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1. $$^{222}$$Rn  emanation measurements for the XENON1T experiment

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-020-08777-z  

   XENON Collaboration; Aprile, E.; Aalbers, J.; Agostini, F.; Alfonsi, M.; Althueser, L.; Amaro, F. D.; Antochi, V. C.; Angelino, E.; Angevaare, J. R.; et al (April 2021, The European Physical Journal C)

   Abstract The selection of low-radioactive construction materials is of utmost importance for the success of low-energy rare event search experiments. Besides radioactive contaminants in the bulk, the emanation of radioactive radon atoms from material surfaces attains increasing relevance in the effort to further reduce the background of such experiments. In this work, we present the$$^{222}$$ ${}^{222}$Rn emanation measurements performed for the XENON1T dark matter experiment. Together with the bulk impurity screening campaign, the results enabled us to select the radio-purest construction materials, targeting a$$^{222}$$ ${}^{222}$Rn activity concentration of$$10\,\mathrm{\,}\upmu \mathrm{Bq}/\mathrm{kg}$$ $10\mu \mathrm{Bq}/\mathrm{kg}$in$$3.2\,\mathrm{t}$$ $3.2t$of xenon. The knowledge of the distribution of the$$^{222}$$ ${}^{222}$Rn sources allowed us to selectively eliminate problematic components in the course of the experiment. The predictions from the emanation measurements were compared to data of the$$^{222}$$ ${}^{222}$Rn activity concentration in XENON1T. The final$$^{222}$$ ${}^{222}$Rn activity concentration of$$(4.5\pm 0.1)\,\mathrm{\,}\upmu \mathrm{Bq}/\mathrm{kg}$$ $(4.5\pm 0.1)\mu \mathrm{Bq}/\mathrm{kg}$in the target of XENON1T is the lowest ever achieved in a xenon dark matter experiment. 

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2. Identification of new isomers in $$^{228}$$Ac: impact on dark matter searches

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09473-2  

   Kim, K. W.; Adhikari, G.; de Souza, E. Barbosa; Carlin, N.; Choi, J. J.; Choi, S.; Djamal, M.; Ezeribe, A. C.; França, L. E.; Ha, C.; et al (August 2021, The European Physical Journal C)

   Abstract We report the identification of metastable isomeric states of$$^{228}$$ ${}^{228}$Ac at 6.28 keV, 6.67 keV and 20.19 keV, with lifetimes of an order of 100 ns. These states are produced by the$$\beta $$ $\beta$-decay of$$^{228}$$ ${}^{228}$Ra, a component of the$$^{232}$$ ${}^{232}$Th decay chain, with$$\beta $$ $\beta$Q-values of 39.52 keV, 39.13 keV and 25.61 keV, respectively. Due to the low Q-value of$$^{228}$$ ${}^{228}$Ra as well as the relative abundance of$$^{232}$$ ${}^{232}$Th and their progeny in low background experiments, these observations potentially impact the low-energy background modeling of dark matter search experiments. 

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3. Performance of the SABRE detector module in a purely passive shielding

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-022-11108-z  

   Calaprice, F.; Benziger, J. B.; Copello, S.; Dafinei, I.; D’Angelo, D.; D’Imperio, G.; Di Carlo, G.; Diemoz, M.; Di Giacinto, A.; Di Ludovico, A.; et al (December 2022, The European Physical Journal C)

   Abstract We present here a characterization of the low background NaI(Tl) crystal NaI-33 based on a period of almost one year of data taking (891 kg$$\times $$ $\times$days exposure) in a detector configuration with no use of organic scintillator veto. This remarkably radio-pure crystal already showed a low background in the SABRE Proof-of-Principle (PoP) detector, in the low energy region of interest (1–6 keV) for the search of dark matter interaction via the annual modulation signature. As the vetoable background components, such as$$^{40}$$ ${}^{40}$K, are here sub-dominant, we reassembled the PoP setup with a fully passive shielding. We upgraded the selection of events based on a Boosted Decision Tree algorithm that rejects most of the PMT-induced noise while retaining scintillation signals with > 90% efficiency in 1–6 keV. We find an average background of 1.39 ± 0.02 counts/day/kg/keV in the region of interest and a spectrum consistent with data previously acquired in the PoP setup, where the external veto background suppression was in place. Our background model indicates that the dominant background component is due to decays of$$^{210}$$ ${}^{210}$Pb, only partly residing in the crystal itself. The other location of$$^{210}$$ ${}^{210}$Pb is the reflector foil that wraps the crystal. We now proceed to design the experimental setup for the physics phase of the SABRE North detector, based on an array of similar crystals, using a low radioactivity PTFE reflector and further improving the passive shielding strategy, in compliance with the new safety and environmental requirements of Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. 

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4. Search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson to a pair of pseudoscalars in the $$\upmu \upmu \text{ b } \text{ b } $$ and $$\uptau \uptau \text{ b } \text{ b } $$ final states

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-024-12727-4  

   Hayrapetyan, A; Tumasyan, A; Adam, W; Andrejkovic, J W; Bergauer, T; Chatterjee, S; Damanakis, K; Dragicevic, M; Del_Valle, A Escalante; Hussain, P S; et al (May 2024, The European Physical Journal C)

   Abstract A search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson ($$\text {H}$$ $\text{H}$) with a mass of 125$$\,\text {Ge}\hspace{-.08em}\text {V}$$ $\text{Ge}\text{V}$to a pair of light pseudoscalars$$\text {a}_{1} $$ ${\text{a}}_1$is performed in final states where one pseudoscalar decays to two$${\textrm{b}}$$ $\text{b}$quarks and the other to a pair of muons or$$\tau $$ $\tau$leptons. A data sample of proton–proton collisions at$$\sqrt{s}=13\,\text {Te}\hspace{-.08em}\text {V} $$ $\sqrt{s}=13\text{Te}\text{V}$corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138$$\,\text {fb}^{-1}$$ ${\text{fb}}^{-1}$recorded with the CMS detector is analyzed. No statistically significant excess is observed over the standard model backgrounds. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level ($$\text {CL}$$ $\text{CL}$) on the Higgs boson branching fraction to$$\upmu \upmu \text{ b } \text{ b } $$ $\mu \mu \text{b}\text{b}$and to$$\uptau \uptau \text{ b } \text{ b },$$ $\tau \tau \text{b}\text{b},$via a pair of$$\text {a}_{1} $$ ${\text{a}}_1$s. The limits depend on the pseudoscalar mass$$m_{\text {a}_{1}}$$ $m_{{\text{a}}_1}$and are observed to be in the range (0.17–3.3) $$\times 10^{-4}$$ $\times {10}^{-4}$and (1.7–7.7) $$\times 10^{-2}$$ $\times {10}^{-2}$in the$$\upmu \upmu \text{ b } \text{ b } $$ $\mu \mu \text{b}\text{b}$and$$\uptau \uptau \text{ b } \text{ b } $$ $\tau \tau \text{b}\text{b}$final states, respectively. In the framework of models with two Higgs doublets and a complex scalar singlet (2HDM+S), the results of the two final states are combined to determine upper limits on the branching fraction$${\mathcal {B}}(\text {H} \rightarrow \text {a}_{1} \text {a}_{1} \rightarrow \ell \ell \text{ b } \text{ b})$$ $B(\text{H}\to {\text{a}}_1{\text{a}}_1\to \ell \ell \text{b}\text{b})$at 95%$$\text {CL}$$ $\text{CL}$, with$$\ell $$ $\ell$being a muon or a$$\uptau $$ $\tau$lepton. For different types of 2HDM+S, upper bounds on the branching fraction$${\mathcal {B}}(\text {H} \rightarrow \text {a}_{1} \text {a}_{1} )$$ $B(\text{H}\to {\text{a}}_1{\text{a}}_1)$are extracted from the combination of the two channels. In most of the Type II 2HDM+S parameter space,$${\mathcal {B}}(\text {H} \rightarrow \text {a}_{1} \text {a}_{1} )$$ $B(\text{H}\to {\text{a}}_1{\text{a}}_1)$values above 0.23 are excluded at 95%$$\text {CL}$$ $\text{CL}$for$$m_{\text {a}_{1}}$$ $m_{{\text{a}}_1}$values between 15 and 60$$\,\text {Ge}\hspace{-.08em}\text {V}$$ $\text{Ge}\text{V}$. 

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5. Photo-response of the $$N=Z$$ nucleus $$^{24}$$Mg

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/s10050-023-01111-7  

   Deary, J; Scheck, M; Schwengner, R; O’Donnell, D; Bemmerer, D; Beyer, R; Hensel, Th; Junghans, A R; Kögler, T; Müller, S E; et al (September 2023, The European Physical Journal A)

   Abstract The electricE1 and magneticM1 dipole responses of the$$N=Z$$ $N=Z$nucleus$$^{24}$$ ${}^{24}$Mg were investigated in an inelastic photon scattering experiment. The 13.0 MeV electrons, which were used to produce the unpolarised bremsstrahlung in the entrance channel of the$$^{24}$$ ${}^{24}$Mg($$\gamma ,\gamma ^{\prime }$$ $\gamma ,{\gamma }^{\prime }$) reaction, were delivered by the ELBE accelerator of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf. The collimated bremsstrahlung photons excited one$$J^{\pi }=1^-$$ $J^{\pi }=1^{-}$, four$$J^{\pi }=1^+$$ $J^{\pi }=1^{+}$, and six$$J^{\pi }=2^+$$ $J^{\pi }=2^{+}$states in$$^{24}$$ ${}^{24}$Mg. De-excitation$$\gamma $$ $\gamma$rays were detected using the four high-purity germanium detectors of the$$\gamma $$ $\gamma$ELBE setup, which is dedicated to nuclear resonance fluorescence experiments. In the energy region up to 13.0 MeV a total$$B(M1)\uparrow = 2.7(3)~\mu _N^2$$ $B\left(M1\right)\uparrow =2.7\left(3\right){\mu }_N^2$is observed, but this$$N=Z$$ $N=Z$nucleus exhibits only marginalE1 strength of less than$$\sum B(E1)\uparrow \le 0.61 \times 10^{-3}$$ $\sum B\left(E1\right)\uparrow \le 0.61\times {10}^{-3}$ e$$^2 \, $$ ${}^2$fm$$^2$$ ${}^2$. The$$B(\varPi 1, 1^{\pi }_i \rightarrow 2^+_1)/B(\varPi 1, 1^{\pi }_i \rightarrow 0^+_{gs})$$ $B(\Pi 1,1_i^{\pi }\to 2_1^{+})/B(\Pi 1,1_i^{\pi }\to 0_{\mathrm{gs}}^{+})$branching ratios in combination with the expected results from the Alaga rules demonstrate thatKis a good approximative quantum number for$$^{24}$$ ${}^{24}$Mg. The use of the known$$\rho ^2(E0, 0^+_2 \rightarrow 0^+_{gs})$$ ${\rho }^2(E0,0_2^{+}\to 0_{\mathrm{gs}}^{+})$strength and the measured$$B(M1, 1^+ \rightarrow 0^+_2)/B(M1, 1^+ \rightarrow 0^+_{gs})$$ $B(M1,1^{+}\to 0_2^{+})/B(M1,1^{+}\to 0_{\mathrm{gs}}^{+})$branching ratio of the 10.712 MeV$$1^+$$ $1^{+}$level allows, in a two-state mixing model, an extraction of the difference$$\varDelta \beta _2^2$$ $\Delta {\beta }_2^2$between the prolate ground-state structure and shape-coexisting superdeformed structure built upon the 6432-keV$$0^+_2$$ $0_2^{+}$level. 

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