2024/08/13 by S. Ahmed Maouloud, Maouloud, Sid El Moctar Ahmed, Anh Nguyen +21
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det) #Nuclear Physics and Applications #Nuclear reactor physics and engineering #Particle Detector Development and Performance
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2408.06925
openalex publication_date 2024/08/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The Boulby UnderGround Screening (BUGS) facility, located at the Boulby Underground Laboratory, has significantly advanced its material screening capabilities by installing two XIA UltraLo-1800 alpha particle detectors. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of one of these detectors, operated 1,100 meters underground at the Boulby Underground Laboratory, which provides significant shielding from cosmic radiation and maintains a low ambient radon activity of 2.30 ± 0.03 Bq/m3. Our evaluation focuses on energy reconstruction accuracy, background radiation rates, and operational stability. The XIA UltraLo-1800 detector demonstrates remarkable stability in energy reconstruction, with less than 0.1 MeV variation over four years. Moreover, the implementation of a graphite-filled PTFE liner in the sample tray resulted in a significant reduction in background radiation levels compared to measurements with the original stainless steel tray, achieving an average activity of 0.15 ± 0.01 α/cm2/khr. Copper sample assays, performed before and after radon exposure, demonstrated the detector's ability to accurately identify and quantify 210Po contamination. By implementing the robust cleanliness procedures and protocols described in this article, we observed a reduction in 210Po activity from 0.504 ± 0.022 mBq to 0.336 ± 0.013 mBq, highlighting the crucial role of refined cleaning methods in minimizing background for sensitive experiments. Additionally, observations of elevated background activity levels post-high-activity sample measurements illustrate the need for careful management of assay conditions and environment to maintain low background levels. These results highlight the potential of the XIA UltraLo-1800 in enhancing the precision of material assays essential for reducing background interference in rare event experiments.