract We report on recent results with a 62 g Ge cryogenic detector that combines simultaneous ionization and phonon measurements to allow rejection of radioactive background in a dark matter experiment. This detector has FWHM baseline resolutions of 500 eV in phonons and 1200 eV in ionization. A simplified charge collection scheme has been employed to improve the efficiency of the background rejection. Based on the success of this detector we are currently building six 165 g detectors as part of the CDMS experiment.

Deployment of the first CDMS II ZIP Detectors at the Stanford Underground Facility

Abstract The CDMS II experiment deployed the first set of ZIP (Z-dependent Ionization and Phonon) detectors at the Stanford Underground Facility (SUF) shallow depth site in the spring of 2000. With a payload consisting of 3 Ge (250g ea.) and 3 Si (100g ea.) ZIPs, the run was the first demostration of multiple ZIPs operating simltaneously. Good discrimination between electron and nuclear recoil events of 99.8% was established, down to recoil energies of 10 keV. A measurement of the γ, β, and neutron backgrounds was made.

Test results on silicon micro-strip detectors for ATLAS

We report results from beam tests on silicon microstrip detectors using a binary readout system for ATLAS. The data were collected during the H8 beam test at CERN in August/September 1995 and the KEK test in February 1996. The binary modules tested had been assembled from silicon microstrip detectors of different layout and from front-end electronics chips of different architecture. The efficiency, noise occupancy and position resolution were determined as a function of the threshold setting for various bias voltages and angles of incidence for both irradiated and non-irradiated detectors. In particular, the high spatial resolution of the beam telescope allowed the evaluation of the performance as a function of the track location in between detector strips.

A study of incomplete charge collection in cryogenic detectors using a segmented 60 gram germanium phonon and ionization detector

We have tested a new 60 gram germanium phonon and ionization detector to study incomplete charge collection effects in cryogenic detectors. An understanding of such effects is necessary to further improve the nuclear vs. electronic recoil discrimination capability of cryogenic detectors. The detector is operated at ≈ 20 mK. It has three concentric ionization channels, and four electric field shaping structures on its sides. Phonons are sensed using NTD Ge thermistors. First results obtained using this device and moveable radioactive sources of241Am and57Co will be presented.

Position dependence in the CDMS II ZIP detectors

The Ge and Si detectors developed by the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) II experiment rely on the simultaneous detection of athermal phonons and ionization produced by interactions in the crystal. The athermal phonons provide both the total energy deposited in an interaction and the information about the position of the interaction. We describe extracting this information from the pulse shapes in the four phonon sensors. We present the result of measurements made on a Si detector from the first CDMS II production batch. We also investigate ways of using the event position information to extract further information about the phonon signal.