Physics / Physique - Master's Theses

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Low radon permeable gloves and laserball simulations for SNO+
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2014-03-19) Carranza-Barnard, Zachariah
The SNO+ experiment is a multipurpose liquid scintillator detector whose rst goal is to measure neutrinoless double beta decay. This thesis describes two important components: simulations to optimize the time window for the prompt peak of an optical calibration source, the \laserball" and the search for gloves to handle calibration sources while maintaining stringent background conditions. Non-direct light found in laserball runs creates challenges for optical calibration. By changing the time pro le from the standard 4ns to an asymmetric pro le of +2 􀀀4 ns this contribution of non-direct light can be reduced up to 45%. Gloves provide an access point to manipulate calibration sources during deployment inside the detector and as barrier to 222Rn, a known background to the experiment. However, typical glove materials are found to permeate large amounts radon. Through a careful selection process the material Silver Shield was chosen for use in SNO+ with a permeation rate of 1:1 10􀀀6 radon atoms/hour.