Abstract
The ν GeN is new experiment at the Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) for detection of coherent Neutrino–Ge Nucleus elastic scattering. Recent neutrino and Dark Matter search experiments have revolutionized the detection of rear events, and rear events with low energies, in particular. Experiments have achieved sensitivities on the level of several events per hundred kg of detector material per day with energy thresholds from few hundred eV. This opens up a new unique possibility for experimental detection of neutrino-nucleus coherent scattering that has been considered to be impossible so far. The νGeN project uses low threshold high-purity Ge-detectors (HPGe) developed by JINR (Dubna, Russia) in collaboration with BSI (Baltic Scientific Instruments, Riga, Latvia) for creation of a setup designated for first observation of neutrino coherent scattering on Ge. As a powerful neutrino source the experiment will use electron antineutrinos from one of the power-generating units (reactor unit #3) of the KNPP. The coherent neutrino scattering will be observed using a differential method that compares 1) the spectra measured at the reactor operation and shut-down periods; 2) the spectra measured at different distances from the reactor core during the reactor operation. For a setup placed at a 10 m distance from the center of reactor core and with an energy threshold of 350 eV up to tens of events corresponding to neutrino coherent scattering on Ge are expected to be detected per day in the constructed setup with four HPGe low-energy-threshold detectors (∼ 400 grams each). The setup sensitivity will be even more increased by using new detectors with total mass up to 5 kg.