title: Effect of low-level radiation on the low temperature acoustic behavior of a-SiO2.
abstract: We report on the mechanical behavior of an a-SiO2 84 kHz torsional oscillator operated between 100> or =T> or =1.0 mK. Below 10 mK we observed well-differentiated transient responses which we attribute to the interaction with low-level background radiation (gamma quanta and cosmic ray micro) and which can be modeled in terms of a change in the spring constant.
authors.affiliation: Cornell Center for Materials Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nazaretski
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Merithew
authors.forename: V O
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Kostroun
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Zehnder
authors.forename: R O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Pohl
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Parpia