A detection system to measure muon-induced neutrons for direct Dark Matter searches

TL;DR

This paper presents a neutron detection system using Gd-loaded scintillator to measure muon-induced neutrons, a significant background in underground Dark Matter experiments, demonstrating effective operation and ongoing data collection.

Contribution

The work introduces a specialized neutron detector linked with a muon veto system for direct measurement of muon-induced neutrons underground, enhancing background understanding for Dark Matter searches.

Findings

Achieved a neutron count rate of about 1 per day

Successfully installed and commissioned in 2008

System demonstrates full functionality and ongoing data collection

Abstract

Muon-induced neutrons constitute a prominent background component in a number of low count rate experiments, namely direct searches for Dark Matter. In this work we describe a neutron detector to measure this background in an underground laboratory, the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane. The system is based on 1 m3 of Gd-loaded scintillator and it is linked with the muon veto of the EDELWEISS-II experiment for coincident muon detection. The system was installed in autumn 2008 and passed since then a number of commissioning tests proving its full functionality. The data-taking is continuously ongoing and a count rate of the order of 1 muon-induced neutron per day has been achieved.