Spectroscopy of Ba and Ba+ deposits in solid xenon for barium tagging in nEXO

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Progress on a method of barium tagging for the nEXO double beta decay experiment is reported. Absorption and emission spectra for deposits of barium atoms and ions in solid xenon matrices are presented. Excitation spectra for prominent emission lines, temperature dependence, and bleaching of the fluorescence reveal the existence of different matrix sites. A regular series of sharp lines observed in Ba+ deposits is identified with some type of barium hydride molecule. Lower limits for the fluorescence quantum efficiency of the principal Ba emission transition are reported. Under current conditions, an image of fewer than or equal to 104 Ba atoms can be obtained. Prospects for imaging single Ba atoms in solid xenon are discussed.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Mong, B; Cook, S; Walton, T; Chambers, C; Craycraft, A; Benitez-Medina, C; Hall, K; Fairbank, W; Albert, JB; Auty, DJ; Barbeau, PS; Basque, V; Beck, D; Breidenbach, M; Brunner, T; Cao, GF; Cleveland, B; Coon, M; Daniels, T; Daugherty, SJ; Devoe, R; Didberidze, T; Dilling, J; Dolinski, MJ; Dunford, M; Fabris, L; Farine, J; Feldmeier, W; Fierlinger, P; Fudenberg, D; Giroux, G; Gornea, R; Graham, K; Gratta, G; Heffner, M; Hughes, M; Jiang, XS; Johnson, TN; Johnston, S; Karelin, A; Kaufman, LJ; Killick, R; Koffas, T; Kravitz, S; Krücken, R; Kuchenkov, A; Kumar, KS; Leonard, DS; Licciardi, C; Lin, YH; Ling, J; Maclellan, R; Marino, MG; Moore, D; Odian, A; Ostrovskiy, I; Piepke, A; Pocar, A; Retiere, F; Rowson, PC; Rozo, MP; Schubert, A; Sinclair, D; Smith, E; Stekhanov, V; Tarka, M; Tolba, T; Twelker, K; Vuilleumier, JL; Walton, J; Weber, M; Wen, LJ; Wichoski, U; Yang, L; Yen, YR; Zhao, YB

Published Date

  • February 10, 2015

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 91 / 2

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1094-1622

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1050-2947

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1103/PhysRevA.91.022505

Citation Source

  • Scopus