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GERDA research group at the University of Zurich |
In phase I, which is currently under comissioning, GERDA will operate about 20 kg of bare 76Ge detectors in liquid argon. The goal is to reach the extremely low background of 0.01 events/(kg yr keV) around the Q-value (2.039 MeV) of the double beta decay and thus to test the half life for the neutrinoless mode up to 3*1025 years (at the 90% CL, for a data sample of 15 kg yr). In phase II, an additional 20 kg of enriched germanium detectors will be deployed, with the aim to increase the sensitivity to 1.5*1026 years (at the 90% CL, for a data sample of 100 kg yr).   Our group joined the GERDA collaboration in June 2007. For phase I, we are mainly responsible for the GERDA calibration system (hardware, source production, Monte Carlo simulations, calibration analysis pipeline). For phase II, we are involved in the production and testing of broad-energy germanium detectors, which have been chosen as the baseline detector technology for this next stage in the GERDA program. The pictures above shows the completed GERDA detector at the Gran Sasso Lab (left) and a string of natural germanium detectors, which is currently being comissioned in the liquid argon cryostat (right). At this link you will find the organigram of GERDA. The schematic view of the experiment is shown in the following figure.  |