Mainz 2022 – scientific programme
Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help
HK: Fachverband Physik der Hadronen und Kerne
HK 44: Astroparticle Physics II
HK 44.3: Talk
Wednesday, March 30, 2022, 15:00–15:15, HK-H10
Characterisation of the plasma in the tritium source of KATRIN with Krypton-83m — •Matthias Böttcher1, Caroline Fengler2, Manuel Klein2, Moritz Machatschek2, Magnus Schlösser2, and Jaroslav Storek2 for the KATRIN collaboration — 1WWU Münster, Germany — 2KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
The KATRIN experiment has the aim to measure the electron-antineutrino mass with the unprecedented sensitivity of 0.2 eV/c2 at 90 % C. L., using a direct kinematic measurement of the tritium beta spectrum. This requires precise understanding of systematic effects in the gaseous tritium source. Within this radioactive source, a low-density plasma at around 80 K forms, consisting of secondary electrons and ionised molecules. The plasma, influenced by the properties of the source tube, exhibits an electric potential distribution which smears out the beta spectrum. To characterize this effect, gaseous Kr-83m can be injected into the tritium source. Its well defined conversion electron lines, especially the narrow N23 doublet, allow for precise determination of energy broadenings and shifts. A dedicated measurement phase with an ultra high intensity krypton source was performed in 2021. In this talk, we describe the use of Kr-83m to assess the plasma systematics of the KATRIN source.
This work is supported by BMBF under contract number 05A20PMA.