New lower background and higher rate technique for anti-neutrino detection using Tungsten 183 Isotope (2311.08418v3)

Abstract: Low energy anti-neutrinos detected from reactors or other sources have typically used the conversion of an anti-neutrino on Hydrogen, producing a positron and a free neutron. This neutron is subsequently captured on a secondary element with a large neutron capture cross section such as gadolinium or cadmium. We have studied the anti-neutrino conversion and suggest other elements that have a comparable cross section for anti-neutrino reactions. With most neutron captures on gadolinium, it is possible to get two or three delayed gamma signals of known energy to occur. Experiments like ATLAS can make measurements with timing on the order of 25 ns. With electronics like these, this leads to the possibility of having a triple delayed coincidence using the positron annihilation on atomic shell electrons as the starting signal. We have also found an isotope of tungsten, $^{183}$W that offers a large anti-neutrino interaction cross section of $1.19 \times 10^{-46}$ m$^2$ and an anti-neutrino threshold energy for the production of the ground state at 2.094 MeV and the production of the first excited state at 2.167 MeV. This reaction makes a nuclear m1 excited state of $^{183}$Ta$^*$ that emits a signature secondary gamma pulse of 73 keV with a 106 ns half-life. This offers a new delayed coincidence technique that can be used to identify anti-neutrinos with lower background noise. This allows for less shielding than required for modern inverse beta decay detectors.