Characterization of a kg-scale archaeological lead-based cryogenic detectors for the RES-NOVA experiment

TL;DR

This paper characterizes a small-scale cryogenic lead-based detector made from archaeological lead, demonstrating its potential for ultra-low background neutrino detection in astrophysical research, specifically for the RES-NOVA experiment.

Contribution

It introduces the use of archaeological lead in cryogenic detectors for neutrino detection and provides initial characterization data for such a detector.

Findings

High radiopurity level achieved in archaeological Pb

Successful operation of PbWO4 crystal as cryogenic detector

Potential for ultra-low background neutrino detection

Abstract

One of the most energetic events in the Universe are core-collapse Supernovae (SNe), where almost all the star's binding energy is released as neutrinos. These particles are direct probes of the processes occurring in the stellar core and provide unique insights into the gravitational collapse. RES-NOVA will revolutionize how we detect neutrinos from astrophysical sources, by deploying the first ton-scale array of cryogenic detectors made from archaeological lead. Pb offers the highest neutrino interaction cross-section via coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS). Such process will enable RES-NOVA to be equally sensitive to all neutrino flavors. For the first time, we propose to use archaeological Pb as sensitive target material in order to achieve an ultra-low background level in the region of interest (\textit{O}(1keV)). All these features make possible the deployment of the first cm-scale neutrino telescope for the investigation of astrophysical sources. In this contribution, we will characterize the radiopurity level and the performance of a small-scale proof-of-principle detector of RES-NOVA, consisting in a PbWO$_4$ crystal made from archaeological-Pb operated as cryogenic detector.