Skip to main content
Journal cover image

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

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

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

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

DOI

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.
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;806:70–74.
Journal cover image

Published In

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

DOI

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