Neutrino physics with SoLid and SuperNEMO experiments

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68407700%3A90072%2F18%3A00344250" target="_blank" >RIV/68407700:90072/18:00344250 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="http://theses.fr/2018SACLS272" target="_blank" >http://theses.fr/2018SACLS272</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Neutrino physics with SoLid and SuperNEMO experiments

Original language description

Neutrinos are the most abundant fundamental particles of matter in the Universe. They were detected for the first time in 1956. Since then, several experiments have tried to unveil their mysteries. They only interact weakly so they are difficult to detect. It is known that their masses are very low and that they can oscillate between three leptonic flavours. However, several questions remain about their masses, their nature or the existence of sterile neutrinos. This thesis addresses the last two questions with two different experiments: SuperNEMO and SoLid. The goal of the SuperNEMO experiment is to understand the nature of neutrinos, whether it is its own antiparticle (Majorana particle) or not (Dirac particle). This is investigated by searching for neutrinoless double beta decay as this process is possible only if neutrinos are Majorana particles. Source foils of the double beta emitter ⁸(2)Se are installed at the center of the SuperNEMO demonstrator which is being assembled at the Modane Underground Laboratory. This detector is composed of a wire chamber to detect the tracks of the two electrons emitted in the decays and a calorimeter to measure their energies. Neutrinoless double beta decay measurement is very difficult because if this process exists, it is extremely rare. An important work has thus to be done to decrease backgrounds from cosmic rays or natural radioactivity. In this thesis, different backgrounds have been simulated to understand their impact on the measurement of the energy of the two electrons from ⁸(2)Se double beta decay. It is shown that radioactivity from photomultipliers glasses will not be negligible but it will be possible to measure it precisely in dedicated channels. Copper foils have also been simulated in the source strips to demonstrate that they can help to control efficiently the backgrounds. Following this work, it has been decided to install copper foils in addition to ⁸(2)Se foils.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10303 - Particles and field physics

Project

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Continuities

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Publication year

2018

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů