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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Modeling athermal phonons in novel materials using the G4CMP simulation toolkit

Understanding phonon and charge propagation in superconducting devices plays an important role in both performing low-threshold dark matter searches and limiting correlated errors in superconducting qubits. The Geant4 Condensed Matter Physics (G4CMP) package, originally developed for the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) experiment, models charge and phonon transport within silicon and germanium detectors and has been validated by experimental measurements of phonon caustics, mean charge-carrier drift velocities, and heat pulse propagation times. Here, in this work, we present a concise framework for expanding the capabilities for phonon transport to a number of other novel substrate materials of interest to the dark matter and quantum computing communities, including sapphire (Al 2 O 3 ), gallium arsenide (GaAs), lithium fluoride (LiF), calcium tungstate (CaWO 4 ), and calcium fluoride (CaF 2 ). We demonstrate the use of this framework in generating phonon transport properties of these materials and compare these properties with experimentally-determined values where available.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Sim-to-real supervised domain adaptation for radioisotope identification

Machine learning has the potential to improve the speed and reliability of radioisotope identification using gamma spectroscopy. However, meticulously labeling an experimental dataset for training is often prohibitively expensive, while training models purely on synthetic data is risky due to the domain gap between simulated and experimental measurements. In this research, we demonstrate that supervised domain adaptation can substantially improve the performance of radioisotope identification models by transferring knowledge between synthetic and experimental data domains. We consider two domain adaptation scenarios: (1) a simulation-to-simulation adaptation, where we perform multi-label proportion estimation using simulated high-purity germanium detectors, and (2) a simulation-to-experimental adaptation, where we perform multi-class, single-label classification using measured spectra from handheld lanthanum bromide (LaBr) and sodium iodide (NaI) detectors. We begin by pretraining a spectral classifier on synthetic data using a custom transformer-based neural network. After subsequent fine-tuning on just 64 labeled experimental spectra, we achieve a test accuracy of 96% in the sim-to-real scenario with a LaBr detector, far surpassing a synthetic-only baseline model (75%) and a model trained from scratch (80%) on the same 64 spectra. Furthermore, we demonstrate that domain-adapted models learn more human-interpretable features than experiment-only baseline models. Overall, our results highlight the potential for supervised domain adaptation techniques to bridge the sim-to-real gap in radioisotope identification, enabling the development of accurate and explainable classifiers even in real-world scenarios where access to experimental data is limited.

Lalor, Peter W.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dense autoencoders, clustering techniques, and semi-supervised learning for HPGe $γ$-spectra

Classifying high-resolution gamma spectra by their isotopic content is an essential task in nuclear forensics and other applications. Traditional analysis methods are often time-intensive, but machine learning (ML) may help analysts quickly process many spectra. Such methods tend to rely on abundant, well-labeled data for training. Historical gamma data exists in various fields but is not uniformly useful for supervised ML due to inconsistent labeling. Here, to address some of these challenges, we present a method to classify and organize unlabeled data from high-purity germanium detectors using an autoencoding neural network (autoencoder). We trained dense autoencoders to compress gamma data into latent representations that enable efficient data characterization. By clustering the encoded spectra or lower-dimensional mappings of them, we identified and removed portions of over-abundant data categories, resulting in a more balanced dataset and improved autoencoder performance. This encoding and clustering pipeline also enabled the organization of spectra into self-consistent categories. Finally, we found that encoded representations showed potential as inputs for semi-supervised learning of nuclide identification (NID) labels, achieving an average F1 score of 0.85 ± 0.03 when mapping encodings to a set of 65 isotope labels.

Autoencoders↗
DOE OSTI2026

Coupling of TIGRESS and EMMA with Auxiliary Array TIP at TRIUMF

The combination of a germanium detector array and recoil mass spectrometer allows for high-sensitivity experiments in nuclear structure and astrophysics by enabling high-energy-resolution -ray spectroscopy and reaction measurements of weak fusion-evaporation, transfer or radiative-capture reactions in the presence of dominant background reaction channels. The TIGRESS -ray spectrometer with an upgraded data acquisition system has been coupled with the EMMA mass spectrometer alongside a suite of auxiliary detectors housed within TIGRESS such as TIP. This paper reviews the unique combination of radioactive beams at TRIUMF with the capabilities of TIGRESS and EMMA in the context of fusion-evaporation with TIP and radiative-capture reactions without an auxiliary array.

A/Q identification↗
DOE OSTI2026

Measurements of excitation functions and photoneutron cross sections of 96,98,99,104 Ru and 100 Mo

Photoneutron cross sections were extracted for isotopes of ruthenium and molybdenum on natural abundance targets via a reduced chi-squared analysis on excitation functions, or activation yields, as function of electron beam energy. Bremsstrahlung photons were produced via an electron linear accelerator and a tungsten radiator at the Idaho Accelerator Center. A total of 16 irradiations were performed with electron beam energies ranging from approximately 8 MeV to 23 MeV. Induced radioactivity was measured using a high purity germanium detector. The cross sections were extracted assuming a three parameter Lorentzian fit with a smooth truncated rise at reaction threshold.

07 - ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Search for charge non-conservation and Pauli exclusion principle violation with the M AJORANA D EMONSTRATOR

Charge conservation and the Pauli exclusion principle result from fundamental symmetries in the standard model of particle physics, and are typically taken as axiomatic. High-precision tests for small violations of these symmetries could point to new physics. Here we consider three models for violation of these processes, which would produce detectable ionization in the high-purity germanium detectors of the M AJORANA D EMONSTRATOR experiment. Using a 37.5 kg yr exposure, we report a lower limit on the electron mean lifetime, improving the previous best limit for the e → v e $\overline{v_e}$ v e decay channel by more than an order of magnitude. Here, we also present searches for two types of violation of the Pauli exclusion principle, setting limits on the probability of an electron to be found in a symmetric quantum state.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

First on-line detection of radioactive fission isotopes produced by laser-accelerated protons

Abstract The on-going developments in laser acceleration of protons and light ions, as well as the production of strong bursts of neutrons and multi- $$\hbox {MeV}$$ MeV photons by secondary processes now provide a basis for novel high-flux nuclear physics experiments. While the maximum energy of protons resulting from Target Normal Sheath Acceleration is presently still limited to around $$100 \, \hbox {MeV}$$ 100 MeV , the generated proton peak flux within the short laser-accelerated bunches can already today exceed the values achievable at the most advanced conventional accelerators by orders of magnitude. This paper consists of two parts covering the scientific motivation and relevance of such experiments and a first proof-of-principle demonstration. In the presented experiment pulses of $$200 \, \hbox {J}$$ 200 J at $$\approx \, 500 \, \hbox {fs}$$ ≈ 500 fs duration from the PHELIX laser produced more than $$10^{12}$$ 10 12 protons with energies above $$15 \, \hbox {MeV}$$ 15 MeV in a bunch of sub-nanosecond duration. They were used to induce fission in foil targets made of natural uranium. To make use of the nonpareil flux, these targets have to be very close to the laser acceleration source, since the particle density within the bunch is strongly affected by Coulomb explosion and the velocity differences between ions of different energy. The main challenge for nuclear detection with high-purity germanium detectors is given by the strong electromagnetic pulse caused by the laser-matter interaction close to the laser acceleration source. This was mitigated by utilizing fast transport of the fission products by a gas flow to a carbon filter, where the $$\upgamma$$ γ -rays were registered. The identified nuclides include those that have half-lives down to $$39 \, \hbox {s}$$ 39 s . These results demonstrate the capability to produce, extract, and detect short-lived reaction products under the demanding experimental condition imposed by the high-power laser interaction. The approach promotes research towards relevant nuclear astrophysical studies at conditions currently only accessible at nuclear high energy density laser facilities.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cross sections of 147–149 Sm( 6 Li,x) reactions for the production of 149 Tb for targeted alpha therapy

Terbium-149g (t 1/2 = 4.12 h) is of particular interest for targeted alpha therapy cancer treatment due to its ability to decay via both alpha and positron emission, making it a potential theranostic nuclide. Due to many challenges facing its production, there are limited facilities worldwide that have demonstrated the ability to produce this nuclide in quantities sufficient for medical research. Since the Cyclotron Institute at Texas A&M University is a specialized accelerator facility capable of accelerating a wide variety of ions, we are investigating production pathway options. One of the major challenges facing its production is the known co-production of the excited isomeric state, 149m Tb (t 1/2 = 4.1 min). However, this state does not decay to the ground state of 149g Tb, negating any potential contribution to its yield. Due to its short-half life, the cross section for the population of this state has never been measured. After calculating several potential reaction yields using predictive models, the reactions of 147–149 Sm( 6 Li,xn) 149 Tb were identified as candidates. Lithium-6 beams of varied energies between 45-65 MeV were impinged on enriched 147 Sm, 148 Sm, and 149 Sm targets at the Cyclotron Institute at Texas A&M University, and the reaction products were measured immediately following irradiation using high-purity germanium detectors, enabling detection of both 149m Tb and 149g Tb. Cross sections for all nuclides produced in sufficient activity in these reactions were also measured and reported here. We conclude that the population of 149m Tb is much preferred over population of the ground state for these 6 Li-induced reactions, and it is necessary to explore other options for 149g Tb production.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Counting facilities at the Black Hills Underground Campus

The Black Hills Underground Campus (BHUC) houses a low background counting facility on the 4850’ level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) with ~4300 m w.e. of rock overburden. Currently there are five ultra-low-background, high-purity germanium detectors operating inside of a class-1,000 cleanroom at the Davis Campus, with a sixth anticipated to be installed within a year. Here, a robust nitrogen purge system and on-site personnel assistance allow these detectors to run continuously to support groups that need low background counting of materials.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Radioisotope production using lasers: From basic science to applications

The discovery of chirped pulse amplification has led to great improvements in laser technology, enabling energetic laser beams to be compressed to pulse durations of tens of femtoseconds and focused to a few micrometers. Protons with energies of tens of MeV can be accelerated using, for instance, target normal sheath acceleration and focused on secondary targets. Under such conditions, nuclear reactions can occur, with the production of radioisotopes suitable for medical application. The use of high-repetition lasers to produce such isotopes is competitive with conventional methods mostly based on accelerators. In this paper, we study the production of 67Cu, 63Zn, 18F, and 11C, which are currently used in positron emission tomography and other applications. At the same time, we study the reactions 10B(p,α)7Be and 70Zn(p,4n)67Ga to put further constraints on the proton distributions at different angles, as well as the reaction 11B(p,α)8Be relevant for energy production. The experiment was performed at the 1 PW laser facility at Vega III in Salamanca, Spain. Angular distributions of radioisotopes in the forward (with respect to the laser direction) and backward directions were measured using a high purity germanium detector. Our results are in reasonable agreement with numerical estimates obtained following the approach of Kimura and Bonasera [Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 637, 164–170 (2011)].

11C↗
DOE OSTI2025

Monitoring Methods for Early Detection of Inadvertent Fission Product Release at the Advanced Test Reactor

Isotope effluent data obtained during three instances of experiment failures at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) are analyzed to provide an overview of the methods used to detect initial signs of unintended fission product release. The data is contextualized with the operational experience, including means of identification and subsequent mitigation strategies, gained during these events. General trends as well as variations in isotopic behavior between the three failures are explored. Background on the Real Time Monitor, a High Purity Germanium detector, and other fission product monitoring systems utilized at the Advanced Test Reactor is also provided. The presented analysis was used to establish administrative action levels which are currently utilized by ATR for early detection of experiment fission product release. Early identification provides time to make programmatic decisions before approaching safety and environmental limits.

21 - SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLAN↗
DOE OSTI2020

Results of the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR’s Search for Double-Beta Decay of 76 Ge to Excited States of 76 Se

The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is searching for double-beta decay of 76 Ge to excited states (E.S.) in 76Se using a modular array of high purity Germanium detectors. 76 Ge can decay into three E.S.s of 76 Se. The E.S. decays have a clear event signature consisting of a ββ-decay with the prompt emission of one or two γ-rays, resulting in with high probability in a multi-site event. The granularity of the DEMONSTRATOR detector array enables powerful discrimination of this event signature from backgrounds. Using 21.3 kg-y of isotopic exposure, the DEMONSTRATOR has set world leading limits for each E.S. decay, with 90% CL lower half-life limits in the range of (0.56 – 2.1) • 10 24 y. In particular, for the 2v transition to the first 0 + E.S. of 76 Se, a lower half-life limit of 0.68 • 10 24 at 90% CL was achieved.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Production and validation of scintillating structural components from low-background Poly(ethylene naphthalate)

Poly Ethylene Naphthalate (PEN) is an industrial polymer plastic which is investigated as a low background, transparent, scintillating and wavelength shifting structural material. PEN scintillates in the blue region and has excellent mechanical properties both at room and cryogenic temperatures. Thus, it is an ideal candidate for active structural components in experiments for the search of rare events like neutrinoless double-beta decay or dark matter recoils. Such optically active structures improve the identification and rejection efficiency of backgrounds events, like this improving the sensitivity of experiments. This paper reports on the production of radiopure and transparent PEN plates These structures can be used to mount germanium detectors operating in cryogenic liquids (LAr, LN). Thus, as first application PEN holders will be used to mount the Ge detectors in the LEGEND-200 experiment. The whole process from cleaning the raw material to testing the PEN active components under final operational conditions is reported.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2022

The Majorana Demonstrator readout electronics system

The M AJORANA D EMONSTRATOR comprises two arrays of high-purity germanium detectors constructed to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76 Ge and other physics beyond the Standard Model. Its readout electronics were designed to have low electronic noise, and radioactive backgrounds were minimized by using low-mass components and low-radioactivity materials near the detectors. This paper provides a description of all components of the M AJORANA D EMONSTRATOR readout electronics, spanning the front-end electronics and internal cabling, back-end electronics, digitizer, and power supplies, along with the grounding scheme. The spectroscopic performance achieved with these readout electronics is also demonstrated.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Measurement of the 75 As ⁢(𝑛, 2⁢𝑛) cross section at 14.1 MeV at the National Ignition Facility

Here, a new measurement of the 75 As (𝑛, 2⁢𝑛) measurement was performed using the 14.1 MeV neutron pulse produced by fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The target material consisted of GaAs foils encapsulated in aluminum irradiation containers, along with Au monitor foils, and positioned in the NIF chamber during high neutron yield shots. After irradiation, the GaAs and Au foils were counted with high purity germanium detectors to assess the production of (𝑛, 2⁢𝑛) activation products to determine the flux and the cross section of interest. The measured cross section was 966 ± 71 mb at 14.1 ± 0.37 MeV. This work provides a proof of concept for a platform for performing “ride-along” cross section measurements at NIF to contribute to existing nuclear data as well as measure new cross sections in the future.

and nuclear chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2021

Measurements of Short-Lived Isomers from Photofission as a Method of Active Interrogation for Special Nuclear Materials

Isomeric fission products, such as 134m Te (T 1/2 = 164 ns) and 136m Xe (T 1/2 = 2.95 μs), are proposed as a signature of special nuclear materials in active interrogation applications. To test this conjecture, monoenergetic 9, 11, and 13 MeV photons from the HIγS facility are used to induce fission of 235 U, 238 U, and 239 Pu targets. The de-excitation γ rays of the isomers are measured using time-gated spectroscopy with high-purity germanium detectors. The 134m Te and 136m Xe isomers are detected and identified by the energy and decay half-life of their characteristic γ-ray transitions. The ratio of yields for these two signature γ rays, corresponding to 134m Te/( 136m Xe + 136 I), is found to be strongly correlated with the identity of the fissioning nuclei. These results show that fission-product isomers may be used in active interrogation to detect and identify special nuclear materials, even providing information on the isotopic enrichment. In conclusion, the feasibility of an active interrogation scenario using a bremsstrahlung beam is discussed.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Search for double-β decay of 76 Ge to excited states of 76 Se with the Majorana Demonstrator

The M AJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is a neutrinoless double-β decay search consisting of a low-background modular array of high-purity germanium detectors, ~2/3 of which are enriched to 88% in 76 Ge. The experiment is also searching for double-beta decay of 76 Ge to excited states (e.s.) in 76 Se. 76 Ge can decay into three daughter states of 76 Se, with clear event signatures consisting of a ββ-decay followed by the prompt emission of one or two γ rays. This results with high probability in multi-detector coincidences. In this work, the granularity of the DEMONSTRATOR detector array enables powerful discrimination of this event signature from backgrounds. Using 41.9 kg yr of isotopic exposure, the DEMONSTRATOR has set world leading limits for each e.s. decay of 76 Ge, with 90% CL lower half-life limits in the range of (0.75–4.0) × 10 24 yr. In particular, for the 2ν transition to the first 0 + e.s. of 76 Se, a lower half-life limit of 7.5 × 10 23 yr at 90% CL was achieved.

59 ≤ A ≤ 89↗
DOE OSTI2021

Stellar s-process neutron capture cross sections on 78,80,84,86 Kr determined via activation, atom trap trace analysis and decay counting

We present a detailed account of neutron capture experiments of astrophysical relevance on 78,80,84,86 Kr (n, γ) reactions at the border between weak and main s process. The experiments were performed with quasi-Maxwellian neutrons from the Liquid-Lithium Target (LiLiT) and the mA-proton beam at 1.93 MeV (2-3 kW) of the Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility (SARAF). The setup yields high-intensity approximate to 40 keV quasi-Maxwellian neutrons (3-5 x10 10 n/s) closely reproducing the conditions of s-process stellar nucleosynthesis. A sample of 100 mg of atmospheric, pre-nuclear-age Kr gas contained in a Ti spherical shell was activated in the LiLiT neutron field. The abundances of long-lived Kr isotopes ( 81,85g Kr) were measured by atom counting via atom trap trace analysis (ATTA) at Argonne National Laboratory and low-level counting (LLC) at University of Bern. This work is the first measurement of a nuclear cross section using atom counting via ATTA. The activities of short-lived Kr isotopes ( 79,85m,87 Kr) were measured by gamma-decay counting with a high-purity germanium detector. Maxwellian-averaged cross sections for s-process thermal energies are extracted. By comparison to reference values, our nucleosynthesis network calculations show that the experimental cross sections have a strong impact on calculated abundances of krypton and neighboring nuclides, in some cases improving agreement between theory and observations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗