Comprehensive Study of Radon Progeny Attachment to Surfaces

Low energy, low rate experiments, such as searches for neutrinoless double beta decay and dark matter, require unprecedentedly low levels of background in order to deliver their full science potential. $^{210}$Po driven, neutron induced background, caused by nuclear ($\alpha$, n)-reactions on low-Z materials, is a concern as it depends on details of the components' exposure to radon-loaded lab air and, thus, their handling history. While reaction rates can be reliably calculated, the attachment rates of airborne radon progeny to surfaces are much less understood. This article reports the results of a campaign comprising of more than 1200 attachment measurements, performed for 9 different materials. Attention is paid to the impact of environmental parameters. Attachment modelling, using the Jacobi model, is compared to data.