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The HUNTER Experiment: A precision massive-neutrino search based on a laser-cooled atomic source
Palmaccio, Victoria
Palmaccio, Victoria
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Thesis/Dissertation
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2025-05
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Physics
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https://doi.org/10.34944/41fg-8c40
Abstract
The HUNTER (Heavy Unseen Neutrinos from Total Energy-momentum Reconstruction) experiment bridges Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) physics with nuclear physics to search for a long-theorized particle. This elusive particle could provide key insights into the universe's mysteries, including dark matter and baryon asymmetry. The hypothesis of the sterile neutrino emerged from the discovery of neutrino oscillations, where experiments observed a discrepancy between the expected and detected neutrino flux, prompting deeper investigations into the nature of neutrino mass. The leading explanation for the small mass of neutrinos is the `see-saw' mechanism, which proposes that all neutrino flavor eigenstates arise from the mixing of active neutrinos with small masses and (left-) right-handed `sterile' (anti-) neutrinos with large masses. The sterile neutrino is considered a candidate for new physics beyond the Standard Model, and the HUNTER experiment is searching for these neutrinos in the 20-280 keV mass range using high-precision measurements.
The HUNTER experiment studies the electron capture decay of laser-cooled, magneto-optically trapped 131-Cs. During decay, 131-Cs produces a 131-Xe ion, X-ray, Auger electrons, and a neutrino. Assuming the 131-Cs was initially at rest, the momenta of all decay products, except the neutrino, will be measured with high-precision detectors. The missing neutrino mass will then be reconstructed using energy-momentum conservation. The thesis will cover the design and testing of the X-ray detector, the simulation of the electron spectrometer coils, and the development of the MOT system and hyperfine experiment.
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