First results of the νGeN experiment on coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering

The nu GeN experiment is aimed to investigate neutrino properties using antineutrinos from the reactor of the Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant. The experimental setup is located at about 11 meters from the center of the 3.1 GWth reactor core. Scattering of the antineutrinos from the reactor is detected with low energy threshold high purity germanium detector. Passive and active shieldings are used to suppress all kinds of backgrounds coming from surrounding materials and cosmic radiation. The description of the experimental setup together with the first results is presented. The data taken in regimes with reactor on (94.50 days) and reactor off (47.09 days) have been compared. No significant difference between spectra of two datasets is observed, i.e., no positive signals for coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering are detected. Under Standard Model assumptions about coherent neutrino scattering an upper limit on a quenching parameter k < 0.26 (90% CL) in germanium has been set.

Automated summary

The nu GeN experiment aims to study the properties of neutrinos using antineutrinos from the Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant reactor. The experimental setup is located 11 meters away from the reactor core and uses a high purity germanium detector to detect the scattering of antineutrinos. Both passive and active shieldings are used to minimize background interference. The results show no significant difference between the spectra of data taken with the reactor on and off, indicating no positive signals for coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering. The upper limit for the quenching parameter k in germanium is set to be less than 0.26 (90% confidence level) under the assumptions of the Standard Model.