Scholars@Duke publication: Search for the β decay of 96Zr

Search for the β decay of 96Zr

Publication , Journal Article

Finch, SW; Tornow, W

Published in: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment

January 11, 2016

Published version (DOI)

⁹⁶Zr and ⁴⁸Ca are unique among double-β decay candidate nuclides in that they may also undergo single-β decay. In the case of ⁹⁶Zr, the single-β decay mode is dominated by the fourth-forbidden β decay with a 119 keV Q value. A search was conducted for the β decay of ⁹⁶Zr by observing the decay of the daughter ⁹⁶Nb nucleus. Two coaxial high-purity germanium detectors were used in coincidence to detect the γ-ray cascade produced by the daughter nucleus as it de-excited to the ground state. The experiment was carried out at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility and produced 685.7 days of data with a 17.91 g enriched sample. No counts were seen above background, producing a limit of T1/2>2.4×¹⁰¹⁹year. This is the first experimental search that is able to discern between the β decay and the double-β decay to an excited state of ⁹⁶Zr.

Duke Scholars

Author Sean Finch

Author Werner Tornow Physics

Published In

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment

DOI

10.1016/j.nima.2015.09.098

ISSN

0168-9002

Publication Date

January 11, 2016

Volume

806

Start / End Page

70 / 74

Related Subject Headings

Nuclear & Particles Physics
5106 Nuclear and plasma physics
0299 Other Physical Sciences
0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences

Citation

APA

Chicago

ICMJE

MLA

NLM

Finch, S. W., & Tornow, W. (2016). Search for the β decay of 96Zr. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment, 806, 70–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.09.098

Finch, S. W., and W. Tornow. “Search for the β decay of 96Zr.” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment 806 (January 11, 2016): 70–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.09.098.

Finch SW, Tornow W. Search for the β decay of 96Zr. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment. 2016 Jan 11;806:70–4.

Finch, S. W., and W. Tornow. “Search for the β decay of 96Zr.” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment, vol. 806, Jan. 2016, pp. 70–74. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.nima.2015.09.098.

Published In

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment

DOI

10.1016/j.nima.2015.09.098

ISSN

0168-9002

Publication Date

January 11, 2016

Volume

806

Start / End Page

70 / 74

Related Subject Headings

Nuclear & Particles Physics
5106 Nuclear and plasma physics
0299 Other Physical Sciences
0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences