Low radioactive material screening and background control for the PandaX-4T experiment

bstract PandaX-4T is a ton-scale dark matter direct detection experiment using a dual-phase TPC technique at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. Various ultra-low background technologies have been developed and applied to material screening for PandaX-4T, including HPGe gamma spectroscopy, ICP-MS, NAA, radon emanation measurement system, krypton assay station, and alpha detection system. Low background materials were selected to assemble the detector. Surface treatment procedures were investigated to further suppress radioactive background. Combining measured results and Monte Carlo simulation, the total material background rates of PandaX-4T in the energy region of 1–25 keV ee are estimated to be (9.9 ± 1.9) × 10 − 3 mDRU for electron recoil and (2.8 ± 0.6) × 10 − 4 mDRU for nuclear recoil. In addition, nat Kr in the detector is estimated to be < 8 ppt.