Paper detail

Charge Coupled Devices for detection of coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering

This article details the potential for using Charge Coupled Devices (CCD) to detect low-energy neutrinos through their coherent scattering with nuclei. The detection of neutrinos through this standard model process has not been accessible because of the small energy deposited in such interactions with the detector nuclei. Typical particle detectors have thresholds of a few keV, and most of the energy deposition expected from coherent scattering is well below this level. The devices we discuss can be operated at a threshold of approximately 30 eV, making them ideal for observing this signal. For example, the number of coherent scattering events expected on a 52 gram CCD array located next to a power nuclear reactor is estimated as approximately 626 events/year. The results of our study show that detection at a confidence level of 99% can be reached within three months for this kind of detector array.