Sub-keV energy calibration of CONUS+ via 71Ge M-shell neutron activation

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: García, E. Sánchez, Shi, Y., Ackermann, N., Bonet, H., Buck, C., Hakenmüller, J., Heusser, G., Lindner, M., Maneschg, W., Meier, M., Mertens, S., Piani, D., Rink, T., Strecker, H.
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2026
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author García, E. Sánchez
Shi, Y.
Ackermann, N.
Bonet, H.
Buck, C.
Hakenmüller, J.
Heusser, G.
Lindner, M.
Maneschg, W.
Meier, M.
Mertens, S.
Piani, D.
Rink, T.
Strecker, H.
author_facet García, E. Sánchez
Shi, Y.
Ackermann, N.
Bonet, H.
Buck, C.
Hakenmüller, J.
Heusser, G.
Lindner, M.
Maneschg, W.
Meier, M.
Mertens, S.
Piani, D.
Rink, T.
Strecker, H.
contents The CONUS+ experiment has recently reported the first detection of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) of reactor antineutrinos on germanium nuclei and is now entering a precision phase. The dominant uncertainty in the first measurement was the energy scale, which contributed 14% to the uncertainty of the prediction of the combined signal. We present a dedicated neutron activation campaign in which one of the new 2.4 kg CONUS+ germanium detectors was irradiated with a strong 241AmBe source, demonstrating that a contribution below 4% to the uncertainty of signal prediction is achievable. For the first time, the 71Ge M-shell X-ray line was clearly resolved at (158.7+-1.4) eVee, validating the CONUS+ energy reconstruction down to the detection threshold. This validation includes the understanding of the energy scale, the energy resolution, the trigger efficiency, and the correct separation of physical from noise events. These results establish the foundation for a future activation campaign at the Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt reactor site, strengthening the CONUS+ energy calibration and extending its sensitivity to precision CEvNS and beyond Standard Model physics measurements.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_25748
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Sub-keV energy calibration of CONUS+ via 71Ge M-shell neutron activation
García, E. Sánchez
Shi, Y.
Ackermann, N.
Bonet, H.
Buck, C.
Hakenmüller, J.
Heusser, G.
Lindner, M.
Maneschg, W.
Meier, M.
Mertens, S.
Piani, D.
Rink, T.
Strecker, H.
High Energy Physics - Experiment
Instrumentation and Detectors
The CONUS+ experiment has recently reported the first detection of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) of reactor antineutrinos on germanium nuclei and is now entering a precision phase. The dominant uncertainty in the first measurement was the energy scale, which contributed 14% to the uncertainty of the prediction of the combined signal. We present a dedicated neutron activation campaign in which one of the new 2.4 kg CONUS+ germanium detectors was irradiated with a strong 241AmBe source, demonstrating that a contribution below 4% to the uncertainty of signal prediction is achievable. For the first time, the 71Ge M-shell X-ray line was clearly resolved at (158.7+-1.4) eVee, validating the CONUS+ energy reconstruction down to the detection threshold. This validation includes the understanding of the energy scale, the energy resolution, the trigger efficiency, and the correct separation of physical from noise events. These results establish the foundation for a future activation campaign at the Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt reactor site, strengthening the CONUS+ energy calibration and extending its sensitivity to precision CEvNS and beyond Standard Model physics measurements.
title Sub-keV energy calibration of CONUS+ via 71Ge M-shell neutron activation
topic High Energy Physics - Experiment
Instrumentation and Detectors
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.25748