A new type of Neutrino Detector for Sterile Neutrino Search at Nuclear Reactors and Nuclear Nonproliferation Applications

TL;DR

NuLat is a novel neutrino detector designed for close-range reactor anti-neutrino detection, enabling the search for sterile neutrinos and applications in nuclear nonproliferation through advanced scintillator technology.

Contribution

The paper introduces NuLat, a new detector leveraging a Raghavan Optical Lattice for enhanced spatial and energy resolution in neutrino detection near reactors.

Findings

Demonstrated high spatial and energy resolution capabilities.

Showed potential to identify neutrino oscillation patterns.

Discussed efficiency and sensitivity for sterile neutrino searches.

Abstract

We describe a new detector, called NuLat, to study electron anti-neutrinos a few meters from a nuclear reactor, and search for anomalous neutrino oscillations. Such oscillations could be caused by sterile neutrinos, and might explain the "Reactor Antineutrino Anomaly". NuLat, is made possible by a natural synergy between the miniTimeCube and mini-LENS programs described in this paper. It features a "Raghavan Optical Lattice" (ROL) consisting of 3375 boron or $^6$Li loaded plastic scintillator cubical cells 6.3\,cm (2.500") on a side. Cell boundaries have a 0.127\,mm (0.005") air gap, resulting in total internal reflection guiding most of the light down the 3 cardinal directions. The ROL detector technology for NuLat gives excellent spatial and energy resolution and allows for in-depth event topology studies. These features allow us to discern inverse beta decay (IBD) signals and the putative oscillation pattern, even in the presence of other backgrounds. We discuss here test venues, efficiency, sensitivity and project status.