Detector-related backgrounds in the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino Experiment

The Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino Experiment, or KATRIN, is a next generation tritium beta decay experiment to directly measure neutrino mass with an expected sensitivity of 0.2 eV[1]. Neutrino mass does not fit into the Standard Model, and determining this mass may set the scale of new physics. To achieve this level of sensitivity, backgrounds in the experiment must be minimized. A complete Ceant4[2] simulation of KATRIN's focal plane detector and surrounding region is being developed. These simulations will help guide the design and selection of shielding and detector construction materials to reduce backgrounds from cosmic rays and natural radioactivity.