Characterisation and pulse shape discrimination of a SAGe Well detector for future germanium based double beta decay experiments

The search for the neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay is a very active field in modern neutrino physics. An observation would come hand in hand with lepton number violation and provides valuable information about the neutrino mass mechanism. The GERDA experiment searches for the 0νββ decay in ⁷⁶Ge by operating an array of isotopically enriched germanium detectors in a liquid argon cryostat. The background level achieved in Phase II of about 10^-3 cts/(keV.kg.yr) is the lowest in the field of 0νββ experiments. By employing BEGe detectors with a small anode geometry, a big improvement in background reduction was achieved with respect to Phase I. They provide an excellent pulse shape discrimination of surface and high energetic gamma ray background. Small Anode Germanium (SAGe) Well detectors as manufactured by Canberra combine the small anode technology of BEGe detectors with a much larger volume. This makes them an excellent choice for future germanium based 0νββ experiments with source masses exceeding 100 kg. This talk presents the characterisation and pulse shape discrimination potential of a SAGe detector currently operated in the Felsenkeller underground laboratory in Dresden.