M. Stern

First results of the EDELWEISS WIMP search using a 320 g heat-and-ionization Ge detector

The EDELWEISS collaboration has performed a direct search for WIMP dark matter using a 320 g heat-and-ionization cryogenic Ge detector operated in a low-background environment in the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane. No nuclear recoils are observed in the fiducial volume in the 30-200 keV energy range during an effective exposure of 4.53 kg.days. Limits for the cross-section for the spin-independent interaction of WIMPs and nucleons are set in the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The central value of the signal reported by the experiment DAMA is excluded at 90% CL.

Surveying the nuclear caloric curve

Abstract The 4π array INDRA was used to detect nearly all charged products emitted in Ar + Ni collisions between 52 and 95 MeV/u. The charge, mass and excitation energy E ∗ of the quasi-projectiles have been reconstructed event by event. Excitation energies up to 25 MeV per nucleon are reached. Apparent temperatures obtained from several double isotopic yield ratios Tr0 show different dependences upon E ∗ . T6Li7Li3Heα0 yields the highest values, as well as the high energy slopes Ts of the kinetic energy spectra. Two statistical models, sequential evaporation and gas in complete equilibrium, taking into account side feeding and discrete excited states population, show that the data can be explained by a steady increase of the initial temperature with excitation energy without evidence for a liquid-gas phase transition.

Study of intermediate velocity products in the Ar+Ni collisions between 52 and 95 A.MeV

Abstract Intermediate velocity products in Ar+Ni collisions from 52 to 95 A.MeV are studied in an experiment performed at the GANIL facility with the 4 π multidetector INDRA. It is shown that these emissions cannot be explained by statistical decays of the quasi-projectile and the quasi-target in complete equilibrium. Three methods are used to isolate and characterize intermediate velocity products. The total mass of these products increases with the violence of the collision and reaches a large fraction of the system mass in mid-central collisions. This mass is found independent of the incident energy, but strongly dependent on the geometry of the collision. Finally it is shown that the kinematical characteristics of intermediate velocity products are weakly dependent on the experimental impact parameter, but strongly dependent on the incident energy. The observed trends are consistent with a participant–spectator-like scenario or with neck emissions and/or breakup.Intermediate velocity products in Ar+Ni collisions from 52 to 95 A.MeV are studied in an experiment performed at the GANIL facility with the 4

INDEPENDENCE OF FRAGMENT CHARGE DISTRIBUTIONS OF THE SIZE OF HEAVY MULTIFRAGMENTING SOURCES

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Calibration of the EDELWEISS cryogenic heat-and-ionization germanium detectors for dark matter search

multidetector INDRA. It is shown that these emissions cannot be explained by statistical decays of the quasi-projectile and the quasi-target in complete equilibrium. Three methods are used to isolate and characterize intermediate velocity products. The total mass of these products increases with the violence of the collision and reaches a large fraction of the system mass in mid-central collisions. This mass is found independent of the incident energy, but strongly dependent on the geometry of the collision. Finally it is shown that the kinematical characteristics of intermediate velocity products are weakly dependent on the experimental impact parameter, but strongly dependent on the incident energy. The observed trends are consistent with a participant-spectator like scenario or with neck emissions and/or break-up.

Pulse-height defect in the passivated ion-implanted Si detectors of the INDRA array

Abstract Charged product multiplicities and Z distributions were measured for single multifragmenting sources produced in collisions between 129 Xe + nat Sn and 155 Gd + 238 U at the same available energy per nucleon. Z distributions are found identical for both reactions while fragment multiplicities scale as the charge of the total systems. A complete dynamical simulation, in which multifragmentation originates in the spinodal decomposition of a finite piece of nuclear matter resulting from an incomplete fusion of projectile and target, well accounts for this experimental observation.

Dynamical effects in nuclear collisions in the fermi energy range: aligned breakup of heavy projectiles

Several aspects of the analysis of the data obtained with the cryogenic heat-and-ionization Ge detectors used by the EDELWEISS dark matter search experiment are presented. Their calibration, the determination of their energy threshold, fiducial volume and nuclear recoil acceptance are detailed.

Multifragmentation in Xe(50 AMeV) + Sn: Confrontation of theory and data

Abstract The pulse-height defect (PHD) of 36Ar, 58Ni, 129Xe, 181Ta and 197Au ions in the 180 passivated ion-implanted silicon detectors of the INDRA array has been measured. The detectors faced the target with the low electric field side. The charge encoding ensured a low ballistic deficit. Detectors with the same nominal characteristics and electric field strength show a PHD dependence on the individual silicon wafer. They are classified and calibrated by using an empirical parametrization which relates the PHD to the total energy through a Z-depending power law. A PHD analytical formula, based on a simple recombination model, is also proposed. It considers a realistic charge density variation with the position coordinate on the ion path. This new formula is successfully confronted to some experimental data.

Sensitivity of the EDELWEISS WIMP search to spin-dependent interactions

Abstract Recent experimental results concerning heavy systems (Pb + Au, Pb + Ag, Pb + Al, Gd + C, Gd + U, Xe + Sn, …) obtained at GANIL with the INDRA and NAUTILUS 4 π arrays will be presented. The study of reaction mechanisms has shown the dominant binary and highly dissipative character of the process. The two heavy and excited fragments produced after the first stage of the interaction can decay into various decay modes from evaporation to multifragmentation including fission. However, deviations from this simple picture have been found by analyzing angular and velocity distributions of light charged particles, and fragments. Indeed, there is a certain amount of matter in excess emitted between the two primary sources suggesting either the existence of a mid-rapidity source similar to the one observed in the relativistic regime (participants) or a strong deformation induced by the dynamics of the collision (neck instability). This last possibility has been suggested by analyzing in detail the angular distributions of the fragments. More precisely, we observe an isotropic component which is compatible with the prediction of statistical models and a second one corresponding to breakup aligned with the recoil direction of the projectile like source which should be compared with the predictions of dynamical calculations based on microscopic transport models.

Event categories in the EDELWEISS WIMP search experiment

Abstract We compare in detail central collisions Xe(50 AMeV) + Sn, recently measured by the INDRA collaboration, with the Quantum Molecular Dynamics (QMD) model in order to identify the reaction mechanism which leads to multifragmentation. We find that QMD describes most of the data quite well, in the projectile/target region as well as in the midrapidity zone where also statistical models can be and have been employed. The agreement between QMD and data allows us to use this dynamical model to investigate the reaction in detail. We arrive at the following observation: (a) the in-medium nucleon-nucleon cross section is not significantly different from the free cross section, (b) even the central collisions have a binary character, (c) most of the fragments are produced in the central collisions, (d) the simulations as well as the data show a strong attractive in-plane flow resembling deep inelastic collisions, and (e) at midrapidity the results from QMD and those from statistical model calculations agree for almost all of the observables with the exception of d 2 σ dZ dE . This renders it difficult to extract the reaction mechanism from midrapidity fragments only. According to the simulations the reaction shows a very early formation of fragments, even in central collisions, which pass through the reaction zone without being destroyed. The final transverse momentum of the fragments is very close to the initial one and due to the Fermi motion. A heating up of the systems is not observed and hence a thermal origin of the spectra cannot be confirmed. The disagreement between the simulations and the data for some observables is presumably due to a force range which is too large as compared to reality but necessary to keep the nuclei stable in these semiclassical approach.