Development of a Low Background Environment for the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search

Abstract

In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission.

Backgrounds to Sensitive Experiments Underground

“…These isotopes are found at much lower concentrations, due to the low relative abundance of argon in the atmosphere (Table 11). Spallation activities produced from neon, krypton, and xenon are too small to affect most experiments (154).…”

Production Rate Measurement of Tritium and Other Cosmogenic Isotopes in Germanium with CDMSlite

“…The CDMSlite detector has a well documented location history. After crystal pulling on November 24 th , 2008 at ORTEC, in Oak Ridge, TN, the detector spent 1065 days above ground during the fabrication and testing process at various locations in the San Francisco Bay Area (including Berkeley, Stanford, and SLAC), with intermittent storage periods in a shallow underground tunnel at Stanford that has shielding of 16 m water equivalent [76] against cosmic rays. Subsequently the detector was brought to the Soudan Underground Laboratory (1100 m water equivalent) on October 25 th , 2011.…”