Bolometric detection of neutrinos

Abstract

Elastic neutrino scattering off electrons in crystalline silicon at 1--10 mK results in measurable temperature changes in macroscopic amounts of material, even for low-energy (<0.41 MeV) pp \ensuremath{\nu}'s from the sun. We propose new detectors for bolometric measurement of low-energy \ensuremath{\nu} interactions, including coherent nuclear elastic scattering. A new and more sensitive search for oscillations of reactor antineutrinos is practical (\ensuremath{\sim}100 Kg of Si), and would lay the groundwork for a more ambitious measurement of the spectrum pp, $^{7}\mathrm{Be}$ and $^{8}\mathrm{B}$ solar \ensuremath{\nu}'s, and supernovae anywhere in our galaxy (\ensuremath{\sim}10 tons of Si).