Bolometric detection of the recoil spectrum in the alpha decay of 210Po

Bolometers at low temperature are being developed as particle spectrometers and potential detectors of dark matter particles through the measurement of recoil energies. A successful observation of the recoil spectrum from a Po electrodeposited source was made for the first time with the use of a 2 mm3 composite-composite diamond bolometer operated in a 300 mK cryostat. The measured recoil ratio is 0.98±0.06 recoil/alpha above 50 keV, with the well defined peak in the spectrum at 101±2.5 keV. ((orig.))