Speaker
Description
Direct measurements of the tritium β-decay spectrum near its endpoint provide one of the most sensitive probes of the absolute neutrino mass. Project 8 and KATRIN both pursue this goal using distinct experimental techniques. Reaching next-generation sensitivity will require atomic tritium, since the molecular final-state distribution introduces intrinsic broadening of the observed spectrum. The development of a well-characterized atomic tritium source is therefore essential for future neutrino-mass experiments.
As part of KAMATE, a joint effort of Project 8 at JGU Mainz and KATRIN++ at KIT’s Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe (TLK), we study intense hydrogen beams as a non-radioactive analogue of atomic tritium. Our long-term goal is to enable future tritium operation at TLK. In this poster, we present ionization-scan measurements of two thermal dissociation sources using a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The atomic fraction is determined using a cross-section-based analysis of the relevant ionization and dissociation channels. In parallel, we investigate beam-profile diagnostics and the design of a first-stage cryogenic cooling system. Together, these studies guide source optimization and prepare for future atomic-tritium operation in precision neutrino-mass measurements.