First results on ^(76)Ge neutrinoless double beta decay from CDEX-1 experiment

We report the first results on ^(76)Ge neutrinoless double beta decay from stage one of the China dark-matter experiment(CDEX).A p-type point-contact high-purity germanium detector with a mass of 994 g has been installed to detect neutrinoless double beta decay events, as well as to directly detect dark matter particles. An exposure of 304 kg d has been analyzed over a wide spectral band from 500 keV to 3 MeV. The average event rate obtained was about 0.012 counts per keV per kg per day over the 2.039 MeV energy range. The half-life of ^(76)Ge neutrinoless double beta decay derived based on this result is T^(0ν)1/2>6.4×10^(22) yr(90% C.L.). An upper limit on the effective Majorana-neutrino mass of 5.0 eV has been achieved.

First experimental constraints on WIMP couplings in the effective field theory framework from CDEX

We present weakly interacting massive particles(WIMPs) search results performed using two approaches of effective field theory from the China Dark Matter Experiment(CDEX), based on the data from both CDEX-1B and CDEX-10 stages. In the nonrelativistic effective field theory approach, both time-integrated and annual modulation analyses were used to set new limits for the coupling of WIMP-nucleon effective operators at 90% confidence level(C.L.) and improve over the current bounds in the low mχregion. In the chiral effective field theory approach, data from CDEX-10 were used to set an upper limit on WIMP-pion coupling at 90% C.L. We for the first time extended the limit to the m_(χ)<6 GeV/c^(2) region.

Performances of a prototype point-contact germanium detector immersed in liquid nitrogen for light dark matter search

The CDEX-10 experiment searches for light weakly interacting massive particles, a form of dark matter, at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory, where approximately 10 kg of germanium detectors are arranged in an array and immersed in liquid nitrogen. Herein, we report on the experimental apparatus, detector characterization, and spectrum analysis of one prototype detector. Owing to the higher rise-time resolution of the CDEX-10 prototype detector as compared with CDEX-1 B, we identified the origin of an observed category of extremely fast events. For data analysis of the CDEX-10 prototype detector, we introduced and applied an improved bulk/surface event discrimination method. The results of the new method were compared to those of the CDEX-1 B spectrum. Both sets of results showed good consistency in the 0-12 ke Vee energy range, except for the 8.0 keV K-shell X-ray peak from the external copper.

A prototype segmented planar high purity germanium detector using wraparound lithium diffusion electrode and amorphous germanium blocking contact

Purpose Segmented high purity germanium(HPGe)detectors have been used in many experiments to measure the position and energy deposition of gamma ray interactions.Significant efforts have been made to optimize the design and simplify the fabrication process.Amorphous germanium(aGe)coating is a desirable method to realize blocking contact and facilitate the segmentation.Method In this study,a prototype segmented planar HPGe detector is fabricated using a wraparound lithium diffusion electrode for bias voltage applying and reliable mechanical mounting.A low leakage current design is realized based on conventional chemical polishing and aGe blocking.A guard ring(GR)is used to protect the metal strip electrodes within it from the surface leakage current.The GR and strip electrodes are coated onto the aGe layer.A multichannel charge sensitive preamplifier is connected to the strip electrodes,and the signal waveforms are digitized using a multichannel 100 MS/s analog-to-digital converter.Results and conclusion The charge collection time and amplitude are analyzed.An average energy resolution of 2 keV(full width at half maximum,FWHM)is realized at 662 keV.Charge collection is simulated via a Monte Carlo program.The spatial resolution is also estimated using the program.The front-end response and measured noise level are considered.According to the simulation results,sub-millimeter(FWHM at 122 keV)resolution can be achieved at the current noise level.