Measurement of Nu(e)-bar -Electron Scattering Cross-Section with a CsI(Tl) Scintillating Crystal Array at the Kuo-Sheng Nuclear Power Reactor

The {nu}{sub e}-e{sup -} elastic scattering cross section was measured with a CsI(Tl) scintillating crystal array having a total mass of 187 kg. The detector was exposed to an average reactor {nu}{sub e} flux of 6.4x10{sup 12} cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} at the Kuo-Sheng Nuclear Power Station. The experimental design, conceptual merits, detector hardware, data analysis, and background understanding of the experiment are presented. Using 29882/7369 kg-days of Reactor ON/OFF data, the standard model (SM) electroweak interaction was probed at the squared 4-momentum transfer range of Q{sup 2{approx}}3x10{sup -6} GeV{sup 2}. The ratio of experimental to SM cross sections of {xi}=[1.08{+-}0.21(stat){+-}0.16(sys)] was measured. Constraints on the electroweak parameters (g{sub V},g{sub A}) were placed, corresponding to a weak mixing angle measurement of sin{sup 2{theta}}{sub W}=0.251{+-}0.031(stat){+-}0.024(sys). Destructive interference in the SM {nu}{sub e}-e process was verified. Bounds on anomalous neutrino electromagnetic properties were placed: neutrino magnetic moment at {mu}{sub {nu}{sub e}} <3.3x10{sup -32} cm{sup 2}, both at 90% confidence level.