Cerenkov light identification with Si low-temperature detectors with Neganov-Luke effect-enhanced sensitivity
/ Authors
L. Gironi, M. Biassoni, C. Brofferio, S. Capelli, P. Carniti, L. Cassina, M. Clemenza, O. Cremonesi, M. Faverzani, E. Ferri
and 15 more authors
E. Fossati, Andrea Giachero, C. Giordano, C. Gotti, M. Maino, B. Margesin, F. Moretti, A. Nucciotti, M. Pavan, G. Pessina, S. Pozzi, E. Previtali, A. Puiu, M. Sisti, F. Terranova
/ Abstract
A new generation of cryogenic light detectors exploiting Neganov-Luke effect to enhance the thermal signal has been used to detect the Cherenkov light emitted by the electrons interacting in TeO2 crystals. With this mechanism a high significance event-by-event discrimination between alpha and beta/gamma interactions at the 130Te neutrino-less double beta decay Q-value (2527.515 ± 0.013) keV has been demonstrated. This measurement opens the possibility of drastically reducing the background in cryogenic experiments based on TeO2.