ZnMoO4: a promising bolometer for neutrinoless double beta decay searches

We investigate the performances of two ZnMoO 4 scintillating crystals operated as bolometers, in view of a next generation experiment to search the neutrinoless double beta decay of 100Mo. We present the results of the α vs β/γ discrimination, obtained through the scintillation light as well as through the study of the shape of the thermal signal alone. The separation obtained at the 2615 keV line of 208Tl is 8σ, using the heat-light scatter plot, while it exceeds 20σ using the shape of the thermal pulse alone. The achieved FWHM energy resolution ranges from 2.4 keV (at 238 keV) to 5.7 keV (at 2615 keV). The internal radioactive contaminations of the ZnMoO 4 crystals were evaluated through a 407 h background measurement. The obtained limit is <32 μBq/kg for 228Th and 226Ra. These values were used for a Monte Carlo simulation aimed at evaluating the achievable background level of a possible, future array of enriched Zn 100MoO 4 crystals. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.