First array of enriched Zn$^{82}$Se bolometers to search for double beta decay

TL;DR

This paper reports on the development and testing of enriched Zn$^{82}$Se bolometers for neutrino-less double beta decay search, demonstrating their suitability for large-scale experiments like CUPID-0.

Contribution

It presents the first successful production and testing of enriched Zn$^{82}$Se scintillating bolometers, confirming their performance for double beta decay experiments.

Findings

Energy resolution meets experimental requirements

Effective background rejection demonstrated

High intrinsic radio-purity achieved

Abstract

The R&D activity performed during the last years proved the potential of ZnSe scintillating bolometers to the search for neutrino-less double beta decay, motivating the realization of the first large-mass experiment based on this technology: CUPID-0. The isotopic enrichment in $^{82}$Se, the Zn$^{82}$Se crystals growth, as well as the light detectors production have been accomplished, and the experiment is now in construction at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (Italy). In this paper we present the results obtained testing the first three Zn$^{82}$Se crystals operated as scintillating bolometers, and we prove that their performance in terms of energy resolution, background rejection capability and intrinsic radio-purity complies with the requirements of CUPID-0.