TEST OF A SUPERHEATED SUPERCONDUCTING GRANULE DETECTOR WITH NUCLEAR RECOIL MEASUREMENTS

The presented results are part of a Superheated Superconducting Granul e (SSG) detector development for neutrinos and dark matter. An aluminu m SSG detector was exposed to a 70MeV neutron beam to test the detecto r sensitivity to nuclear recoils. The neutron scattering angles were d etermined using a scintillator hodoscope. Coincidences between the SSG and the hodoscope signals have been clearly established. Data were ta ken at an operating temperature of 120mK for different SSG intrinsic t hresholds. The proved sensitivity of the detector to nuclear recoils a bove 10keV is encouraging for possible applications of SSG as a dark m atter detector.