Fluorescent bicolour sensor for low-background neutrinoless double β decay experiments

Iván Rivilla, Borja Aparicio, Juan M. Bueno, David Casanova, Claire Tonnelé, Zoraida Freixa, Pablo Herrero, Celia Rogero, José I. Miranda, Rosa M. Martínez-Ojeda, Francesc Monrabal, Beñat Olave, Thomas Schäfer, Pablo Artal, David Nygren, Fernando P. Cossío () and Juan J. Gómez-Cadenas ()
Additional contact information
Iván Rivilla: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Borja Aparicio: University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Centro de Innovación en Química Avanzada (ORFEO-CINQA)
Juan M. Bueno: University of Murcia
David Casanova: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Claire Tonnelé: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Zoraida Freixa: Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science
Pablo Herrero: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Celia Rogero: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
José I. Miranda: University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
Rosa M. Martínez-Ojeda: University of Murcia
Francesc Monrabal: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Beñat Olave: University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
Thomas Schäfer: Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science
Pablo Artal: University of Murcia
David Nygren: University of Texas at Arlington
Fernando P. Cossío: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Juan J. Gómez-Cadenas: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)

Nature, 2020, vol. 583, issue 7814, 48-54

Abstract: Abstract Observation of the neutrinoless double β decay is the only practical way to establish that neutrinos are their own antiparticles1. Because of the small masses of neutrinos, the lifetime of neutrinoless double β decay is expected to be at least ten orders of magnitude greater than the typical lifetimes of natural radioactive chains, which can mimic the experimental signature of neutrinoless double β decay2. The most robust identification of neutrinoless double β decay requires the definition of a signature signal—such as the observation of the daughter atom in the decay—that cannot be generated by radioactive backgrounds, as well as excellent energy resolution. In particular, the neutrinoless double β decay of 136Xe could be established by detecting the daughter atom, 136Ba2+, in its doubly ionized state3–8. Here we demonstrate an important step towards a ‘barium-tagging’ experiment, which identifies double β decay through the detection of a single Ba2+ ion. We propose a fluorescent bicolour indicator as the core of a sensor that can detect single Ba2+ ions in a high-pressure xenon gas detector. In a sensor made of a monolayer of such indicators, the Ba2+ dication would be captured by one of the molecules and generate a Ba2+-coordinated species with distinct photophysical properties. The presence of such a single Ba2+-coordinated indicator would be revealed by its response to repeated interrogation with a laser system, enabling the development of a sensor able to detect single Ba2+ ions in high-pressure xenon gas detectors for barium-tagging experiments.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2431-5

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