Blog
November 2024 @ ChipIR (UK)
Cosmogenic activation reproduction @ ChipIR
We successfully irradiated various samples of archaeological Pb at the ChipIR facility. This allowed us to simulate and reproduce the effects of cosmogenic activation on the RES-NOVA crystals. The unique capabilities of the ChipIR facility lie in its ability to simulate exposure to cosmic rays equivalent to hundreds of years in just a few hours of irradiation.
We extend our gratitude to the scientific staff at ChipIR for their invaluable support!
November 2024 @ UNIMIB
Angelo's Bachelor thesis defense!
Angelo, a brave young doctor who dares to become the first Bachelor student of RES-NOVA.
Congrats!
November 2024 @ UNIMIB
Zone Refining of arch-Pb
The current purity of our archaeological-Pb (after refining and atomization) is about 99.97%. This is enough for our needs, however we might suffer from low yield of crystal production. For this reason we are starting an R&D on Zone Refining (ZR). We believe that with this methodology we can achieve a purity >6N, like in semiconductor industries. In the picture you can see an arch-Pb sample prepared for ZR. This was made from the Pb that was assayed at the LNGS.
November 2024 @ LNGS
We have a very small dedicated storage area @ LNGS
Likely, we now have a small storage aread at the underground lab of LNGS. This will be key for storing the refined Pb, that could get activated while the refining processes above ground.
We have transfered into our hut the ~100 kg of purified Pb. This will be refined and atomized before being ship to our friend at SICCAS.
October 2024 @ LNGS
arch-PbWO4 cryo-measurement
The Gran Sasso team managed to run two small size prototype detectors of arch-PbWO4. One detector is equipped with a Ge-NTD, and it is featuring a sub-keV baseline energy resolution. This detector will be used for low-energy studies. The other detector is equipped with a TES (same as this) and it will help us in benchmarking the electronics noise at the few pA/sqrt(Hz).
September 2024 @ UNIMIB
Alpha screening of Roman Pb
After over two months of background characterization, we set up our alpha screening stations. We are now investigating the surface activity of our Archaeological-Pb samples, produced using the same procedure as the bricks made in May 2024. The background rate of our detector in the 3-11 MeV region is below 0.015 c/h/cm².
July 2024 @ LNGS
Roman Pb on GeMPI2
We started the gamma-screening of the first 100 kg batch of the purified Archaeological Roman Pb at LNGS. We are using one of the best HP-Ge detector available at LNGS, and despite this the measurement will go on for at least 3 months. We are expecting to observe nothing! Roman Pb has an extremely small content of residual natural radioactivity.
UPDATE (Oct2024): unfortunately due to an UPS failure the measurement was stopped. Data will be available soon!
June 2024 @ 3DLab (PL)
Roman Pb Atomization
Thanks to the advance technology of 3D-Lab, and to our LNGS friends, we have successfully atomized 1.5 kg of Archaeological Pb. With this powder we will be able to produce PbWO4 crystals using the Archaeological Pb.
May 2024 @ UNIMIB/INFN
Refining Archaeo-Pb
At the UNIMIB Physics department we purified and processed the first batch of 100 kg of Archaeological Pb. The main goals were: improve the chemical purification, and produce regualr shape bricks of Pb. These will simplify the following step: the gamma-screening at LNGS with a gamma spectrometer.
April 2024 @ Shanghai
The Chemical Plant
We visited the Kunshan Chemical Plant. The place where Pb will be converted into PbO and where WO3 is produced. These are the two main ingredients for the production of RES-NOVA crystals.