Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-2019

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Physics

Major Professor

Nadia Fomin

Committee Members

Geoffrey Greene, Stefan Spanier

Abstract

Observables in neutron and nuclear beta decay can be used to search for Beyond-the-Standard-Model (BSM) physics. The Nab experiment is measuring the electron-antineutrino correlation and Fierz interference terms, within the theory of beta decay, with a dedicated neutron beam at ORNL's SNS. Another experiment is measuring the Fierz interference term, using a ⁴⁵Ca source and taking place in Area B of LANSCE. Within both experiments, two thick, segmented Si detectors are equipped, each consisting of 127 pixels. The detected currents, after amplification and shaping, are recorded as waveforms. Backscattering is a significant issue, specifically that which causes multiple interactions to be recorded within a single waveform. A digital filter has been developed for the identification of these occurrences. With the Nab experiment planning to collect data on the order of tens of months, the online analysis of the experiment is crucial. Algorithms will be explored within the online software for coincidence-pair identification and the extraction of the electron-antineutrino correlation parameter.

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