Ciemat Neutrino Group

The CIEMAT neutrino group is currently composed by 4 senior researchers, 4 engineers, 1 physicist, 3 PhD students and 2 technicians. The research activities of the group are focused on the study of neutrino oscillations, in particular, the measurement of the θ₁₃ mixing angle with the Double Chooz reactor neutrino experiment, and the installation and operation of the WA105/protoDUNE-DP detector at the CERN Neutrino Platform as a large-scale dual-phase liquid argon (LAr) prototype for the future DUNE long-baseline neutrino experiment in Fermilab. Timescale of the projects is different since Double Chooz is at the end of the data taking and analysis exploitation, protoDUNE-DP is currently under construction at CERN and will take data in 2018-2019 while the DUNE project is in the design phase.

The CIEMAT group had a major contribution in the design, construction and operation of both far and near Double Chooz detectors. In particular, we were responsible of the mechanical structures, magnetic shields and HV splitters for the light detection system (390 10” photomultipliers for each detector). Our group strongly contributes to the Double Chooz detector analysis leading several studies on the accidental background events, neutrino selection, detection efficiency uncertainties and developed a new method based on the different reactor power conditions to provide a background-independent θ₁₃ measurement. The near detector started its operation in December 2014 and a first measurement of θ₁₃ with both detectors will be published soon.

Our group is also participating in the WA105 experiment at CERN, with the goal of building and operating a 6x6x6m³ double-phase LAr TPC in a new CERN test area with charged particles beam capability. As a first step towards the development of future large scale neutrino LAr detectors, a 3x1x1 m³ double-phase LAr TPC took data at CERN in 2017. Together with the IFAE neutrino group, CIEMAT is in charge of the WA105 light detection system. The CIEMAT group is also involved in the DUNE long-baseline experiment at Fermilab, working on the Dual Phase Photon Detection System consortium for the DUNE Far Detector and in the Supernova and Low Energy Neutrino Physics Working Group.

We also work on R&D for large scale cryogenic liquid detectors, participating in the AIDA-2020 European Project (Advanced European Infrastructures for Detectors and Accelerators), funded by the Horizon 2020 European Programme.