First measurements with a new $\beta$-electron detector for spectral shape studies
Résumé
The shape of the spectrum corresponding to the electrons emitted in $\beta$ decay carries a wealth of information about nuclear structure and fundamental physics. In spite of that, few dedicated measurements have been made of $\beta$-spectrum shapes. In this work we present a newly developed detector for $\beta$ electrons based on a telescope concept. A thick plastic scintillator is employed in coincidence with a thin silicon detector. First measurements employing this detector have been carried out with mono-energetic electrons from the high-energy resolution electron-beam spectrometer at Bordeaux. Here we report on the good reproduction of the experimental spectra of mono-energetic electrons using Monte Carlo simulations. This is a crucial step for future experiments, where a detailed Monte Carlo characterization of the detector is needed to determine the shape of the $\beta$-electron spectra by deconvolution of the measured spectra with the response function of the detector. A chamber to contain two telescope assemblies has been designed for future $\beta$-decay experiments at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility in Jyväskylä, aimed at improving our understanding of reactor antineutrino spectra.
Mots clés
radioactive-beam ion sources)
Hybrid detectors
Spectrometers
Detector modelling and simulations I (interaction of radiation with matter
interaction of photons with matter
interaction of hadrons with matter
etc)
Instrumentation for radioactive beams (fragmentation devices
fragment and isotope
separators incl. ISOL
isobar separators
ion and atom traps
weak-beam diagnostics