Comprehensive study of radon progeny attachment to surfaces

Low energy, low rate experiments, such as searches for neutrinoless double $\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay and dark matter, require unprecedentedly levels of background in order to deliver their full science potential. $^{210}\mathrm{Po}$ driven, neutron induced background, caused by nuclear $(\ensuremath{\alpha},n)$ reactions on low-$Z$ materials, direct contributions the $^{210}\mathrm{Po}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ radiation desorption $^{210}\mathrm{Pb}$ progeny $^{210}\mathrm{Bi}$ from surfaces into detector medium are particular concern. These backgrounds depend details components' exposure radon-loaded laboratory air and, thus, handling history. The attachment rates airborne radon surfaces, needed estimation these rates, poorly understood. This article reports results a campaign comprising more than 1200 measurements, performed nine different materials. Correlations with environmental parameters exchange rate, electrical surface potential, temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity have been studied found be significant only case first two. Attachment modeling, using Jacobi model, is compared data.