Materials Design for the Synthesis of High Strength Radiopure Copper Alloys for Rare Event Detection

TL;DR

This paper presents a materials design approach to develop high-strength, radiopure copper alloys for rare-event detection, optimizing alloy synthesis through computational thermodynamics to enhance performance and reduce experimental trial-and-error.

Contribution

It introduces a computational thermodynamics-based methodology for designing copper alloys with improved strength and radiopurity for rare-event detectors.

Findings

Predicted alloy properties after thermal processing.

Methodology reduces need for trial-and-error in alloy development.

Case studies demonstrate applicability to DarkSPHERE and XLZD experiments.

Abstract

Additive-free electroformed copper has emerged as the material of choice in exceptionally radiopure detectors for rare-event searches, based on its radiopurity, physical properties, and affordability. However, copper is ductile and of limited mechanical strength posing challenges for its use in future experiments. Electroformed copper-based alloys have been identified as a promising solution. However, their synthesis needs refining by exploring a complex parameter space of compositions and strengthening mechanisms. Here we show how a materials design approach may address current challenges and optimize alloy synthesis and processing. Alloy properties are predicted following thermal processing, using computational thermodynamics. The findings suggest a methodology to design high-performance, radiopure copper-based alloys suitable for next-generation rare-event experiments, while minimizing lengthy and expensive trial-and-error approaches. The impact on future experiments is exemplified through case-studies of the DarkSPHERE and XLZD experiments.