Heidelberg 2007 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 215: Niederenergetische Neutrinos I

T 215.6: Talk

Tuesday, March 6, 2007, 18:00–18:15, INF 306 SR 14

Neutron interactions with segmented germanium detectors studies with a GERDA Phase II prototype detector — •Jing Liu, Iris Abt, Allen Caldwell, Manuela Jelen, Kevin Kröninger, Daniel Lenz, Xiang Liu, Bela Majorovits, and Jens Schubert — Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, Föhringer Ring 6,80805 München

The GERmanium Detector Array, GERDA, is designed to search for “neutrinoless double beta decay” (0ν2β) with Germanium detectors enriched in ⁷⁶Ge. The estimate of neutron induced background relies purely on Geant4 simulations.

In order to study neutron interactions with the Germanium itself as well as the surrounding materials, a prototype detector for GERDA Phase II with 18 segments was exposed to an AmBe neutron source. The simulated results from the Geant4-based MaGe MC package agree in general with the measurements, thus verifying the MC used. The Geant4 package is able to simulate most de-excitation photons from the Germanium isotopes and the nuclei recoil process after interacting with neutrons. However, some physics processes are missing in the simulation.