Development of Tin-Based Single Crystal Scintillator for Double-Beta Decay Experiments

¹²⁴
Sn is one of the potential candidate isotopes for the study of
$2\nu \beta \beta $
and
$0\nu \beta \beta $
decay having a
$\text{Q}_{ \boldsymbol {\beta \beta } }$
value of 2.228 MeV and natural isotopic abundance of 5.8%.
¹²⁴
Sn-loaded-liquid scintillator has been investigated for
$2\nu \beta \beta $
and
$0\nu \beta \beta $
decay search. Since
$2\nu \beta \beta $
has not been experimentally observed from
¹²⁴
Sn isotope, unlike some of the isotopes subject to double-beta decay (DBD), it is necessary to study this element. However, lower light yield, chemical instability, and lower Sn-loading capability are some of the limitations of the liquid and plastic scintillators. The current investigation has been carried out to develop a single crystal of tetraphenyltin (TPSn) for the
$2\nu \beta \beta $
and
$0\nu \beta \beta $
decay search experiments. The TPSn powder for crystal growing was purified by recrystallization. The single crystals were grown using two-zone vertical Bridgman and slow solvent-evaporation techniques. Purified powder, diphenyloxazole (PPO), 1, 4-bis(2-methylstyryl) benzene (bis-MSB), and anthracene-doped Bridgman-grown crystal and anthracene-doped solvent-evaporation grown crystals showed X-ray induced emission peaking at 475 nm. The anthracene-doped crystal grown by solvent evaporation method showed scintillation under
$\alpha $
-particles excitation from
²⁴¹
Am source. Two decay components, 16 ns with 68.7% and 132 ns with 31.3% relative contributions, were observed under
$\alpha $
-particles excitation. This article suggests that after crystal growth optimization, TPSn can be a promising candidate for the DBD search of
¹²⁴
Sn.