Radioactive contamination of ZnWO4 crystal scintillators

The radioactive contamination of ZnWO4 crystal scintillators has been measured deep underground at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) of the INFN in Italy with a total exposure 3197 kg x h. Monte Carlo simulation, time-amplitude and pulse-shape analyses of the data have been applied to estima...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:arXiv.org 2010-09
Main Authors: Belli, P, Bernabei, R, Cappella, F, Cerulli, R, Danevich, F A, Dubovik, A M, d'Angelo, S, Galashov, E N, Grinyov, B V, Incicchitti, A, Kobychev, V V, Laubenstein, M, Nagornaya, L L, Nozzoli, F, Poda, D V, Podviyanuk, R B, Polischuk, O G, Prosperi, D, Shlegel, V N, Tretyak, V I, Tupitsyna, I A, Vasiliev, Ya V, Yu Ya Vostretsov
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Background radiation
Beta decay
Computer simulation
Contamination
Crystal growth
Crystallization
Monte Carlo simulation
Radioactive wastes
Radioactivity
Radioisotopes
Scientific imaging
Scintillation counters
Spectrometry
Spectroscopy
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Summary:The radioactive contamination of ZnWO4 crystal scintillators has been measured deep underground at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) of the INFN in Italy with a total exposure 3197 kg x h. Monte Carlo simulation, time-amplitude and pulse-shape analyses of the data have been applied to estimate the radioactive contamination of the ZnWO4 samples. One of the ZnWO4 crystals has also been tested by ultra-low background gamma spectrometry. The radioactive contaminations of the ZnWO4 samples do not exceed 0.002 -- 0.8 mBq/kg (depending on the radionuclide), the total alpha activity is in the range: 0.2 - 2 mBq/kg. Particular radioactivity, beta active 65Zn and alpha active 180W, has been detected. The effect of the re-crystallization on the radiopurity of the ZnWO4 crystal has been studied. The radioactive contamination of samples of the ceramic details of the set-ups used in the crystals growth has been checked by low background gamma spectrometry. A project scheme on further improvement of the radiopurity level of the ZnWO4 crystal scintillators is briefly addressed.
ISSN:2331-8422
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.1009.0898