Related papers: Radiogenic Neutron Yield Calculations for Low-Back…
Characterizing low-energy, keV-range nuclear recoils near the detector threshold is one of the major challenges for large direct dark matter detectors. To that end, we have successfully used a Yttrium-Beryllium photoneutron source that…
The simulation of the neutron background for Phase II of the SIMPLE direct dark matter search experiment is fully reported with various improvements relative to previous estimates. The model employs the Monte Carlo MCNP neutron transport…
Nuclear recoil ionization yield constitutes a critical uncertainty source in low-energy detection for dark matter (DM) and coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS) experiments. We present a novel methodology employing…
Nuclear reactors represent a promising neutrino source for CE$\nu$NS (coherent-elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering) searches. However, reactor sites also come with high ambient neutron flux. Neutron capture-induced nuclear recoils can…
The search for sub-GeV dark matter via scattering on electrons has ramped up in the last few years. Like in the case of dark matter scattering on nuclei, electron-recoil-based searches also face an ultimate background in the form of…
Simulations of the neutron background for future large-scale particle dark matter detectors are presented. Neutrons were generated in rock and detector elements via spontaneous fission and (alpha,n) reactions, and by cosmic-ray muons. The…
Recent developments of the nuclear emulsion technology led to the production of films with nanometric silver halide grains suitable to track low energy nuclear recoils with submicrometric length. This improvement opens the way to a…
We present initial results on nuclear recoil detection based on the fluorescence of color centers created by nuclear recoils in lithium fluoride. We use gamma rays, fast and thermal neutrons, and study the difference in responses they…
The $\nu$BDX-DRIFT collaboration seeks to detect low-energy nuclear recoils from CE$\nu$NS or BSM interactions at FNAL. Backgrounds due to rock neutrons are an important concern. We present a~\texttt{GENIE} and~\texttt{GEANT4} based model…
We report a measurement of the ionization efficiency of silicon nuclei recoiling with sub-keV kinetic energy in the bulk silicon of a charge-coupled device (CCD). Nuclear recoils are produced by low-energy neutrons ($<$24 keV) from a…
We report the first measurements of the absolute ionization yield of nuclear recoils in liquid xenon, as a function of energy and electric-field. Independent experiments were carried out with two dual-phase time projection chamber…
The emission of $\gamma$-rays after a neutron capture in a cryogenic detector can generate mono-energetic nuclear recoils in the sub-keV regime, of direct interest for the calibration of Dark Matter and Coherent Elastic Neutrino Nucleus…
The neutron yield in $^{12}$C(d,n)$^{13}$N and the proton yield in $^{12}C(d,p)^{13}$C have been measured by deuteron beam from 0.6 MeV to 3 MeV which is delivered from a 4-MeV electro static accelerator bombarding on the thick carbon…
Nuclear recoils in crystal detectors generate radiation damage in the form of crystal defects that can be measured in scientific-grade CCDs as local hot spots of leakage current stimulated by temperature increases in the devices. In this…
The XENON100 experiment, installed underground at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), aims to directly detect dark matter in the form of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) via their elastic scattering off xenon nuclei.…
We calculate the yield of high energy neutrinos produced in astrophysical sources with negligible magnetic fields varying their interaction depth from nearly transparent to opaque. We take into account the scattering of secondaries on…
Alpha from natural radioactivity may interact with a nucleus and emit a neutron. The reaction introduces background to the liquid scintillator (LS) based neutrino experiments. In the LS detector, alpha comes from 238U, 232Th and 210Po decay…
Neutrons produced in nuclear interactions initiated by cosmic-ray muons present an irreducible background to many rare-event searches, even in detectors located deep underground. Models for the production of these neutrons have been tested…
In recent years, dark matter direct detection experiments have spurred interest in the Migdal effect, where it is employed to extend their sensitivity to lower dark matter masses. Given the lack of observation of the Migdal effect, the…
Liquid xenon-based direct detection dark matter experiments have recently expanded their searches to include high-energy nuclear recoil events as motivated by effective field theory dark matter and inelastic dark matter interaction models,…