Selection and purification of Li2CO3 precursor for bolometric double beta decay experiments

• DOI: 10.3389/fphy.2024.1347162
• Publication Date: 2024-02-26T04:23:56Z
• Authors: KeonAh Shin; Chorok Byeon; JunSeok Choe; Olga Gileva; Yena Kim; Yeongduk Kim; Eunkyung Lee; Moo Hyun Lee; Hyojin Yeon
• Keywords: BETA (programming language)

This paper describes the preparation of radiopure lithium carbonate powder for needs low-background research, in particular, AMoRE-II, second phase a search neutrinoless double-beta decay (0νDBD) 100 Mo isotope using over kg contained 200 ultra-pure Li 2 MoO 4 bolometric crystals. About 150 pure CO 3 is required to synthesize The desired radiopurity 40 K below mBq/kg, and Th/U Ra are at few mBq/kg. Several commercially available powders were tested with ICP-MS HPGe detectors Center Underground Physics (CUP) Institute Basic Science Korea. lowest purity products was 99.99%. results powders’ radioassay CUP showed that none suited 0νDBD application. A special purification technology had be developed remove original contamination potassium (K), thorium (Th), uranium (U), radium (Ra). Lithium crystallization via carbonization technique inefficient removing radiochemical impurities. formate fractional recrystallization effectively removed Ra, K, Th, but synthesis final product low yield introduction additional chemicals. analysis raw purified powders, decontamination efficiency, plans described article.