The micromegas detector of the CAST experiment

Abstract

A low-background Micromegas detector has been operating in the CAST experiment at CERN for the search for solar axions during the first phase of the experiment (2002-2004). The detector, made out of low radioactivity materials, operated efficiently and achieved a very high level of background rejection (5 × 10-5 counts keV-1 cm-2 s-1) without shielding. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.